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

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!

My program in Rongxian was perfect. I have enjoyed every single moment in China and my experience was absolutely great. The program was aimed to help kids with little English to start learning a few words and sentences and it was organised in a perfect way. The city, around 5 hours by bus from Guangzhou (very close to the border with HK) was easily reachable and with plenty of coaches to get there. Before arrival, the information given helped me organising better my trip and preparing for my teaching experience. Getting a TEFL qualification with basically no cost while growing professionally, academically and personally was definitely an experience I would do again!

Gotoco enabled me to teach in China and gain a TEFL qualification and very little cost to myself. I was put on an interesting, fun and rewarding camp and made some great new friends. I loved the 5 nights in Yangshuo and they were really helpful when I needed them.
I learnt how to spell my name in Chinese which was cool! I also really enjoyed getting to know the kids in my group well and we’d have a good laugh! The other camp leaders totally made my experience out here and we had such a fun time together, it was like we’d known eachother forever. We organised hiking and beach days. t has given me valuable teaching skills as well as improving my confidence overall. I have also got to see a part of the world I’d never thought I would.

I really enjoyed my experience with Gotoco and I have gained so much experience and independence, through both working and travelling. I also hope to be able to use the TEFL certificate in the future. It was such a productive and fun way to spend summer and meet new people, and I felt that teaching was a great way of seeing a country.
For me, some of the most enjoyable moments were the cultural excursions: with G.R.E.A.T Summer Camp, we visited the Great Wall, which was amazing. With the second school, we visited an elderly care home, where the residents gave us lessons in traditional Chinese painting, calligraphy and dance.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the final camp (Anhui Beautiful Way) - the people were so friendly and most of our activities involved games and sports. There was also a week between the first and second camps, during which we were free to explore Beijing, and Richard recommended many things to do, which was very enjoyable.

I had a really exciting experience abroad thanks to Gotoco. The school I volunteered was based in Dongxing which a small city on the border with Vietnam. I would never have had the opportunity to travel to this area of the country had I not taken part in this programme. I was also able to have a good amount of free time in addition to the teaching schedule. I learnt so much during my time away and I had a lot of fun

I had an amazing time in China thanks to Gotoco. China itself is a fantastic country to visit. There is so much to do and see and the people are fantastic. The food is wonderful and so unique, just like everything in the country. The culture is so different to ours that it is also a very interesting place to visit.

The teaching itself was great fun. I learned a lot about how to teach, and what makes an effective lesson/teacher. Also, meeting the Chinese teachers was a blast. The way they handled a classroom was very different to the way it is done in the UK, which was a great learning experience.

To anyone considering it- do it! There's unlikely to be another teaching/travel opportunity this good again!