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

The most enjoyable parts were meeting all the new people. It was nice to be able to teach at a university, because many of the students were my age. Because of this, we were able to make friends and do activities that we liked doing.

I made a lot of friends from all over the world in China. It was really nice. When I was teaching at the school with middle-school aged children, it was so nice to teach. They were all so excited to learn, so they were very engaged in my activities. I think that going to China really helped me grow more confident. To go to a country where I cannot communicate was a big challenge for me.

It was my first time traveling abroad, let alone traveling by myself. The whole trip was a huge learning experience for me to gain confidence. Once again, the people I met at the school, in Yangshuo, and in my teaching team were all amazing people. I know that they will be my friends for a very long time, and that I will still be able to talk to them years down the line.

Also, China is a beautiful country, and taking the train to Yangshuo was such a good way to see the beauty of a part of the country.

I liked living with my host family after having initial worries, as they were very friendly. They gave me presents at the end of the trip, and paid for all of our trips out to see the different sights of Hangzhou. I also enjoyed playing games with the children in my class as they always had a lot of energy. I went to Yangshuo and went Whitewater drifting which was very fun. I enjoyed visiting different landmarks of Hangzhou with the family. It gave me confidence that I could be pushed out of my comfort zone and get by. I did not receive the support from the school that I thought I would in terms of helping me with my lessons, so I had to quickly adapt to my surroundings in a very unfamiliar environment. I had to quickly make decisions and it developed my problem solving skills. Spending time with my host family and meeting new people.

The most enjoyable moments of my trip fell into my larger sensation of amazement experiencing totally new cultures and being in a completely different environment. But beyond this general overall enjoyment, I'd have to say that I remember excursions to the Great Wall and the walled city of Pingyao with particular fondness. I would advise future Gotoco-ers to travel as much as possible whilst in China - done right it can be quite inexpensive! I particularly enjoyed forming a relationship with my students over the course of my trip to China. By the end I was personally proud of their achievements in English and so encouraged by their continued progress. My trip to China has made me more confident in my world outlook - most specifically as a traveller. Having been immediately apprehensive about placing myself in a country whose language I am unfamiliar with, and whose culture is largely alien from that of the UK, I am now comfortable finding myself in new environments and can't wait to travel to and around China, East Asia, and indeed the larger world again. The best thing about my trip to China would have to be the people I met. Both fellow gotoco-ers, Beijing expats and Chinese locals were so welcoming and happy to help in any way they could, and immediately made me feel at home.

Some of my most enjoyable moments of the trip happened thanks to the other volunteers involved. I liked the community feel and positive atmosphere that was built throughout the programme. I also really enjoyed getting to experience life in real China and being put into contact with so many different adults and children from all different walks of life was really eye-opening. One of my most memorable moments was meeting with all of the volunteers for the first time at the Olympic Sailing Centre in Qingdao! It was very exciting getting to see it in reality. The highlight of the lessons was probably getting to know all of the children and helping them to learn English. Teaching them in the classroom and watching them develop their skills and abilities was really rewarding to see. The outdoor activities at the camp were really exciting and I particularly enjoyed snorkelling and riding on the segways. Watching the children (and volunteers) overcome their fears during the activity helped the group to bond and added to the general sense of community. Volunteering in China has definitely benefited me as a person as it has allowed me to face and overcome challenges that I didn?t think I would be able to. Planning, preparing and teaching age appropriate lessons and activities to classes of 30 children (most of whom had different learning abilities and varied English skills) has built on my own personal confidence. Due to limited resources I often had to think on my feet and be creative in my approach. Ensuring that all children were engaged, interested and motivated during lessons and games has really helped my communication and people skills. I think the best thing about my experience in China was getting to see China in its true light. I got to live and work in a country with a completely different culture to what I was used to, which was at times slightly unnerving but was extremely exciting. Working with and supporting the children in learning new skills which will hopefully have a long-term effect on their language abilities was really rewarding. Meeting all of the other volunteers was also a highlight and most of us will stay in contact after the programme has ended.

Building relationships with the students, and seeing their progress in the time we were teaching there was very rewarding. I loved meeting the students and fellow teachers. Embracing a new culture through the routine of day-to-day life and cuisine was a good experience, and perhaps better than usual as we had an opportunity to immerse ourselves. My highlight was the trip to Guangzhou, where we had an opportunity to do a wide variety of activities including horse riding. Encouraged me to travel more, especially in China, and motivated me to learn Mandarin and explore other opportunities in China. I've gained lesson planning skills and teaching skills that I did not have before. Sharing new experiences with existing friends and new friends I made on the trip.

I really enjoyed the teaching itself and getting to talk to the students. Their experiences and views were very insightful, and they were always curious to learn more about me and where I came from. Some of the students invited us summer teachers for dinner at a typical hot pot restaurant and we saw the chefs make noodles in front of us, which was amazing! The food there was delicious!

I also really enjoyed exploring Yangzhou, where I was based, and meandering down Donguan Street; tasting the street food and browsing the shops. The highlight of the lessons was witnessing the students' progress throughout the summer. One of my regular students when I started teaching them was working at a high level 3 (basic conversation). And, when I left, they were almost fluent and were comfortable and competent in my level 6 classes. Building relationships with my students really made the trip worthwhile.

In terms of the cultural excursions, Hangzhou was another one my favourite places - especially exploring West Lake and hearing about the traditional Chinese legends. The tea and food there is notoriously delicious and its rich history was awesome.

Also, climbing Yellow Mountain - although it almost made me cry with the extent of stairs and exercise - was an unforgettable and amazing experience. Seeing the clouds beneath me and seeing how high we had climbed was something to be really proud of. I feel - and other people have commented - that I am more confident in myself. Teaching students and hearing their positive feedback was a real confidence boost, and meeting all the wonderful people I did in Yangzhou has given me some friends for life. Plus, travelling half-way across the world independently has made me realise that I am braver than I give myself credit for, and I am proud of what I have achieved this summer. Teaching the students was an incredible experience! They are so diligent, friendly and engaged, which really surprised me. Their enthusiasm and kindness is something I will never forget, and I will always hold dear the memories of teaching them.

Whilst the teaching was invaluable, the opportunities to explore China were one of my favourite aspects of the trip. For instance, a group of us summer teachers spent three days exploring Shanghai, which is only four hours away from Yangzhou. I loved the diversity, vastness and nightlife - it gave me perspective on how big and incredible China is!

I loved meeting the students and fellow teachers. I loved the creativity that I was able to use in the creation of the lesson plans. The cultural excursions were enjoyable and educational (I did have one minor issue with the third camp I worked at, but that was more of a problem with GYAP, so I addressed that with their representative). The outdoor activities were fun and enjoyable. I learned more about the language, culture, and people of China. This experience also landed me a job! One of the schools I worked at offered my a full-time teaching position after graduation. It was a dream come true! In August, I'll be working in Xiangtan No. 1 Middle School as an English teacher! The best part was the people. I was able to have fulfilling conversations with my fellow teachers and students that allowed me to learn more about the Chinese culture, food, and traditions.

I would highly recommend participating in this programme. No matter what location you are in, whether rural or urban, you will gain and learn an extraordinary amount as well as having a fantastic experience in a country that is so different to the domestic countries that Gotoco participants originate from. Furthermore, gaining a TEFL certificate is a great qualification to have and is almost a bonus on top of having a great summer away. The application is really easy and accommodating and it's a great idea if you want to do something a bit different with your summer!