On the six-month fellowship, we had a four-week orientation before we started school. We did a lot of traveling in the first few weeks then TESOL training in a lovely hotel and taught for the first time in English camps. The hotel where we completed our TESOL training had the most comfortable beds, a hotel buffet, a pool and a gym! Gotoco couldn't have picked a better place for us to stay.

The cultural activities before teacher training were very fun and varied. We were able to visit lots of different places in Thailand which we may have not experienced if it weren't for the program. My most enjoyable experiences were our trip to Sukhothai, a historical sight in northern Thailand. We rode bikes around the temple grounds, ate at a nice restaurant and stayed in a beautiful hotel where everyone very much enjoyed the pool. We also went to rescue paws which is an animal shelter for disabled dogs. We got to go with the volunteers to feed local packs of strays and walked some of the dogs from the shelter along the beach. It was a great day. Songkran was definitely a highlight, we all had lots of fun over those few days! We also had a karaoke party bus for a few of our journeys which was also highlight. The English camps with Sunee (a friend of Gotoco's who lives in Thailand) was a highlight- teaching for the first time was nerve wrecking but she made the whole experience fun and lighthearted. Lastly, the elephant hotel we stayed at was amazing! We got to feed some wild elephants who live in the grounds surrounding the hotel.

For me, the staff (specifically Hayley, Matty, and El) made the experience. They always made sure we were having a good time but were also available if we needed any help with anything or needed a chat. Whilst teaching, my students were the highlight.

You experience so much during the six-month program. You visit many different places and do lots of different activities. You spent a lot of time with the people on your cohort and get to make lots of friends. Most importantly, you gain lots of valuable experience and get a qualification and it is all funded for you! The company is very inclusive and wants to make sure everyone has the same opportunities no matter their background and that everyone has a positive experience. When I was applying, I wondered if Gotoco was a scam or what was the catch as I couldn't believe all of this is funded for you and you get to experience so much for free! Rest assured after emailing, I was reassured it is not a scam and there is no catch! Just commitment and some hard work is required to complete the TESOL certification and get all the admin requirements completed before starting the course.

My experience on this program has been positive and impactful. This program has helped me grow as an individual and I have had many amazing experiences and will leave with lasting memories and friendships. I feel I have gained lots of valuable experience during my time on the program and have developed as a person both personally and professionally. It is an amazing opportunity to gain some valuable life experience. I would recommend it to everyone.

I would recommend gotoco as it has helped me to experience a whole new culture and world I never would've had a chance to experience otherwise. I never would have even considered running off to a foreign country for 6 months, but Gotoco has made that possible and it's been so fun!

The highlight of my experience was the summer camp. This was a fun way to interact and meet new people and other gotocoers. We were also able to enjoy cultural excursions which were so fun! I also really enjoyed a solo travel trip to Hua Hin which I really really enjoyed.

I had a really good time, I found the experience to be very valuable, I felt communication and organisation of gotoco was good, and I'd love to do it again myself. I've massively gained confidence and ability to adapt to any situation. Also, now I have my TEFL I plan on teaching English in China or other asian countries in the future.
As well as that, I had a lot of fun and met some really great people. Both the cultural activities offered by gotoco and the travelling I got to do independent during/after the programme was amazing.

It was really fun and it’s the only tesol programme that’s free and gives you £900 for flights so I really recommend it if you want to start teaching or want a fun summer. However, they are disorganised but you get used to it. I had a really cute class that I had the whole way through and it was fun to teach them British terms and slang they’re going to need if they study in the uk. You get a free cultural trip at that end with a big group of 60 of your which was really fun. Overall, the disorganisation you can ignore for the benefits

What an amazing experience! I had such a great time on this course. The teaching was very rewarding, and a lot easier than I thought it would be, and outside of the teaching, there was plenty of time to explore the country it's self!

The company had a few issues with organisation which was difficult to deal with, but overall it was a great part of my year!

I have made so many great friends from this trip, who I hope to see again soon. It felt great to finally meet people with similar mindsets. Give it a try if you're even just thinking about it!

The highlights for me were being immersed in the local culture and community, meeting people of all backgrounds, trying something new everyday, exploring rural Thailand, the bonds made with the local people and students as well as with the people I was on the programme with.
It is a great chance to travel and experience the real side of a country as well as meeting new people and improving your confidence all on a budget whilst helping improve students English which is rewarding.
It has grown my confidence to travel independently, meet new new people, it has also made me more self confident and more conscious of how different societies work around the world.

Most organisations require you to pay to be a volunteer teacher, which doesn't really make sense. Gotoco is fully funded. They provide training, cultural activities, a 4-6 week placement and a post placement trip. It's actually unbelievable how good a deal you get.

I was placed in a school in rural Thailand where English proficiency was really low. This meant I was able to make a real impact on the students and to give them motivation to study English, since they don't see any English speaking tourists in that part of the country. It also meant i got to see the real Thailand beyond the beaten tourist track. Gotoco made sure that the accomodation and food at the partner school were to standard and provided a constant support network so I had nothing to worry about. Our hosts were lovely too, showing us around and making us feel comfortable.

I cannot recommend this enough. There's something in it for everyone - teaching experience, a safe route into travelling south east Asia, cultural exchange and more.

It was a really fun and unique experience which has taught me useful skills for the future. With this experience I was definitely pushed out of my comfort zone in more. ways than one, however it left me learning more about myself than I'd expected, and even pushed me to adapt to environments I wouldn't necessarily find myself in. Furthermore I felt really welcomed by my host and school, the hospitality of Thai people is amazing, they are really kind-natured people. In addition to this the trip at the end of the programme was really enjoyable.