I-to-I

i-to-i is a company that offers volunteering trips, gap years, the chance to teach english (for money and on a voluntary basis) and to simply just travel. * Background Info * i-to-i have been sending people to on projects worldwide since 1996. They are the original volunteer travel company and have a client base of 20,000 happy former volunteers to prove it. * The Concept * i-to-i is for those who want to travel, volunteer, take up a challenge, gain ...
...information pack to include an i-to-i tshirt, tips on how to raise your funds and even a packing list. This also includes a personalised letter according to your project and country, letting you know of any vaccinations you may need. There is an i-to-i representative who lives in the country you have your programme so you always feel safe and always have someone who can help you if you ever come into any bother. When you arrive your i-to-i rep gives ...

MyViewMatters100 15.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of I-to-I

...online. I found the i-to-i website whilst looking for a TEFL course. I was thinking of returning to Greece and thought a TEFL qualification would be useful. I booked for the weekend course, which I took in Leeds in March 2004. The course consisted of 20 hours training in 2 days, so was very intensive and hard work, but lots of fun. There were far too many people on the course for the size of the room used. There was just a circle of chairs - no ...
...I was due to leave, i-to-i phoned to say that they had just discovered that despite the fact that they had put me on a 3 month project Nov -Feb, the school would be closing at Xmas for the summer holidays! They asked if I wanted to cut my project short or move onto something else for the remainder of my stay. I decided to move on to the Lima orphanage project. They also said that I 'might be disappointed' in the eco-garden! Oner of their staff had ...

Sandroulla 12.05.2006 · Read full review
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...went on a trip with i-to-i for 2 months. While I had a fantastic experience working with the children, teaching them, seeing Africa and making friends, the companies lack of organisation was a complete disappointment, especially after the money that I raised (£1600). Firstly, the accomodation was not as promised. I was offered a homestay with a family. What it actually was, was an apartment with other volunteers. The host was never at home (she ...
...before I flew home, all i-to-i coordinators didn't seem to be around (a few were in Nairobi), and it occured to me that I was going to be alone when I got to Nairobi, which is not a good idea, especially with 25kg of luggage! So I made my phone calls, and a friend of someone who works on one of the projects had to go with me to Nairobi, and I had to pay for his transport there and back - a 5 hour round trip to Nairobi -, which I wasn't best pleased ...

lizziebs 12.04.2006 · Read full review
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I-to-I held a competition in conjunction with The Grauniad two years ago. On the unexplored inside pages of the Education section, you simply had to phone up to win a chance of teaching English in Sri Lanka - all expenses paid. I won!!!!! I got into close phone contact with the I-to-I staff and they were quite a helpful bunch. They sent me reams of information and it was very easy to pick a suitable weekend to take the 40 hour TEFL certificate. ...
...a good chance to socialise. I-to-I organise placements in several countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Russia, Costa Rica and Bolivia. You can work in a professional capacity (say if you are a journalist or an administrator) as well as an EFL teacher. In Sri Lanka, you can work on a turtle sanctuary. There are fees for all of the programmes as well as for the placement. However, once you are there your on-site accomodation and food is free - the ...

blinderben 14.02.2001 · Read full review
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...2006 Our problems with I-to-I began on the first day at our initial project, St Benedict’s Primary School, on which we were due to begin teaching. Rather than acting as English teachers (as was our expectation given that our placement was ‘Teaching English in Mombasa’), we were also delegated Science and Mathematics classes – each of which were to be taught to a high level. On expressing our discomfort with this given our lack of notice or preparation, ...
...the head-teacher, the volunteers and I-to-I staff. The result of this was an agreement to reallocate the involved volunteers to a different project. However, through the course of the meeting several things became apparent. Firstly, that I-to-I had entirely misrepresented the role and requirements of volunteers undertaking this project; that our function was in fact superfluous as the school was well staffed, resourced and effectively run; similarly, ...

RonanScotland 04.06.2007 · Read full review
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...work' in Nakuru. Unfortunately i-to-i are not interested in actually doing something ethical for these communities, but making money out of the desire for good-willed people to help others. I am not one for complaining but I feel that i-to-i's failure to be ethical should be documented. None of the massive cost that is paid to do projects go to the placements and although this was made clear to us (after booking) before we went, I am still not satisfied ...
...IS included (it's not anymore- i-to-i withdrew it and put the prices up so we paid more without it) and even how 'even the building project includes the TEFL course' (it doesn't). The projects we did have some super people organising them (not anything to do with i-to-i) and even encourage a trip extension or return trip without involving i-to-i (they are more than willing to help and provide support). However, I can't help but feel that these projects ...

vernau 08.11.2007 · Read full review
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...had a dreadful experience with i-to-i in both Kenya and Tanzania. Where to begin? The placements are completely over-priced and I felt so ripped off and disappointed with what I actually got for my money, especially once you see the sorry state of the local people and places that you work in. The TEFL training that I did before hand was completely irrelevant to the kind of work that I was doing. My tutor took ages to get back to me and the UK office ...
...time they were helpful was before I had booked when they hounded me with calls at work (4 times a day to see if I had any more questions and was ready to book!). However once that was done I was handed over and my contact person that I was assigned to had never even been to Africa! Once I got in country the reality was so different to the glossy image on their website and brochure, I felt so cheated. I was placed by myself and advised not to go ...

SamFord 13.11.2006 · Read full review
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...lack of knowledge from the i-to-i co-ordinators. Still, there is a lot that can be done off your own back to help, once you can get passed the lies of i-to-i!! It may involve spending a bit more cash and putting in a few hours, but it was worth it. And Kenya has a massive amount to offer - if you can keep your whits about you with the corruption and bribery! There really are some great people, and great sights. I even met my future husband whilst ...

easeri 27.09.2008 · Read full review
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...the placement at all I-to-I provided loads of information before the placement, and make you take a TEFL course. This is useful in a broad sense, but it is a bit annoying to have to pay for a course which for many volunteers is not helpful at all. Realistically, no one is going to be teaching Costa Rican babies and toddlers English grammar! My personal experience was generally very good. My only slight quibble was with the fact that I was on my placement ...
...a weekend trip. The I-to-I incountry helpers were not very helpful and were going to charge the poor volunteers over the odds for transport to San Jose to the relevant embassies. Most volunteers could not have afforded to pay this even if they hadn't just been robbed. Those of us who had not been involved in the robbery ended up having to lend our friends a lot of money, as otherwise they would not have been able to get back/pay for food/accommodation. ...

celticwiccagirl 18.11.2004 · Read full review
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i to i volunteering Kenya Hello, I did a volunteer teaching placement in Kenya but it was so expensive. Dont get me wrong it was a great experience but where did all the money go? The TEFL course was a bit of a joke, it wasn't really necessary for what the placement involved. I could have turned up and volunteered for free if I had of known what to do, when in reality it ended up costing me thousands of pound. The accomodation was ok, the people ...
...go and "volunteer" but there are so many good free websites I have since found with free volunteering placements, for example lots of friendly people on the lonely planet forum. Hope that helps someone out there, the other reviews really sum up my feelings and there really isnt much need to expand on them! Thanks, oh and some useful links Lonely Planet - www.lonelyplanet.com Free Volunteering Placements - www.gapyearworldwide.com is a good start ...

mb9436 15.10.2007 · Read full review
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I actually had a question... I was going to put down my deposit for the i-to-i Costa Rica program until I read all these reviews.... but it didn't seem anyone put any other options. Does anyone have other organizations I might be able to go through instead? Suggestions would help so much!! Thanks!! ...

asmile4ash 05.12.2007
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Review of I-to-I

Where do i start??? I was sent the wrong information booklet after i booked, so organised flights to the wrong airport. I requested my customer service guy to call me, and he did 3 days later! I finally got to my placement and met the people who were going to be supervising us, only to find out that they were volunteers themselves and were doing it for experience. The project was advertised as a 24-7 job, but we were encouraged to leave the camp ...
...week. Also all of the equipment we were supposed to be helping to maintain wasn't actually at the camp + we had to borrow some very basic equipment from the local towns people (think things like rakes + brooms!). we also had no way of geting into town + ran out of drinking water on several occasions - not exactly a good thing. didn't help when the government shut down the camp we were working at! but it did mean that i got extra time to visit an ...

kathyd 06.06.2006 · Read full review
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At first I was sceptical about how much I could actually learn about teaching in such a short space of time, but how wrong I was! This course was fantastic and I now feel very confident that when I travel to South Korea to teach for 6 months I will be able to a good job. Even though I did 20 hours of learning over two days, they flew by. I learnt a variety of teaching techniques, from ice-breaking activities to some fairly complicated grammar. I ...
...English ability from people that have never spoken a word before to more advanced students. The best thing about the course is it doesn't feel like you are in a classroom. You are taught in a hands-on way which focuses on practice rather than lots of theory. It really was a great way to learn. My only criticism would be perhaps it would be a little too much for some people to take in and would be better if it was stretched out over a week. Other ...

deanvent 08.02.2007 · Read full review
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Review of I-to-I