The BBELS Buddy Dinner

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Some of our international students enjoying the night at the Buddy Dinner

On Friday night our students enjoyed the first Buddy Dinner for the year. Each student was paired with another student from a different country, a different class, and most importantly a different language group while eating a free dinner from the Nirvana Cafe (the new cafe at BBELS).

Our students always love these Buddy Dinners because they have the chance to meet students that they mightn’t socialise with during school hours. And who doesn’t like a free dinner?  🙂

As you can see, our students had a great time. After the meal, music was played and the night was danced away. Our next Buddy Dinner will be held in the next 12-week block. Contact us at info@bbels.com.au if you’d like to know more about our regular activity program or course outlines.

 

 

Winter at BBELS

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A view of the school and the bikes students ride from their houses each morning.

Winter is a great time to come to Byron Bay if you are interested in studying English. The town is a little quieter than usual so it is easier to meet local people and make friends. If you are looking for a job there is less competition among employees for work in the local restaurants, cafes and bars. If you are interested in surfing, some of the best waves can be found in winter. The water is still warm enough to wear a light spring wetsuit, and you might be lucky enough to share the water with the whales that swim through the ocean during winter.

Here at Byron Bay English Language School our class sizes become smaller – many of our students enjoy this as it means more face-to-face time with their teachers. If you are European or South American this is a particularly good time to study because the number of students from your country will be less than usual, this will motivate you to make friends with students of other nationalities.

Many people think that Byron Bay is a summer destination, however the weather is still warm with a blue sunny sky, the beaches are quiet and relaxing … it’s a great place to study 🙂

If you would like to know about our courses please contact us at info@bbels.com.au or visit our website.

 

The BBELS Job Club

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Max, our friendly Job Club manager

The BBELS Job Club helps our students find work in and around the Byron Bay area. Since 2014 we have been establishing connections with local businesses that are happy to employ our motivated and hard-working students. We have helped hundreds of students on Working Holiday visas and Student Visas find work.

What kind of jobs can we help you find?

Byron Bay’s main industry is tourism so there are a lot of jobs in the hospitality services. Students who join our Job Club often find work in the local Byron Bay hotels, restaurants and cafes. We also help students find work on farms around Byron Bay or in other locations.

Who can join the Job Club?

If you are an Intermediate level (or higher) student with a Working Holiday visa or Student Visa you can join the Job Club.

What will Job Club do for you?

The Job Club manager will help you write your resume so that it is in the Australian format. The manager contacts businesses around town and takes students to their job interviews. After we find you a job the manager checks you are satisfied with your job (hours, pay).

Working in Australia is a great way to buy a car and travel. It is also a fun 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

 

 

 

 

 

Another BBELS Love Story

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How many more stories can we post about relationships that have started here at BBELS?

In September 2010 Michael Jud and Nadine Lauber met while enrolled in our Cambridge Exam preparation course. Although they studied in different classes Michael and Nadine still managed to meet one another … and the rest is history! Michael said that he “fell in love with Nadine on the first day of school but it took her a little longer” 🙂

Our fabulous activities officer Max reuniting with Michael, Nadine, and Merel.

This week the lovely couple returned … with their newborn baby Merel! Interestingly September seems to be “their” month. They met in September 2010, they married in September 2015, and their baby Merel was born in September 2017.

We are so happy to see the three of them here at BBELS where it all began. If you have any more stories about friendships or relationships that started at BBELS please let us know.

 

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.

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: Mamiko

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Meet Mamiko, our friendly new staff member, from Japan

This week we would love to introduce you to Mamiko. Mamiko arrived here with lots of experience working for ESL schools in New Zealand and Sydney. You can see Mamiko working behind her desk at the BBELS reception office 5 days a week. She is always ready to have a friendly chat with our students.

What is your role here at BBELS:

I work in Student Services, Administration, Japan Marketing

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

I am originally from Japan but I lived in New Zealand for many years before coming to Australia.
Byron Bay is very different from Tokyo (Japan) where I grew up till I was 18 years old. Byron Bay has just the right amount of shops, restaurants and cafes and a lot of nature which I feel comfortable living in
whereas Tokyo is overcrowded with many buildings and people.

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

Enjoy every new experience and challenge, especially enjoy meeting new people in Byron Bay.

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

The Pass/Wategos Beach are perfect places to swim, read books, and sun bathe. I also love looking at the vinatge shops and the beach at Brunswick Heads.

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!

Happy New Year from BBELS

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Our starters this week

It has been a fantastic start to the new year here at Byron Bay English Language School. Since the 3rd of January we have had 101 new students enter our classrooms. They are now studying in our Cambridge and IELTS preparation courses, and in our General English programs.

nationality-mix

As you can see from this graph we have an extremely diverse range of students studying here from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. We always enjoy seeing the way in which people from different cultures learn from each other and make life-long friendships.

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Some of our new students on their first day

We hope that all of our new students and continuing students have a great time here at the school and in Byron Bay. Happy New Year everyone 🙂

Wherever there are friends, there is a party!

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School life at BBELS is not only about learning but also about spending time with your friends and getting to know people from many different countries. It is another important aspect of your experience here in Byron Bay.

That’s why we offer a variety of parties and fun activities at our school. From regular school parties to poker game nights to DJ nights with special guests at the Laneway Café (previously Café Oska), we have it all!

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Our regular school parties are held every two weeks on Friday evening. You can have a nice time with all the students from BBELS and enjoy some great live music on the school’s balcony.

A special event, which usually takes place five or six times per year, is our Buddy Barbecue. In this case, every student gets his or her own Buddy who will be their partner for the free barbecue dinner. We mix all the students so that they are not from the same class and not from the same country. Therefore it is a great opportunity for them to get to know other students of different nationalities and to have an interesting conversation in English.

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What’s more we organise an international student party night at BBELS and for that event we invite not only our students but also the students from other schools and colleges here in Byron Bay. During summer it takes place once every month.

And there’s more! Depending on the number of students who are interested we have a poker game each Monday. Here you can practice your poker skills for the real competition which might be waiting for you.

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If you are not interested in playing poker, you can join one of our Open Balconies which are held on a Wednesday evening once or twice per month. It is an informal get-together for our students to relax on the school’s balcony with their friends.

Enjoy your time at BBELS!