Teach in the Republic of Georgia

But time I ever had abroad. I was total brought into my family and community. The people are amazing and offer a whole new world to living and working in Georgia.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Georgia. I made lifelong friends and now have a second family in Georgia. The only complaints I have were the lack of teaching materials (I understand this is most likely a financial issue) and the perceived lack of awareness on TLG's behalf of the volunteers' difficulties accessing certain necessities (topping up a phone, cellular service and public transportation). Other than that, I thought the experience was invaluable and I would recommend it to anyone.

I sought more adventure in my life and wanted to also find a way to give back to others. I joined Green Heart Travel and embarked on a journey to the great unknown. Though Georgia may be a small country, the country had so much to offer. From the stunning
Caucasus mountains, to the lush forest mineral water springs in Borjomi, to the authentic breathtaking former cave communities of Vardzia, to the bright lights of the beach side of Batumi and the city
life of Tbilisi; As a travel destination, it is a hidden Gem of diversity. Georgia is literally known around the world for the people's heartwarming hospitality. Living in a village with a host family was a challenge that gratifyingly humbled me. Coming from California, U.S.A, I am so accustomed to focusing on what I DON'T have in life. My year in Georgia opened my eyes and taught me to focus on what I DO have in life. Teaching in a village school also has it's
challenges due to lack of supplies we may normally be accustomed to in the western world. Yet, it's the amazing children that makes it all worth while. You will never work with children as loving as the local
children of Georgia. Children who constantly want to learn just because you're here. Children who constantly volunteer to do board work, even if they have no idea what they are doing, just for the
chance to interact with you one on one. Children who are simply motivated to learn English just to be able to greet you in the morning and say farewell to you by the end of the day. If you're looking for a challenge and a program unlike any other, I highly recommend this program. It's an experience you will never forget.

P.S: An awesome bonus is the AMAZING fellow foreign teachers from all over the world you meet in the program who becomes part of your Georgian family <3

I signed up for one semester in Georgia and ended up staying for three. I didn't know too much about the country before finding the TLG program, but spent a few months researching all about it before going.
Many people who consider applying have misconceptions about Georgia. While it is a developing country it is far from living in a mud hut. You will likely have somewhat comfortable accommodations with a family. Day to day life can be somewhat slow moving with school, going home and giving family lessons, but the weekends are usually filled with celebrations or traveling to other parts of the country. It's a beautiful country but the Georgian people are the best part of the experience. They will welcome you like a friend and find a place in your heart quick.
Yes the food can be a bit repetitive or lacking in certain spices or food groups, you will see things that might bother you like traditional gender roles, litter all over a beautiful field, or mistreatment of animals. But overall, it was a great experience and I just hope people who go there have an open mind and go knowing we can learn as much from Georgians as they can from us. Gaumarjos! (cheers)

This was a great experience to truly live outside ones comfort zone. Georgia is a great country full of rich history and beautiful landscapes. The Georgian people are friendly and kind in every way possible. The teachers, students, host family, and neighbors are all very welcoming to new people. They will invite you into their community and encourage you to learn their customs, eat their food, drink their wine, and learn their language.

The Greenheart Travel team did an excellent job in preparing me for this teaching experience. The paperwork was simple and there were no complications with anything. The staff was friendly and answered every single one of my questions to the fullest. They did an excellent job in describing the schools, the customs, the people, and the history of the country.

Good things: plenty of turtles, nice hiking trails left by cows and sheep, if you are a man you will be invited to drink wine or cha cha at any time of the day (that is if you like to drink)

Some bad things: experiencing the Georgian family life means enduring screaming children who enjoy picking on their host (small children like to punch in the genital area, large children like to put things in my bed, such as saliva-covered candy) while waiting for things that never happen, Georgian teachers don't understand co-teaching even if you speak to them in Georgian, listening as parents scream at each other

First, Greenheart Travel is a great organization. I've always received replies to my emails within a day, or even a few hours. The staff is universally helpful and friendly.

Teaching in Georgia is a good introduction to the TESOL field because Georgia is a low-pressure environment for teaching. You're placed in classrooms with Georgian co-teachers, and depending on your comfort level, you can contribute as much (or as little) as you would like.

Classroom conditions are less than ideal, but they're tolerable, and they seem to improve with each passing year. The hardest part of teaching for me is classroom management because Georgian children are incredibly rowdy, and many of my classes have over 30 students. That being said, your Georgian co-teacher will usually be strict enough to scare the students into submission.

In terms of living conditions, your salary is more than enough to cover your living expenses. I'm usually able to save around half of my income each month. However, if you have substantial student loans to pay, you might struggle to cover those with your Georgian salary.

In summary, if you're planning on teaching English abroad for more than one year, Georgia is a good place to start. You can practice teaching, without any pressure to excel from the get-go. As long as you behave respectfully, and put in some effort, you'll be fine.

This is a pretty capable program in my estimation. The staff is pretty on-the-ball with the support and everything is put on front street with them. There's not even a semblance of underhandedness. They're pretty forthcoming with all the intricacies and less-than-palatable portions of volunteering. And for that, they're a neck above other programs.

Highlights would have to be the community you're working in. I've been placed in a fairly small village and everyone is congenial and cordial to one another. The students are genuinely interested in learning English which makes my job a pleasant stroll in the park.

Another highlight would be my host family. Maybe I just rolled the dice and came up with sevens in regards to my placement but they've been a dream. There's always a party or event to attend. They're also in the habit of whisking me off to cultural locales and such to take in the sights. I couldn't ask for better accommodations.

I suppose the facilities and the materials could be perceived as a minor setback. You're not drowning in resources here in Georgia unfortunately. I mostly just have chalk and a board at my disposal. But with a little creativity and tenacity, you should do just fine.

All in all, I highly recommend this program.

The food in Georgia is not really the best, although the wine is great.
The people are very friendly, but at the same time very nosy.
There is very little to do as far as night life outside the two major cities. But the country offers great natural landscapes.
The weather is a bit extreme; namely, cold and snowy in the winter and very hot in the summer.
The pay is more than sufficient.

I went to Georgia to figure out if teaching was what I really wanted to do and to finally experience life abroad. The program met my expectations, but like anything it's not perfect.

First, going through Greenheart was a good choice. They had access to a lot of resources from the members already in Georgia and could get a speedier response from TLG (Teach and Learn in Georgia) than an individual can, trust me. The most useful pre-trip event was a conference phone call with the Greenheart representative and everyone else going to Georgia at the same time.

Georgia is itself one of the most beautiful and welcoming countries you'll ever go to. You'll hear this over and over again from anyone who's been there and Georgians themselves. It isn't false praise by any means. You'll be invited to a number of Supras or feasts, a cultural highlight. There are plenty of historical and natural tourist spots to see. TLG even provides the opportunity to travel with other visiting teachers from your regions to some of these areas. I went to the Sataplia caves with many new teachers who had just gotten to the region towards the end of my contract. We exchanged teaching ideas, vented about classroom struggles, and reminded each other about all the things we missed from Western culture and life.

I taught in the port city of Poti. My school was pretty well off material wise. Everyone had desks, there was a computer lab and projector that were used semi-frequently, and my director was willing to work with me not against me. My co-teachers had very limited English skills. This was probably the biggest challenge. Co-teachers were supposed to be the bridge between TLG teachers and the Georgian school system. Most of the them can only carry on basic conversations. One of mine would even correct me on pronunciation of English words, like mountain, she just had been saying wrong for forty years. You have to be willing to be very patient when doing lesson plans or working with co-teachers.

Patience will also be needed when communicating with TLG. Getting plane tickets home took months of communication and they were still late when I left at the end of my contract. TLG is working very hard to coordinate with a growing number of native English speakers working in the country. It's not an easy job. They just still seem to be grappling with Westerners desire to have plans made quickly and efficiently.

If you are looking for a program that will challenge you and your willing to make sacrifices in your standard of living, this is a great choice. You need to be creative not necessarily the best teacher. You need to be willing to learn a new language (unless, you already know Russian or Georgian). You need to be willing to let go and enjoy life and friends and family.

I would go back in a heartbeat!

The program that Greenheart recruited me for was aptly named "Teach and Learn With Georgia." I taught English to Georgian children, and learned some Georgian myself. I taught Georgians about American culture and ways of life, and learned all about Georgia and its people. I also learned a great deal about myself and that I can do whatever I set my mind to, no matter how daunting it may be at first. Greenheart made this experience possible for me, and for that I am incredibly grateful. The application process was painless and they answered all of my questions quickly and thoroughly. I would undoubtedly recommend to them to a friend.

Let me just start by saying this: you will get sick. Georgia (especially the capital) is a VERY dirty place. Everyone got sick. Whether you had something mild like constipation or IBS, or something more severe like contracting an STD (I know three people who did. One of whom was sent home), you can count on getting some form of illness while you are there. However, though I had the worst flu of my life, slept in a room without heat for 6 months, and had to go to the hosptial becuase of a terrible bladder infection, I wouldn't change one thing about my experience. Georgia changed my life. The people I met there changed my life. The culture and hardships you will face will rock you to your core and with every moment that you spend there you will never be able to understand or even come close the fathoming how much you are growing and learning. So, if given the choice I would reluctantly do it all over again because I am a better, more compassionate, intelligent, patient, and stronger person because of that country. However, my ambivalence only stretches so far and I still can not bring myself to recommend Georgia to any of my friends, but for someone who needs a life change and is searching for themselves like I was, then yes. Go. You will return with a very strong understanding of what kind of man or woman you are.

As an experienced teacher, teaching in Georgian schools can be frustrating but working with Georgian children is extremely rewarding. Be prepared for lack of classroom management, teaching methodology and Soviet era teaching attitudes. Despite this the children are energetic, enthusiastic and will be happy to see you.

Overall, the experience has been enjoyable and has provided the opportunity to see and be a part of things that you would never see anywhere else. If you come in the winter be ready for cold and mud-bring lots of layers!

My experience in Georgia was terrific, due mainly to my Host Family and school placement. I was in the village of Dighomi, just outside of Tbilisi. The school is the 2nd largest, in Georgia, with 900 students. I had 400 students in 14 classes and I conducted each class, on my own, with some translation assistance from my Georgian co-teachers. My host family consisted of 2 sons in their 20's, parents and one grandmother. All members of my family were university educated. They cared for me as a member of their family; giving me the true Georgian guest treatment--wonderful food, inclusive visits with their relatives and friends, assistance with my transportation and needs--they are some of the most interesting, kind and strong people that I've ever met. I remain in contact with my Georgian school teachers and my family, even now.
For someone going on the program, I'd recommend overpacking as you do not know where you'll be placed--this is the biggest drawback of the program. You'll want to be prepared for respiratory and stomach illnesses so it is best to bring anything that you may need to feel better. Although I didn't get any stomach illness, I had a couple of respiratory infections (as did everyone I encountered, from the program.)

Teaching is Georgia takes a lot of patience. There are little to no teaching resources (ie copy machine, printer, paper, chalk...), teachers have not been trained in classroom management and students are often out of control. However, kids are kids and Georgian children will love you and will teach you as much as you teach them.

Georgia is an incredibly friendly country-I am always being given gifts, food, wine and warm wishes from total strangers on the street.