Two summers ago, I had the opportunity to spend eight days volunteering with a company called Angloville in Warsaw, Poland. For those who aren’t familiar, Angloville is a European company that promotes connections between native English speakers and those who are learning English. There are kid, teen, and adult programs where the participants stay at a hotel for two weeks and learn the English language through workshops, games, and activities. As a native English speaker, Angloville pays for your stay at the hotel and meals for the duration of the program. You must pay for your transportation to the country and accommodation if you plan to stay any length of time before/after the program. This was a big draw for me since I enjoyed being around children and was looking for a cheap way to see a new country. This was truly the perfect “working holiday.”
I volunteered to help at a kids’ program outside of Warsaw, Poland at the Kurpia Arte Hotel as an English-speaking mentor. If you volunteer with Angloville for three of their week-long programs you are eligible to become TEFL certified, but I chose to just do one program since it was my first experience with the company and my first trip to Europe. Angloville mainly offers programs in cities throughout Poland, but currently offers programs in Hungary, Malta, and the UK.
After flying into Warsaw and spending a few days exploring, I met my Angloville coordinator at the meeting point near the Palace of Culture and Science. This is where all the children, teens, Polish coordinators, and native English-speaking mentors met and took the 2.5-hour bus ride to the Kurpia Arte Hotel. We arrived before dinner and took the time to unpack in our rooms. I decided to share a room with my new friend Danielle, who was from Ireland. One of the best parts of this experience for me was meeting all the other English speakers from all over the world; I was able to meet people from South Africa, Australia, England, Scotland, and more, and make real connections with them.
The rooms at the hotel were basic, they had the essentials but not much else. The same goes with the food they served; it wasn’t anything special but it wasn’t bad either. Angloville has several hotels offered for their programs, and they are all a minimum of 3-stars. All of them are listed on the Angloville website, so I recommend researching which venue you want to stay at before applying!
The hotel was in the country, surrounded by trees, and if you walked a short distance, there was a small restaurant and a grocery store where my friends and I would go to buy snacks. The best part of Kurpia Arte Hotel was the beautiful pool and outdoor area- this became a great hang-out spot for the duration of my time there.
During the day, I would spend time with the kids doing different English-based activities. Every morning they would learn about a new English-speaking country, so there was one morning when I talked to them about the United States. This was funny because when I asked what they already knew about the US, they said fast food and Starbucks! I also worked on a presentation with them that they had to do in English, and we would play English games and work on flashcards as well. The kids had some time with just the native speakers, and some time with their Polish camp counselors. It was helpful to have the Polish counselors help translate, especially when working with the younger kids who may not have known as much English.
I enjoyed my experience with Angloville and would recommend it if you’re looking for an affordable way to travel. Although that was my goal in the beginning, I left Poland with a new sense of confidence and a feeling of pride in my accomplishments as well as in the children I was mentoring. Seeing how they had grown in just one week shows how the program and conversations genuinely helped them with their self-assurance and English–speaking skills. I was also able to meet many new friends whom I still communicate with today. Overall, the experience brought us all together and we were able to create some amazing once-in-a-lifetime memories.
If you’re interested in applying for an Angloville program or learning more, check out their website here!