Paid Teach English in Thailand Program

I participated in the Greenheart Travel (GHT) - Teach in Thailand program in the spring of 2015. The TESOL certification course, via XploreAsia, takes place in one of two locations- Hua Hin, a town on the beach closer to Bangkok, or Chiang Mai, the ancient cultural capital of the north, a city surrounded by mountains & national parks. I chose Chiang Mai.

GHT, is the recruiter, basically the company that finds, selects, & prepares candidates for the move to Thailand, to participate in the TESOL course and then go on to get placed to teach in a Thai school. So they screen applicants & assist with the application process which is extremely straight forward, no loopholes or fine print, providing all necessary program information, details, and support prior to departure, happily answering any and every question you may have, making you feel as comfortable and prepared as you possibly can be for an experience such as this. They were incredible.

Sara, the Teach Abroad Programs Senior Manager for GHT, is the one you work with during the application & pre-departure process, and is AMAZING. GHT is a reputable organization with a strong mission statement that they really get behind well, and that's more than I can say for other companies I looked into for a similar experience; GHT was the way to go.

After arriving in Thailand, the TESOL course is actually administered via a partner organization called XploreAsia, FYI, but they are amazing too. So GHT is the recruiter for XA's course, and then XA places you in a school. XA is wonderful, they know how Thailand works, they prepare you for teaching and Thai culture as much as possible, show you a great time in the city you're in during the course, and get you set up with a legitimate school & teaching agency. They are there as support if you need it once you're placed, as well as GHT! Once you arrive, GHT is more in the background, as their job is primarily to get you here and set up successfully, but you still get updates (e-mails & such) every now & then checking to make sure things are well, and updating you on the latest with their organization.

My time-frame for changing my life forever in Thailand:

November 2014 - Began Application Process with GHT.
December 2014 - Got accepted with GHT for TESOL/Teach English in Thailand program.
March 2015 - Moved to Thailand. Began TESOL course in Chiang Mai.
Currently - I am living in Isan (northeastern Thailand), teaching English at a local elementary & secondary school in a small elephant village in the middle of a bunch of sugar cane & rice fields. Every day is an adventure.

Make the leap, change your life, & change the lives of others. Do your best to come over with minimal expectations for what this experience holds, as they will get shattered; but come with an open mind, and I promise you will not be disappointed.

One of my favorite quotes: "There's no certainty, only opportunity."

Traveling and living in a foreign country has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. After graduating college I did extensive research on how I could live and work abroad. I originally signed up for the CELTA course in Chiang Mai through International House, but then a friend of a friend recommended me to Greenheart Travel. Right away, I could sense the difference in the two companies. While there were no faults in the CELTA course, Greenheart Travel contacted me the same day I said I was interested in the program. Sara, who is in charge of the Teach in Thailand program, was extremely knowledgable, as well as friendly and very approachable. I felt like I could ask her any questions I had and she would always respond so quickly, it blew my mind. She must be glued to her email everyday with all the questions people ask. You'll never find her anything other than happy to help though, and this was one thing I found to be really important about Greenheart Travel as a whole. I definitely was very well prepared in coming to Thailand, they made the visa process extremely easy for me and I was even able to get a Multiple Entry Non B without a problem, so no visa runs for me! I would highly recommend Multiple Entry if you can get it, the extra money is worth it because you'll end up spending that money on a visa run in the future anyways. Overall, I think I absolutely made the right decision in choosing Greenheart Travel. I couldn't have asked for a better experience in working with them, as well as Sara. I love the company and I think what they do is amazing, especially because they understand these experiences first-hand. So if you're unsure of what program to choose in guiding your overseas teaching adventure, go with Greenheart!

When I first thought about teaching English in Thailand, I spent months researching programs and reading reviews. I was so scared I'd pick the wrong one, as there are many out there that are only out to make money and provide little support after they get your payment. Greenheart Travel's Teach in Thailand program is nothing like that, and is worth every penny you pay! I did so much research, and I promise they are the best out there.

Sara at Greenheart (she's amazing!) is the Thailand program manager, and a young twenty-something who has also taught English abroad. She's so friendly, positive, and passionate about helping participants have an incredibly meaningful experience. It's really easy for you to relate to her, and vice-versa because she's been in your shoes. She probably answered a hundred random questions I had before I even applied, and was always prompt and honest in her replies. And even now that I'm back in the States, she has kept in touch and I still feel a part of the Greenheart community.

Some things that stood out about Greenheart: They are a non-profit, they have a reputable Board of Directors, their program managers are all young adults who have been in your shoes, they have an actual office in Chicago, they are organized, honest and want the best for their participants.

It's important to understand that Greenheart Travel is the recruiter, and they work closely with XploreAsia, who is their in-country partner. They explain this on their website. XploreAsia is equally great, and once you get to Thailand, XploreAsia will run your unforgettable orientation week (baby elephants, Muay Thai classes, blessings by monks, Thai lessons, a beach party BBQ, meeting some of the most wonderful people ever!), find you a guaranteed placement (be open-minded, you probably won't end up on an island), and connect you with your agent. Your agent will be the person you'll go to if you have any difficulties at your school. If for some reason your agent can't resolve an issue, you would go to XploreAsia for help, and if you have issues with XploreAsia, Greenheart serves as a third party to help resolve those.

Greenheart also has a "Greenheart Teach in Thailand" Facebook page where past, current and potential teachers can ask questions, share experiences and feedback, and it's completely open and un-biased. Greenheart also links participant's personal blogs to their website. Reading these offers an extremely real glimpse into what moving and teaching in Thailand is like. I'd suggest taking a look at them and the Facebook page if you're seriously interested.

If you decide to teach in Thailand, I'd suggest leaving all expectations at home. When you arrive, you'll discover that people are friendly, but there's a big "mai pen rai" attitude, meaning go with the flow, don't let things bother/get to you. Thai people rarely get angry or show over-emotion.

Thailand isn't a cushy country, and no matter how great and organized your program is, you will encounter difficulties and frustrating situations. Sometimes they may be at your school (most of the time, it's because you're always told after the fact about what is going on - one day I arrived at my school and was told I was going on a field trip, which I only discovered the location of once we arrived), travel frustrations (mini-buses of doom without seat belts and hotels that don't exist), cultural frustrations, etc. And it's always hot. You will sweat a lot. If you don't do well with things not going your way all the time, then this might not be the country for you.

I'd also suggest being financially stable before you come to Thailand. Don't expect to pay off students loans or credit card bills with the money you make...you can expect to probably "break even" (cover your program fee and flights, cost of living, a little in-country travel), if you teach for one semester. There's a lot of costs associated with getting settled in Thailand (transportation to your placement, deposits on lodging, buying things for your apartment, visa runs after 3 months can be around $120, travel on the weekends, etc.) and it just makes for a much more enjoyable experience if you don't have debt looming over your head!

I reviewed Greenheart Travel several months ago towards the beginning of my time in Thailand. Now, after completing a year of service in Thailand, I feel more qualified to review this organization -- this incredible organization.

I had been living around Bangkok for the first 6 months of my stay. At the time, I didn't realize how great I really had it having many friends that I had made through Greenheart Travel so near -- just a bus ride away in most cases. After about 6 months, though, contracts were completed and the network of friends I had developed in Thailand became the network of friends I now had a 12 hour time difference with -- they went back to their home country. I was not ready to move on from Thailand and I wanted a more rural experience after living around Bangkok. I relocated to Northern Thailand to a very small, country-side town. I was alone and felt isolated being the only foreigner and English speaker in this village. I hadn't mentioned feeling this way on any platform, but Sara at Greenheart Travel had kept up with me and learned where I had relocated. She sent me a message letting me know of other Greenheart English teachers nearby that I can connect with! This made such a positive difference during my stay in rural Thailand. While it's incredibly important to integrate and interact with locals and to fully insert yourself into your new community -- I also know the benefits of having someone to talk to that speaks your language during this time, that understands what you're experiencing because they're experiencing it, as well. Greenheart Travels gets this.

This is just one example of Greenheart Travel's level of support, thoughtfulness, and innate empathy they have towards their teachers. With Greenheart Travel you're going to be cared for. If you're seeking to teach English or volunteer abroad and you're weighing out your options -- just go with Greenheart Travel.

I honestly could not have picked a better program provider than Greenheart. Sara Dorsey and the rest of the Greenheart team seriously amazed me. They are constantly bombarded with hundreds of questions from both future and current participants, yet they answer every single question in a timely manner. Tip: When in doubt, ask! Everyone else is probably wondering the same thing! Greenheart is extremely organized, professional, and thorough. They are experts at what they do, so they cover everything you will need before departing on your adventure. For example, they have packets of information they give to everyone prior to departure that answers a TON of your questions (Will someone pick me up from the airport? What kind of visa do I need? Etc.). Greenheart really seemed to be the most experienced and most reputable company when I was researching my options, and I spent hours doing so. But aside from professionalism, I honestly chose greenheart because of the community it builds. Even before departure, I had 30 new friends that I could chat with/ask questions before I even got to Thailand. Also, through their Facebook page (for past, present, and future participants) I was able to contact previous participants and ask them questions (What shoes should I bring? Would I be able to buy ____ in Thailand or should I bring some from home? Etc.). No other program has the community that Greenheart has. I can honestly say that those 30 strangers became my best friends over the orientation month, and being able to ask past participants questions reduced my stress TREMENDOUSLY!

So overall, PICK GREENHEART! I would truly recommend them to anyone. I did a lot of thorough research before choosing a program and Greenheart was #1 on my list over and over again. They offer the full package and more.

If you are considering doing this program, please JUST DO IT! You won't regret it, I promise!

Teaching in Thailand through greenheart was my first time going abroad and overall it was a great experience. The airport pick up and prearranged hotel was great after the more than 30 hours of travel to get to Thailand. Everything through greenheart was great, on the xplore Asia side I would have appreciated it if there was more information given to us on how to get around in suburban placements as the focus was on Bangkok proper and rural areas.

Another thing I love about the program is that the people at xplore Asia were encouraging and said they would help us find other placements if ours didn't work out or if we decide to come back to Thailand to teach again. Since I ended up leaving at the end of the semester I am happy that this option is still there for me in the future.

Greenheart Travel was so helpful in getting me set up with XploreAsia in order to get TESOL certified in Thailand! Sara Dorsey and other staff were extremely helpful in answering boatloads of questions that myself and others had prior to our journey to this amazing country. I would recommend asking a lot of questions, no matter how dumb they may seem. Chances are there are a bunch of other people wondering the exact same thing you are --- so don't be shy. I am so thankful that I chose Greenheart in getting set up here in Thailand. The amount of stress that I have been saved cannot be measured! I most definitely recommend using Greenheart Travel to help you go abroad, no matter where you want to end up!

Greenheart travel is incredibly organized and made the process of getting to Thailand very easy. Sara was constantly in touch from the moment I showed interest in the program. She responded to inquiries almost instantly and was happy to provide as much information as I needed. The process was just as organized once getting to Thailand. I felt so prepared arriving in Thailand through Greenheart travel, I would recommend this program in a heartbeat!