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

I have recommended this program to a few people, it was a great experience and learning experience. Met the most amazing people and made long life friends. I feel like as young person the way it was formed and the layout of the program was really good. At times I think it could’ve been a bit more structured but overall it was really good. Especially the friends that you make and things you can do. I would definitely consider doing it again but not in Thailand as I struggled with the food in Vietnam.

This program is a brilliant way of travelling affordably and in a purposeful and worthwhile way, and of meeting new people easily while doing it. It is also a great lesson in leaving the comfort zone and gaining a really special experience you cant find in many other ways. It has made me realise how much I enjoy teaching, which I didn't have much experience with before, and has opened up lots of opportunities to pursue this further and tie it into travel with the experience and qualification I have gained. I loved it, I would highly recommend!

The program offers an opportunity that is very unique, I genuinely haven't seen something that matches up to it in terms of the value provided - yes it is really fully funded ! I was initially worried about doing a rural Thailand program as the lifestyle would be very much outside my comfort zone but luckily I was allocated to teach at the loveliest school and had an amazing host which massively determines your experience on the placement. Our host was so invested in our wellbeing and always took us out to explore during our placement. We were also able to travel around on the weekends and spend our free time as desired. The orientation week and end of trip program to Koh Samet island was so wholesome with the whole cohort!
The program has allowed me to experience my passion for travelling and working with children as a fusion and I’ve created beautiful memories. It has been very rewarding to do something impactful in a fun and enjoyable way with a great cohort! I took the risk and in my personal experience, it ended up being totally worth the adventure! Definitely one of the best things I’ve done!
Room for improvement: for placements to be more standardised in terms of accommodation, hosts and school placements so there won’t be significant disparities in participant experiences.
Also expect information and communication before the program to be somewhat limited as most of the specifics get confirmed and organised closer to the time.

Going to Colombia with GotoCo was a once in a lifetime experience. Before we left, GotoCo supported our application and gave us informative presentations and Q&A sessions which made the process less daunting. The coordinators and the rest of the group were so lovely and supportive, I felt that I could bring up any concerns easily. A fully funded trip is so hard to come by, and GotoCo was the only organisation that I found which paid for flights and accomodation. Trying teaching for the first time whilst gaining a fully funded TEFL qualification is a great opportunity after university or school and I feel like my CV has now got a boost.

I underwent the 3-month programme in Chinchiná, Colombia and can't recommend it enough. The placement is fully-funded and you're supported by Gotoco every step of the way, from the application stage to the end of the programme. If you're unsure about what you want to do career-wise, especially if you've just finished uni, it's a great opportunity to gain practical experience in teaching as well as travelling on a budget – you have lots of free time to see the rest of the country on your days off and getting round Colombia is very inexpensive. The accommodation and placement school are both excellent and you feel very included in the local community quickly, plus you meet so many new friends with your cohort you never feel lonely!

This program offered an amazing opportunity to travel and explore Thailand whilst working and living in a rural town where I learnt Thai culture and made friends with the locals. It is a great way to build confidence and independence and to get your level 5 TESOL qualification!
The people that I met and memories that I made on this program made it even more special. Being with the Gotoco company meant that I was apart of a larger group of participants so we could offer support and share our experiences with each other in order to strengthen our friendships.

I was lucky enough to spend two incredible months teaching English in Chinchina, Colombia. The prospect of free flights, food, accommodation and a qualification seemed too good to be true and I was waiting for the catch, but there isn't one. The programme was well set up to support us teaching, but we were also given a lot of freedom to teach they way we wanted to. Furthermore, we had the opportunity to travel to new places in Colombia and even Panama on the weekends. The people on my programme were from incredibly diverse backgrounds and were unfailingly interesting, helpful and fun to be around. I cannot recommend this programme enough. My only regret was having to leave after 2 months.

Programs boosted my confidence, affirming my potential as a teacher—an essential motivation for my journey here. Moreover, I've learned I can thrive on a different continent, broadening my horizons and embracing new possibilities. The immersive programs not only elevated my teaching skills but also instilled a profound sense of confidence in my abilities. This newfound assurance became a driving force behind my decision to embark on this transformative journey. Additionally, the experience illuminated the possibility of living and flourishing on a different continent. This realization has not only expanded my horizons but has also allowed me to embrace the richness of diverse cultures and perspectives. As I navigate this exciting chapter of my life, I am continually inspired by the prospect of making a meaningful impact as an educator in a global context.

I completed Gotoco's short-stay (two month) program in Vietnam. It was an amazing opportunity to have a funded placement in a teaching environment in South East Asia. Although you are technically a volunteer during your teaching placement, your flights, accommodation during the program, TESOL course and orientation activities are funded. You may also get a stipend to help cover some costs during your teaching placement. Participating in this program with other people in the same situation as you, made the experience a lot smoother and easier to build life-long friendships. I felt grateful to have made an impact to local Vietnamese students learning English. The program is an an eye-opener into travelling and working abroad, and it genuinely improves your confidence in navigating the daily challenges of living abroad. Having never had teaching experience prior to this program, doing a teaching role for the first time opened up my interests to explore teaching as a potential careerpath. It is worth remembering that living in Vietnam is very different to the UK, and so doing this program teaches you to be adaptable and being open to new aspects of living abroad i.e. food, accommodation, travelling, transportation, language, interacting with locals, cultural behaviour and traditions.

Some comments from my Thailand TESOL programme experience.

6 weeks travelling with Gotoco was a great experience, meeting so many new friends and travelling together.

Developing new skills as a teacher from no previous experience - phichit summer teaching camp to a confident and full time teacher ( I've almost been teaching for a year in Thailand now) .

My experience has been full of new culture, people and professional skills.

It has made me stronger and a more rounded person to have taken part & integrated into a foreign country for the first time.

Some personal highlights from my 6 weeks travelling with the gotoco team were -

Kanchanaburi - historical war museum and hellfire pass.

Bangkok - nightlife / eating out and river cruise.

Hua hin - sunrise on the beach with the monkeys & the nightlife.

Meals and drinks out with gotoco team and participants.

Date of experience: April 01, 2023