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

I had a great time teaching in China this summer. I was in Zhouyue English college in Yangshou. The programme leader Angie was amazing and made me feel so at home and welcomed. I loved the school and found the experience really improved my confidence and independence. The camp was based in a really beautiful area and there was such a variety of fun things to do. At the weekends I would go hiking, cycling and visit the town centre of Yangshou which is very bustly and fun. I met loads of really lovely people, both other students who had come to teach and Chinese students who helped as teaching assistants in the English classes, I am sure I will stay in touch with many people I have met. This programme is a great way to really immerse yourself in chinese culture and meet new and likeminded people.

Gotoco allowed me to have an experience that I would not have otherwise been able to afford. By being immersed in the culture I really discovered so much about China and got to travel around which was incredible! The only issue was that the program I was put on did not allow us to teach which was a big shame as this was what we signed up to do. However, luckily we were placed in Shanghai which I absolutely loved and our time off allowed for plenty of travelling to cities around like Hangzhou and Suzhou. The trip offered to Yangshou after the program was incredible and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is thinking of taking part in Gotoco, as this was probably the highlight of my whole experience. Meeting other gotocoers there made for an altogether fun trip.

On my Gotoco trip, I was placed in Jiaozhou, a small city outside Qingdao on the east coast of China. I taught English to all different age levels, from 5 years to adult, and during my off time I explored the city with my fellow Gotoco teachers and host teachers. It was authentic in that I got to meet a lot of locals and experience the city through their eyes (although the language barrier made it difficult to talk to most Chinese people; the experience was authentic insofar as it can be for a western visitor). It was a challenge, inevitably, to adjust to a different world, but it was a challenge I was up for, and, maybe, I needed...and the last adjective I chose was rewarding. What rewards did I get from it? I may still need to contemplate my experience to comprehend fully, but now, fresh from my flight back to the west, I can say that I gained a wider vision of the world, valuable teaching experience plus a TEFL certificate, and a whole lot of fun, maybe enough to satiate my sense of adventure for up to four months. Gotoco, as an organization, I can commend, as they fulfilled all their obligations satisfactorily, with clear, thorough, and timely communications on all fronts.

Overall I would recommend the experience. I had a great time travelling around China and living in Yangzhou. The teaching was also more enjoyable than I had expected and if it is something you are really interested in doing then this is definitely a very worthwhile programme. Although once I arrived I enjoyed myself a lot, I was actually not looking forward to going after the stress of the application process. My place was confirmed very late after having to pay £200 deposit and at this point flights were not so cheap. The visa also costs £150 so although GOTOCO don't charge for the experience (which I'm very grateful for), the trip does end up being very expensive still. I also felt they were very distant during the application process and some of the information they gave was not fully accurate.
Despite this I'm still very glad I went through with it and will look back on this summer with lots of good memories when I'm older.

My overall experience with Gotoco and China was very favorable. I think that the whole program overall was a huge success and very fun. Going to china was quite the adventure; I was able to meet many new friends, of whom I would spend the next six weeks with. We made many cool memories, having fun together such as exploring the city, bike riding, etc. I had the opportunity to explore multiple cities across China as well. I think it was a very fun and cool experience and program! It was a cool experience being in China for a month and a half, and to improve cultural awareness but also to do something that might be out of our comfort zones. I've also learned a lot about time management, teaching, explaining concepts to students, assisting the study advisors and students, but also overall improving on speaking skills. I learned how to be patient while helping students and answering their questions.

Really the best organisation to find work in China through, can't really fault them. Sometimes slow to reply and offers some interesting advice regarding visas, but use your own common sense there and you won't have a problem. I made lasting friendships and have gone back twice in a row. My experience in China through them has lead me to apply to university in Beijing, as well as learn mandarin. They have some excellent benefits and events like linking up other participants. They put you in good accommodation and give you more than enough for food, and transport. They also offer in country help including booking private cars, helping us navigate, and express genuine interest in our safety and goings on. The interns at the company as well as Richard, who I spoke to most, are extremely helpful and great people.

Volunteering at an English language school in China for 6 weeks has been very fulfilling and I will not soon forget it. During the program I was given the opportunity to explore the local areas and experience the real China, and make close friendships with the other volunteers. The program provided a short training course on how to teach, and at the end of every term (3 weeks) there was a festival to showcase the talents of the kids and the volunteers to the parents.
After the program ended, I have been able to travel to several other locations in China which I previously would not have been able to do without being accepted onto a program in the first place. I had an amazing time and I’m thoroughly glad that I chose to spend my summer in China.

I had an amazing time in China which would never have been possible without the incredible opportunity given by Gotoco. I felt completely safe in China as I always had contact with Gotoco through Wechat or email.
One of the best parts of the Gotoco programme was the couples days I spent in Yangshuo. It was a great chance to relax and bond with other Gotoco people who had had similar experiences and exploring the scenery with other participants. It is the most beautiful place I have visited and was the perfect end to the trip.
I would definitely recommend the programme because not only does it provide an incredible opportunity to travel independently but also provides you with essential skills that can be translated straight to a work environment.