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

Program Reviews

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Jasmine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Invaluable experience abroad

To put it simply, the opportunity that Gotoco has given me has changed my life.
I will never forget my time spent in Spain. I was able to immerse myself fully in Spanish culture and interact with the Spanish locals in the town where I was located as well as my Spanish students. I am beyond grateful to all the kind and supportive people that I have met throughout the programme.
Through teaching abroad I feel that I have managed to personally develop in ways I never thought possible and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity Gotoco has given me to push myself outside of my comfort zone.
If you are considering working abroad and gaining a TEFL qualification, I wholeheartedly recommend going through Gotoco. Their commitment to offering life-changing opportunities is evident, and I can personally attest to the quality of their programs.

Pros
  • Meeting new people
  • Opportunity to travel
  • Funding available
Cons
  • Can feel like you are away for a long time
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Kiri
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing opportunity to teach abroad

I would highly recommend this program to anybody looking to combine teaching with travelling. Gotoco provided me an excellent opportunity to explore Thailand with this funded experience and allowed me to increase my teaching experience which will greatly benefit me going forward in my professional life. I was able to fully immerse myself into Thai culture and learn the language as well as gaining a deeper appreciation for local customs. This experience has left me feeling confident for future travel and teaching experiences and I have made friends for life.

Pros
  • Made friends with likeminded people
  • Building confidence and independence
Cons
  • Some hidden costs which will need to be self funded
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ABD-ELHAKIM
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

3 months teaching in Thailand

This has been an incredibly eye-opening and heartwarming experience for me. I've learned so much from it, from dealing with language barriers to embracing different cultures and beliefs. My time as a teacher has shown me that being a teacher is a lifelong commitment, a lesson I discovered while teaching both in primary and high schools.

What made this experience even more special was the opportunity to teach in various cities throughout Thailand. Each place had its own unique charm and distinct culture, making every moment of my journey incredibly rich and meaningful.

Pros
  • Funded TESOL qualification
  • Meet amazing people
  • Cultural exchange
Cons
  • Some rural areas do not have a huge amount of food options for people with halal/vegetarian/vegan dietary requirements.
  • Stray dogs
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Thomas
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Brilliant Funded Experience

My experience on the programme has been fantastic. I've learnt so much and grown so much in confidence, and I feel much more able to handle myself abroad. It has been the highlight of my year for sure. The highlight of my experience was getting to know all the people I met through the Gotoco programme, both locals and other Gotoco volunteers. Speaking to locals I could improve my language skills and learn more about the local culture. The other Gotoco volunteers were also great to get to know - they were all interesting people and equally up for adventure!

Pros
  • Organised post-programme trip
  • Assistance with booking flights and visas
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Rebecca
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Poland summer camps - An incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture

I had an amazing time completing the summer TEFL programme with GOTOCO in Poland. Volunteering at the camps was really enjoyable and fulfilling, if intense sometimes, and it was great to see the impact we were having through watching the children’s confidence in speaking English increase over the course of the camp. Being situated in the polish countryside was really cool and it felt like we got to really experience a lot of different aspects of Poland on our trip. It was also a great experience of travelling abroad alone for the first time and a great way to meet lots of amazing people.
The funded cultural tour at the end of our programme was a really fun experience and we got to explore Polish cities, history, culture and food.

Pros
  • Fully funded travel
  • Funded TESOL qualification
  • Really fun volunteering
Cons
  • It would be good to have a bit more communication before the programme started
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Mohammed
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

100% recommend this experience

An amazing experience. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves traveling and wants to gain experience teaching. Some of the placement areas are not that modern so it would be wise to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Aside from that, I have had the opportunity to learn about Thai culture, travel Thailand, meet amazing people, and leave my comfort zone.
The best part about this was that it is fully funded and that Gotoco plan all the logistics. The communication from Gotoco was seamless when support was required.

Pros
  • Fully Funded
  • Gotoco handle all logistics
  • Meet amazing people
Cons
  • Not entirely modern
  • Stray dogs
  • Some rural areas do not have a huge amount of food options for people with halal/vegetarian/vegan dietary requirements.
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Louisa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Short Summer Programme (SPAIN)

Volunteering to teach English in Spain with GoToCo is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I think the real-life skills that one can gain when participating in a GoToCo programme is truly beneficial, especially if they want to pursue education and/or teaching English to speakers of other languages.

One of the most memorable highlights of my overall experience is my interaction with the Spanish participants. That is the one thing that would definitely stick with me for a long, long time. I had such lovely conversations with them during our 1-2-1 sessions. Some in which include life lessons, career advice, and their experience. Truly once in a lifetime experience.

Pros
  • Easy application
  • Active coordinators
  • TEFL Certificate
Cons
  • Limited food option (vegetarian or no-pork)
  • Isolated village
  • Slow wifi
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Deyaanjali
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Don't miss out on this opportunity!

It's a great experience for people keen to work or live abroad with a genuine interest to integrate into the local culture. I was on the Thailand program and despite not knowing the local customs or language, was encouraged to completely immerse myself. Teaching was an absolute joy, but I wish the TESOL training had been more substantial and more in advance of the actual lessons that I took. Accommodation could also have been better, as although my roommates were very nice, we were told that we would share our rooms with a maximum of 1 other person and I ended up with 4 others like a hostel!

However, for a fully funded experience, with cheap accommodation, travel and food, I would highly recommend this as an opportunity for personal growth, to meet new people and to learn about a completely different culture while giving back to the country by volunteering.

Pros
  • Made many new friends with like-minded individuals
  • Learnt new skills which I can now add to my CV to increase my employability
  • Immersed myself in a completely different culture and out of my comfort zone
Cons
  • A few hidden costs which were not mentioned clearly at the beginning of the program
  • The TESOL training could have been better organised
  • Accommodation was difficult to cope with as it did not match what was promised
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Zara
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thailand Short Programme

I really enjoyed my time in Thailand. It gave me the opportunity to develop new skills and go outside of my comfort zone to try new things.

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Paul
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience of my life

This may sound a bit OTT, but it was the best experience of my life. It's hard to fully put into words because everyone's experiences will be so different, special, and unique to them. But I guess I would sell it as: when will you get an opportunity like this again? Just go for it, throw yourself into it, have fun, take a few risks, try things you wouldn't usually and embrace everything. You won't regret a single second.

I'd recommend a programme with GoToCo to anyone, it truly is one of the greatest things I've ever done.