Continuing our series of “Meet the students” we are happy to introduce Mojahid from Saudia Arabia. Mojahid has enjoyed the beautiful natural experiences in Byron Bay, developing his surfing skills while also preparing for the IELTS exam.

Why did you decide to come to Australia?

Well, actually this is my 3^rd time in Australia! The first time I was in Sydney. The second time I went to Noosa. For this third time, I was looking for a small town close to the beach. But the location wasn’t the only decisive factor. I also wanted to find a place where I could have a great time and improve my English. I was talking to some friends and they had told me there weren’t many Middle Eastern students in Byron Bay, so I decided to come over and have a look. I loved the place and the fact that there weren’t many students speaking Arabic was very positive, so I had to speak English all the time, which is great. In my opinion, Byron Bay is the perfect destination to learn English and enjoy the outdoors, especially for students from my age group.

Mojahid enjoying a cooking lesson with his IELTS class.

Why did you choose BBELS?

This time I wanted to study hard to prepare myself for the IELTS exam. During my research for English Schools in Byron Bay, I found some students’ testimonials saying that BBELS have a very strong IELTS preparation course. I also heard from other students that at BBELS students have a very good social life. That’s very important when you are in a distant country learning a second language, because that’s the way you make new friends. BBELS have 2 dedicated people organising activities and travel exclusively for students. Oh yes, and there is the school café (Café Oska) and the school parties! Both are great to relax and catch up with people from all over the world.

Tell us your impressions about BBELS.

The nationality mix at school is very good and it allows me to interact and make friends from many different countries. I’ve been learning a few words in other languages and also interesting things from other cultures

The BBELS staff is very friendly, and my teacher is great. She is very in tune with the official IELTS exam. She knows so much about the English Language and also about the IELTS exam, that by sharing her knowledge with us, she has given me confidence and I really feell ready for the official exam.

Byron Bay is well known for its natural wonders…where is your favourite place in Byron?

Wategos beach! Wategos is my favourite place because I started surfing there. The waves there are perfect for beginners and it never gets too crowded. The beach is stunning and very well preserved. Surfing at Wategos is a beautiful experience. I love the afternoons at Wategos, because dolphins always come very close to the beach, and watching the sunset there, with the lighthouse blinking just before dusk, its magical.

Saudi Arabian culture is different to Australian culture in many ways…is there any Australian habit that you think is very different from your culture?

Yes! In Australian they eat kangaroo meat. At the beginning it sounds very weird to me, but I tried kangaroo meat, and I love it!

How do you expect the English you have been learning in Australia to help you when you get back to your country?

I am not going back to my country for long. I’m going to Shanghai next year, because I will start a Master in Business. That’s the main goal and the reason why I’m studying English. I need a good score in the IETLS test and also all my classes will be administrated in English.

At BBELS, everyone should….?

Use your English skill that you learn at school to engage yourself into the local community. That’s a great way to improve your vocabulary and also help others.