A trip to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

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This week one of our Intermediate classes enjoyed a day at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. This is always a great experience for our students and so our teachers take their classes there quite regularly.

At the sanctuary students are given a private 1 hour education session where park rangers talk about Australia’s reptiles, birds, mammals and marsupials. If the students are lucky they will get to touch a variety of animals including possums, gliders, and pythons.

Our teachers act as guides for the day explaining the lives and habits of the animals in the park. It is a fantastic way to see Australian animals in a relaxed park setting, and of course it is also helps improve our students’ English.

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Our visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is just one of many places that we take our students to. During their time here at BBELS students also have excursions to local waterfalls, forests, hinterland villages and beach-side towns. This helps our students understand more about the local area and maintains their motivation levels over the many weeks and months they study here.

Finding Love at BBELS

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Nadine and Michi on Graduation Day at BBELS

Holiday romances are quite common here in Byron Bay however this next story is especially heart-warming.

In 2010 two students from Switzerland arrived in Byron Bay to study at BBELS. Nadine took the FCE course while Michi took the CAE course. It was love at first sight for these two Swiss nationals (having met at the school cafe). The romance that started here has continued. In fact they have just got married!

The recently contacted us to share their story, writing “We fell in love from the first moment … we are so happy and can’t express the luck that we had in your school. BBELS turned out to be the best decision of our whole life and we really had the best time ever!”

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So, could you also find love and happiness at BBELS? Who knows what adventures await you.

Meet the staff: Liese our IELTS teacher

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In this post we will introduce you to one of our most-loved teachers, Liese. Liese is our specialist IELTS teacher. The great thing about having her teaching IELTS is that she also works as an IELTS examiner so she knows which points to emphasise during our 12-week IELTS courses. Students who take the IELTS exam in her class invariably get great results. Many of our IELTS students have elected to take the course a second time because they enjoyed it so much.

Liese, tell us about yourself. Are you originally from Byron Bay?

I am originally from New Zealand, but have lived in London, Tokyo and Sydney before moving to Byron Bay. In Tokyo I mainly worked at Kanda Gaigo Gakuin, which is a very large and famous college. And I also taught English at Chuo University. Furthermore I worked for an advertising agency and for Mulberry.

How long have you been working at BBELS?

I have worked at the school for seven years.

What do you especially enjoy about working with the students at BBELS?

The students at BBELS are an interesting eclectic mix of young people from a wide variety of backgrounds, nationalities and interests. BBELS reminds me of the Japanese language school I studied at in Kanazawa, Japan for the summer. We rode bikes to school and went swimming in the afternoon. The school had a wonderful environment and everyone in the town knew we were students and helped us with our homework.

What other fields did you work in before you started teaching English at BBELS? Has it helped you as a teacher?

I have done all sorts of jobs, from cleaning to working for an international advertising agency, which gives me insights into all kinds of life experiences. In London I worked in a law firm and as a result then got a job, marketing new alcohol brands for Guiness in Cameroon. It is still the most enjoyable and most highly paid job I ever had. Unfortunately I was arrested for taking a photo of the national bank. But luckily my company in London paid the “ransom” money.

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Why would you recommend a student to take an IELTS course?

IELTS is the main exam required for entry to university and any post graduate studies. It is also needed in order to be considered for scholarships or funding  and for anyone wishing to have their previous professional qualifications recognised in Australia. It is also required for sponsorship and of course for all residency requirements.

As an IELTS teacher, what advice would you give a student who wants to study IELTS at BBELS?

The best reason to take IELTS in Australia is you get to have fun and improve your English and job opportunities at the same time. Australia uses a mixture of American and British English, so you are able to pick up truly International English.

IELTS requires a lot of study, but BBELS students always do very well in the test and feel very confident in all areas of English by the time they graduate.

What are some things you’d recommend students to do while they are here in the Byron Bay Region?

See the sunrise and the sunset and watch out for the birds.

 

Meet the students: Monica from Mexico

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As summer gets closer the variety of nationalities studying here at Byron Bay English Language School is increasing. At the moment we have students from France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Argentina, Spain, Korea, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Italy, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Chile, New Caledonia, Colombia, Mexico. This cultural diversity makes studying at BBELS a very rewarding experience.

In today’s post we are introducing you to Monica from Mexico. She is studying in our IELTS class and is working at one of Byron Bay’s elite restaurants.

Why did you decide to come to Australia?

First, because I love to travel, learn about different places and grow as a person through experiences and adventures. In addition, I grew up in Mexico City which is one of the biggest cities in the world and I wanted to find a place where I can be in touch with nature, enjoy a slower pace of life and be able to appreciate the little thing in life, such as seeing a sunset in the beach or drinking a cup of tea with my friends. These activities perfectly describe a regular afternoon in Byron Bay.

How long have you been studying in Australia?

I have been studying in Australia at BBELS for three weeks now. I’m in the IELTS preparation course, learning a lot every day and really enjoying it.

What do you like best about BBELS?

I like everything! 🙂 the fact that the teachers and everyone who is part of the staff are totally interested in what the students need and care how they could help to make our experience better. Learning English at BBELS is the perfect place to study, improve your knowledge and at the same time make friends from all around the world while you enjoy all the amazing activities the school has for us.

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You are a chef, tell us about your job:

I’m working as a chef in “The Fig Tree Restaurant” in Byron Bay, which is a beautiful place that does weddings and special functions. They have an amazing international staff, a stunning venue and a veggie garden where we get our own fresh and delicious ingredients to cook every day. I’m learning everyday something new and I’m totally grateful for the amazing opportunity to be part of one of the best restaurants in Byron Bay.

What do you like about Byron Bay?

I would like to say that I can declare myself totally in love with Byron Bay. In general people in Byron Bay are kind and relaxed. The vibe that surrounds the place makes me feel blessed and alive. I love that there is music all around, awesome beaches, and of course, one of the reasons I love Byron is due to my school.