Travel Italy and Become TEFL-TP Certified with A.C.L.E.

I enjoyed my first several weeks with ACLE and the host families were amazing. The little kids are super adorable and will fall in love with you immediately. Orientation was great and I felt quite prepared. However, I started having issues with the other tutors early on. I got along with most of them, but every once in a while you WILL get a tutor who will think his/her opinion and teaching style is superior to all other tutors. I only had one other tutor like this in my entire summer, but the other tutors, including me, did not feel like we were able to give the best week to the kids. It is difficult to work with domineering individuals with big personalities, but that does occasionally happen in this job.

During one of my camps, I was placed with a few other tutors who, for some reason or another, hated people of my nationality (I was the only one from my country there, as was the case in most camps). Starting before the first day, I was already subjected to the worst stereotypes of people from my country. The other tutors would use some pretty offensive words to describe me, my country, and my people but then tack on the obligatory "no offense," as if that made it okay.

It got to the point where the other tutors were shouting at me in front of the kids. This was often because they would plan afternoon activities differently than what we discussed and I, not knowing of the changes, would somehow manage to screw it all up. I do not want to get into the details but just know that I was both verbally and physically intimidated. In no way is it ever proper for another tutor to become physical with a coworker, especially the way these people handled me. It was dehumanizing and embarrassing. I don't believe that this was an issue with me, because the rest of my camps went perfectly. I was usually sent off with other people who were just like me. For some reason, I just landed with a couple of people with very strong prejudices.

Of course, as other reviews have said, ACLE does not take complaints very well. I think that they have gotten better than they have been in the past, but there is still no proper support structure for tutors having my kind of experience. To be honest, I could go way deeper into all of the issues I had with this group. I don't have to over exaggerate because what happened to me was completely and totally inappropriate and unprofessional.

I spent 6 weeks working with ACLE and had a great time. Overall I found the other tutors and the camp directors to be friendly and helpful, the host families to be very accommodating, and the country to be beautiful. I never ran into any problems with a lack of camp materials and the one time I had a serious problem at camp (we had a horrible camp director), ACLE staff were very supportive. It is exhausting work and if you're coming from far away, you're lucky to break even, but I had a wonderful time and would highly recommend the program.

On paper it looks great: travel around Italy, teaching English to cute children and live with host families. And when that's actually what's happening, it is wonderful. But ACLE have no qualms about leaving you in the lurch without work or a place to stay at the last minute and sometimes send you to camps with no host families and put you in a flat, miles away from where you're working, with hardly any supplies. Sometimes, as happened to me once, with no supplies at all. If you dare to say to the office that you don't think their treatment of you is unfair you will receive such a rude telling-off (you think you can stand up for yourself? This is ACLE, think again) as you've ever had in your life.
ACLE are not stupid, they know they're onto a goldmine with this scheme: there are always plenty of people who would love to come to Italy for the summer - and so they do not treat their employees with any respect whatsoever. Why? Because there's always someone else there waiting to take their place. Why treat someone well if you can easily replace them? I'm sorry to say this but employee satisfaction and happiness means nothing to these people and there are other companies who are much better. Stay well away from ACLE.

My one advice to you if you want to travel and work- get a work visa, pick ANY other company, anything but STAY AWAY from ACLE. This organization lures you in with the idea you will be traveling, but they do not have any intentions to follow through with what they say. I want to share with you my experience as an example of how horrible they were to me.

Before buying my ticket, I consulted with them and asked if I would have at least 8 weeks of work. I was told yes, definitely. So I purchased a flight and sent them my flight information (one of their requirements). ACLE knew that I would be in Italy for 10 weeks. I arrived, paid for one week of orientation, and I was off. First 2-week camp was near Rome and the host family was a dream. I was sad to leave them but I was sent to Sicily for the next two weeks. The train ride was 12 hours- and the train ticket ACLE gave me did not guarantee me a seat. I ended up sitting in the hall of the train and had to get up and move every stop so people could get through. I should have seen this trip as an ominous sign.

My camp in Sicily got off to a great start. First week was fine. That first weekend though I started feeling ill. I went to the doctor and it was confirmed- I had chicken pox. One of the children in my previous camp had had it, and although unlikely, as a 22 year old, I got this strain of chicken pox. Of course, I couldn't go to work that week, because I risked getting everyone sick. I called ACLE and told them that I couldn't work, but that the doctor told me that the following Monday I would be all clear to work with children again.

ACLE: Oh sorry, we can't offer you any more work.
Me: WHAT? I'm here for another 5 weeks. I need a job, how am I going to survive?
ALCE: We're very sorry but there's nothing we can do. We have no more work for you.
Me: You told me you had at least 8 weeks of work for me. I can work next week. I can travel to any camp this weekend.
ACLE: Sorry nothing we can do.

These people effectively left me stranded in Italy for 5 weeks. They knew I was from the United States and couldn't just hop on a flight back home.
I speak Italian fairly well and tried to get a job as a waitress, but of course couldn't because I didn't have a work visa- because they didn't require me to get one.
They never called to see how I was, or to offer me any camps. Friends I made in orientation told me they were told they wouldn't be offered work for several weeks, also leaving them stranded.
They effectively ruined a trip I thought was going to be unforgettable.
Don't let them do the same to you.

STAY AWAY FROM ACLE.

If you're looking to do this job to MAKE money, forget about it (unless you're from England and the air fare isn't outrageous to get there), because ACLE doesn't supply airfare, pays fairly well but not enough to cover air expenses, and will honestly leave you hanging if they don't have a place for you, and on top of that they don't really take complaints well.
However, if you want to see the world, enjoy working with kids, and have a lot of energy, this is a great experience. It allows you to travel around a lot (well, depending on what your placements are like), have a place to stay and food to eat (while you have a job - they don't guarantee a job every week), and indeed meet people you will never forget.
You had better have a strong heart and get ready to be lonely, especially if you don't speak Italian, because ACLE doesn't place you with friends, and if they don't hire you for a week then you're seriously on your own. Learn how to make friends with people who will help you out, give you a place to stay, or can at least speak a little English.
It was an unforgettable experience and I'm glad I did it, but I can say I won't ever do it again.

A.C.L.E. is really a great program for students who want to spend some time teaching abroad but can not commit to one year. I spent about two months teaching with A.C.L.E. and since I have recruited many friends to go and teach there also...all who have had an incredible time too! Teaching with A.C.L.E. is a lot of hard work. It requires energetic people as you do not teach in a classroom but more in an all-immersion English summer camp atmosphere. You will be required to sing songs, play games, coordinate an end-of-camp show, and teach a little out of books. A.C.L.E. provides all the materials you need, as well as on-site Italian teachers to help with the language barrier. (No, you don't need to speak Italian). You might work at summer camps, which are sleepover camps, or you might work day camps from 8-5. Both are great, and both and pros and cons.

The best part about working with A.C.L.E is that you spend every week working in a new city with new people. That means you are getting paid to travel around Italy, essentially. It also is very tiring as you don't really get to put down roots anywhere, but I loved getting to see more of Italy--parts I definitely would not have seen if I had not been working for A.C.L.E. What is also nice about the program is that your food and accommodation is provided for you. So all the money you make can be saved or spent on what you want!

So overall, you must be energetic, enjoy children, and be okay with spending a different week with new people in different cities all across Italy. If that's you, you'll have a great time with A.C.L.E