Travel to Teach Experience: Thailand (TEFL Certification) (Formerly "Traveling Teacher")

First of all, this is not a glamorous trip. You will be living at a village and sleeping on a floor mattress. However, this trip was amazing! This trip humbled me and allowed to really learn about Thai culture. We would study intensively, and teach English to adorable village children. Our instrutors and guides were super supportive. I absolutely loved the village of Ban Lao, the views were breath taking, the people were so kind. Our accomidations were minimal, but you could always count on a delicious meal. Also, the children at the school were the cutest most polite kids I've ever met. As well, we got to see elephants very often. One thing I would have liked is to have more time in the city. Ieft Thailand feeling like there was so much more to explore. However, this trip was so incredible, I wish it would have been longer. Overall, I would recommend this program, but I don't think it is for everyone.

Dear potential Loop Abroad Traveler,

Please read thoroughly as this (hopefully) comprehensive feedback encompasses both positive and negative aspects of Traveling Teacher 101.

Traveling Teacher 101 was poorly executed on behalf of all staff members and the living arrangement was sub par for the price of the program. All students slept on one-inch mats, under mosquito nets, in a hill tribe village (not bad for a couple nights, but 9 nights was far too many). All living areas and bathroom/shower areas were infested with mosquitoes, beetles, and bugs. For some, this may be an appeal of the program, but for most (7/8) of the girls on my trip it was not. The living accommodation (having met the individual from Nepal who built the hut we stayed in) was only ok, although the individual who built the hut mentioned he only lives in the hut twice a year and lets whoever else stay in it for free which begs the question, "Where is my program fee going to, if not living arrangements?"

Our Loop Abroad point of contact was difficult to work with mostly because he was a "know it all" and continuously told the girls on the trip that he could tailor activities to our liking but we had to tell him what we wanted to do, but there is one big problem - we didn't know what our options were. Therefore, while in the village, we had TOO much down time (hours of it) and we could have been in the city exploring. Ultimately, one week in the hilltribe village would have sufficed and there could have been more touristy, travel based, options. The ultimate truth is: there is nothing to do in the hilltribe village and you stay there for 9 nights and 10 days (the trip is only two weeks long). You will see elephants and we saw them 4 times, but each visit only lasts an hour. We got bored.

The TEFL certification was a hoax mostly because the teacher was new, inexperienced, and uneducated. The TEFL program promises 120 hours although you do not receive adequate training in the classroom (one class period per day, do not get to practice your lesson plans, and often the school and Loop Abroad had miscommunication and we wouldn't end up attending the school many of the days as promised). If you are looking to gather MUCH experience in the classroom and lots of hours accumulated with hands on training than this program is not for you.

Overall, very authentic experience, but not productive enough for the cost of the program. Would I do it again? No. Would I recommend it to an enemy? Even though s/he's an enemy, NO.

Prior to this trip I had only been out of the country once on a week-long spring break trip to Aruba. It is safe to say that I had a lot of anxiety revolving around my next trip abroad, but I knew it was something I definitely wanted to do before graduating college.

I chose to combine the Thailand 101 program with the Traveling Teacher program and got started raising money to go. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity because even in the short span of a month I had some of the best learning experiences.

Although I loved the Thailand 101 program, the Traveling Teacher program was the best part of my trip. I may be bias as I am pursuing a degree in education, but I truly loved the two weeks I spent with a small group of girls learning how to best teach English as a foreign language. I had no prior experience in teaching English at all, but our group leader helped us and made it a somewhat comfortable, but challenging transition into the classrooms.

The intimacy of this program is so helpful in quickly making friends with both your group members and your volunteer coordinators. I made lifelong friends while on this trip, some from the US and some still in Thailand.

The conditions are VERY rural so if you are not very outdoorsy, this program may not be in your best interest. You will be living in bug spray and may find a large hairy spider on your doorstep, but if you can handle these conditions for two weeks you will be fine. Personally, I found that living in these rural conditions made the trip even more culturally valuable. Also, we spent our weekends in a hotel in the city which was super rewarding and awesome after a week of class!

To sum it up- if you are looking to dive into a different culture while simultaneously taking a TEFL class, this program is for you. You will be completely submerged in culture alongside your peers and you may become frustrated at times as you take the TEFL course, as with any course. At the same time, you will form incredible friendships. I cannot think of a single girl in my group who did not make a friend. You will come to love Thai culture and you will also get to apply what you learn in class to a class full of Thai students! And if you are still unsure, Loop Abroad provides so many opportunities for you to speak to previous participants so I would definitely take advantage of that. Best of luck to you in your program search!