Program Reviews

My time in Shenzhen and my experience with The Fewer Things has been fantastic so far. I moved to Shenzhen in October to teach for a year, but I'm already considering staying longer.

I came to China during a difficult time to travel, and as a result, the US visa process was very complicated. It is important to do a lot of research on your own during this process, so that you are aware of exactly what you need to do! That being said, Jaemi from TFT has been incredibly helpful with everything from day 1 until now. He has the experience helping send many people to China in the past few years, so his insight and expertise were invaluable. He has continued to be a pillar of support and communication since my arrival in China.

Additionally, all of us from TFT quickly became friends once we were all in China together, which was so nice to have a group of friends right from the get-go. I'm so glad that I met them, and I feel like we are going to be lifelong friends! I'm excited for the rest of the year to come :)

Hello! I'm so, so happy I applied to go to China with TFT!! When they promise nearly 24/7 support, they really mean it! Due to COVID-19 restrictions, my documents and legalization process took forever, but Jaemi was there for me at every step of the process and consistently assured me that it was okay. I never once felt abandoned or lost at any point during the long journey to China (both metaphorically and physically). I flew through South Korea to get here, and Jaemi consistently checked in on how I was feeling and even connected me to a member of my China cohort that was in Korea at the same time as me.

Over the summer before I left for China, TFT hooked me up with an incredible 120 hour TEFL course that I could break down and take at my own pace. As a result, I felt so prepared when I stepped into the classroom for the first time. As far as teaching materials, Jaemi sent out a ton of tips, videos, and Powerpoint game templates that have saved my life in the classroom.

Additionally, TFT has amazing connections to education placement/training companies in China! I am working in Shenzhen with an amazing company that placed me with the best school in Shenzhen (I'm totally not biased or anything...). My daily life as a teacher with this school is amazing! The kids are eager to learn and my Chinese coworkers love to chat with me during breaks and lunch. I feel supported and encouraged every time I go to work. Accessing teaching materials can be tough if you don't have a reliable internet connection. But everyone I've met through TFT has been more than happy to share their resources with me, which takes the stress out of building your stockpile of teacher materials.

Through TFT I've met so many amazing people and lifelong friends (including my current roommate!!) and I'm so glad TFT brought us all together. It makes moving across the world seem a lot less scary when you have a group of people waiting for you on the other side.

So, in summation, if you want adventure but feel a little nervous (and even if you don't!), then I could not recommend a program better than TFT China! I'm enjoying the adventure of a lifetime and it's all thanks to them!!

Teaching in Thailand has been an amazing experience so far. I have experienced a new culture in a completely authentic way. I joined the programme slightly later and received amazing support from TFT and Jaemi who were flexible with calls and adapted to my time difference. TFT were able to place me with my friends and have been incredibly supportive throughout the whole process.

Some placement locations are quite rural and far from Bangkok making travel on weekends quite difficult/expensive/time consuming. However this does provide an authentic experience and certainly makes you appreciate your time off of teaching. Schools in Thailand are very different from the UK which has been challenging however teaching in a primary school has been extremely fun. I would definitely recommend teaching in Thailand and TFT as a company☺️

My first programme with The Fewer Things was with Thailand, had a great experience teaching and working there for a year!

After completing the Thailand programme I am now in final stages of the legalisation process to make a move again, this time to Hanoi in Vietnam! So far again endless amount of support and reassurance from the team by Jaemi and now the lovely new members Will and Molly and they’ve been more reassuring than ever, for this positive change to a new country I’ve never been to before with confidence and excitement!
I’m really excited to continue my dreams starting with new one in Vietnam, more adventures in Asia and further afield and teaching abroad in the new year.

My first programme with The Fewer Things was with Thailand, had a great experience teaching and working there for a year!

After completing the Thailand programme I am now in final stages of the legalisation process to make a move again, this time to Hanoi in Vietnam! So far again endless amount of support and reassurance from the team by Jaemi and now the lovely new members Will and Molly and they’ve been more reassuring than ever, for this positive change to a new country I’ve never been to before with confidence and excitement!
I’m really excited to continue my dreams starting with new one in Vietnam, more adventures in Asia and further afield and teaching abroad in the new year.

Having been to China with The Fewer Things a couple of years ago, I got back in touch with the guys there to see what my options were to keep travelling. We settled on Thailand and it was great to see the comparisons between the programmes and placements, I worked in a public school in China and now in Thailand too! Everything was more or less the same in terms of support and guidance and I could not have done either trip with out them, it is really top class support! I was a bit worried about the transition from a big city placement to a smaller town like the ones in Thailand, but it has been a breath of fresh air from every aspect and I love my life here!

I would recommend this programme 100%

I can definitely recommend the The Fewer Things for anyone interested in coming to China. The program director Jaemi is extremely knowledgeable and there to help with everything; from serious things like visa and flight assistance to smaller things such as where to buy a jacket . You never have to worry about support with TFT.

There’s also a group chat with the other teachers so you can share advice and make friends before you even leave your home country. Having around 20 friends on arrival made things much easier.

Words cannot describe how amazing this experience has been for me. At first, adapting to a completely different lifestyle and culture was a struggle. However, it quickly became rewarding. If you are seeking to grow personally, develop new skills, and integrate yourself into a new culture this program is for you. I am very happy I found Fewer Things, they made the transition into Thailand a lot less stressful. One of the most valuable parts of Fewer Things is the community of new teachers they connect you with. You will be able to keep in touch with teachers all over the country and visit each other over the weekends. If you are interested and would like to chat message me on insta @piper.a :)

I had a fantastic experience with TFT in getting to South Korea, the whole team is very lovely and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking at doing this sort of thing. The overall process can be overwhelming and I think Korea has one of the more strict visa processes and it seemed like paperwork was never ending but it is what it is and you get through it eventually. I had great support with everything from flights, insurance and getting my tax forms in order. The school was very welcoming and made me feel at home from my first day. The other teachers at the school had actually been there for quite some time already, one even there for 3 years! So it was a well rounded experience and I felt I had been put into a good environment.

The Fewer Things are an amazing organisation. They can seriously help you get into China. The program coordinator Jaemi is extremely helpful and really dedicated to guiding people get through the difficult steps.
This has not been an easy process, and getting a Chinese visa is notoriously difficult, but I had support from very knowledgable people the whole time.
I couldn't recommend this enough. I am also working at a great school here and the support continues to be excellent.
Thank you for everything.