Program Reviews

I am American, white, and male ... this shouldn't matter neither should my age or should my sexual orientation. One of those did make a difference.

I attended the TESL program in SiemReap Cambodia. From the start, it was clear there was some sort of personal issue between myself and the staff. I was asked on several different occasions in front of students and behind closed doors , what my relationship was between myself and 2 other students. Also, I was told about the what type of relationship two women that were my classmates were lesbians and that I had no chance with them, behind closed doors.

I wasn't looking for a job through the school itself but still, during the course, they inquired about my agent, my age and a background history midway through the course, which is none of their business. Later they asked me my age ? After telling them, they shared that with other students behind my back and made jokes behind my back carelessly. I overheard the jokes. Teacher herself Emily gave me dirty looks almost every time she spoke to me from day one. I spoke to my agent about it early on.

I'm seeking damages due to the fact and the fact that they told me that we are putting my completed certificate on hold that I can redo it at another time the first 3 weeks free, they knew I couldn't afford that option. They were offering me absolutely zero and with a smile on their faces they said ..." Your personal problems are none of our business this is what we are offering a redo at another time that's it "! I did nothing wrong. I followed the rules I did my homework I did everything I was supposed to do.

I never once did anything wrong other than ... maybe the day I was born ? Or what race I am ? or where I'm from ? or whatever the case may be my sexual orientation ? Idk , it had to have been one of those issues.

I spent $4,000 total in tuition in the hotel they recommended and had to get another visa because the program's 5 weeks long you only get a 4 week visa all in all my total expenses were $4,000 USD. The hotel itself even called to try and resolve the issue seeing *that I had classmates over every night studying* every morning before school I ate breakfast at the hotel they saw me studying, it wasn't a issue of not doing the work, it was a personal issue , and with that, they were allowed to take certificate from me and with a smile on their face tell me to "get your stuff out of our classroom and leave the premises."

I did that quietly and calmly, I have documented emails and conversations with students conversations with the teachers and have screenshots of it all if you like to email me I can send you copies of that but it's not my story you can believe it or not the point is ...if this could happen to me, it could happen to you if you're willing to gamble the fact for any reason they can just pull your certificate anytime and keep your tuition and you loose all your expenses.

All I wanted to do was be able to teach my wife and her children English legally $4000 in 6 weeks later that right was taken away from me by Destination TESL Cambodia just because they didn't like me. I'm not the only person that this has happened to. This school employees are bullies liars and crooks. I'd choose a different school if I was you. Only a fool would go here after seeing this.

The 140 hour TEFL course was extremely hard but I now understand the purpose behind it. I feel more prepared and confident into becoming a teacher than I would be if I did the course online or if it was less hours.
I was able to meet new and interesting people at the same time as I explored a new country and added new skills to my resume.
It was a really rewarding experience!
I would recommend it to anyone that is up for a challenge and willing to go out of their comfort zone.
Remember to have fun!

Coming to South East Asia was a leap of faith for me. Leaving a job, friends and family behind was hard. But after completing the course I feel that I belong and made the right decision to come here and make a difference.

Seeing the world is also part of my journey as I believe teaching can do that for me. I also want to see more of Cambodia as I believe it is rich in cultural history and you can learn from others around you. Seeing the temples also makes it great as you see what was build many years ago

Disclaimer: it’s intense!
But 100% worth it. 2 weeks being taught the theory which is then put into practice in the second 2 weeks when you go into a local school. The short time we had in the school in Siem reap is one of the best things I’ve ever done, seeing the reality of what we do and how it impacts the students is so rewarding and motivating.

Remember that there’s a lot to take in, it is definitely intense but the support provided by the trainers and fellow trainees helps massively with that, both in and outside of the course

I had a very enjoyable time and learnt a lot. The trainers were very helpful and supportive, also a lot of fun! It was challenging but overall very rewarding.
It is a new experience for everyone so remember that you can talk to people and help eachother out throughout the course.
I enjoyed the day to day activities of learning the different processes and then to be able to put it into practice and teach my own lessons was very fulfilling for me.
I would recommend this course to a lot of people

The experience was something I’ve never had before. It was very intense and scary at times but the help of a great teacher and guide, it was an amazing time for me. It was very emotional working at the school for the teaching practicum as the kids are just so appreciative of having you there and seeing the way they are and how they treat eachother was amazing. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone wanting to see a new way of life, meeting new people and generally just appreciating everything you have.

The TEFL center is located in Sanur on the dual carriageway- getting there by foot will leave you sweaty so rent a bike or take a taxi. Inside, you'll find Widi- a Balinese admin who will do her best to make your trip amazing, she's incredibly friendly and I still talk to her every now and then.

You'll also see Georgie; the TEFL teacher. She offers sage like wisdom to both teaching and life abroad having spent nearly 10 years (i think) teaching in Asia in all realms: online, schools, TEFL training and the english speaking test (a test non-native speakers have to take to prove they speak english to a high enough level, I have no clue what its actual name is). Georgie has helped me with everything I can think of, Visa extensions, restaurant recommendations, job seeking and everything in-between.

My experience on the course was unique having spent the entirety of it on my own (accompanied by two incredible women (Georgie and Widi)). Georgie hadn't taught one-to-one before and the course is definitely tailored around there being more than one student but we made changes and I dont think my experience was negatively hindered by this. Having done the course by myself I have no clue how Georgie is with a big group of students. I felt like I could always ask Georgie anything I wanted to, often she would try to explain things in a way I would understand, some people have said she can be very quick, I didnt think so. She has a very hands on approach to teaching and enjoys active activities making things very student centered- you should follow her example when teaching.

The course featured a mix of teaching techniques, lesson planning techniques, classroom management as well as some english lessons to explain different tenses you already knew but didnt know how to explain. I found that my interest and knowledge of the english language grew after having done the course. The last 2 weeks of the course are intended for practicals- you leave the center with Georgie and go to various schools around Denpasar/Sanur to do practice lessons on real students. You'll get a mix of age ranges (I taught Kindergarten, 1st grade, 5th grade and adults) as well as a mix of different lessons to teach (Vocab, grammar, tenses etc.).

In week 3 you are led by Widi on an excursion to a new area of Bali (all expenses paid for). I went to an ancient temple in Ubud, followed by coffee tasting and then dinner overlooking the mountains and rice fields. I'm not sure if she tailors each of them to the individual students but for me it was the perfect day out. In addition to this, theres a welcome and graduation meal paid for by DTEFL.

In my teaching practicals, Georgie gave me a TON of feedback, way more than I could handle. This is a good thing because you'll end up a better teacher for it but after a really stressful lesson, its kinda in one ear and out the other. Sometimes I felt like I was a really bad teacher but in hindsight she was trying to be as helpful as possible.

The center provides tea, coffee and ice cold filtered water (the coffee is Nescafé) and is fully air conditioned. The bum gun in the toilet has really good pressure. The surrounding area features really good restaurants.

I spent ~8 hours per day with Georgie, if you're looking for a better recommendation, you're not gonna find it.

Destination helped me a lot, because I did a course online, when I got to the Centre I was overwhelmed with the information, and they gave me a second chance. I really appreciate their help and I would really recommend the school to my friends. The trainer was very helpful as well. The colleagues were very helpful too.....................................................................................................................................................................................

Greetings Future TEFL Employees & Trainees, I Want To Welcome You To An Experience Of A Lifetime For Better Or Worse ! If You’re Thinking About Teaching Abroad Or Joining The TEFL Program, Don’t Hesitate To Join. I Really Enjoyed Every Moment Of This Month Long Program. Being Able To Teach Abroad & Help Students Access An Opportunity Of A Lifetime Has Been A Dream Come True. I Was In A Position To Learn Some New Skills As Well As Secure Key Friendships That Will Last A Lifetime. If You Have This Opportunity To Interact With Another Culture, Act!!!

This is an intensive course but it's rewarding. The first two weeks are classroom instruction which covers things like teaching techniques, classroom management, the PPP method, and how to use classroom materials. There was a lot more pressure in the final two weeks when we started the teaching practicums in a local school. However, I felt like I was learning more about how to be a teacher during this period. I especially learned a lot how to write a lesson plan. The feedback I got during the teaching practicum was also helpful.