Program Reviews

I have to start by saying that Nate and Ash Poerio are without a doubt two of the nicest people I've ever met. Having not known them at all before this experience, they were not only amazing bosses but vital resources and great friends. I entirely expect to visit and catch up with them in the future. They are genuinely good people and do whatever they can to help. Since I was a director at three camps and a tutor at one, I was able to see how hard they work to ensure the summer goes smoothly for tutors, directors, host families, and of course, campers. I can only describe the work they do with the most positive superlatives.

Every single one of my host families was sweet as could be, adorable, and did anything and everything within their power to ensure I was having the best time. Of the four I stayed with, I keep in frequent contact with three of them, and message one of them at least once a week. I even plan on visiting them in the winter. The only unfortunate part of being in a host family is having to leave them, which I promise is a much harder thing to do than you can imagine. I really felt like I was part of the family after my time with each one.

While I had no idea what I was getting into this summer, I never thought it would be as all-around great as it was. I got to fall back in love with a country I adore and its people then explore one I don't know nearly as well from a local perspective, all the while teaching adorable kids and making sure they had a great summer. I don't know that there is a better job in the world.

Do not hesitate to reach out to me on Facebook (Andrew Boas) to hear more or ask questions about this truly incredible experience.

What an incredible opportunity! I have made so many connections and relationships with people from all over the world. I am so grateful to have worked with so many like-minded, fun loving tutors. And on top of meeting my incredible coworkers, the experience of living with host families was life changing. I'm so happy to say that I have made life long friends and "family". Only a few weeks have passed since camp ended, but I'm still in constant contact with my families! Having very little teaching experience before this was not an issue. I was able to work with the youngest and the oldest kids who brought forth lots of energy, eagerness and excitement. Many thanks to Nate and Ashleigh who were beyond helpful the whole time!
As I saw in a review below, you get what you give. Please give this job your all and show your families, kids, and tutors respect. If you do so, you're going to LOVE this job!

I loved this experience because I love adventure, kids, and meeting new people! I am a kid at heart so being a camp counselor is perfect for me to let out my goofy side. Orientation was great getting to know all the other tutors and well prepared me for camp. The host families were all amazing! They took me to different festivals, dinners, and towns! I really felt at home with my host family and loved getting to learn their life story and be a role model for the kids. Camp was crazy and fun!! I had the 6 year olds and they were all hugging me from the second they learned I was their teacher. Nate and Ashleigh were super kind and easy talk to you. If you have an open mind, easy going spirit, child-like heart, and are ready to take on a new culture, work hard, and travel around Italy- this experience is for you!! You get out what you put in! :)

If you are looking for the best summer traveling all over Italy and Austria then this is the just the thing for you! You get to meet people from all over the world, and create friendships that will truly last forever. Everyone is so kind, and caring towards one another. This is an experience of a lifetime that people need to take advantage of. You get to see all these little towns that you normally wouldn't see, and really get to emerge yourself in the culture by living with a host family. Camps are such a great time because the kids love it, and it simply doesn't feel like a job with all the fun you have all day!! It's also an amazing feeling to teach these kids another language with fun activities you plan out for them! If you are looking to get out of your comfort zone, and travel around to the coolest places then this is the perfect thing to do!!! I will never forget my AMAZING experience with the ECC!!!

Nate and Ashley (the owners of the company) are great! They were very helpful both in training the tutors and afterwards once we were sent to our different camp locations. The host families were so hospitable. I still talk to them on a regular basis and am so happy to have made a few Italian friends along the way. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone interested in teaching overseas for a short amount of time!

I really enjoyed continuing to work as a TEFL teacher, working at 3 different countries in one summer.

A fantastic way to experience the different cultures, as well as seeing new sites of interest, whilst learning about the history and traditions of each country.

An massive opportunity to meet new great open minded people, whilst doing a fun job and staying with host families who really look after many of the tutors very well.

I would highly recommend The English Camp Company to anyone as it is an fantastic, friendly and professional company worth working for.

I worked as a tutor for the English Camp Company in the Summers of 2014 & 2015. Both times were all around great experiences- Nate and Ashleigh were always quick to communicate and on top of our schedules. I never had a problem getting from place to place, or having a host family pick me up. Besides the smooth logistical side, I had an incredible time bonding and living with the host families. I still keep in touch with some of the amazing families I stayed with, who were so incredible kind and gracious to me staying in their home, and who taught me the joy of living like an Italian, la dolce vita. I also loved working with the other tutors and with the kids, everyday was energetic and fun. I made so many great memories and friends and gained so many insightful experiences working with The English Camp Company!

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to work at English camp. It was perfect for me since I love working with children and I love summer camp! It's really important to be open minded about what will happen because there is so much you won't know until the last minute, but that's part of the fun! Nate and Ashley work so hard to match you with great host families who often will make this the experience of a lifetime! Even more, they actually pay you, which is unlike a lot of similar abroad opportunities!

Working with the English Camp Company this past summer was an AMAZING experience shared with AMAZING people. At the start of your adventure you are provided information about safe travel and what to expect when traveling. As you arrive, you are greeted with the warmest welcome possible by Ashley and Nate themselves. During the journey of teaching English in Italy (and maybe even Austria) you are surrounded by a rich culture that is spectacular and inviting. For me, this past summer has been an experience that I will cherish forever, along with the friends and families I met along the way. If you are looking for a way to experience culture, language, FOOD, good people and a chance to use your fantastic teaching skills, apply to the English Camp Company TODAY!

I honestly don't think there is a better overseas program than this one! Working with the English Camp Company this past summer has been such an incredible experience and while there is so much to say about this program, I will try to be brief in writing this review.

When I arrived in Italy, the camp owners (Ashleigh and Nate) met me at the train station and somehow knew exactly who I was. It was a really good welcome and that set the tone for the rest of the summer because Italian hospitality is nothing like anything you've ever experienced before. It's amazing to say the least! They really looked after us, right from when we arrived to when we were sent on our way to our first camps.

The first week was spent with orientation and training which involved getting to know the other teachers, learning how and what we were going to be doing all summer and getting comfortable with teaching Italian students... which if you're not familiar is quite the experience. Ashleigh and Nate were really good at answering questions, and preparing us for the summer ahead. You can tell they really care about you and the other teachers and they really have a heart and a passion for what they're doing across Italy... teaching English. Oh and don't let the idea of being "new to teaching" or "I don't know how to teach Italians" scare you! You also have to remember that when you (and everyone else) arrives in Italy at the beginning of the summer, nobody really knows what they are doing but by the end of the summer, you really feel like a pro. It takes time to get comfortable but after a few days of camp, it just becomes second nature.

While overseas, you are staying with a host family at each of the camps you are teaching at. And trust me, these families are so welcoming and just incredible. You'll end up meeting half the town on your first night and eating some of the best pasta you've ever tasted. You become a part of their family and they really go above and beyond to make you feel at home and comfortable. The biggest advice I can give is try everything and don't be afraid of getting to know them. Spend your time with them, not on instagram or facebook. If you have a sensitivity to any sort of food, these families go out of their way to accommodate. One of our teachers from last year was a celiac, and the family went out and bought a brand new set of cutlery and plates for her so she would be "safe." For me, my host families took me to the Swiss Alps where we climbed to one of the highest stations in the Alps, we went swimming in the ocean, went to Milan, Rome, Perugia, went gliding in the Alps, and went out to eat and see different cultural events. Don't be shy. Get in there and have fun.

The camps are set up in such a way that kids don't spend all day in English classes but rather "experience" English through camp songs (yes you must sing and be crazy), through games and activities as well as English classes. You are assigned your own group of kids that will be in your class for the duration of the camp. Get to know them, they love hearing about where you're from, how many brothers or sisters you have an what kind of pets you have. Italians are also crazy about taking selfies. So go ahead and take a few. Above all, be yourself. The most challenging part of the summer for me was the speaking english part. You need to really break down your English and speak in a way that THEY can understand. This sounds more difficult than it is. Seriously, after 2 or 3 days, it's second nature. And being completely honest, after spending a whole summer overseas in Italy, when I went back home, I actually found it difficult to speak English normally again. Which was amusing.

These camps rest solely on how well YOU perform as a teacher/tutor. This might be intimidating to hear but think of it like this: at the end of the day when you see those kids going home, laughing and speaking so quickly, trying to tell their parents about everything that happened and how much they love English camp, you can be sure that it's because of your hard work and energy. And that's what keeps them coming back.

Although I have hundreds of stories that I could share, I'll briefly share one with you. This was at my first camp and I was teaching the oldest kids (10-13 year olds). We had been working all week on the English Past Tense which I thought wasn't going very well. They didn't seem to be getting it as fast as I wanted and I didn't think I was teaching them as well as I could have. I felt bad. After the weekend, on Monday morning, I had a parent come up to me and say that over the weekend, her daughter (whom was in my class) couldn't stop correcting us on our English. Apparently they were using the Past Tense incorrectly and her daughter corrected them endless times using stuff we had been learning all the previous week. That was a good feeling and the point is that even though these kids might not always express their gratitude or show you their understanding, they actually do get it and appreciate your work.

When asked to sum up the whole summer and what it takes to be successful, I'd say this: To make the summer an unforgettable one, you gotta let your guards down and just have fun, be silly and be energetic. Be bold with your teaching, tell the kids stories, and get to know them. Show them that you want their English to improve and that you love the job. Even when it's +45C outside and you're sweating buckets, forget about it and just have fun. Enjoy every moment and try everything. Don't be shy of not fitting in because they know you're not Italian already so you got nothing to worry about. And above all, relax. It's gonna be one heck of a summer!

Summer 2016... let's do this!