Angloville and Premier TEFL are hitting home runs in Europe. They are the platinum experience for volunteering as an English teacher/conversationalist in beautiful locations across the continent. And their fully blended program is the best way to earn internationally recognized accreditation as a TEFL-certified native English teacher.
Vetting potential teaching English abroad programs is a tall task. There are many to choose from. But how do you know which one will give you the best experience for the time, money, energy and emotions you pour into planning for a trip overseas? I reviewed most, if not all, of them before my wife and I decided on a program. Angloville stands out heads and shoulders above them all. And now that we have completed our program, we each have four weeks’ experience teaching in Europe, 120 hours apiece of online TEFL training, and a combined 560 hours of first-hand, in-person teaching to back up our very strong recommendation of Angloville and Premier TEFL. These organizations are buttoned up, professional, and easy to work with.
My wife and I are from south Florida and wanted to leave our jobs as advertising execs to do something that mattered. We wanted to make connections across cultures, travel around Europe, and most importantly, help others in other parts of the world. We decided to volunteer overseas in Central Europe and were impressed with what Angloville offered those interested in being English teachers/conversationalists. Free accommodations at resorts in Poland, Hungary, Czech, and other locations. Meals provided at no charge for the length of your program. Free transport from the host city to the program venue. A free tour of the host city prior to the start of the program. A comfortable and relaxed setting for your time engaging with people from other cultures. A selection of programs to choose from, including weekend programs, week-long programs and extended programs (10 days). Plus, you can choose whether you want to volunteer with youth, juniors or adults/business professionals.
We chose to begin our international adventure by working closely with Premier TEFL to complete 120 hours of in-depth, online training to teach English as a foreign language. I have a BA degree in English and Journalism, and my wife has a BA in Communications. We were both very impressed with the additional education provided by Premier TEFL. Excellent and fascinating training! They gave us ample time to complete the courses and modules prior to departing for Europe.
Having completed our online training, we volunteered for four weeks in a row with Angloville at various settings across Poland and Hungary. We had a first-class experience. From the application process and pre-trip communications to the helpful guidelines and clear itinerary they provide, my wife and I knew we had selected the right program before we even boarded our plane for Poland. Angloville simply has a top-notch staff. I am not sure who is responsible for their recruiting/staffing efforts -- Marlena and Anna, possibly -- but they should be recognized.
Once we arrived in Europe, our program coordinators Ryan Gentle and Magda Janowska were buttoned up. Very professional and forthright about the program’s goals for our Polish participants, while being funny and easy-going at the same time. That's a tough balancing act, and they pulled it off beautifully.
Ryan and Magda provided excellent communication about how each day and the week as a whole would play out, so we were never left wondering what to do or what would happen next. They provided clear timelines, were always friendly, laughed easily, led by example, attended to the individual professional needs and skill levels of our Polish friends, made mid-week corrections where necessary, coordinated well with the hotel staff, requested and provided feedback on all things related to the week’s efforts, and made time to socialize with the group as a whole. Ryan even got up early to run mountains (up the ski slope) with me and my wife. That’s dedication! We felt like we had more than co-workers and students throughout the week. We had friends. Ryan and Magda’s laid back demeanor put everyone at ease and helped create a comfortable atmosphere where our Polish students were free to make mistakes, while making great strides in their English.
After our time with Ryan and Magda and the group at Hotel Chojnik in Poland, we moved on to join additional Angloville teams in Hungary and Poland led by Fernando Betancourt, Ildiko Simon, John McGrath and Agnieszka Borek. One of the strongest indications of a well-run organization is that our initial positive experience with Ryan and Magda was reflected again and again at other venues with other program coordinators. Angloville has achieved excellent brand consistency, which is a lofty goal pursued by Fortune 500 companies and the world’s top brands. The Angloville experience is good everywhere and with every team.
Though our Angloville programs are over for the time being, my wife and I maintain close contact with our new Polish and Hungarian friends. We use a number of different apps to stay in touch, to grow our friendships, and to keep providing English support to them. After our amazing experience with Angloville and Premier TEFL, we are looking to live full-time in the Hungary/Poland/Austria region of Europe. We want to work either as English teachers, American football, soccer or softball coaches, or a combination of these. We fell in love with Europe and Europeans. And Angloville and Premier TEFL were our matchmakers.