BBELS Job Club helping our South Korean students

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Mamiko talking with some of our Korean students

The BBELS job club is a great way to help students find work in and around the Byron Bay area. With the assistance of the Job Club our students typically find work in the hospitality industry (restaurants, cafes, hotels) as well as work on  farms. Since we started the Job Club we have helped many students on Working Holiday visas and Student visas find work.

Today we met with some of our Korean students to discuss the benefits of joining the BBELS job club. Mamiko talked with a couple of Korean students who already had jobs in Byron Bay and reminded the others that we are happy to help them find work too.

We encourage all of our students who have an Intermediate level (or higher) of English and who have the correct visa to join the club. We help with resume writing, contact businesses around town, take students to their interview, and later check that the students are satisfied with their job (hours, pay).

Our staff have excellent work contacts throughout the Byron Bay area. Managers of these local companies will telephone us when they need new workers. We also actively phone managers whenever new students join the club.

Not only is working in Australia a great way to save money (of course), it is also a useful way to study English and learn more about the culture of the country. If you would like to know more about our Job Club service please contact us at info@bbels.com.au

 

 

2017: BBELS Highlights

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Students from Italy, South Korea, Japan, the Czech Republic, Thailand, Switzerland, Spain

2017 has passed so quickly. It seems like only yesterday that we were meeting our first intake of students for the year.

A year of many nationalities studying together

Over the past 12 months we have had over 800 students come to study with us from an amazingly diverse range of countries, including: Switzerland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Laos, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil.

Quality Assurance Inspections

Australia has very strict educational organisations that check if ESL schools are providing the best possible quality in terms of lessons, teachers, student services, accommodation. This year BBELS was inspected by 3 organisations (IALC, NEAS, ASQA)  and we passed each inspection with extremely positive feedback. The great comments from these inspections demonstrate our commitment to providing fantastic educational services to our students.

Study Tours

Some students from one of our Japanese Study Tour classes

Winter is the study tour season at BBELS. During this time high school groups come to study with us for 1-4 weeks. This year we had 4 Japanese groups and 1 South Korean group. These young students always enjoy their time here – they study English in the morning and then they join organised activities around Byron Bay in the afternoon. Their teachers were really happy with the level of the students’ English and their participation during outdoor activities.

Cambridge and IELTS Exam Results

 

As usual the BBELS exam teachers did a brilliant job in helping our Cambridge and IELTS Exam students achieve high results. Our exam teachers are extremely attentive to each individual student’s needs. They often work extra hours counselling students, identifying the student’s weak points, and helping students develop strategies to improve in different parts of the exams.

Many of our students still message their teachers to express their thanks and update us on how their exam results helped them. A recent message came from Jule (Germany) an IELTS student who studied in Sarah’s class. Jule wrote:

Hey dear BBELS family!

I studied IELTS at BBELS for 2 months and received my results today! I’m overwhelmed and am very proud to say that I got 8.5! Thank you so much for this perfect preparation at your language school.

Jule from Germany

Educational Excursions and the BBELS Travel Agency

Bush-walking through a  local forest

This year the BBELS teachers have provided many opportunities for our students to use English in practical settings outside the classroom. We have had excursions to local towns, national parks, art galleries and museums. Our activities team also organise regular sport events, art and music classes, cooking lessons during the weekday afternoons and during the weekend.

Our travel agency has also helped 100s of students book discounted flights and accommodation for their Australian holidays. Reuben, our travel manager, always gets extremely positive feedback from our students about the friendly and helpful services he provides.

Come and study with us!

BBELS is a great place to study English, prepare for exams, discover new cultures, make new friends. We provide top quality lessons with very experienced teachers who will improve your English and introduce you to new ideas about the world. All of this can be found here in Byron Bay, a beautiful beach town on the east coast of Australia.

If you are interested in knowing more about our school and courses please follow this BBELS link.  We hope to see you in 2018.

 

 

 

 

Tell me about you: BBELS student interview

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Itzi (Spain) and Lea (Switzerland)

This week Itzi interviewed one of our lovely Swiss students named Lea. Itzi asked some great questions and found out a few things about Lea’s fascinating and extraordinary life.

When I asked Lea about her studies she answered that she studied an apprenticeship as a retail assistant and she had been working in one of the most famous haute coture shops in Zurich for 3 years.

As well as working Lea loves taking time for herself to practise different kinds of activities. I wanted to know what she likes to do in her free time and she replied that she likes playing music and singing and she added that she really loves practising sports such as jogging and yoga.

When I asked her about travels she told me was mad about travelling and visiting new places and tasting dishes from all over the world. That is why I wanted to know more about her current adventure in Australia where she will be living for the next few months. When I asked her about this she told me (with a smile on her face) that she is going to spend the Christmas holidays travelling around this big and amazing country with her boyfriend in a campervan. It sounds awesome.

To finish the interview I asked her what she would change about herself if she had the opportunity and she surprised me by saying that she wouldnt change anything because there is a reason why we are like we are. She added that it’s natural to not change anything and that’s what she stands for. So, with this incredible answer Lea left us breathless once again.

Tell me about you: BBELS student interview

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Noelle and Cassandra

This week our “Upper-intermediate A” class has been studying reported speech. The students perfected their understanding of the grammar point while getting to know their classmates through an interview project.

In this interview Cassandra (Italy) interviewed Noelle (Switzerland). Here is her report:

Noelle is a very nice girl from Switzerland. I asked her whether she currently had a partner and with a big smile her answer was “yes”. She has been with her boyfriend for four and a half years. She added that he was living in Switzerland.

My second question was about her academic life. She replied that after 9 years in a “regular’ school, she had begun studying while working in a travel agency. She worked there for 3 years. She added that she finished her studies with an interesting course directed towards children with disabilities.

After that I wondered if she was practising any sport and how she spent her free time. She explained that she went jogging, that she could play the violin and that she spent her free time with her boyfriend and friends.

My following question was about what the most important thing in her life was. Noelle’s short and poignant answer was her family.

I concluded my interview by enquiring whether she had a dream. Her shining eyes replied for her. She said she had many dreams but the biggest one was to travel around the world.

BBELS goes to Fraser Island

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BBELS students in front of the Wreck at Fraser Island

Last week Reuben, our activities and tour manager, organised a trip to Fraser Island in Queensland. For 3 days our students got to enjoy the amazing environment of the world’s biggest sand island.

Fraser Island is famous for its biodiversity. It has beautiful coloured lakes and creeks, forest, and plenty of beaches. It is a quiet place to chill and recharge with friends, ideal for our students who have spent several months studying English .

BBELS usually organises a trip to Fraser Island every 12 weeks. Our students always return to Byron Bay feeling refreshed and they have many stories about the great time they had there. We believe these trips help maintain students’ motivation while also helping them to appreciate the gorgeous Australian natural environment.

For more information about the BBELS courses and activities please visit our website.

 

The Great BBELS Beach Volleyball Tournament

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Students from Europe, Asia, South America on one of the BBELS volleyball teams

Summer is approaching so it is a perfect time for our students to compete in our monthly beach volleyball tournaments.

After class has finished in the afternoons our students play in teams at Main Beach. Max, our activities officer, encourages the students to create their own teams. As you can see, we have a wonderfully diverse range of students, each one bringing their own special talent to the game.

Max with some of the BBELS students

This Friday Max will announce the winner of the monthly tournament. The winning team will receive a mystery prize however we all know that the real reward is having fun in the beautiful warm sunshine with your international friends.

Meet the BBELS Staff: Marcos

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This year BBELS has had the pleasure of adding some new members to its staff. In this post we would like to introduce you to Marcos. Marcos works in our Student Services team at reception 5 days a week. Marcos is always extremely positive and willing to help you. He is originally from Brazil and he studied in one of our IELTS classes a couple of years ago.

What is your role here at BBELS:

My role is to look after reception, acting as a Student Services officer, and administrative assistant. Lately, I have been getting more involved with the Brazilian Marketing initiatives, dealing with Brazilian agents, students and direct enquiries. I have also been looking after our social media channels, Facebook, Instagram and Facebook Brasil, with the support of our team-mates.

Where are you from? How is your life in Byron Bay different from your life back in your hometown?:

I am from Santos/SP – Brazil. My life in Byron is quite simple and a lot more fun compared to my latest busy years when I was living the rat race in São Paulo. The amount of time that I have to dedicate to things that I love is the main difference in my life here compared to my life in Brazil. Living in São Paulo, I was waking up, working and going back home to sleep. It is also important to mention how close I am to nature, which matters a lot to me, living in Byron Bay. On a daily basis, I am able to go to the beach, work and go out – which is almost impossible in Brazil.

What advice would you like to give our students at BBELS?:

Be open! I usually tell the students that I have the opportunity to meet and chat, that they are going to write their own story in Byron Bay. So, being open to what arises is crucial!

Where are some of your favourite places to spend your free time in Byron Bay?:

White’s Beach for the beauty and secluded atmosphere. Broken Head, Tallows Beach and The Pass for the surf and beach sports. Main Beach if you want to enjoy the talented artists playing free gigs by the beach, the drum circle, tourists, and so on.

An Excursion to Brunswick Heads

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Walking along the wall at Brunswick Heads

At BBELS we encourage our students to use their language skills in real contexts. For this reason we have regular excursions to towns and villages near Byron Bay.

Today our Upper-intermediate class visited the beautiful seaside village of Brunswick Heads. It is well-known for its surfing and fishing beaches, excellent cafes, and for its river with dolphins and turtles.

At the end of the wall looking north to the Gold Coast region

 

Our students always love the excursions that we organise. They get to see parts of the Byron Bay region that only locals know about. They also get to speak English in a relaxed environment with their classmates and local people. As you can see from these photos, it is a great way to learn English while sightseeing around Byron Bay.

 

 

 

Graduation Day at BBELS

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Some of our recent graduates

Every Friday our classes finish at 12:15 so that we can say goodbye to our students who are graduating. The staff and students listen to the graduates as they give speeches expressing thanks to the teachers for their hard work, emotional goodbyes to their new friends, and motivational words encouraging their classmates to enjoy everything the school and Byron Bay has to offer.

Ryuji with with his certificate of completion on graduation day

Many of our students express how nervous they are feeling to be giving a speech in public but all of them feel as though they have achieved a goal in their English language learning to have stood before a group of people and deliver a monologue in their 2nd language. The teachers are always especially proud of them.

Another happy student receiving her certificate of completion

Another great thing about the graduation ceremony is the chance to listen to Max (our activities officer) talk about the weekend activities he has organised. He always has so much for students to do at the weekend including bus trips to national parks, shopping centres, or cultural events.

See you at graduation this Friday 🙂

Student’s story: how to achieve a dream

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In this week’s student story Sara from Spain talks about the steps she took to come to study here at Byron Bay English Language School. It is an inspirational story and we hope it motivates other people to pursue their dreams …

After working for ten years in the same office I decided to abandon my comfort zone and chase my dream: to live for 1 – 3 years abroad, as far as possible away from home.

This wasn’t an easy decision and most of the people I know wouldn’t dare try it. However, if you are reading this article, you have already gone half-way.

Follow these tips to achieve your dream, they are based on my own experience.

  1. Start by writing on a piece of paper what you would love to achieve and the steps you have to take. It’s very useful to make sure you know what you want. Don’t panic if you have doubts at the beginning.
  2. One classic mistake is to rush into things. Take your time to save money and organise your steps. Everything needs its own time, be careful not to make decisions in emotional circumstances.
  3. Tell everybody about your dream. Take every opportunity to talk about it with your friends and family. It is absolutely essential that you are not embarrassed  – you are doing something very brave. Always remember this: if you follow your dreams the universe will conspire. People that love you will help you to achieve it.
  4. Make as many contacts as you are able to. It’s better to have several telephone numbers in case of an emergency. The last thing you want is to be alone away from home.

Good luck and at least try it!