CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL Reviews

I have just finished my third month in the middle of South Korea. I am actually in the center of Korea. I am in a small countryside town and while not many people speak English and there are very few foreigners here, I have already made both foreigner and Korean friends. Everyone is very kind and welcoming. It was just my birthday and I thought I would spend it alone, but my school and the people I have met here have made it very special.
As for the CIEE program, the program has helped make sure that I feel safe and supported. The in-country support has been extremely kind and helpful. They have a lot of knowledge and I really enjoyed the in-country orientation. Also, it is nice to know that there is a group of people who are supporting you even when you are far from home.
Even though I came to Korea alone without any knowledge of the language or country, I no longer feel lonely.

I'm four months into my teach abroad experience in Dongtan, South Korea. It's been an amazing experience so far, and I believe that CIEE'S program helped me to feel prepared for the challenges that come when moving countries for the first time such as culture shock and home sickness. I absolutely love the school I was placed with (a hagwon) and have loved getting to know and teaching my class. I feel that the in country support had been very strong, my only regret is not attending more events to connect with more CIEE participants. My favorite memory so far was a weekend trip to the beach with my coworkers. Coming from the US Midwest, the ability to hop on a bus for two hours and arrive at the ocean was a thrill. I'm learning so much about myself and about this beautiful culture and I wouldn't change anything about how I ended up here. I would recommend teaching abroad to anyone, especially through CIEE.

CIEE's Czech Republic teaching program really is top notch! I highly encourage anyone who is interested in experiencing a unique European culture, traveling across Europe, and/or learning about themselves to apply to this program. I have many reasons for my recommendation, but I will condense my list to a few prominent ones (listed below).

1) CIEE provided me with excellent support during the preparation phase of the process. It did more than provide a means to obtain a TEFL certificate, which is, from what I have since learned, the common approach of other similar organizations. Instead, CIEE provided a full service! This included assistance with locating a job in the Czech Republic, the provision of pivotal support when applying for an employment card and a long-stay visa (I cannot understate how vital this was), help with the health insurance process, and important arrival information regarding the Czech Republic's cultural norms, climate, and people's typical in-country needs (i.e. electrical voltage, cell phone, and other information).

2) CIEE's preparation-phase support was surpassed only by its phenomenal in-country orientation. The orientation included the full service as well! My fellow program participants and I were not merely given information on how to obtain Czech cell phone SIM cards and bank accounts and how to use the public transit system. Instead, we were split into small groups and paired with locals (who spoke both Czech and English). These immensely helpful individuals physically took us to a Czech cell phone store, bank, and public transit office. Not only did they help with these necessary things, they also taught us some Czech (which supplemented our formal lessons give at the CIEE Study Center during orientation) and took us to other cool cultural places and events, such as local bars, restaurants, and parks. My group even attended one of the fiftieth anniversary gatherings held in remembrance of those who lost their lives during the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968!

3) Lastly, during the in-country orientation, CIEE provided high-quality, temporary housing in Prague to all of the participants. CIEE also helped those who did not have employer-provided housing to locate it and even allowed those who struggled to locate permanent housing to stay in the temporary housing until they did. This housing was included in the initial fee to CIEE and was located in a great location. This allowed the participants to explore the beautiful city during the non-orientation hours!

If you have made it to this point in my review, I commend you. CIEE's Czech Republic teaching program is phenomenal and I most certainly recommend it! However, there are certain realities that prospective applicants should bear in mind (see below).

1) You will not get rich working part-time in the Czech Republic as an English teacher. You will likely need to teach private English lessons or bring additional funds if you would like to travel. Because private lessons are readily available to those who want to teach them, do not be deterred by this reality.

2) The food, culture, and language of the Czech Republic are different from that in the United States. Do not assume that the Czech Republic (or other European countries for that matter) is culturally identical to the U.S. just because it is in Europe. There are significant differences between the two. This is what makes the experience fun and interesting! However, recognize that these differences exist before undertaking the program so that you know what you are getting into.

Ultimately, CIEE's Czech Republic teaching program is phenomenal! I highly recommend it and hope that this review helps make your decision easier!

Overall, I think this was a great organization to go through to complete my year of teaching abroad. You could constantly reach out to someone for support, and everything was well-structured and well-organized so that you always knew what to expect and what you needed to do in preparation for your departure. The TEFL course itself, through CIEE, was an added benefit. For everything, in terms of cost, it was well worth the money. On site, the teacher orientation was both fun and informative, and it was great to be able to connect with other teachers in the program. Additionally, I appreciated that our on-site contact person was very friendly, open, and always available - be it through call or chat - to answer any questions we may have throughout the year. From the resources to the support, I can safely recommend this program to other people considering teaching in South Korea.

I'm about 3 months in to my job at a private school and so far I'm loving it! In general, private schools put a lot of pressure on both student and teacher performance because the parents are investing a lot of money in the school. But for me the job so far has been very low stress and a lot of fun. Korea is insanely safe, and I have never once felt uncomfortable walking alone. There's a lot to explore, and every weekend I've been able to see a new part of Seoul or take trips to different areas of Korea. I think if you ever get bored here, you're doing something wrong.
One thing I have really appreciated about CIEE is their constant and quick communication. I always felt supported and knew that I could trust them to help me move halfway across the world.

I am so happy I decided to sign up for the TEFL course through CIEE. Not only is it helpful, it has helped me stay calm about my upcoming move.
We all know moving is stressful... Then add in being a new teacher and flying halfway across the world. You need this course if you are making this huge leap. TEFL not only touched on how to teach grammar, classroom management, student behavior and cultural differences, it even helps provide a step by step process to writing lesson plans. This is a MUST if you are new to teaching.
The instructors and supporting staff were amazing. They answered every question, helped with flexibility (I work two full time jobs) and they were always there to assist in anyway possible.
This course is a 10/10 for me. Sign up! You won't be disappointed. You will feel so ready and have the future opportunity to land great positions overseas.

My experience this past year has been nothing short of incredible and I owe much of my thanks to CIEE for making it all possible. From the smooth application process to finding me a school to work at & a place to live to hosting a week-long orientation in Bangkok where I established some lifelong friendships, providing excellent assistance every step of the way, I can say with confidence that CIEE is the best choice when it comes to great service and an easy transition into a new life teaching English abroad. If you're reading this and still wondering if teaching abroad in Thailand is the right choice for you, I think you should stop second-guessing yourself and take the leap! There's a popular quote that goes something like, "Twenty years from now you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the things you did," so stop hesitating, start living, and trust that CIEE will help you achieve your wildest dreams.

I chose CIEE for the various programs it offered. You can only apply to one program at a time. If you are do not get into the program you want, you can choose another one. I like that CIEE gives you various options and allows you to transfer your application to another program, if you do not get it. I also liked that you could choose to work at a private or public school (EPIK). I chose the EPIK option. The application thru EPIK does take time and can be nerve-racking to hear back the results. CIEE also provides a TEFL course (if you need it), a preparation course, and iNext insurance (supplemental insurance).
With EPIK you can request a location, I chose to be flexible on the location. I like the area I am in. It's a quiet town but it is close to other cities in the Jeonnam providence, that I can go to the cities on weekends.

I have now been living in the Czech Republic for three months thanks to CIEE's teach abroad program. While adapting to a new culture is definitely a challenge, CIEE's staff here in Prague have made it a wonderful learning opportunity. The support began before we even left the U.S. during our visa application process. Once accepted to the program and placed with a school, we received a 17 page document with explicit instructions of what was needed to apply for a visa to live here for ten months. Once we arrived in the Czech Republic, we all attended an orientation where we went on a city tour, had basic Czech language lessons, and were split into small groups to buy cell phone plans, transportation passes, and open bank accounts. We then got to stay in Prague for a week to site-see and make friends with other participants in the program. Once we left for the placements at our individual schools we have received updates via Facebook and email of upcoming events in Prague and for the program. Overall, I am incredibly pleased with my experience teaching here in the Czech Republic with CIEE.

I am writing this review about 4 months into the program.
I chose this program because I saw it as a good way to try teaching as a profession in a country that I know. I have lived in the Czech Republic before, nearly twenty years ago, and the country was a different place then. I was looking to possibly change my career, and I wanted to give teaching a try before I committed to an expensive Master’s Degree in the US.
The program offered opportunities to teach outside of Prague, which for me seemed ideal as I don’t really care to live in large cities.
CIEE provided good support to pair me with a school about 40 km away from Prague in a small town. They helped with the really irritating, bureaucratic process of getting a work visa, but you will still have to do quite a bit on your own to secure the visa. I suggest doing as much as you can (such as getting Apostille stamps, translations, etc) sooner than later so you don’t have to do everything at once.
The school I work for provided housing for me, which really helped ease the burden of having to find a place, which I saw could be difficult and stressful for some of the other participants who chose to live in Prague. Prague’s housing market is tight, and you really have to be there to secure something.
I enjoy the school where I work. It can be difficult job at times, and can be frustrating, but it can also highly rewarding. I work with children from 4-15 years old, and I also teach some of the staff. I definitely have my favorite ages to work with, and I hope to narrow that scope a bit after the holidays.
I have a bit of an advantage over most of the participants as I speak Czech fairly well and I can talk with my colleagues and I can have regular conversations in Czech. It’s a difficult language and if you live in Prague, there is a good chance you won’t learn much unless you really put some effort into it. If you live in a small town, like where I’m at, there’s a good chance few people will speak English.

Pros:
* CIEE helps land you work and a visa. It is something that is difficult to do unless you are in the country looking for work. The process can take a long time, and since American citizens can only be in the Schengen countries for only 90 days, it can be difficult to secure work AND a visa alone.
* If you don’t know Czech, you’ll have someone on hand to help you navigate the culture and the language.
* Prague’s a cool city with lots to do. You’ll be pretty close, if not directly in Prague. (See: What I would have done differently)
* If you like nightlife, art, history, beer and meat, potatoes, and dogs you’ll proabably have a good time.
* If you like cycling, especially off-road, this country has awesome bike riding. There’s nothing quite like a warm day pedaling through the woods seeing castles, ruins and rivers and eating fruit off trees along the way.
* Prague is super central to many destinations and an easy hub to get around Europe.
* Public transportation is pretty decent, though it can be late often.

Cons:
* If you don’t live in Prague you can be pretty isolated, and it can get expensive to travel back and forth. Depending on where you are, the last bus or train home might leave at 10 pm which means either you have to wait until 4.30 am for the next bus, stay with friends, rent a room, or go home early. If I want to go visit people in Prague, I have to take the bus for 50-60 minutes, then I have to take the metro or tram 20-30 minutes, so going only for a couple hours doesn’t seem worth it after a while.

* The language is difficult. Don’t expect to learn it super fast, but give it a shot— it’s fun.

* You don’t get much money unless you tutor on the side, and if you live in Prague your budget may be tight. If you want to travel, bring some extra money. Also have money to get you through mid-October when you get your first paycheck.

What I would have done differently:

* THIS IS THE BIG ONE:
Even though I don’t like living in big cities, I would have chosen to live in Prague and commuted to work. I know a couple participants who are doing this. It helps for having a social life. There is nearly NOTHING to do in my town of 5000 people. It’s a depressed old mining town, and very hard to meet people when there is little to do. I spend a lot of time riding my bike. If I want to do something simple, like have coffee with a friend, I have to travel to Prague (3 hours round trip, including in city transport— often more when having to wait).
And I have it relatively well. There are a couple people who don’t have good connections to Prague and have to travel 1.5-2 hours just to get to Prague then have to travel more.

* I would have brought a laptop.

* I would have a few more English language tools. The school I work in doesn’t have very extensive resources.