Program Reviews

The best thing about my experience was experiencing a true taste of Vietnamese life from living in my small town, mostly surrounded by Vietnamese locals. Juxtaposing this with my weekend/ post-programme trips to larger cities across Vietnam really gave me the full experience of Vietnam and what it has to offer. This programme has afforded me many opportunities that I would not have had by simply travelling through Vietnam. From exposure to local customs to the people I have met, it has enriched my time in Vietnam far more than coming as a tourist would have.

The programme was supportive and very helpful throughout. I really enjoyed my time and participating in different activities everyday. I enjoyed how culturally focused the programme was and allowed me to learn so much about Thailand. Gotoco provides people with a unique and valuable experience to aid in future career prospects. It has also allowed me to make lifelong friendships with people from the cohort.

The group as a whole was super supportive and the chosen coordinators for my specific group were amazing! Besides the obvious travel for the first few months, I really enjoyed watching people in my group grow throughout the trip.

The bali gotoco programme was too good to be true in some aspects in relation to funded flights and meals as well as accommodation. It was great to live nearby a busy town while still living in a quieter village surrounded by local businesses and families. I feel that our cohort became apart of their community by being invited to gatherings such as weddings and festivals and really gave an insight to how kind the baliense people are. The opportunity to travel to bali and teach was incredible and would reccomend to anyone who is thinking of doing it.

I had the incredible opportunity to teach English in Thailand for 6 weeks, and it was truly amazing!

The support from Gotoco was great, and they made the entire process smooth, from the initial application to my arrival. Their team was always ready to answer my questions and help us out. In Thailand, the cultural immersion, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of my students were beyond what I could have ever imagined. From the orientation week, I felt confident and well-prepared for the classroom, and made genuine connections with my students, and helping them develop their English language skills.

Gotoco helps you grow professionally, by doing the Tesol course, but more importantly I learned more about myself, gained a deeper understanding of Thai culture, and formed lifelong friendships with fellow teachers and locals. It's an experience that has left an indelible mark on my life. Definitely recommend!!

I would recommend Gotoco to a friend or family member as it is a great opportunity for people who can't afford expensive programs. It's also a great opportunity to see the other side of the world.
I had a great experience with the program as I thought all excursions and accommodations were very well organized and planned. I'm very happy with all the transport that was organized as well.
For me, the most enjoyable moments on the trip were visiting the railway in Kanchanaburi where I tried fried bananas for the first time (they were delicious!), and also the canal tour in Bangkok at the end of the trip.

I enjoyed the programme overall. The teaching hours were short so you had lots of time to explore Bali and do whatever else you wanted in the local area on teachings days.

I gained some classroom teaching experience which meant I was able to gain confidence speaking and maintaining control over a group. The most useful skill was being able to change your plans as you went along, so reading the room and realising if they liked an activity or didn't, and how to improve it.

Most enjoyable moments - The weekend trips away when I met some locals and was able to see a different side to Bali - a more genuine and local experience that wasn't glamorous but was fascinating.

Going to teach English in Thailand for 2 months was the best decision I have ever made. I met incredible people, experienced once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and learnt so much about myself.

The school I taught in were very supportive and my accommodation was great. The teaching and lesson-planning was quite challenging, but in the best way. I believe I really developed my own personal skills and discovered how hard I can work when I put my mind to it. The kids I taught were amazing and were so eager and happy to learn.

The cultural activities provided by Gotoco before and after the placement were amazing too. The programme also gives you the stepping stone into your own travelling after the course, which is great if you’re a little worried about travelling at first. I met some great people who I ended up travelling with. It was the most rewarding experience I’ve ever taken part in and would urge everyone considering it to take the plunge. Of course, it’s scary at first - but I can promise you, it’s so worth it.

Embarking on a trip to Italy for a month with complete strangers I have to admit I was nervous, however there was no reason to be. After the introduction part of the trip, which included teaching on how to run the camps during the days and cultural activities in the evenings we were sent out by train into Austria. While on camp we stayed with host families and were left to our own devices to run our own camps how we wanted, while being completely immersed in the local culture during the rest of the days. At the end of the camps we also had a short cultural trip to Venice, having the chance to completely explore and experience the city.

Gotoco is a great opportunity for gaining teaching experience and exploring the culture of a different country. It also allows you to gain a TEFL qualification, which is essential when wanting to teach English as a second language abroad. And yes, it really is fully funded! It might seem impossible at first but the Turin scheme fortunately makes it possible. A one-of-a-kind opportunity for travel. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to explore the world, teach and leave their comfort zone.

It was hard for me to believe that this programme was legit with all the generous funding, but it is, and it was incredible. My highlights from the Bali programme:
Water purification ceremony, cooking class (the food was amazing), wood carving, palm reading, painting class, eating delicious food which I might not have tried otherwise, staying in a villa with 45 other like-minded individuals. Exploring a new culture has been great for my personal growth and a change of perspective. The qualification is also a great opportunity for me to change my career plans / plans for work for the near future.