Program Reviews

Really affordable way to travel the world, gain practical teaching experience, and meet new people. I travelled to Poland over summer and worked for three weeks at a summer camp teaching English through games and casual conversation sessions - making it a great opportunity for anyone who wants to get into teaching. After the final summer camp, as a group we got to travel around Poland in Warsaw and Krakow with accommodation provided.
Main negative I would say is slow communication on the company's side.

Gotoco is a great opportunity to combine professional development with seeing the world, something that is quite rare to come across. I feel like i've left the program not only with more confidence in my professional abilities but with a host of stories and new experiences. With the costs of the program largely covered by Gotoco, it means there is little financial burden to myself which is great.

Shared experiences with new friends really made the trip enjoyable. Some moments included visiting nearby waterfalls, nights out in Canggu, visiting the monkey forest in Ubud, learning to surf, exploring the beaches in Uluwatu and swimming with dolphins in Lovina.

I completed the Gotoco Colombia programme earlier this year and it was quite possibly the best 6 weeks of my life! I loved living in a rural area of Colombia and really feeling immersed in the culture. Teaching was a great experience and gave me a lot of confidence and it’s a bonus that I now have a TESOL certificate I can use to teach anywhere in the world! I met some amazing people on this programme and made some fantastic memories. I would really recommend signing up now for an adventure of a lifetime!

Great programme that really allowed me to experience various areas of Thailand and different aspects within the culture. The induction and final week trips were excellent and were very enjoyable. The teaching overall was a good experience and it is very valuable to have a great host who will show you places in Thailand that are generally not visited by other backpackers. I will do another programme soon in Vietnam as I really enjoyed this programme and believe it is worth doing. Initially I was not sure how the programme would be as I had not heard of many programme like this before but it is definitely worth doing if you get accepted.

This was undoubtedly one of the BEST experiences I’ve ever had and super grateful for it. Initially coming across GOTOCO and seeing what they offered, sounded to good to be true! However, I can say first hand it’s very real and they are amazing throughout the whole process. From the information provided right from the beginning through to the support, organisation and the programme itself. The GOTOCO team are easily accessible and available for support, deliver on exactly what they say about the programme, from the teaching experience to the fun excursions!! The teaching in a rural village itself was a lifetime experience, and being able to meet lovely people along the way and have an adventure of travel was a bonus! To anyone who’s thinking of doing it… apply.. you’ll only regret not doing so!! :)

I had a great time during my Gotoco programme. It was an incredible experience with many great excursions which allowed me to learn about Thailand and the culture there.

The teaching experience itself was challenging, even having experience as an English teacher before, it was challenging. This was down to the school where I was placed; for example I didn't have a teaching assistant in my class, class sizes were large (40+ students) and had to design exams and the curriculum myself. This was not the experience of all people on the programme, but many that were teaching at high schools had a similar workload to myself. If you want to progress as a teacher then this is an excellent way to do so, but I'd recommend if you're new to teaching or worried about the workload, it would be best to let them know you'd prefer to be placed in a primary school, as they do ask about your preferences.

Overall, I had the time of my life and would recommend this to anyone thinking about moving to Asia, teaching English or wanting an step in to travelling abroad, as it is a great way to see if it is for you whilst having a support network around you! Nonetheless, it is challenging and you will have ups and downs, so being in a good headspace and an expectation to work hard is needed, otherwise it may be too much for you.

It was really good fun and the team on the ground in Vietnam were amazing and always available to help and give advice when and where needed. Would definitely rate them all very highly individually. It's a great experience and a fun way to introduce yourself to another culture and community whilst adding to it and developing your own personal skills. I had the opportunity to give a lecture with the rest of my team on the environment and pollution to an entire school of 1500 pupils followed by a short karaoke performance. That wont be something I forget in a hurry. Definitely worth giving a go!

Had an good time overall in Bali with Gotoco. I was placed in a state school in Lotunduh and was in the school Monday to Friday for 2 hours which allowed time to travel round and see Bali on the weekends. Meaning I was able to explore Bali and the surrounding islands. Gotoco is funded for flights, accommodation and meals providing opportunities for cultural exchange and opportunities to explore Bali that I wouldn't have got otherwise. Various cultural activities were provided for us such as a cooking class, water purification ceremony and wood carving class.

I loved my 2 months teaching in Thai Binh, Vietnam, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to take part in the fully funded program. I would really recommend this program to anyone who is interested in teaching abroad or travel. This program was a unique opportunity to explore a new part of the world while gaining teaching experience. The highlights of my experience were experiencing a new culture in Vietnam, getting to know all the students and teachers in the school, making great friends and travelling across Vietnam.

I had the most incredible, enriching experience of my life volunteering teaching children English in Vietnam. I couldn't recommend the program more! The activities that the organisers had for us were incredible as well as the fun times I had teaching the kids. The people I met on the program as well were incredible and really enhanced my experience. Even if teaching is not your thing, I would still recommend the program as it is just an enriching life experience that I think everyone should do .