Program Reviews

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.

The organisation of this programme and all of its aspects were amazing. Everybody was super friendly and the trip was filled with so many fun cultural experiences. My school placement was exactly what I'd hoped for - we had an incredible host and the school was so much fun to teach at. We were able to see many different parts of Thailand and get fully immersed into the culture. The programme has inspired me to volunteer and continue travelling as much as possible. I would recommend Gotoco to everybody as it is such a great beneficial experience.

The most enjoyable moments of the trip for me were visiting Warsaw and Krakow after the three weeks volunteering, and being able to spend meaningful time exploring the country and culture.
Being able to explore poland after the three weeks was amazing, and having transport between cities via train was a great experience too. it was so nice making friends with all the other volunteers.
I think it's an amazing experience that helps grow your character and professional skills, i think i would recommend it to anyone who wants to work in a multicultural or teaching environment.

This gotoco trip was a fantastic way to dive into to a new environment and experience a new culture whilst also meeting new like minded people. Gotoco did an amazing job in making sure we were looked after and experienced the most of Thailand. We were placed in a local school and taught 5 days a week surrounded by local food and local Thai people from the community. Overall I have learned a lot and would definitely recommend this trip to friends and family if you are looking to experience a new culture.

Gotoco is a social enterprise that provides fully funded travel opportunities for volunteer English (TEFL) teachers, connecting people from different backgrounds and fostering cultural exchange.

Whilst on the programme, I worked in a primary school in Kalasin, Thailand, a small rural town in the Northeastern province of Isan.

Having had no prior experience of teaching or Thai culture, I was forced to adapt both in and out of the classroom – but I quickly fell in love with both!

Meeting local Thai people and making friends with them was the most enriching and rewarding part of the experience, as well as the teaching of course! Going into the experience, I thought that the other Gotoco participants would be the ones I would remember forever, but it was actually locals who gave me memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life!

Learning Muay Thai with a local retired fighter in his garden every day (after school, 5-7pm) was a particularly special highlight, and we were able to connect and stay friends despite not being able to speak each other's languages.

Overall, the process of immersing in another culture and community was so rewarding, and I cannot thank everyone in Kalasin - teachers, students and locals – enough for welcoming me into their town and giving me memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

I couldn't recommend it enough!