EDUCO: Teach English in Italy at Summer Camps

I became a tutor this past June 2026 and spent 90 days teaching and traveling with Educo. Not only has it unlocked a new passion for me of teaching children English as a second language, but it has help me in deciding that Italy is the place where I want to spend the rest of my life. The host families were incredibly kind, generous and excited to show me their towns and everything their homes had to offer. I had incredible food, amazing conversation, and so so so much fun. I would recommend Educo to anyone and I can’t wait to teach with them again.

Working with this program in Italy was such an incredible experience, and I can honestly say it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Like any experience, there were some bumps along the way, but looking back, the positives far outweighed the challenges.

When I was first accepted into the program, I was beyond excited. Unfortunately, I had an issue with my email, which caused me to miss some important information and resulted in being placed in a different orientation group. Thankfully, the staff was incredibly accommodating and found a way to make it work despite the miscommunication. Because everything happened so close to my departure date, it was a little difficult to get all of the information I needed in time. I didn’t really know what to pack or fully understand what to expect before arriving. I found this program through TikTok and applied completely on my own, so I was figuring everything out as I went. Luckily, my parents had access to some of the information and helped me prepare where they could.

Travel has always been something I love, so going abroad by myself for the first time was both exciting and intimidating. Orientation was longer than I expected and felt a bit overwhelming at times. A lot of the information was given day by day, which meant there were questions I wished had been answered ahead of time. We were often told to “stay flexible,” and while I completely understand why, I think having a better idea of what that flexibility might look like would have helped ease some anxiety.

As an education major, I also felt like I was learning an entirely new style of teaching. I tend to like practicing and getting comfortable with something before doing it in front of others, so jumping straight into teaching activities made me feel vulnerable at first. Looking back, I think having a few songs or teaching materials beforehand would have helped me feel more prepared.

One thing that surprised me was the age range within my orientation group. At 21, I expected to mostly be surrounded by other college students, but there were many participants in their late 20s and early 30s as well. Initially, that made me a little nervous, especially because I can be anxious in large groups. However, it ended up being one of the most valuable parts of the experience. Working alongside people of different ages, personalities, and backgrounds gave me a glimpse into what my future career will look like. It helped me become more confident, speak up, and realize that my ideas had value regardless of my age.

Teaching at the camps was truly the highlight of the program. Of course, every camp was different. Some weeks I connected more with the staff and directors than others, and there were moments where personalities clashed or situations became stressful. However, those experiences taught me so much about teamwork, communication, and collaborating with a variety of people. Every week challenged me in a different way and helped me grow both personally and professionally.

One of my favorite aspects of the program was the opportunity to travel throughout Italy. Every Wednesday we received our next placement, and every Saturday we traveled to a new city. This schedule gave us plenty of time to explore after work and on weekends. I loved being able to wander through new cities, try different foods, experience Italian culture, and even solo travel before meeting my next teaching group. It felt like every week brought new adventures, new friendships, and new memories.

Throughout the entire program, the staff was supportive and responsive whenever problems came up. They always did their best to answer questions and help whenever they could. I also realized pretty quickly that many of the little inconveniences simply weren’t worth dwelling on. There was so much beauty and so much opportunity packed into every week that it became easier to focus on making the most of the experience rather than stressing over small issues.

The beginning of the trip was definitely the hardest for me. I felt overwhelmed, out of my comfort zone, and unsure of myself. But once I settled into the routine and became more comfortable, I truly felt alive. I was happier than I had been in a long time, and I found myself growing in ways I never expected. This experience pushed me outside my comfort zone, strengthened my independence, and reminded me why I love traveling and working with children.

If I had one piece of advice for future participants, it would be to budget carefully. Depending on your housing placement, groceries and meals can sometimes cost more than the food allowance provided, and flights home can become very expensive if booked last minute. If possible, I’d recommend purchasing your return flight well in advance to save money.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this program. It challenged me, taught me invaluable life lessons, introduced me to new friendships, and allowed me to experience Italy in a way that a typical vacation never could. No experience is perfect, but this one was absolutely worth every challenge. I left with greater confidence, unforgettable memories, and a deeper appreciation for travel, teaching, and myself. I wouldn’t trade this summer for anything!

The Educo Program left a profound mark on me individually, culturally, and professionally. Orientation week provides tutors in training with the complete toolbox for how to run camps and teach students. What I enjoyed most about orientation is that I was able to channel my inner child again - everyday is structured exactly how a camp would be run, with those in training acting as the camp students. Camps can be found all over Italy and provide so many opportunities to explore the country and its people on a low personal budget. Host families and school helpers welcome tutors with open arms and are eager to help tutors to learn and explore the places they call home. As a teacher in the USA, I have learned so many valuable skills that will benefit me, my students, and my school. The skills learned from Educo are not unique to teaching Italian students - they can be applied to any student learning English as a Foreign Language or a student who may have a learning disability. The program is really worthwhile.

Educo is perfect for teachers or university students with the summers off, or anyone wanting to explore teaching English as a second language! The camps are full of high energy kids and the teaching is done through songs, games, and engaging activities. The orientation mentors do a great job of making sure the English tutors are prepared, confident, and have all of the tools to make camps run successfully. My favorite part of the experience was staying with host families- it gives you a real look into life in Italy and a more cultural experience than you could achieve through a regular vacation. I cannot recommend the program enough :)

I found out about EDUCO through a friend and I’m so glad I did it this summer. Great organisation from the team and if you want to come to Italy without spending a fortune and get to have a very fulfilling job then I would recommend. I would have never been to so many places if it wasn’t for this trip, non touristy places with the same Italian charm. I have made some great friends here, fellow international tutors and Italian locals (everyone was so friendly). I will definitely be doing it again!

This experience was one to never be forgotten. Being able to be such a blessing and impact to the kids at the camps will stay in my heart forever. While in Italy, I had the opportunity to travel from one of the most southern parts of Italy (Sicily) all the way to Milano. Being able to be immersed in the culture and the way of living is unforgettable. As a tutor being hosted in the families houses, I found it absolutely astonishing to LIVE with the Italians and be able to be part of their family. Everyone is so welcoming and want you to feel at home and like their own child. I would say I even picked up the Italian language which was truly an experience of its own.

I would say related to the camps, the work you're expected to do was nothing I ever thought of. For example, you are expected to "teach" an hour to three hours of lessons to kids per day depending on the length of the camp. I had never had any teaching experience and being put in this position was a bit hard at the start but all I can say is by the end I got the hang of it and was enjoying it to its fullest.

Pay is the same regardless of the size of your camp. So for example one week I had a camp of 130 kids but then the other week was 13 kids. Honestly, I wasn't there for the pay though. The kids are such a blast and it is very interesting to see the different personalities comparing the south of Italy to the North.

One of my favorite parts would FOR SURE be the training week though. That was a community I will NEVER forget. Also, just the amount of people I met and connected with was truly, truly a blessing.

I would do this 100x again. I recommend it all the way.

I had an overall amazing time with EDUCO last summer. Going to different camps each week, with new students and workbook levels, definitely challenges you, in a good way. When being placed in camps, there's naturally an element of this being a lottery, i.e., students, staff and host families each being different. However, there's a lot of goodwill and a good 'vibe' towards the camps from people you work with. I was a little bit older doing the camp (33), but just about managed it energy wise.

The EDUCO mentors are very professional and try to look after you. You can Whatsapp message them at any point during placement.

As a possible small point of feedback to EDUCO, I think that some pre-orientation tasks might help participants prepare so as to avoid overwhelm during orientation. This could include learning about EDUCO methodologies, as well as encouraging successful applicants to learn 1-2 camps songs or games beforehand.

I loved every minute of teaching with EDUCO.

My host family's have been very kind and accommodating and I am forever grateful for their kindness. I don’t think I have had one bad meal within a host family. The food has been amazing! Furthermore so many family’s have been kind enough to take me to places. I've been to famous lakes, fancy restaurants, firework displays, night markets, beaches and so many other things. It’s been wonderful working with children has been very rewarding and I loved to see how there confidence in English grows from the start to the end of the week. Being part of there English journey is such a privilege.

Overall I would express that EDUCO is a wholesome and adventurous experience.