Gotoco FUNDED TEFL Adventures (Bali, Thailand, Colombia, Europe, SE Asia!)

Program Reviews

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Ciara
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

GoToCo Vietnam

My summer in Vietnam was unforgettable. I was placed in Bao Loc with 2 of my friends, Bao Loc was quite a rural area but it was easier to settle as I was there with 2 of my friends! Wer worked at an English school, we didnt have many working hours, so we had lots of free time to enjoy the area and we also had time to travel to nearby sities such as Da Lat. All of the staff at GoToCo were so helpful, especially El, who was always willing to help! I would recommend this to anyone who wants to push themselves out of their comfort zone.

Pros
  • Explore new areas
  • Teaching experience
  • Meeting new people
Cons
  • Semi-rural placement
  • Difficult to communicate with hosts
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Charlotte
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer of learning :)

I volunteered over the summer in Germany through Gotoco. It was absolutely amazing and I loved getting to know lots of different people (both gotocoers and other camp staff). Not only did gotoco fund my food, accomodation and TEFL qualification (that will enable me to teach abroad in the future), but they also funded an interrail pass so I could travel around Europe. The team is super friendly and so I felt comfortable asking them for help with the course and my travel arrangements. This experience really helped improve my confidence in travelling abroad. Thanks gotoco :)

Pros
  • Awesome Team
  • Exposure to different cultures
  • Learning how to teach english and work at a kids camp
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Roda
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Genuinely amazing

I remember looking for reviews before I travelled with Gotoco and worried that it was too good to be true. I completed the Thailand Summer Teaching and I genuinely had the best time. I felt safe at all times, met the most wonderful people (Thai people, gotocoers and other people travelling) and Gotoco organised everything well. We had the first week to learn about Thai culture and language but also took lesson on Tesol to help us deliver great teaching. I honestly recommend Gotoco and would love to join the program again!

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Nicole
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Authentic experience

This summer, I spent 6 weeks teaching English in Italy. The programme was amazing with lots of once in a lifetime experiences, such as, exploring vineyards in Tuscany, interrailing through Italy and eating Italian families traditional dishes. The teaching was an amazing way to develop my teaching expertise, as a qualified primary school teaching the programme even taught me engaging ways to support EAL learners in the classroom. I have learnt many lessons from my experience that I can bring back teaching in the UK.

Pros
  • TESOL certificate
  • Explore Italy
  • Great food!!
Cons
  • Long teaching days
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Elodie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Gotoco 2 month Colombia program

I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Gotoco. The relationship with my placement school and my host family were among the highlights of my trip. The friendliness of the staff at Innova schools Mosquera, and their willingness to always provide a helping hand, made the transition into leading English classes much less daunting and rather enjoyable. I found this to be a great outlet to put into practice all that I had been learning about in my TEFL course.

The opportunity to travel around beautiful Colombia was also a major highlight. From trekking and sailing through the Amazon, to exploring the bustling market stalls of Bogota, this was definitely a trip to tick off the bucket list!

Whilst some of my fellow volunteers had some issues with our hosting organisation, YMCA Colombia, this was not at all reflective of the professionalism and all around helpfulness that was consistently demonstrated by Gotoco staff.

Though it sounds too good to be true, this volunteering experience was truly everything and more! Fully funded & no catches - what’s not to love? I would definitely recommend doing a Gotoco programme to anyone that is interested in exploring the option of teaching English abroad, whilst also adventuring through a different corner of the world.

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Anaya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Gotoco Summer Programme Spain

I absolutely loved the Spain programme as we were teaching adults which allowed us to form stronger connections with the students and have interesting chats about everything. Although our programme location was in the middle of nowhere, I loved the Venta del Charco accommodation as there was a pool where we'd often have pool parties, and we had horses, sheep, and chickens as neighbours. The Spanish adults were lovely- we had so much fun together doing all the activities (especially Furor) and I was able to get to know everyone in our one-to-one chats. I also really enjoyed the cultural tour in Granada as it is a beautiful city and it helped that most of the activities were booked for us so we could enjoy our trip without having to worry about coordinating and booking everything.

Pros
  • made amazing spanish friends
  • explored some of the best parts of southern spain
  • venta del charco accomodation
Cons
  • veggie/vegan food was limited
  • programme organisers did not keep us updated with last-minute changes
  • granada tour could have been planned better
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Hamed
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable experience with GOTOCO in Thailand!

Thailand, a country known for its lively culture, magnificent landscapes, and kind hospitality, became the setting for a life-changing experience for me. I began on a journey as a volunteer teacher, organised by a devoted organisation, wanting to make a real effect, gain amazing memories, and build vital skills.
My ambition to travel the world, immerse oneself in a different culture, and give back to a community in need motivated my decision to teach in Thailand. This was a decision that I would grow to value as a life-changing experience.
People I met, experiences I had, and skills I learned have all left an everlasting impression on my life. Thailand will always have a special place in my heart for its kindness and beauty, and I am glad for the opportunity to have been a part of this great trip.

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Tom
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Colombia 2023

Gotoco Colombia 2023 was amazing. The Easter week trip to Medellin and Guatape was unforgettable, with paragliding and jet skiing topping the list. The experience included making lifelong friends, gaining valuable teaching experience, and enjoying a fantastic work-life balance. I've already recommended it to all my friends – it was the best time ever. The unique accommodation in a mansion with a pool and the thrilling jeep rides to town added an extra layer of excitement to the whole experience. An experience I won't forget!

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Christian
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thailand Fellowship 2023

The experience as a whole has been fantastic. It started off in February, with my interview, and by March I was gone! The process was quick and the staff before the trip did everything to ensure that I was ready to move to Thailand for 6 months. Once in country my friend who I had convinced to go had even less time to prepare and they also supported him too!
When we arrived in country we spent a good while traveling, gaining experiences such as Song Kran and doing our TESOL orientation, and Gotoco picked amazing places for this to happen. When we finally go to know where we were moving to, gotoco again helped us with the moving back and supported us from there. While on my trip I also had the chance to go to Malaysia to take part in the Asian Youth Model United Nations, which Gotoco sponsored me for through the personal development fund, which one was one of my most favourite parts as I had a chance to meet people and talk about the importance of education and how it helps development. Finally, this has lead me into knowing that I want to be a teacher, and through this experience I have gained a teaching position with a funded PGCE in China, which would not have been available without Gotoco support or without my TESOL. If you have any incline to do this, then I'd say go ahead. You'll never regret it.bthe friends I've made have been wounderful and the memories I've made are forever.

Pros
  • Friendships
  • Exploring
  • Educational
Cons
  • Culture shock
  • Leaving at the end of the programme
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Natalie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Six-month teaching fellowship in Thailand with Gotoco

On the six-month fellowship, we had a four-week orientation before we started school. We did a lot of traveling in the first few weeks then TESOL training in a lovely hotel and taught for the first time in English camps. The hotel where we completed our TESOL training had the most comfortable beds, a hotel buffet, a pool and a gym! Gotoco couldn't have picked a better place for us to stay.

The cultural activities before teacher training were very fun and varied. We were able to visit lots of different places in Thailand which we may have not experienced if it weren't for the program. My most enjoyable experiences were our trip to Sukhothai, a historical sight in northern Thailand. We rode bikes around the temple grounds, ate at a nice restaurant and stayed in a beautiful hotel where everyone very much enjoyed the pool. We also went to rescue paws which is an animal shelter for disabled dogs. We got to go with the volunteers to feed local packs of strays and walked some of the dogs from the shelter along the beach. It was a great day. Songkran was definitely a highlight, we all had lots of fun over those few days! We also had a karaoke party bus for a few of our journeys which was also highlight. The English camps with Sunee (a friend of Gotoco's who lives in Thailand) was a highlight- teaching for the first time was nerve wrecking but she made the whole experience fun and lighthearted. Lastly, the elephant hotel we stayed at was amazing! We got to feed some wild elephants who live in the grounds surrounding the hotel.

For me, the staff (specifically Hayley, Matty, and El) made the experience. They always made sure we were having a good time but were also available if we needed any help with anything or needed a chat. Whilst teaching, my students were the highlight.

You experience so much during the six-month program. You visit many different places and do lots of different activities. You spent a lot of time with the people on your cohort and get to make lots of friends. Most importantly, you gain lots of valuable experience and get a qualification and it is all funded for you! The company is very inclusive and wants to make sure everyone has the same opportunities no matter their background and that everyone has a positive experience. When I was applying, I wondered if Gotoco was a scam or what was the catch as I couldn't believe all of this is funded for you and you get to experience so much for free! Rest assured after emailing, I was reassured it is not a scam and there is no catch! Just commitment and some hard work is required to complete the TESOL certification and get all the admin requirements completed before starting the course.

My experience on this program has been positive and impactful. This program has helped me grow as an individual and I have had many amazing experiences and will leave with lasting memories and friendships. I feel I have gained lots of valuable experience during my time on the program and have developed as a person both personally and professionally. It is an amazing opportunity to gain some valuable life experience. I would recommend it to everyone.

Pros
  • Making friends
  • Exploring new places
  • Learning about local culture
Cons
  • Completing the TESOL qualification does require some hard work
  • You will probably get home sick
  • You will probably want to go home at some point during your teaching placement but stick it out!