Teaching internship & TEFL Certification (Thailand, Vietnam, Europe, China, India)

This has been an incredibly eye-opening and heartwarming experience for me. I've learned so much from it, from dealing with language barriers to embracing different cultures and beliefs. My time as a teacher has shown me that being a teacher is a lifelong commitment, a lesson I discovered while teaching both in primary and high schools.

What made this experience even more special was the opportunity to teach in various cities throughout Thailand. Each place had its own unique charm and distinct culture, making every moment of my journey incredibly rich and meaningful.

My experience on the programme has been fantastic. I've learnt so much and grown so much in confidence, and I feel much more able to handle myself abroad. It has been the highlight of my year for sure. The highlight of my experience was getting to know all the people I met through the Gotoco programme, both locals and other Gotoco volunteers. Speaking to locals I could improve my language skills and learn more about the local culture. The other Gotoco volunteers were also great to get to know - they were all interesting people and equally up for adventure!

I had an amazing time completing the summer TEFL programme with GOTOCO in Poland. Volunteering at the camps was really enjoyable and fulfilling, if intense sometimes, and it was great to see the impact we were having through watching the children’s confidence in speaking English increase over the course of the camp. Being situated in the polish countryside was really cool and it felt like we got to really experience a lot of different aspects of Poland on our trip. It was also a great experience of travelling abroad alone for the first time and a great way to meet lots of amazing people.
The funded cultural tour at the end of our programme was a really fun experience and we got to explore Polish cities, history, culture and food.

An amazing experience. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves traveling and wants to gain experience teaching. Some of the placement areas are not that modern so it would be wise to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Aside from that, I have had the opportunity to learn about Thai culture, travel Thailand, meet amazing people, and leave my comfort zone.
The best part about this was that it is fully funded and that Gotoco plan all the logistics. The communication from Gotoco was seamless when support was required.

Volunteering to teach English in Spain with GoToCo is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I think the real-life skills that one can gain when participating in a GoToCo programme is truly beneficial, especially if they want to pursue education and/or teaching English to speakers of other languages.

One of the most memorable highlights of my overall experience is my interaction with the Spanish participants. That is the one thing that would definitely stick with me for a long, long time. I had such lovely conversations with them during our 1-2-1 sessions. Some in which include life lessons, career advice, and their experience. Truly once in a lifetime experience.

It's a great experience for people keen to work or live abroad with a genuine interest to integrate into the local culture. I was on the Thailand program and despite not knowing the local customs or language, was encouraged to completely immerse myself. Teaching was an absolute joy, but I wish the TESOL training had been more substantial and more in advance of the actual lessons that I took. Accommodation could also have been better, as although my roommates were very nice, we were told that we would share our rooms with a maximum of 1 other person and I ended up with 4 others like a hostel!

However, for a fully funded experience, with cheap accommodation, travel and food, I would highly recommend this as an opportunity for personal growth, to meet new people and to learn about a completely different culture while giving back to the country by volunteering.

I really enjoyed my time in Thailand. It gave me the opportunity to develop new skills and go outside of my comfort zone to try new things.

This may sound a bit OTT, but it was the best experience of my life. It's hard to fully put into words because everyone's experiences will be so different, special, and unique to them. But I guess I would sell it as: when will you get an opportunity like this again? Just go for it, throw yourself into it, have fun, take a few risks, try things you wouldn't usually and embrace everything. You won't regret a single second.

I'd recommend a programme with GoToCo to anyone, it truly is one of the greatest things I've ever done.