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

Learning how to travel in China was one of the most important things I learned on this trip.
It's an overall good experience to be forced to take responsibility for your actions, especially while travelling. With the language barrier, it's important to be culturally aware but also forces one to step out of their comfort zone. There were some difficulties with communication, but solving the issues and surviving is just part of traveling sometimes.
Teaching was a great experience and I had great emotional support to get through, even when the materials got lost or didn't exist along the way. Even with the difficulties in management or curriculum, we were able to get through them and give the kids a great experience.
Riding motorbikes in Yangshuo was one of the greatest feelings I had on this trip to China. Nevermind going places, just having one's own bike and riding it wherever was very rewarding and made up for moments of the trip that were not as great.
I've made long lasting friends through the people in this program, something I didn't expect to do. The people in this program will forever be close to my heart.

I had the best summer and met amazing people. Residential summer camps in China are super fun to be at. Gotoco is a great company for the opportunity to go and teach English in China and get a TELF. Plus, the stay at Yangshou in the hostel was a great experience and such an interesting place to visit.

I don't regret going in the slightest! I loved my summer camp although, it was in it's first year, so it was a little unorganised at times but so much fun. Because my camp was so new, there were some issues with how gotoco advertised the experience and how the camp actually was and what the camp expected of us, so another gotoco participant emailed gotoco and we got most things sorted after a meeting with the camp director. It was no problem for me after that! My only problem is gotoco's emails being slow and there not being a phone number to call for questions. I waited about a week for replies and all other gotoco participants I talked to also had slow email responses also.

Despite this, gotoco is a great way to go to China in the summer. I got to China with the correct VISA, I had an amazing summer, learned so much and received a TEFL!

I did my placement in Beijing, China for four weeks helping out as a teaching assistant in Wall Street English. I would highly recommend trying to get a placement in a big city because there is so much more to explore. Beijing has the Great Wall and the Forbidden City both of which are excellent tourist attractions. Another benefit is that I have met so many new people from all over the world. On the teaching side of things, with some of the lower level students, it was very difficult to explain concepts in English to them, but through trying different ways and acting out words, I was able to become a better communicator and teacher. I think Gotoco will give you a valuable experience in China at very reasonable cost (there is only the cost of the plane ticket and visa), and is a great chance to explore China as a university student.

The first thing to note is that your experience will vary widely depending on where you are posted, something you do not get much choice about. Mine was with a fairly large group on a proper campus, which was good, but also there was not much to do locally. The length of the programme also affects how it goes - two weeks was more than enough for me, and a two-month programme will be very different.
The teaching was fairly straightforward but hard work, everyday I had to draw up lessons plans and then deliver the lessons, in English, general British culture and in food. If you like teaching or want to teach, you'll enjoy it.
Yangshuo was the highlight of the trip. While it is a relatively sort stay (4 nights, often 3 days), it is very lively and social and you get to meet lots of other gotoco people. However, it is not much of a reward compared to what you get on other programmes, where you are often paid a lump sum.
Like similar programmes, it does provide a start (or end) point for travelling more widely in China, which is brilliant.

Had an amazing time living and teaching in Beijing. Gotoco were fantastic and provided help and support throughout the application and during our stay in China. If you want to spend a productive and fun summer this is the programme for you. We stayed in a lovely hostel which was less than ten minutes from the centre of Beijing and the organisation we worked for was full of wonderful people who would be extremely supportive. During the stay we visited loads of different places in Beijing and had an amazing time exploring the city. The food in Beijing is fantastic and even for vegetarian people there are always an amazing array of options. The teaching itself was extremely fun and rewarding. The staff of Gotoco was very welcoming and friendly and even invited us out for a meal on our first weekend there to make sure we were settling in alright.

Gotoco made travelling to China much easier and less daunting than it would have been on my own. The application process was smooth and they sort out any queries fairly quickly. Such a great way to earn a TEFL qualification and develop new skills. I was matched well to a programme I enjoyed, met interesting people and saw places I'd never heard of before. My accommodation was located in a caravan park so I didn't get to live like a real local and the kids' parents were paying very high fees to attend our summer camp - but the facilities were very good (apart from the days they switched off the water and the electricity). I massively improved my confidence teaching drama, singing, dancing and baking as well as leading outdoors activities and joining in with the painting and drumming classes. Most of the local teachers at the camp did not speak any English, so communication was challenging but we always had at least one teacher that could help us out. Also, the trip to Yangshuo was class - really worth the visit. I understand that experiences vary depending on which camp you are sent to and how organised they are but personally, I had an extremely fun and enriching experience which I'd highly recommend.

I was at the camp for just over one month, and I can honestly say that every day I woke up happy to be at camp. There was never a time at which I felt like I should’ve been somewhere else. The camp staff and coworkers were a blast to be around. They were fantastic with the kids, and also helped the other English teacher and I assimilate into the new cultural territory with. I can not recommend the experience enough. I’m glad, to put it lightly, that I took a leap of faith to come to China this summer. My experience gave me a personal look at Chinese culture and has sparked an interest to stay in China for a longer period of time. Of course, Gotoco was instrumental in orchestrating the experience from application to camp completion. It is impossible to describe the fun that I had in my month at camp using words alone, but I can definitely reiterate that it was worth it and that I can’t imagine a better way to have spent that part of my life.

Teaching and being with the kids was really amazing. It was so great to see the difference inn them at the end of week, and how much more confident they were. I have made a friend for life in the other foreign teacher at the camp. I absolutely loved Yangshuo and being with him for a few days was great. We had some amazing laughs and the whole atmosphere at the camp was just very happy and uplifting.

It's a great way to explore a different part of the world which would otherwise be quite difficult to see. My programme was incredible, and the whole trip was life-changing. I love travelling, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone else who is adventurous or just wants to see the true China.

I have hugely gained confidence and independence in the travel after the programme. I have made some amazing friends that I will never forget. I've had some life-changing experiences, that have shaped me. I have impacted the lives of countless children and that gives me a lot of pride.