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

Spent a great few weeks in Italy gaining my TEFL qualification and learning so much about the Italian culture and language! We had a training session for a week in Sanremo where we learnt everything we needed to know to go on to have our own classes for the next two weeks. I stayed with a host family while teaching at the summer camps which was the most amazing experience! I got to explore the local area and cuisine after my classes and at the weekends, including visiting the gorgeous Lake Garda!

The most rewarding experience! Our group (4 girls) were placed in a private kindergarten school in Phuket for 1 month to teach English. Thanks to the funding sourced by Gotoco, I was able to experience living in Thailand on a very comfortable budget!

Accomodation: shared double room in a nearby condominium.
Food: we were given a stipend so mainly ate in restaurants (which works out pretty cheap & was a great way to try different Thai dishes)
Tips: bring a rain poncho/umbrella; pack some UK memorabilia to show in class
Favourite part: travelling on the weekends and meeting up with other teachers on the programme
Least favourite part: having to leave :(

I think that this program has benefitted me in providing me with independence and confidence in myself to be able to organise and travel, as well as improved my confidence.
Gotoco had good communication, very helpful and encouraging and offered a good amount of preparation and support to those attending which was very appreciated.Working with the children was so rewarding, as was building up relationships with people from different cultures. I also was extremely grateful for the opportunity to see so much of Italy.

It was overall a really beneficial experience where not only did I meet a vast range of people but I got the chance to experience different walks of life and cultures.
It has grown my confidence and independence. I feel more comfortable now travelling and exploring different places and cultures. It’s encouraged me to want to travel and see more places.
The highlights were experiencing a genuine Italian experience by living with the host families for the 2 weeks of camp, and seeing the local village - it was definitely an unforgettable experience

If you're wondering whether this opportunity is too good to be true, wonder no more, it's all LEGIT :) It's not an exaggeration to say that my time in Thailand, and during the Gotoco programme gave me memories that I will cherish for a long time. Gotoco met and even exceeded my expectations in many ways. I really enjoyed the cultural activities organised during the orientation (few days before the start of the teaching) and the cultural trip. For example, we visited an artist's village and a a mangrove forest in Hua Hin, went on a boat guided tour of Bangkok's canals, and a dinner cruise, all of these included in the programme funding! I also appreciated the educational aspect of the programme, which involved lectures about different aspects of Thai culture such as Buddhism and Thai history. Maybe more than anything else, I particularly appreciated the presence of the staff and year-long Gotocoers, with whom I really enjoyed talking and asking for advice.

My favourite part of the programme was teaching at Wat Chaisri one of the Gotoco partner schools in the Phichit region. Never had I imagined being welcomed with such generosity, and that I would enjoy teaching as much as I did. The teachers were there to help us translate during the classes or organise activities with the students, but also let us take the lead and decide the lesson plans. We also participated in English camps on the weekends, which were fun English workshops for kids of different ages.

Some things to bear in mind:
Gotoco is a social enterprise, and not a paid-for travel agency service therefore you need to demonstrate flexibility and be proactive. This is an adventure not a tanning-on-the-beach holiday ( although we did do that too!) so you have to be open-minded. While there is an introduction to English teaching during the induction, and we were encouraged to share teaching resources and advice, in the schools, you will be in charge of preparing the lessons (with the help of the school's English teachers of course). This is a really great opportunity to gain try out teaching, gain experience if you already have some, and to learn about yourself.

As a follow-up to some of the other reviews, communication can sometimes be a bit confusing and some elements are not stated clearly, but n my experience, the team has always been available to clarify things, or provide support if needed.

I would recommend Gotoco because the teaching experience has been invaluable and I would never have been able to afford such an experience myself. The experience has made me feel much more confident with teaching and communicating with people in general. My time at the school was amazing because of my wonderful host family and because the school was so welcoming and helpful. There was a great balance between free time and Gotoco activities. It was an amazing opportunity to grow both personally and professionally and gain incredible new skills while helping teach English in schools that greatly benefit from this teaching.

had a wonderful time teaching the children in Poland. Gotoco, though at points difficult with communication, did pretty well in funding the trip and also in facilitating the cultural tour at the end which meant I saw plenty of Warsaw and Krakow. I would recommend this for someone who has got a big hole in their summer that they are worried they will be bored with. An actual desire to participate in activities and to chat to younger children is obviously essential and it can be quite hard work at points but it was largely enjoyable.

Was great to be able to secure funding from my university with the help of Gotoco! Wouldn't have been able to have these opportunities without the financial assistance so I am very grateful.
Really enjoyed exploring Italy and teaching children! Was cool to push myself in new situations and gain confidence.
In fact am looking to now teach abroad for a year in my year out - wouldn't have thought of this without this opportunity.
Communication could be a bit better but overall would recommend this organisation.