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

Participating in one of this year's Gotoco camps was an excellent way to experience Chinese culture whilst also gaining valuable experience in the education sector. The teaching part of the trip provided unique insight into a culture far removed from that of my own, and was rewarding in terms of the relationships built with both the children and the other members of the Gotoco team at Guiyang. I was initially rather apprehensive about this trip having not travelled independently before, but it turned out to be an excellent opportunity to gain independence and confidence. The final week of the trip, spent in the picturesque surroundings of Yangshuo, Guangxi, was equally enjoyable. Overall, I was very satisfied with my experience in China and I would certainly recommend the Gotoco programme to others.

My time in China was one I will never forget. The staff at the school were so friendly and helpful, the students were great and the experience of teaching has really made me consider it as a profession. China is a fascinating country - the landscape was beautiful, the locals I met were all so welcoming and it was very interesting to see how day-to-day life works in developing China. I know I’ll be coming back to this country again. I would thoroughly recommend this experience, especially with Gotoco, a reliable company who provide this experience for free! My time in China was one I will never forget. The staff at the school were so friendly and helpful, the students were great and the experience of teaching has really made me consider it as a profession. China is a fascinating country - the landscape was beautiful, the locals I met were all so welcoming and it was very interesting to see how day-to-day life works in developing China. I know I’ll be coming back to this country again. I would thoroughly recommend this experience, especially with Gotoco, a reliable company who provide this experience for free!

I had a really good experience with the company gotoco. The application process was really easy and I got placed within 2 weeks of applying which was great as my decision to do the program was very last minute. I was a really interesting way to spend my summer whilst having my accommodation and meals paid for. The TEFL certificate you get at the end of your placement is what really attracted me to the program, it looks really good on your CV and opens doors to future job opportunities. I also gained invaluable experience in teaching and managing a classroom full of children. The trip to Yangshuo at the end was truly the icing on the cake- activities where organised everyday and you were put on a big group chat so that you can meet othet gotogoers. It was super easy to make new friends there.

I think the programme is a great way to gain teaching experience in a relatively unfamiliar and challenging environment. The programme leaders do look after you well, and there's a nice working environment. I gained a lot of confidence and experience in teaching, while also developing my communication and leadership skills, through coordinating with the assistant Chinese teachers. I also really enjoyed getting to know the children, who were often extremely friendly and cheerful. It was also great working with and getting to know the other teachers at the camp. Some evenings all of the teachers and volunteers went to bars, which was a really good way to get to know each other and socialise. I found there were loads of interesting people to talk to from different backgrounds.

Being able to teach in China was an incredible opportunity. Working with children was incredibly rewarding and helped me gain so much confidence in my own abilities. I was completely new to teaching as many participants are, and so being able to make lesson plans and teach was a fantastic new experience! But it was much more than just teaching! At the end of the programme I was able to spend five nights in Yangshuo with free accommodation provided by Gotoco. In this time I was able to explore some beautiful places in China and learn so much about Chinese history, culture and improve my language skills! I also went rock climbing and bamboo river rafting against such beautiful scenery! Overall Gotoco has been an amazing experience that I would highly recommend!

I’d recommend Gotoco as it’s a great way to learn more about a vast country such as China, yet do a fulfilling activity such as volunteering with children. It’s great because the programme doesn’t feel entirely like super intense work all the time and there are still many opportunities for travel/nights out/socials. Gotoco is truly what you make of it and the Chinese teachers really tried to get me involved in as many activities as possible.

The final day of the Yangshuo camp was probably my most enjoyable experience. A conference was held with the Gotoco participants and the children. They got to ask us plenty of questions and we were able to get to know them better. The children were very emotional about their experience they had and told us how much we meant to them. This was a heart warming experience which encapsulated the great experience at Yangshuo.

Gotoco was truly an amazing and rewarding experience. The chance to meet people of all ages, learning more about the culture, teaching variables, and the overall challenges that you overcome are so worth it. Being a part of this program, also allows you to grow as a person! Great opportunity if you want to become a teacher! This program is a great opportunity to learn a lot about yourself, work loading experience. Working with different types of environments, like indoor and outdoor, arranging your schedule to accommodate hot or rainy days. This is also a great way to travel. Communication with the main coordinator is always the key to everyones success. This program also offers the great opportunity to obtain your Teaching English as a Second Language or Foreign Language Certification (TEFL).

I really enjoyed my time in China with Gotoco, the weekend trips away were definitely a highlight and something that I will remember for the rest of my life, especially the trip to Zhangjiajie where we visited the famous avatar mountians and Tianmen mountain! The application process was really easy. The teachers at the school were all really nice, however there was a lack of communication between the school and the volunteers on techniques for teaching which was frustrating at times. The food was great and everyone we met in public was very friendly and interested in who we were and where we were from. over all the trip was a great was to experience Chinese culture in such a unique way that I would have otherwise would have been very unlikely to witness.