Teach English in Myanmar with Greenheart Travel

I decided to come to Myanmar on a whim. As a fresh university graduate, I was grappling with the question most grads struggle with: what now? I found myself scrolling through Greenheart Travel’s teaching programs, and the thumbnail for Myanmar caught my eye. Within 15 minutes, I submitted my preliminary application for the program. 3 months later, I was placed at a private school in Mandalay. 4 months later, I landed in Yangon for my week long orientation. The entire process was incredibly easy. Between placing me at my school, helping me find a place to live, and answering all of my questions, both organizations, Greenheart Travel and their partner, NelcXplore, were extremely helpful. I’m very much looking forward to the rest of my time in Mandalay.

I wasn't originally planning to go to Myanmar but I could not have been happier that I did. Myanmar is a truly special country that will always have a special place in my heart. Greenheart supported me throughout the beginning of the process and made me feel comfortable traveling to a country I didn't know much about. It was also great to have a job and an apartment ready for me when I arrived. As Myanmar was a less popular destination at the time, we had a smaller TESOL group but I really enjoyed this. I made lifelong friends through the Greenheart program and throughout my time in Myanmar. I loved being able to travel around the country, connect with my students and other travelers, and really feel like I was part of a local community. Myanmar is so special and I encourage everyone to travel there!!

I am currently teaching in Myanmar through the help of Greenheart travel. I love my school and my experience so far. I highly recommend the group and country to anyone interested in teaching abroad. Greenheart Travel was able to provide me answers before arriving which was very reassuring. They also suggested Myanmar to me, which was a country I never heard of before arriving. They were still able to provide answers even though this country is not as well known and I had a different case compared to other participants. The placement week in Myanmar gives you a basic understanding of the culture and things to do. It is a very relaxed country and it is up to your placement group and team to decide on the activities and how involved you want to be in the placement week.

I recently completed my 6 month teaching contract in Yangon, Myanmar with Greenheart Travel. Applying to Greenheart was the best decision I've ever made. Greenheart handled all of the difficult processes of the journey (TESOL Program, contracts with local schools, business visas, finding an apartment + suitable roommate) and made it a smooth and easy transition into my new life! My 8 months in Asia let me live my dreams and help some awesome kids + adults sharpen their English along the way. *shoutout to Sara Thacker for being so helpful and responsive before + during my entire journey!*

Greenheart Travel placed me in a very spacious, furnished apartment in a very authentic neighborhood in Yangon, Myanmar. I loved being completely immersed in the people's culture - San Chuang had bustling street markets every morning. I saw few to none foreigners in my every day life, but there were plenty of places to connect with Westerners as well! There are plenty of nice restaurants, bars, and clubs, but eating local is extremely cheap (about $0.50 - $3 USD for a meal) and delicious! Yangon lacks many of the conveniences we take for granted (i.e. clean / unlimited water, assurance of electricity, sanitary civil structuring..) but is easy enough to still live comfortably.

Greenheart made it easy to get acquainted with other foreign teachers in the area, so I had a group of English speaking friends right away. Aside from them, I quickly made local friends of all ages, as Burmese people are extremely welcoming and inviting. A simple smile and "mingalaba!" goes a long way, and many people are eager to speak English with native speakers. I strongly recommend teaching, living, or just visiting Myanmar, their culture is unparalleled by any other people. Entirely unique, authentic, and still closely in tact with ancient traditions.

I moved to Yangon, Myanmar in January 2017 to take my Teaching English to Speakers of a Other Languages (TESOL) course, and then to work for three months for George English Training Centres (GETC - Yes, there were a lot of acronyms...). I was 21, just graduated from university, and had absolutely no prior teaching experience, so I was quite nervous!

From the moment I arrived at the airport, everyone made me feel at home in a very foreign country and provided me with all the help that I asked for. The TESOL course was excellent and even though I had never taught before, by the time I graduated I felt prepared and confident to begin teaching for real!

Before I left the UK, Greenheart and their partner companies in Myanmar had organised my work contract and provided me with all the documents I needed to get started in my new life. The process in Myanmar was a seamless experience and I never felt let down by the companies that Greenheart partnered with in Myanmar.

Life itself in Myanmar was exciting, challenging, rewarding and never boring. The teaching experience was incredibly rewarding and the salary provided me with everything I needed to live in the country. I taught and lived in Yangon, the commercial capital, and quickly made a whole group of great friends, both Myanmar and foreign.

Living and working in Myanmar threw up its own range of challenges, to live in a country undergoing so much change so quickly would never have been any different! However the Myanmar people were so friendly and welcoming that the challenges never became overwhelming.

My time in Myanmar was a truly wonderful experience that I would recommend to anyone with an adventuring spirit. While not perhaps for the fainthearted, the program has helped me grow as a person and I think I grew more as a person in those four months than I had in the previous four years. I had so much fun, so many great moments, and made such great friends that I don't spend a day without thinking how good it would be to be back!

My overall experience in Myanmar was enchanting. It was life changing and downright magical. The people, the food, the beer (Myanmar beer is the best), and the gorgeous historic places to visit—everything made a very profound impact on me.

I taught for a total of three years in Yangon (2013-2016). Two were through Greenheart Travel, and the last year I kind of did my own thing. The incredible transformation I witnessed while there was astounding. And just as the country changed rapidly during that time, I, too, grew both personally and professionally.

Myanmar people are extremely generous, welcoming, and hilarious. The amount of sarcasm and playfulness I experienced and/or observed from my Myanmar friends, neighbors, students and colleagues made me feel right at home.

I was placed at a college with over 200 students at the time. Students ranged in age from 16-22. I helped them prepare to take their IELTS exam—a requirement to study abroad in an English-speaking country. Although my placement differed a bit from the norm, I’d say I had a pretty normal teaching schedule compared to other teachers who go with Greenheart Travel as well.

I went to Myanmar as a Greenheart Travel Teach Abroad Correspondent, which meant I got to share my experience through monthly videos and blog posts for Greenheart Travel since the program was new when I arrived.

Going through Greenheart Travel was such a breeze! Sara Thacker, the program manager for the opportunity in Myanmar, efficiently and easily got me there, checked in on me throughout the time I was there, and continued corresponding with me even after I had ventured off on my own.

Jill Robinson, Greenheart Travel’s marketing director, was so fun to work with while I submitted photos, videos, and blog posts as part of the correspondent program. We got to know each other on a personal level, and she often reached out to me when my content would document particular hardships I was facing at the time.

I always say an experience is what you make of it. Myanmar definitely isn’t the easiest place I’ve lived abroad. Yangon is extremely hot (there are areas of Myanmar that are quite pleasant, though). The power goes out often (at least there is electricity). Resources at schools tend to be a bit limited, but you can find almost everything you’ll need in stores around Yangon. I took a cold shower or bucket bath the entire time I lived there. But, all of these things enhanced my adventure. I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything different.

My biggest challenge was my personal finances. I didn’t have enough money saved up, and had a very hard time sending part of my salary home the first year (this has likely become much easier by now), so I got behind on paying off some bills. My recommendation would be to have a cushion of savings before you go, just in case!

As opportunities to teach English increase in Myanmar, I’d definitely say NOW is when you should experience this unique culture—it’s such an exciting time in its history! So many new shops, businesses, restaurants and bars are popping up all over Yangon. And most of what you’ll read online about Myanmar is already outdated. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with how fast the country is advancing! Go find out for yourself!

Teaching in Yangon was such a positive experience. I taught both adults (Listening and Speaking) and young learners in a summer school NELC. The ages of the young students ranged from 5 up to 15. What a motivated people the Burmese are!

If anyone wants a first hand experience of how rapidly South East Asia is changing and growing, Greenheart Travel has the program. The scaffolding is there and the personal attention from the staff at Xplore Asia, who manages the program, is first rate.
I highly recommend it.

For me, just having been there to help these people was so rewarding...I hope to return!

Where to start... to quote the great and infamous Fresh Prince of Bel Air, "My life got flipped-turned upside down!"

I left the United States in May of 2015 with the intentions of teaching in Thailand for 6-12 months. I did my TESOL in Thailand and felt completely at ease as I headed over. Sarah and the entire Greenheart Team were more than helpful and very responsive to all of my panicked inquiries.
About midway through my TESOL training, I was offered the opportunity to come over to Myanmar for a short term contract. At first, I wasn't going to accept the offer. I wanted to be in Thailand because when I googled "Teach ESL Abroad" Thailand is what came up, so that was obviously the best option. And also, where the heck is Myanmar!? Nonetheless, I decided to take the job and head next door to the newly opened country. Compared to my move to Thailand, I was much more hesitant coming over to Myanmar because I had no background knowledge of this country and really didn't know what to expect. But I arrived in the Golden Land and was intrigued. I could tell that this was going to be something totally different.
Long story short...I initially signed a 6 month contract...that was 16 months ago!! I have no intentions of leaving anytime soon. Just to clarify, I'm not getting rich, I don't live in a big fancy apartment, I don't have television nor do I have wifi at my home but what I do have is an amazing connection with my students and my community. I hope that my teaching reaches my students and positively impacts their lives in even 1/10th of the way that I've been touched living here. If you want to get rich and party on the beach - go somewhere else. If you want to experience a culture that will enrich your life and leave a lasting impression - COME TO MYANMAR!!! I'll be here :)