An Experience That's Opened Many Doors

I took it upon myself to walk into the ITA office several years ago merely inquiring about my options for my [then] pipe-dream of living and working abroad. From start to finish, the staff was extremely helpful and gave me the tools I needed to feel more confident regarding my experience of teaching abroad and has since opened up quite a few doors over the years.

Compared to many people I know, my TEFL certification experience was unique in the sense that I was in a classroom for a month-long practicum. Although ITA offers an online course which I have also heard great things about, I preferred to be in a classroom and interacting with other people in the same boat as me.

ITA was the boost that gave me the courage to move halfway across the world in 2013, and nearly five years later I'm still finding the course beneficial. One of the reasons this program is unparalleled to others in the market is the fact the alumni groups exist. I've been teaching English in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for a little over a year now and have connected with so many awesome ITA alumni here through the Facebook groups. It's honestly been an invaluable asset to the certification itself. In addition, the South Korea Alumni group connected me with one of my closest girlfriends I've met abroad; same with the Vietnam group.

While I didn't initially move abroad to teach English in Vietnam, I'm glad the path brought me here, as not only is it one of my favorite countries on our planet, but my entire experience in Saigon has been completely transformative. I largely have ITA to thank for that, as I may not have had this opportunity otherwise.

All in all, I had a wonderful experience and cannot recommend the program enough.