Reviews

I am so grateful that I found this program. My semester abroad in Guatemala and Costa Rica with CGEE was everything I hoped it would be and more. When considering what I wanted my semester abroad to look like, I knew I didn't want something basic. I wanted to go on an adventure and to expose myself to a greater world. One of the major reasons I chose this program, other than doing something awesome, was to learn Spanish. Having studied French in high school, I had no background Spanish and wanted to develop that skillset from the ground up. Thankfully, that's exactly what happened. My Spanish went from ground zero to basic conversation skills. Highlights of my time in Guate and Costa Rica include participating in a Mayan ceremony on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, visiting a national park on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, exploring the cafes of Quetzaltenango with friends that I plan to hold close for life, and learning from many incredibly impactful organizations and individuals. My time in Guatemala forever changed me and I sincerely hope to return in the future. My experience was the perfect mix of academically engaging and personally fulfilling. I seriously cannot recommend this program enough.

If you love art, history, and community-based tourism, this tour is a must. The artisans in Otavalo and the embroidery workshops in Zuleta were eye-opening. It’s a wonderful, immersive way to connect with Ecuador's heritage while exploring beautiful highlands.

Ich hatte eine sehr gute Zeit in der ltl Sprachschule. Ich habe in der kurzen Zeit viel gelernt. Thư war eine sehr gute Lehrerin. Die gemeinsamen Mittagessen, Workshops und die Spiele haben viel Spaß gemacht. Vielen Dank an alle!

I'm doing HSK3 as a hobby in my spare time, and chose to travel with LTL to Xi'an for one month during July. LTL Xi'an is an immersion location, meaning they have no localized school – which is perfect for someone like me who prefer learning through one-on-one classes and outside of a classroom! My teacher Yan was extremely experienced with language teaching, very patient and had a great sense of humour throughout my classes. She was great at varying the method of teaching, and quickly adjusted to the level and learning needs I had. I distinctly remember one day I was super tired and told her I had to leave class early and go home, she instead suggested we leave the books for a bit and learn Chinese through watching some Chinese drama – it was the perfect solution to a low-energy day! I also lived with a homestay family, where I really got to know my hostmother. She was super kind and so incredibly helpful, no matter how busy she was she always reached out to me and was there if I needed any kind of help. We bonded over breakfast, over homecooked dinners and meals at restaurants, walking in the neighbourhood, going to the mall, or just sitting and chatting at home. I was mainly practicing speaking, and will forever be thankful for her patience when listening to my broken Chinese haha. If you have a month to spare, some cash laying around, and are keen on learning Chinese while adventuring in a new city – this is the place for you!

I am a veteran teacher of 32 years and I still learned a lot about teaching English to foreign students! The TEFL course was well organized, fun and interesting. The teachers used humor and explained the concepts well.

Coming from a country where English is spoken as a second language, yet where English is widely used as the primary language of business, I initially expected this programme to be relatively “easy.” However, once I started, I quickly realised that it was far more challenging than I had anticipated. Although challenging, I truly appreciated the rigour of the programme. It reinforced for me that if we aspire to teach English, we should first have a deep respect for the language and take pride in mastering it. The level of teaching and the expectations of the programme are what ultimately maintain its quality and credibility. As I progressed, the programme became increasingly manageable, particularly with the quizzes and assessments, which kept me engaged and motivated throughout the learning journey. Each component challenged me to apply what I had learned rather than simply acquire knowledge. Completing this programme has been a meaningful achievement and a valuable addition to my professional resume. As I prepare to enter the next chapter of my life — corporate retirement — I am grateful that I chose to undertake this journey. It has not only strengthened my confidence in the English language, but also reminded me that learning should never stop, regardless of where we are in our careers or lives. I am genuinely glad I did this programme, and I will carry what I have learned into the next chapter of my life.

Since the booking procesos, everything was smooth, my travel Advisor was the greatest, being in Galápagos in this catamaran changed my way of traveling form now on. I highly recomend this amazing trip.

Me encantó la gran variedad de actividades a lo largo del viaje, desde caminatas por los paisajes volcánicos de Isabela y Fernandina hasta snorkel con lobos marinos, tortugas, rayas y pingüinos. Las visitas a Bartolomé y Rábida también fueron momentos destacados, especialmente las vistas desde la Roca Pináculo. Todo estuvo muy bien organizado, y la combinación de las actividades con la comodidad del catamarán hizo que la experiencia fuera aún mejor. Sin duda, una excelente opción si quieres ver gran parte de las Galápagos en un solo viaje.

I couldn’t have had a better experience abroad! I got to meet new people, go to beautiful places, and so much more! WorldStrides provided me with endless excursions and opportunities to explore Buenos Aires! I gained not only a wealth of knowledge but memories to last a lifetime. Not to mention, I was there during the World Cup!

Ich bin absolut begeistert von dieser Sprachschule! Sowohl der Gruppen- als auch der Einzelunterricht waren hervorragend. Als völliger Anfänger war der Start mit einer neuen Sprache zunächst eine Herausforderung, aber meine Lehrerinnen Thư und Ân haben sich unglaublich viel Mühe gegeben. Ihre Geduld, Engagement und motivierende Art haben mir sehr geholfen, schnell Fortschritte zu machen und Selbstvertrauen zu gewinnen. Besonders gut gefallen haben mir die vielen kleinen Spiele und Rollenspiele im Unterricht. Auch die „Student Safari" war ein tolles Erlebnis! All das hat dafür gesorgt, dass der Unterricht unglaublich viel Spaß gemacht hat, auch wenn 6 Stunden Sprachunterricht pro Tag schon sehr intensiv sind. Ich kann diese Sprachschule, besonders für den Bildungsurlaub, wärmstens empfehlen!

My internship in Tokyo was an amazing experience, both professionally and personally. I had the opportunity to work in an international environment with French and Japanese colleagues, which helped me improve my communication skills and learn how to adapt to different cultures and ways of working. During my internship, I worked mainly on business development and marketing activities, including market and competitor research and supporting projects related to potential clients and business opportunities. This allowed me to develop my critical thinking, research and professional communication skills while gaining practical experience in an international business environment. Living in Tokyo for two months was also an incredible opportunity. I was able to discover Japanese culture, travel around Japan and become much more independent and confident. It was sometimes challenging to adapt to such a different environment, but that was also one of the most valuable parts of the experience. Overall, I am very grateful for this opportunity and I would definitely recommend an internship abroad in Tokyo to anyone who wants to grow professionally, experience a completely different culture and step outside their comfort zone.

I did my practical training in Vancouver, BC Canada. It was a full 10 hr day, and I learned quite a bit. Enough to retain. Lisa, our instructor for the the day, answred questions and gave us a few stories from her experience(s). All in all, I was nervous about going abroad from the start and now I'm just excited to start!

The TEFL Academy responded to this reviewSeptember 03, 2026

Thanks for the review, Ashley. It is a great moment when your nerves turn to excitement. Best of luck with your travels!

This tefl course was phenomenal. I did the four week course with Sean, and it was extremely educational! I learned TEFL teaching techniques and got to teach an entire class for a week. Plus, the international team was very supportive :) I’d highly recommend!

I didn't expect this program would positively impact me so much. My first 2 days were tough, had no internet connection (no idea what's happening to my family), high humidity, mosquitoes, muddy. However, once I got myself "dirty", I started to see the good sides of it. I slept well every night (beds were equipped with mosquito net) and woke up with birds chirping. I learnt how the forest relies on each other and how flood, predators (such as caiman, anaconda) and swamp are benefiting the forest through the explanation of the researchers who worked there. Things that were seemed dangerous or gross turned out to have positive impact to other animals or plants. Activities there were fun though exhausting sometimes. I remember holding a snake and a small caiman for my first time during our night walk! I also remember walking few hours to collect seed. Also, we played volleyball on the last day! It's definitely an eye opener trip for me.

I stumbled upon this opportunity as I was looking for a placement in completing my masters of social work degree. I’ve always felt strongly connected to indigenous worldviews, and while looking for a field placement that fit my criteria, so many people told me what I wanted was too specific and maybe search for something in a more broader sense. So happy I followed my heart and found this program through Linked In. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the description: “work with natural healers in the Amazon, make plant medicines, volunteer at the natural birthing centre with the Kichwa mamas” I felt so elated. Going through the process was also straightforward and simple. Andy, the founder of the program did an interview with me to make sure I was a fit for this experience and I teared up by the end of it. So much alignment in feeling like I found a likeminded individual who overstand the importance of connecting with the first peoples of these lands and learning from their potent and magical lineage. Also, in a strengths focused, empowered way. Andy has been actively building relationships and a healthy rapport with these communities and the families for over a decade, and actually curated a program that’s immersive and heart centred. I spent 7 weeks in tena during this program, the most transformative 7 weeks of my life. I ALWAYS felt safe, and supported during my stay. I met the most incredible people, and felt apart of this community in so many beautiful ways. I’m excited to bring my loved ones with me and go back for another round in the near future, I think everyone who’s even just a smidge curious about natural medicine should experience this program. You get sooooo much more out of this than what’s inputted in the description. Thank you SO much for all the learning and gifts this opportunity has brought into my life, im a better person for it.

My experience at the academy was very pleasant and enriching. As a non-native speaker, I learned a great deal about the language, but also about pedagogical approaches within English-speaking culture, which is also very useful when teaching the language. The platform is user-friendly and the course is well-organized. I recommend it.

The TEFL Academy responded to this reviewSeptember 03, 2026

Thanks for the recommendation. Best of luck with your TEFL journey!

I've been with Maximo a little over two months into my 6 month stay doing Spanish immersion. The locals, staff, and friends I have met here have been nothing short of incredible! Learning Spanish from native speakers and immersing yourself in the culture is the best way to do it. Cusco, Peru is such an amazing city full of history and wonderful nature. I cannot recommend it enough!

I studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea at Sogang University through WorldStrides!! I had the most incredible, unforgettable experience studying Korean music globalization, exploring the country, and immersing myself completely in the culture. Thanks to Sogang and to WorldStrides, I was taken care of every single step of the way and had an experience I’ll miss every single day!

it was great! mostly because you have the chance to partecipate to more than the program you apply for and you get the chance to help even more people and do a lot more things! you also get the chance to participate to more than the program you apply for and you get the chance to help even more people!

My experience in Peru has been absolutely amazing! Working with the kids has been such a wonderful experience, not only do I get a ton of new friends but I get to learn with them. The teachers are so wonderful and are very patient with my Spanish. The kids are the sweetest ever and are so eager to learn. I get to work with the 3 year olds and it is such a rewarding experience. I am learning so much in the classroom and the kids help me with my Spanish so much. Overall, I recommend working on this project to really feel like you are part of the community and see the culture first hand. Exploring cusco has also been so rewarding. I get to take the bus to my placement everyday which is super cool because I am with all of the locals and get to see real life peru. I am grateful to be experiencing this more as a local rather than a tourist. My host family has been super kind and makes me feel like family. I have felt extremely safe and can even walk around at night by myself with no worries. My host siblings and I have also often talked about how the food has never been bad since we´ve been here. This country is so so beautiful and I cannot wait to keep exploring all that it has to offer.