Gotoco Reviews

Pros

Meeting new people Having new experiences Indulging in new cultures Really supportive team

Pros

Over the holiday, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to volunteer teaching English to children in the rural village of Bach Long in Vietnam through the Gotoco - TEFL teacher training & global work-travel placements & teaching fellowships charity. Being surrounded by the tight-knit community alongside emersing myself in the culture has been a surreal experience with memories I will keep for the rest of my life! As part of my roles, I taught classes of primary/secondary school children aging from 4-14 years old which has taught me a wide breadth of techniques of teaching and the ways of enforcing engagement throughout the age ranges. In particular, I believe I’ve sharpened my cross-cultural exchange, abstraction, and communication skills the most. Our more intense tasks involved meticulously planning and executing school trips planned for the children to a War Museum and teaching the children how to make Gimbap and bubble tea. My favourite memory of the trip is the work I did in building a friendly yet productive classroom environment. By the end of the trip my younger groups has begun referring to me as ‘Father Pas’ rather than ‘Teacher Pas’ which was especially heart-warming. I was lucky to share this experience with three other volunteers which has stretched my organisation and team-working skills both inside and outside of the classroom. If you’re looking for a way to volunteer internationally in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, or Europe, then I highly recommend having a look at GoToCo and signing up to their various opportunities!

Pros

I had the most incredible, enriching experience of my life volunteering teaching children English in Vietnam. I couldn't recommend the program more! The activities that the organisers had for us were incredible as well as the fun times I had teaching the kids. The people I met on the program as well were incredible and really enhanced my experience. Even if teaching is not your thing, I would still recommend the program as it is just an enriching life experience that I think everyone should do .

Pros

I think this opportunity to be immersed into a new culture and be able to teach local students English, who may never have been taught any English before and be able to share your knowledge and skills with them is a truly invaluable experience. Being able to explore a new country alongside this is a once in a lifetime experience and has enriched my cultural understanding. I think the programme gave me the confidence to navigate a new environment in a new country. I now feel so much more comfortable travelling by myself and have realised this is something that I want to do more of on the future. I would not have gained this insight into myself without the programme.

Pros

This summer I spent 6 weeks in Bali, Indonesia with Gotoco as an English Teacher. My overall experience on the programme was great because I got to meet so many amazing people from all over the world and got to experience the Balinese culture first hand. Amongst meeting great friends, exploring Bali and the nearby islands, I would say that some of my most memorable moments of the trip were meeting my students and building a beautiful bond with them. I would recommend this programme to others because of how smooth the application process was and also how many opportunities it gives to you.

Pros

My experience with Gotoco was amazing from start to finish! I was really impressed with everything that was done for us. On one of our days off we had a bus booked to take us to Cordoba for the day. Plus, during our cultural tour we had a lot of things organised for us which made life a lot easier and cheaper! Our coordinator, Aislinn, was amazing - she did so well to make sure we were all doing okay and remained happy. My highlight was being given the opportunity to interact and meet so many different people. I feel that my own confidence and conversational skills have massively improved and I have made connections with people that I believe will last for life. I also feel like I have developed my leadership skills which was a big step for me.

Pros

Great opportunity to experience different part of the world and culture

Pros

I had a really good time, I found the experience to be very valuable, I felt communication and organisation of gotoco was good, and I'd love to do it again myself. I've massively gained confidence and ability to adapt to any situation. Also, now I have my TEFL I plan on teaching English in China or other asian countries in the future. As well as that, I had a lot of fun and met some really great people. Both the cultural activities offered by gotoco and the travelling I got to do independent during/after the programme was amazing.

Pros

I loved the fact that the teaching was conversational as it meant that we all built up a really good relationship with the Spanish participants. I had a great experience with the other students too as everyone got on so well and clicked so quickly. It was a great way for me to improve my confidence as well as gain a TEFL qualification that was fully funded. The highlight of the trip was our cultural tour in Granada. We were given a detailed itinerary and Gotoco funded multiple activities, which I was very grateful for! It was a great way to explore Granada and learn more about the city.

Pros

my volunteering experience as an English teacher in Spain extended beyond the classrooms of Venta del Charco. These moments of exploration and immersion, from the oil tasting workshop in Montoro to the mosque in Cordoba and the grandeur of the Alhambra in Granada, enriched my understanding of Spain's multifaceted culture. They reinforced the value of embracing every facet of a country's heritage and history, and deepened my appreciation for the myriad threads that weave the fabric of its identity. As I reflect on these memorable excursions, I am reminded that my journey as a volunteer was not solely about teaching English but also about absorbing the essence of Spain in all its glory.