Free Short-stay TEFL Placement (Colombia, Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Europe)

Gotoco is a social enterprise that provides fully funded travel opportunities for volunteer English (TEFL) teachers, connecting people from different backgrounds and fostering cultural exchange.

Whilst on the programme, I worked in a primary school in Kalasin, Thailand, a small rural town in the Northeastern province of Isan.

Having had no prior experience of teaching or Thai culture, I was forced to adapt both in and out of the classroom – but I quickly fell in love with both!

Meeting local Thai people and making friends with them was the most enriching and rewarding part of the experience, as well as the teaching of course! Going into the experience, I thought that the other Gotoco participants would be the ones I would remember forever, but it was actually locals who gave me memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life!

Learning Muay Thai with a local retired fighter in his garden every day (after school, 5-7pm) was a particularly special highlight, and we were able to connect and stay friends despite not being able to speak each other's languages.

Overall, the process of immersing in another culture and community was so rewarding, and I cannot thank everyone in Kalasin - teachers, students and locals – enough for welcoming me into their town and giving me memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

I couldn't recommend it enough!

At first Gotoco seemed too good to be true, I thought it was a scam. But I had a wonderful time on my placement in Southeast Asia; it's made me want to pursue teaching as a career. It's really a great opportunity for young people to live and work in a foreign country and opens up so many doors and opportunities. All other organisations that offer a similar thing charge a large amount of money, Gotoco is the only organisation I know that is free for its participants. It's a really great thing that they're doing.

Overall I had an incredible experience with Gotoco, working in schools with the YMCA in Bogota, Colombia. It was a great professional experience and significantly improved my confidence in the field of teaching and working with kids. Moreover, the opportunity to live in a foreign country was extremely rewarding - I improved my Spanish significantly and learnt so much about Colombian culture. Moreover I made some really solid friendships with local people. I also had the opportunity to travel on weekends, and after the program.

Just completed my 7 weeks teaching In Bali. I would highly recommend this course as it really lets the experience of culture take over. Although the course is based around teaching, you have so much free time to really spend investing in the culture and locations so close around , I was able to see almost all of Bali by the end of it all. I feel so accomplished and I wouldn’t be able to do it without this company. It’s so easy to apply, just do it! I was slightly sceptical at first but thankfully from seeing so many reviews and hearing such good things, I went for it. Best thing I have done.

Each day on the Interway Cadiz programme was jam-packed with fun and engaging activities focused on getting campers to speak English in a natural daily way. Although the days were long, as a teacher/monitor, I was able to get to know so many wonderful people! A highlight for me was the planned excursion to major cities/cultural spots near the camp location every weekend which gave me a regular opportunity to learn about the history and people of southern Spain. There was also some time on the weekends to go to the nearby town and explore/make friends with locals. I feel like I truly had the chance to soak in a different culture and meet from vastly different backgrounds. I would absolutely recommend the experience to anyone!

Gotoco is a great way to experience a different culture in a non-touristic way, whilst at the same time building up your skills and CV. Being in the rural Thailand was a fantastic experience which has enriched me personally, professionally and culturally. Being outside of my comfort zone and the challenges that I had to overcome through the programme has made me a more resilient person and has helped me build character. The programme was fantastic. The school and our host were extremely welcoming and caring and I had a very positive experience. They made us feel like at home and helped us with everything we needed.

I had a fantastic time with Gotoco. The trips and expeditions the company organised for us were spectacular, and I thoroughly enjoyed the teaching aspect of the program. I loved being able to make a genuine social impact in the lives of the Vietnamese children and felt well supported the entire time. The accommodation provided by the company was of great quality, and was made to feel welcome and valued throughout the project. Would highly highly reccomend to students, solo travellers and backpackers.

My summer in Vietnam was unforgettable. I was placed in Bao Loc with 2 of my friends, Bao Loc was quite a rural area but it was easier to settle as I was there with 2 of my friends! Wer worked at an English school, we didnt have many working hours, so we had lots of free time to enjoy the area and we also had time to travel to nearby sities such as Da Lat. All of the staff at GoToCo were so helpful, especially El, who was always willing to help! I would recommend this to anyone who wants to push themselves out of their comfort zone.