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

Program Reviews

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Bethany
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

8 Week Thailand Rural Programme

Not many 20yrs old’s can say they have taught English in Thailand for 8 weeks for FREE! Having the opportunity to gain a TEFL or TESOL qualification has enabled me Job security at any moment in my life whilst also travelling and exploring a beautiful country.

It aided me in gaining confidence speaking in front of people, building relationships with people of all ages, and understanding different academic standards and curriculums across the world.

GoToco was a great company to work with openly offering support throughout the whole programme and being very clear with expectations as well as being happy to provide us any information that we requested.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Maggots and Cockroaches!
Pros
  • Gained a TEFL qualification
  • Got to experience a country I never would have been able too
  • Met friends for life
Cons
  • Need additional money coming out to Thailand
  • Had a lot of issues with placement (only agency based)
  • Went in rain season
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Subhaan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing experience

An amazing experience to gain an insight to living independently abroad and navigating yourself through a foreign country, whether that may be within a rural town or in a never sleeping city.

The highlights were helping the students excel in their education, meeting locals and embracing the new culture. The memories created and the places visited will be of those I will never forget!

The greatest professional benefit may have been the fact I was working in a rural town, within a country I had never visited before and confucted myself in an amazing way to be able to teach a subject I have never taught.

Everything on the main part was a near perfect experience. Only once I have returned to England am I really appreciating the opportunity I was given and would do everything all over again.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice would be to embrace every moment no matter how far out of your comfort zone it is
Pros
  • New friends
  • New culture
  • Great teaching experience
Cons
  • N/a
  • N/a
  • N/a
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Maryam
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience with Gotoco!

I had such an amazing experience with Gotoco. This programme was a great way to explore China, while also developing many new skills. It was really rewarding seeing the progress my students made with their confidence and English proficiency over the course of the programme. I was also able to develop my teaching skills and feel much more confident now. China is such a beautiful country, and I had a great time exploring it with fellow participants. Would definitely recommend this programme to anyone who has an interest in both travel and teaching!

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Ronan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Teaching Experience

Everything about the TESOL Level 3 July programme to Thailand was brilliant: the training prior to the teaching, the 6 weeks in the school, the facilities and hospitality we were provided, the people I have met, and the final reflection week. The highlights of my experience were the students and staff that I met and the way they welcomed me into their school and community. I feel as if I have gained an amazing professional and cultural experience. Thanks to this experience, my leadership skills have been greatly improved along with my adaptability skills when faced with sudden difficult challenges on the spot. I would definitely recommend doing a Gotoco programme to anyone, as it is a great experience for those who want to go into teaching or anyone that wants to improve their overall leadership skills. I also think it is a great programme for cultural insight and professional development.

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James
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Introductory Programme for TEFL

I joined the China Gotoco programme in the summer of 2024 and had a great experience. There were 40 of us altogether over a short 2 week programme. For many it was our first time teaching in a classroom setting and this was an unforgettable experience in a wonderful school in Hunan province. We were able to see a much larger amount of Hunan than we thought on either side of the teaching. The school were amazing hosts and we were able to build a really strong connection with our students throughout the time there, teaching a varied curriculum that was designed around making the learning fun and inclusive to all levels of our students. I would definitely recommend this programme to anyone who is thinking of teaching whether at home or abroad, it is certainly an unforgettable experience. The Gotoco staff were wonderful and very useful in everything from Visa applications to lesson planning.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
We did rock climbing on a cliff face about 100m high
Pros
  • Confidence building
  • Seeing a new part of the world
  • Making long-lasting connections
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Juliet
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible Experience in Dali, China

I had such a great time teaching kids at MeisenTe Summer Camp in Dali! The experience was unique and I’m really grateful to Gotoco for providing this opportunity to live and work in such an interesting country. I felt warmly welcomed and supported by my Chinese colleagues who were equally proud of their work on the summer camp. I was able to experience new things every day such as rock climbing, mushroom foraging and making traditional rose flower cakes! Dali is an incredible place and I would recommend this program anyone looking for an adventure.

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Alex
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing summer

I met so many lovely and interesting people and it was such a new and fun way to spend the summer. I was based in Poland for three weeks with a forth 'culture' week in Warsaw and Krakow. The best part about doing it with Gotoco is that I stayed with a group of people my whole time there whereas other programmes have it as you are completely by yourself. Me and my group all became so close and there was always something to do. We all connected on deeper levels while becoming teachers and learning how to navigate a new culture and country together.

What was your funniest moment?
Trying to kill a spider before going to bed and laughing so much because we were sob scared it took us half an hour
Pros
  • You get cool stories
Cons
  • Communication with Gotoco is inconsistent
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Leah
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thailand teaching placement GoToCo

I did around 2 months on a GoToCo program teaching English in Thailand. We spent about 1 week altogether doing local activities and workshops based on the course. I really enjoyed the first week and getting to know everyone on the program and the program staff. At the end of the week we got our first stipend and told where we will be going to teach and what groups we would be in. I believe there could have been a little more of a personal effort from the staff so that there was more consideration as to who would be placed with who when we were sent off to our placements. Whilst on placement I didn’t enjoy the accomodation, so I paid for my own accommodation. There were some good suggestions on where to pick from the XploreAsia team.

I really enjoyed getting to know the local area and teaching my students. I was teaching in Chiang mai Thailand at a language school.

All in all I very much enjoyed my experience. I just think I would’ve felt more supported by my placement staff if the communication before during and after my placement was a little better and personable.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I advise completing as much of the TEFL training as soon as possible. Also skipping ahead to see exactly what is included in the assessments in order to streamline your work and learning.
Pros
  • Good opportunity to meet new people and travellers
  • Great funding assistance on the program
  • Good Thai teaching workshops included.
Cons
  • Lack of communication at times
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Anna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Gotoco is great

I am so grateful for the wonderful opportunity that Gotoco provided to teach in rural Thailand. I have received so much support for personal and professional development. The course is especially useful for obtaining the TESOL qualification. The course is well-organised and structured. I got to do so many wonderful things like take part in Buddhist festivals, watch school performances, try delicious Thai food and interact with locals. I will never forget my time in Thailand. Thank you so much!!!

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Josie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching in Vietnam

I spent two months volunteering with Gotoco, teaching in Vietnam, and it was an incredible experience. I got to stay with the loveliest host family, gain teaching experience, and travel the country on my days off. The orientation, placement and end-of-programme trip were all amazing.

However, the application process was very long, and communication during application was very slow and frustrating at times. Information on the website was not always clear.

Overall though, I had an amazing time on the programme.