Paid Teaching & TEFL Program in Thailand with TravelBud

I have had such an amazing experience in Thailand and met such incredible people and travelled to beautiful places. I would definitely recommend anyone to go teach aboard, it will be one of the best things you do in your life. I am so sad to have left!

Have an agency to support and guide you through the steps was invaluable, especially during COVID where there's lots of steps to do to just get into the country. Everyone was there ready to help with any questions.

One downside was my first placement, I feel like I was sent to a rather remote area and not necessarily told the truth about where I was going to, which was the case for several people. It was quite a lonely experience and I was so happy after requesting to be moved to go somewhere else.

Nevertheless, Travel Bud, particularly Saskia, were great in keeping in touch and offering to help and share experiences throughout my time.

My experience as an English teacher in Thailand is amazing because of the new space I am in. The culture is very warm and the people are always kind. It really encourages you to challenge yourself and see life in a different perspective. The ability to travel and experience a new culture while working is a huge bonus. I highly recommend this program to people who are outgoing and not afraid to take risk. It is also for people who are eager to learn new cultures and spaces. It give you a reason to stay motivated in life

I found the program to be very beneficial. Originally I was going to do everything myself, but decided to go through the program to have extra support and guidance. I found that it was a very worthy investment, as the support team was well-organized and helpful in getting me acclimated and prepared for my experience.

The support with logistics, paperwork, bank accounts etc. is facilitated and also the cultural orientation was valuable. Meeting so many other people was a great way to start my time abroad, as I made friends and developed a network from the start.

While there is room for improvement, I found overall the experience to be smooth and helpful. My teaching placement worked out for me and I am happy where I was placed. It was a pretty seamless process and I have been enjoying and learning much in my time here.

Originally I wanted to be in a bigger city with a lot of ex-pats, but my placement turned out to be in a small area. I decided to just trust in the process and it turned out that I had a great experience. I still made friends and had a life-changing experience. I think that you might grow and learn more being outside your comfort zone.

If you're new to teaching abroad and you want a strong support network to help with all the logistics and also as a way to meet others, I think this program is a strong option.

I would highly recommend Travelbud to anyone wanting to teach abroad. I have been teaching in the United States the past 4+ years and I decided to teach abroad to learn more about how I could support my students who are English Language Learners (ELL) or learning English as a Second Language (ESL). I have very little experience working outside the US so I was looking for an agency that could support me throughout the whole process. I reached out to Travelbud in January of 2019 and for the next year they worked closely with me to make sure I was supported every step of the way. From understanding the Thailand school year to TESOL questions to all of my Visa questions and the long process of getting my teaching degree notarized, authenticated, and legalized, Travelbud was with me every step of the way. Travelbud also helped me connect with an in-country program that allowed me to get my TESOL degree before actually teaching in a school. Every question I had throughout my year of preparing to go abroad was answered quickly and accurately. It felt like I had a friend holding my hand throughout the process and I LOVED that.

TravelBud has been extremely supportive since the very start. I originally wanted to come to Thailand at the end of March (in a few weeks), but I changed my mind last minute a few months ago and wanted to come in December instead. TravelBud was super quick to getting me all the information I needed to be in Thailand faster than originally planned. TravelBud has constantly reached out to me to make sure I have all the help I need.

Being in Thailand for 2.5 months now has already been life changing. The TESOL course brought me some amazing friends who I still speak to every day. Going to my placement school was really scary because it was entering this unfamiliar territory to do a job I had never done before. I didn’t think culture shock would get me, but it definitely did! It was something I was quickly able to overcome with constant support and the community I was quickly able to build in my new city. I can’t express enough how special this program is and how everyone should really have an experience like this!

I believe travelbud is a good organization if you choose the program that fits you. Most of the programs are geared toward first time teachers and may not be exactly what you expect. You will need to ask a lot of questions to get confirmation on basic logistics. If you have traveled before it is likely you will be able to find something that fits you by simply searching online for jobs within the country. There are hundreds of jobs available with legitimate schools. The coursework for TESOL is very broad and minimal and does not really prepare you to teach English specific to where you are going. I would suggest you take full advantage of every time you have to travel and do it on your own, not with the organization. It is much more authentic and certainly more cost-effective

From the minute I signed up for the Teaching and TEFL program in Thailand, TravelBud were there to assist me every step of the way. My program coordinator was super helpful and made me feel completely at ease, she answered all of my emails and questions in a timely manner and was super friendly from our first interaction and throughout.

Once I arrived in Thailand, TravelBud continued to follow up with me, it made what could have been a very nerve wracking experience really easy and fun. I learnt a lot during my actual TEFL program and felt very confident about teaching once I completed the course.

I would recommend TravelBud to anyone thinking of moving abroad to teach as the support they provide is really great, the program itself is great value for money and the constant communication both before and after departure was extremely helpful. This experience was one of a kind and I'm so glad i chose to go through TravelBud, I made friends for life and learnt so much in the process!

I started teaching Kindergarten through TravelBud as my first job since leaving the military. I was admittedly nervous and unsure of what to expect at first, but the friendly staff at TravelBud were there to assist me every step of the way. When I arrived for my TESOL course, I was thrilled to meet other folks from all around the world equally motivated to teach and experience a new nation. I have loved every minute of my life in Thailand, and my students have made every day spectacular. I have especially enjoyed experiencing Thai culture and food! My brief time here has inspired me to pursue a graduate degree in gastronomy, the study of the correlation of a culture and it’s food. I hope to use TravelBud in the future as I continue moving around the globe!
Special thanks to to Saskia Smuts and my TESOL instructor Kim LeRoux!