Program Reviews

Overall: The year I spent teaching in Guyana is one of my proudest and most challenging endeavors-- something I speak warmly and highly of even 7 years later. I was part of the first group of 25 volunteers in the pilot program (2005-2006), so in many ways, we were World Teach trailblazers in our school and community. To those that came in the following years, you might find this hard to believe, but as I'm sure you saw, change takes time. I attribute these early growing pains to some of the lower ratings. To future candidates, you don't want to miss out on this experience. It's truly like none other and the daily, non-tangible rewards are abundant.

My school near Georgetown, despite a recent World Fund grant, had many short comings including broken desks and benches; no chalk or teaching aids; books few and far between; not to mention an uninspiring headmistress, lazy teachers and rude children. Somehow despite these odds, you manage to corral your class into listening and learning for one period. And before you know, the dry season (first trimester) has passed and it's Christmastime and your students start asking you, "Miss are you coming back?"

Over the 11 months, you will undoubtedly encounter the seemingly most frustrating experiences like getting paid your salary on time, pushing to get a seat on the minibus on market day, no water/electricity days, little communication with home/the outside world. And before you know, it's the rainy season (second trimester) and you've figured out where the best/cheapest place is to buy tennis rolls and mangoes; how to comfortably sleep under mosquito netting; gained an appreciation for handwritten letters; and your students are excited for Mashramani celebrations.

In between all the teaching and the frustrating parts, you're learning too. Not only do you learn about another beautiful, unique culture and people, but you learn a lot about yourself through the difficulties and in stillness of simple, "unplugged" living. You travel by bike, boat, foot, minibus, and twin propeller plane to remote places of Guyana like Kaiteur Falls or to the coast to help with leatherback turtle conservation; you visit and laugh with your volunteer friends; or even a trip to the nearby Caribbean. And before you know it, it's time to go home. And if you're lucky enough, you have touched the lives of one student; you have new friends to reminisce with for years to come; and you know how to make a spicy curry/roti.

EACH DAY YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT YOURSELF AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS YOU TEACH. I TAUGHT AT TUTORIAL SECONDARY IN BERBICE AND BARTICA SECONDARY IN BARTICA. AT BOTH SCHOOLS I HAD GREAT EXPERIENCES AND THE HEAD MISTRESSES WERE TOUGH YET VERY CARING ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS AND FACULTY.

I WAS PROVIDED WITH THE MATERIALS THAT I NEEDED AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS MOLD THE YOUNG MINDS FOR THE CXC EXAMS.

IT WASN'T ALL A BED OF ROSES THOUGH. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I JUST WANTED TO STAY IN BED AND LISTEN TO THE ROOSTER SING AND HEAR THE COW GRAZE BY MY WINDOW RATHER THAN DEAL WITH MY HEADMISTRESS OR THOSE BAD KIDS. THERE ARE JUST TIMES WHEN YOU FEEL "OVER IT". BUT YOU STILL DRAG YOURSELF INTO WORK AND BY THE END OF THE DAY YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU REALLY ARE FOND OF THOSE KIDS AND THE HEADMISTRESS ISN'T THAT BAD...

CHALLENGES OF THE COMMUNITY-
EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYONE. EVEN IN GEORGETOWN PEOPLE KNOW WHEN YOU ARE FOREIGN. I THOUGHT I WOULD BLEND IN MORE HAVING FAMILY IN GUYANA BUT THEY STILL KNEW I WAS FOREIGN AND THEY ESPECIALLY KNEW IF I ASKED A QUESTION. YOUR ACCENT WILL GIVE YOU AWAY ALL THE TIME. WITH THAT BEING SAID CONTRARY TO WHAT I RECENTLY READ ON TRAVEL.STATE.GOV THINK GUYANA IS VERY SAFE AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN SCARED WANDERING THE STREETS OF STARBROEK OR BARTICA AT NIGHT. PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY FRIENDLY AND LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER WHICH IS VERY UNLIKE THE US (SPECIFICALLY NYC).
ITS TOO HARD TO JUST THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU DID IN A YEAR BECAUSE YOU NEVER REMEMBER EACH DAY YOU JUST REMEMBER MOMENTS IN TIME THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU THE MOST, I.E. YOUR FIRST DAY, GETTING USED TO STUDENTS CALLING YOU MISS AS IF ITS YOUR NAME, FINDING YOURSELF USING WORDS LIKE SKYLARKING, SHY(AS IT SHY THE BALL TO ME), TENESSE (NOT THE STATE- IT MEANS THE BLEACHERS), DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY WITH THE LOCALS (INCLUDING STUDENTS WHO ARE OFFERING TO BUY YOU ALCOHOLIC DRINKS- NO AGE LIMIT TO DRINK), MASHRAMANI, PHAGWAH, EGG BALL & CHANNA FOR LUNCH W A COKE, SPORTS DAY (AKA SPORTS MONTHS), CXC EXAMS, REGATTA, LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, AND LASTLY CRYING AS YOU SAY GOOD BYE TO YOUR NEW GUYANESE FAMILY.

SO IF YOU CAN'T TELL I STILL LOVE GUYANA AND I LEFT THERE IN 2007. I VISIT WHEN I CAN AND YES THE STUDENTS STILL CALL ME MISS. IT FEELS SO NICE AND ITS GREAT TO SEE THAT YOU LEFT AN IMPACT SOMEWHERE AND THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A GREAT TEACHER TO AT LEAST ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS.

GOOD LUCK! I HOPE YOU ENJOY GUYANA AS MUCH AS I KNOW I DID!!

I found Ecuador to be very dangerous with the majority of volunteers robbed by the end of the program. There was not a need for volunteers at my school because there were paid teachers that did the same job and were paid more. Bad host families were used over and over again by WT Staff.

The WorldTeach Tanzania program offers a true African experience. Bucket showers, electricity outages, cooking outside, shopping at the weekly market- these are all things that make the program special. You're in a small village, so speaking Swahili is a must. The kids really depend on you and want to learn English. Everybody wants to know you and everything about you. It's a trip.

The in-country orientation and on-going support from WT staff is what sets this program apart. Without these resources I would have felt alone and unsure of myself, but with the help of the other volunteer teachers and in-country staff I felt safe and prepared to teach. Overall the experience was life-changing and something that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an adventurous and fulfilling experience abroad.

Despite the poor support from WorldTeach, the opportunity to volunteer in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, was fantastic. Spending a year working with and immersed in a fascinating country was invaluable. Thai culture is unique, the kids are wonderful, the food is amazing. I highly recommend this if you are considering teaching abroad.

I volunteered with WorldTeach in 2008 and couldn't be happier with my choice to do so. I was placed in a tiny town of about 200 people on the Pacific coast. I had 30 students in my school, spread across 1st - 6th grades. I met with each grade for 40 minutes each day that there was school (supposed to be 5 days a week, but canceled often because of meetings and rain). I lived with a host family of a mom, dad, 13 year old host brother, and 2 year old host nephew. I ate my meals at home and had my own bedroom with a bed, dresser, fan, and small table.

Although I was teaching, I learned many things. I learned to eat rice and beans for three meals a day for an entire year, to laugh at my blunders in Spanish, to keep small children's attention in a foreign language, to make delicious breads at the local bakery with a family who has been baking for over 50 years, to make beautiful jewelry made out of locally found seeds and shells, and to live a little bit slower.

Don't get me wrong - there were definitely challenging moments. Moments where I couldn't handle being bitten by another bug, moments where I wanted the weather to be cool enough to snuggle under a warm blanket and drink hot chocolate (instead of instantly sweating from the moment after I finished my cold shower), moments that I had no idea what to do in the classroom to reign in the sugared and caffeinated energy of my students, and moments when I could no longer smile and swallow all the town gossip.

However, the things that I learned, and the connections that I made, far outweigh those (now insignificant) challenging moments. Four years later I still keep in touch with my host family, friends, and students. I am bilingual and use my cross-cultural skills in my work everyday. In addition to the connections I made in my community, I made friendships with my fellow volunteers as we battled many of the same challenges in distinct small towns throughout Costa Rica. Each of our experiences was unique - different families, different sized classes, different climates, etc - but we were all thread together just the same.

I found the staff support, in-country as well as in the US, to be friendly, very knowledgeable, and flexible. The training was excellent and I always felt safe. I couldn't have asked for more out of my year teaching and learned far more than I taught.

I rated two things slightly lower, "Fun" and "Facilities" but I'd like to explain why below.

Fun - I think "Fun" depends on your interpretation. My weekends were filled with Bingo games, soccer matches, and long quiet walks. There were no movie theaters, malls, or shopping of any kind. Some people may not find small town life fun, but I loved it.

Facilities - Also depends on your interpretation. They ended up working out just fine, but were definitely not your average American classroom. I taught in the cafeteria with one long table, one tiny whiteboard, and with only the materials I could invent from construction paper, index cards, contact paper, scissors, and a sometimes-working-copy-machine. Another challenge indeed, but it gave me the opportunity to really learn how to be resourceful.

In short, really great experience, where I saw the impact my work was doing (my students use English in the developed tourism industry north of their community), and which has brought me to where I am today.

WorldTeach South Africa was incredible! Before departure, the WorldTeach office was great about answering any questions I had.
In country, the program coordinator is fantastic! You learn a great deal about the South African education system and about the townships where you are working.
Volunteers usually work in two different townships near Cape Town, helping with holiday programs (tutoring, mentoring, etc) in a primarily Xhosa township during the schools' winter break, and in a 'coloured' township once school resumes.
Overall I felt safe throughout the trip. In general, I felt comfortable walking around both townships, and WTSA is great about safety. The trip coordinator will warn you of any areas that may be dangerous.
Both my school experience and my experience with the holiday programs were very positive. The students are wonderful and the administration and teachers at the school were very welcoming.
You typically live within walking distance of other volunteers, and in general, you see most of the other volunteers and the program coordinator every day. This is great, because it allows the whole group to become very close.
This was my first time outside the US, but it was a pretty easy transition, especially because we were in such close contact with the other volunteers and the coordinator.
Certain aspects of living in South Africa take some getting used to. 'Africa time' can be frustrating at first, and planning and scheduling are less common than in the U.S. Once you accept this as part of the experience, though, you can feel like you are really being immersed in South African culture.
On the whole, I would absolutely recommend WorldTeach South Africa! My time in South Africa was one of the most exciting, inspiring, and eye-opening experiences of my life!

I can't say enough good things about this program. The staff were so helpful and caring. They picked out the best (and safest) home-stays with equally caring parents and siblings. I loved my placement, my kids, and my family. All helped me to have a great experience in not only teaching but in improving my Spanish as well. I really felt like a part of the El Paraiso community, and I still keep in touch with them today.

I would recommend this program to everyone!

WorldTeach support was amazing from pre-departure to the last work day in May. This made living in Chittagong far easier and more comfortable than expected. Having all volunteers at the same school (vs spread out over the country) provided a great social network, and we were lucky to have a great field director to support us and help sort out problems between the students, staff and university. As a new university, AUW is not the calmest place to work. Frequent administration changes and learning disruptions were an upset to everyone, but the hard working, keen students never failed to show their genuine appreciation and gratefulness for the opportunity to gain a university education. They were truly inspiring and motivated us to do our best at work. Your work life may end up consuming you, but that's exactly what you're there to do. You will miss a lot of comforts from home, and there will be horrible days when it feels like everything in Chittagong is out to get you!!! But it all ends as soon as you feel your routine developing, and you'll return with great stories. Fully celebrate the country's food, culture and festivities. Try to communicate in Bangla - the language classes at the beginning of the school year will come in handy! Most of the students do speak English and Bangla, and are willing to help/translate in any situation.

The current university campus is comprised of retrofitted apartment buildings, and feels quite cramped. Provided apartments were spacious - a nice refuge and contrast to the streets outside. There really isn't anywhere to go and hang out, apart from a few restaurants, but the AUW library is quite well stocked with books and DVDs. You'll be constantly stared at and photographed. Dhaka, one of the world's most densely populated cities, serves as a great getaway. There's a comfortable, safe university guesthouse there to stay at for free.

I didn't do much research before leaving. I thought it would be more unsafe than it was, and I had a great experience. I don't want to return to Bangladesh, but I'm glad I stuck it out!