Program Reviews

The summer entering my junior of college I pushed myself to travel across the globe with complete strangers to spend a few weeks both teaching English but also to obtain my TEFL certification. I knew I wanted to embark on this journey but I had no idea what that really entailed. To my great surprise I had the time of my life. The staff supported me and the group I was with the entire time. From dealing with culture shock to overall adjustment the staff was right by our sides the entire time. They helped us become the teachers we always wanted to me. The hands on experience in the classroom was something I would have never been able to receive in the USA. Having a classroom of 25 second grade Thai students who had never practiced English at all was a huge task. But with my new found friends by my side and my teacher encouraging me and giving helpful hints, it was the most rewarding experience of my life. I love the outdoors so being able to live with and for the people in Ban Lao completed my experience. From soccer games in the mud to helping farmers plant their fields I made unbreakable connections with the people I encountered. If I could go back right now I would, no hesitations at all. Loop Abroad was so wonderful and helped me achieve my dreams.

Loop abroad's traveling teacher program was amazing. The classes where hands on & the teacher was always extremely helpful & literally living with you could always ask questions. The school where we did our hours truly welcomed us & all the students showed so much love & appreciation you couldn't help but to fall in love. I loved that we got to live exactly how our students lived. We had bugs, cold showers, & supper thin mattresses. But it honestly was completely duable especially because the staff was always there for you, protecting you and taking care of you. I think it makes you grow as a person & makes you appreciate the little things. If people live like that I don't see why we can't! That was honestly one of my favorite parts! I think it made us all as a group closer having to fight of the bugs. We had elephants practically in our back yard!!! & we got to go to the Elephant Nature Park! We got to see the city in the weekends & stay in a nice hotel & we got to go to the markets! I would recommend this program to anyone !! I would do it myself in a heart beat as well!

I didn't have a very clear idea of what I was getting into by participating in this program, but I'm glad I went for it. Loop Abroad's TEFL program was unlike anything I've ever done before and I will treasure the experience the rest of my life. The staff was very friendly and accommodating of each participant's individual needs. Everything was so meticulously prepared for us, it seemed like they always had something for us to do, or see or learn. The living arrangements were a bit rustic, but being out in a hill tribe village and seeing all the amazing views was well worth getting a few bug bites. The actual teaching part wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Loop does a really good job of making sure everybody's prepared to go into the classroom and start teaching, plus the kids at the school were actually pretty excited to be learning English. It's about as real as an experience as you can get in a TEFL certification course, and I feel well-prepared for getting a real teaching job.

This was my first time travelling with strangers so my anxiety level was crazy high but the staff at Loop Abroad are so responsive pre-Thailand and at every point of the trip that it made the trip easily enjoyable. I also had to travel separately from the group and had to stay an extra day due to my departing flight. Meeting up with the group after landing in Thailand was so easy (you can't miss them, I was randomly walking around and bumped into all of them) and I didn't expect accommodations for the extra night or a trip to the airport either but LA set me up with ALL OF IT.
Our Thai guides were just the absolute best. They were so friendly and knew everything and anything about Thailand. Words cannot describe the impact they have on your experience; you will miss them when you leave.
For the majority of the trip you will be staying in a hilltribe village, which means you will be sleeping on a mattress on the floor under a mosquito net in a little house and you will probably share the bathroom with a few bugs. But all that is nothing compared to the breathtaking view you get every morning, the amazing food prepared for you throughout the day, and all the wonderful people and animals you will only have meet at the village. Also it's close to the school you teach at, so you get to see your students go home and sometimes you can see where they live and it really gives you perspective into their daily lives. Thai kids are the nicest, cutest, and most polite kids you will ever meet. Even if you don't like kids, you will love these. And you do stay in the city on the weekends where you will explore and stay at a hotel. There is so much to do and explore that you will only get to see a fraction of what the city has to offer.
Our TEFL instructor was knowledgeable and experienced, she shared lots of stories about classes she's taught abroad and is very helpful too if you have minimal to no classroom experience.
This was definitely a one of a kind adventure, although it may not be for everyone. If you are willing to get a little dirty it is well worth it.

Going into this trip, I felt pretty nervous and unsure. I don't know what it was with the people around me, but no one agreed with me going on this trip. In the end, I decided not to let other people's words/opinions bother me because I thought to myself, "How could I pass up such a good opportunity?" and i'm glad I didn't! I think it's safe to say that I had an amazing time and experience! Living the village life was definitely interesting and intimidating but it was a welcoming experience. I really enjoyed learning about Thai culture and being able to experience the life that these Thai people lived in. The village life is definitely not the life for me but being able to work with the kids and interact with them every day made it bearable! The kids were absolutely amazing! This trip was definitely an eye-opening experience and has made me appreciate the city life a lot more. It's been a little over a month since I came back from this trip, and till this day, I still think about the kids and all the amazing people that I have met in such a short period of time in Thailand. Like the title of my review says, 10/10 I would definitely do it again!

Prior to this trip, I had been taking an online course in order to obtain my CERTESL/CERTEFL. Each course was already $500 CAD, and you had to take 6 of them with absolutely no hands on training. So it was either, 2 years of online reading or hands on trip in Thailand.

The hands on approach for the Travelling Teacher was incredibly beneficial, as you are able to refine your skills and practice them with a well educated and caring instructor. I loved my class, they were hilarious.
Now this trip is not necessarily a vacation- there is a purpose to this trip. So a five star resort is not included. But why would you want to stay at a five star resort when you can experience life the way the locals do? I gained a whole new appreciation and respect for how the villagers lived. It wouldn't have been fair if I stayed in a fancy hotel, while my students and fellow teachers are living in modest homes.
Anyways, the trip was an amazing cultural experience as well. We were fortunate enough to participate in Buddha Day with our students and got to visit many temples and learn about their importance. Every night we got to hang out with our guides who taught us Thai, showed us Thai instruments and played games.
Our guides were super accommodating, one of our guides even brought me instant noodles and eggs for the last couple days :P
I really enjoyed all the sites and activities that we participated in, and I would recommend this trip to anyone who isn't afraid to get a little dirty. If you are expecting a fancy hotel, look elsewhere.

First of all, this is not a glamorous trip. You will be living at a village and sleeping on a floor mattress. However, this trip was amazing! This trip humbled me and allowed to really learn about Thai culture. We would study intensively, and teach English to adorable village children. Our instrutors and guides were super supportive. I absolutely loved the village of Ban Lao, the views were breath taking, the people were so kind. Our accomidations were minimal, but you could always count on a delicious meal. Also, the children at the school were the cutest most polite kids I've ever met. As well, we got to see elephants very often. One thing I would have liked is to have more time in the city. Ieft Thailand feeling like there was so much more to explore. However, this trip was so incredible, I wish it would have been longer. Overall, I would recommend this program, but I don't think it is for everyone.

Dear potential Loop Abroad Traveler,

Please read thoroughly as this (hopefully) comprehensive feedback encompasses both positive and negative aspects of Traveling Teacher 101.

Traveling Teacher 101 was poorly executed on behalf of all staff members and the living arrangement was sub par for the price of the program. All students slept on one-inch mats, under mosquito nets, in a hill tribe village (not bad for a couple nights, but 9 nights was far too many). All living areas and bathroom/shower areas were infested with mosquitoes, beetles, and bugs. For some, this may be an appeal of the program, but for most (7/8) of the girls on my trip it was not. The living accommodation (having met the individual from Nepal who built the hut we stayed in) was only ok, although the individual who built the hut mentioned he only lives in the hut twice a year and lets whoever else stay in it for free which begs the question, "Where is my program fee going to, if not living arrangements?"

Our Loop Abroad point of contact was difficult to work with mostly because he was a "know it all" and continuously told the girls on the trip that he could tailor activities to our liking but we had to tell him what we wanted to do, but there is one big problem - we didn't know what our options were. Therefore, while in the village, we had TOO much down time (hours of it) and we could have been in the city exploring. Ultimately, one week in the hilltribe village would have sufficed and there could have been more touristy, travel based, options. The ultimate truth is: there is nothing to do in the hilltribe village and you stay there for 9 nights and 10 days (the trip is only two weeks long). You will see elephants and we saw them 4 times, but each visit only lasts an hour. We got bored.

The TEFL certification was a hoax mostly because the teacher was new, inexperienced, and uneducated. The TEFL program promises 120 hours although you do not receive adequate training in the classroom (one class period per day, do not get to practice your lesson plans, and often the school and Loop Abroad had miscommunication and we wouldn't end up attending the school many of the days as promised). If you are looking to gather MUCH experience in the classroom and lots of hours accumulated with hands on training than this program is not for you.

Overall, very authentic experience, but not productive enough for the cost of the program. Would I do it again? No. Would I recommend it to an enemy? Even though s/he's an enemy, NO.

Prior to this trip I had only been out of the country once on a week-long spring break trip to Aruba. It is safe to say that I had a lot of anxiety revolving around my next trip abroad, but I knew it was something I definitely wanted to do before graduating college.

I chose to combine the Thailand 101 program with the Traveling Teacher program and got started raising money to go. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity because even in the short span of a month I had some of the best learning experiences.

Although I loved the Thailand 101 program, the Traveling Teacher program was the best part of my trip. I may be bias as I am pursuing a degree in education, but I truly loved the two weeks I spent with a small group of girls learning how to best teach English as a foreign language. I had no prior experience in teaching English at all, but our group leader helped us and made it a somewhat comfortable, but challenging transition into the classrooms.

The intimacy of this program is so helpful in quickly making friends with both your group members and your volunteer coordinators. I made lifelong friends while on this trip, some from the US and some still in Thailand.

The conditions are VERY rural so if you are not very outdoorsy, this program may not be in your best interest. You will be living in bug spray and may find a large hairy spider on your doorstep, but if you can handle these conditions for two weeks you will be fine. Personally, I found that living in these rural conditions made the trip even more culturally valuable. Also, we spent our weekends in a hotel in the city which was super rewarding and awesome after a week of class!

To sum it up- if you are looking to dive into a different culture while simultaneously taking a TEFL class, this program is for you. You will be completely submerged in culture alongside your peers and you may become frustrated at times as you take the TEFL course, as with any course. At the same time, you will form incredible friendships. I cannot think of a single girl in my group who did not make a friend. You will come to love Thai culture and you will also get to apply what you learn in class to a class full of Thai students! And if you are still unsure, Loop Abroad provides so many opportunities for you to speak to previous participants so I would definitely take advantage of that. Best of luck to you in your program search!

Thailand 101 equaled to be the best two weeks of my life! From the beginning of applying to saying our sad goodbyes at the airport, I have never been affected by so many things in my life, in just a short period of time. So far everyday after coming back from Thailand I have found myself daydreaming about my experiences and how badly I want to go back.

Going to Thailand would never be the same without Loop Abroad though! I applied really late to the program, but when I contacted them they went out of their way to make the application process as smooth and easy as possible. Especially being from Canada it could have been so much more complicated, but they were there every step of the way. They helped me get set up with other girls that needed to stay in New York for the night and already it was so incredibly easy to make friends there! Almost everyone there doesn’t know anybody and are very keen to make friends.

In fact the girls that are were with me in my Thailand 101 group are some of the best friends I have ever had in my life. I have never connected so easily and so quickly to people before! These girls are quality friends and will be dear to my heart forever and some of us even have plans to travel together for the following year. Besides the immediate people in my group, all of the staff was absolutely incredible! They invested everything that they could for us and did their best to make sure that we had the safest but most incredible journey. As soon as we showed genuine interest in the trip they would go out of their way to help us experience and learn as much as we could.

Another thing that was amazing about the trip was the food! Thai food is absolutely incredible and your leaders will take you to the best places! The Elephant Nature Park has a lot of food as well, but it isn’t usually people’s top choice as it is vegetarian and didn’t always taste the best. I found it helpful saving a bit of money for the Elephant Nature Park to be able to buy some American snacks.

Throughout the trip we were never bored! There were always so many activities to do. Our leaders took us to the waterfalls, zip-lining and hiking through the jungle, white water rafting, visiting different temples, meditation classes, shopping in the markets, taking a Thai cooking course, etc. We were always having so much fun!

The elephant nature park was a different vibe completely though! There were so many things to do all of the time, but we had a lot more relax time and it was the perfect way to finish off the two weeks and really reflect. Our breaks could never come at a better time though! While we were at the Elephant Nature Park we worked incredibly hard to help out. It was some of the hardest work I have ever done, but was very rewarding to see how it helped. We were always very proud of our work after!
Tip: Drink tons of water throughout the day!

Since our days were so busy and packed full of different activities, we would come back to where we were staying very exhausted. Luckily our accommodations Loop Abroad set up for us were far better than what I expected. The hostel we stayed at in our first week was very quaint and comfortable. Adjusting to the heat and humidity can be very hard at first so the air-conditioning during our breaks in the day and at night going to sleep came at the perfect timing. In-between Chiang Mai and the Elephant Nature Park we stayed in a really nice, air-conditioned hotel.

Once we arrived at the Elephant Nature Park I was dreadfully picturing little huts crawling in bugs and mosquitoes. Thankfully to my surprise we stayed in types of cabins with very pretty mosquito nets wrapped around our beds and I was never more thankful for them!

Overall this trip was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life and completely changed me for the better. I could not thank Loop Abroad enough and for the life-long friends I have made for making this the most incredible experience and journey ever! If you are looking for change and adventure then you should definitely sign up for this. You won’t regret it!