Program Reviews

My trip to Hua Hin, training and teaching abroad was fantastic! I wouldn’t change it for the world. I initially planned on staying there for 6 months but it turned into a year. Global Work& Travel, XploreAsia, really set me up with everything I needed to become a working Thai Teacher.
Everything in the orientation was well thought out and a nice introduction to Thai culture. I especially enjoyed the Thai language lessons and found them very useful long after the initial TESOL course. If you’re deciding between staying in your hometown and teaching in Thailand, you should know that your hometown isn’t going anywhere anytime soon! You’re also missing out on constant sun, amazing children, and all the fresh fruit.

My experience was definitely unique. I was placed with a really good agency in the ruins of Thailand. I was a teaching in the English program at the third biggest school in Thailand. Our school had over 4,200 students. I only taught around 20 students per class. There was so much culture and history in my town. I made so many friends doing the exact same thing as me which made traveling through Thailand exciting as everyone had similar mindsets. I also became a certified open water diver while I was there. Thailand definitely changed my life.

My placement was a particularly good one. It was such a privilege to genuinely enter village life and teach English to African children from 4yrs to 21yrs. After a few days they really welcomed me completely. The Maasai chief and the Mamma’s (The chief’s wives) thanked me for treating their children as my own and performed a ceremony the day I left giving me gifts that will last a lifetime. My time in Africa was a stark reminder of how incredibly important it is to prioritise the things in life that really matter. The African people have real joy, love, commitment and an enviable sense of community. They have nothing and yet they have everything. My time as a volunteer also gave me the opportunity to go on a safari to the Serengeti which was an extraordinary and exhilarating experience and one which I will treasure forever.

I’ve always wanted to become an English teacher and work abroad to both give and gain cultural experience, so when I saw that there was a new trip to do this in Costa Rica I jumped at the opportunity and left almost 3 months later.
Playa Samara is a small beach town on the Pacific coast. There’s horses, surfers, jungles, islands... so many beautiful things to see that is unique to the country. The accomodation is pretty good, air conditioning, private bathroom, double bed. Literally 2 minutes from the beach. The hotel even has different events on each night (karaoke, pool party, etc). AND you stay with everyone else on the course! So you’ve always got someone there.
The TEFL program itself was SO. MUCH. FUN. The teachers are engaging, they provide so much help and they make it fun. Of course though, you are gaining a certificate so there definitely are some tough times and long hours... but worth it.
The social scene is amazing! The Spanish culture is incredible and so open and kind. Most of the bars will have party nights and it gives you the opportunity to get to know the locals.
My group and I took a few trips on the weekend in hire cars which was incredible and got to see other parts of Costa Rica.

I 100% would recommend this trip to anyone who likes the beach, new cultures, animals, jungles and can party! (Just a reminder it’s not a 5* location... but that’s what makes it such a standout. You really do experience life in a different way).

My 3 months as an assistant volunteer at a small private school and large goverment school was incedibly rewarding and personally satisfying. Apart from teaching basic English and Maths I coached cricket which the children absolutely loved! The staff at Volunteer House (VH) were incredibly helpful, while VH itself was clean with good facilities including bar area, and 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) on weekdays, and by arrangement on weekends. Be prepared though for intermittent
interruption to power and water supply.

Korea is a very well organised, safe country to live. The conveniences are apparent daily and the locals are very friendly. It is easy and cheap to get around the country to explore other areas and there is enough to do for all types of people. Lots of beautiful rural areas and parks and mountains. And also plenty of big cities to get lost and have fun in. The children are keen to learn English too so it makes the job a whole lot easier and more enjoyable.
My job and accommodation was in a small city called Wonju. I joined local groups on social media which made making friends with locals and other foreigners much easier. There isn't many foreigners in Wonju but I managed to find a tight-knit group of friends who socialise and play sports together with. Also Seoul is only an hour away so I will visit there on lots of weekends as well as other parts of the country.

I completed my TEFL course in Samara (which was an incredibly intense but worthwhile course) and was based for that month in Playa Samara. Absolutely loved that little beach-town but because of the hours required with the course didn't really get the time to enjoy it. I took the option to volunteer in Punterenas for a short term contract with the Government run program called Aliarse, because I was only staying for a total of 6 months and most other contracts were too long. The induction was a little rushed and instead of being 3 days was squashed into one day. Derek the leader was very thorough but was under the pump to get teachers out to a couple of locations. He was incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout.
On arriving in Punterenas I was met by the social worker and a couple of students and then taken to my host family house. It was a long hot trip on a bus with no air conditioner but I didn't mind mixing it among the locals. My Host family were truly beautiful and included me in a couple of social activities including a weekend away. Even though I spoke no Spanish I enjoyed the time with them.
The house they lived in was very humble and my actual room had the bare minimum. No air conditioner, just a wall fan, a very small desk and chair and a single bed. Unfortunately there was no outdoor area to relax and no real lounge room, so once home of an evening I was pretty much confined to my room other than for the family dinner. I also shared a bathroom with the daughter which was very tiny. The food however was lovely!!
The University itself was fairly minimal also and consisted of a about 5 classrooms and a toilet. There was no staff room so I felt a little isolated from the other teachers, who were all male while I was there. To be honest I found the curriculum to be quite dry and unlike the way I had been taught to teach during the TEFL training. I spent most evenings trying to adapt the curriculum to make it more enjoyable but in the end I gave up and just taught it as it was presented.
The class were adults (between 18 and maybe 30) and were initially hard to win over but I enjoyed teaching them and felt like I made a difference, which was a great feeling. I struggled with clear communications with the social worker and would often become stressed because the wrong pages were photocopied etc and then had to wing it for a couple of hours until she was able to get to the printers to do the right ones. She was a lovely lady and tried her hardest to make things work for me.
The other staff were supportive but I was hoping they would be more social and inclined to go out occasionally. Luckily another person with similar expectations arrived and we were able to organise a couple of weekend trips away which made the time spent there much more fun.
While I haven't painted a pretty picture of some aspects of my work and home-life in Puntarenas, I am extremely happy I went there and often think about the people I met and the things I experienced during that short contract. Despite being challenging at times I will always remember how the people enjoyed the small things in life and how devoted they were to their families. Most of the people I taught lived in varying degrees of poverty and lacked modern appliances and technology which I have come to expect in my life and yet they managed to make the most out of everyday. I would highly recommend taking on something like this, but just be prepared for things to be different to what you might expect.

I am very glad I booked with Global Work and Travel to assist we with my Canadian working holiday. It was reassuring to know that I had assistance not only leading up to the trip but throughout my entire stay.
The best bits? Detailed steps on how to apply for the visa (can be tricky and confusing), setting you up with SINs, Canadian SIM cards and a bank account (all essential for working and living), and a job opportunity to begin with!
Even during the past few months I was able to chat with my coordinator - Molly you’re the best!

Global Work and Travel Co where very supportive from the moment I landed in Vancouver, where we then spent a whole day meeting each other and setting up all the essentials. To giving me any additional information they had, for me to apply for permanent residency! Also helped me with many things in between. Even the little things like storing my snowboard! Even the small things make the biggest difference! I am very grateful to Global Work and Travel Co and would recommend to any future travellers!

The whole process was easy & stress free. Having a job and accommodation already lined up for me before I left Australia gave me ease of mind. Katy and the whole team really looked after me & ensured I had everything I needed. In return I had the best experience, I made so many amazing friends from all over the world, I travelled and really stepped outside my comfort zone! I don’t regret anything, however Sadly the virus meant I had to return home early, but I’m super excited and can’t wait to get back!