Students at Embassy

Top Tips For Practicing Your Listening Skills

If you are interested in improving your listening skills, there are other ways to practice when you are outside the classroom. The easiest, cheapest and fastest way is just to turn on the TV in your accommodation and watch it.

New Zealand has four channels that broadcast a good and interesting variety of programmes. I am always surprised when I switch the TV on and the newest American series hit is on air. It is not the same as in my country. If I want to watch American series, for example, I have to pay a cable TV company. In New Zealand, you can watch it for free.

There is also a nice selection of movies that are always aired in prime time (not too late, neither too early). If you are more into non-fiction, the national channels broadcast interesting documentaries as well. The TV news is an excellent way of not only being updated with current national and international events, but also of becoming more familiar with the New Zealand accent (or the accent of the country where you are studying).

If you love music, you can try to listen to the radio stations. It is more difficult than watching the TV, but if you can understand most of what is said, then you can be certain that your listening has reached a reasonable level. Also, it is a good opportunity to get to know the local music, bands and singers.

My favourite way to practice, however, is going to the movie theatre. It is always a challenge watching a movie with no subtitles at all. You have to be more focused than usual, but it is not an impossible task. There is always a feeling of satisfaction when the movie ends and you were able to understand the plot. And going to the cinema is always fun. Invite your classmates, watch a movie and, afterwards, go to a cafe or restaurant and have a good time.

That is the difference when you study English abroad. In an English speaking country, you are always surrounded by the language, and you practice it all the time. The best thing: you don't even notice!

by Andre Campos.

Andre is studying the Certificate of English course at Embassy Auckland.

Food: The World On Your Plate

One of the advantages of living in a cosmopolitan city like Auckland is the opportunity to try a variety of ethnic food. If you are aware that food is an important part of any culture, then having a meal is more than just eating something because you are hungry. It is also an opportunity to learn more about cultures of the world.

If you are really interested about that, invite one of your fellow foreign classmates to go to a ethnic restaurant that she or he enjoys. It is important to go with a native (of the food you are eating). Firstly, because you may not know what to order, and you will need some guidance.

Secondly, you will need somebody to explain what exactly the dishes contain (remember, this is not the food you are used to, and even though you are trying, there is always the chance that you won't like it).

Finally, while you are eating (or after) you can ask questions and learn more about your classmate's country and culture. Of course, you are practicing your English and making friends at the same time, so a routine activity like having lunch gets another meaning when you are taking an exchange course.

Auckland is one of the best places to do this. As I said in previous posts, the Embassy Auckland school is located near many different restaurants (as a matter of fact, there is even an international food court on the school's street, just five minutes walking).

You can choose Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Brazilian and even Australian for your lunch (these are the ones that I remenber right now). If none of this pleases you, there is always the option of regular fast-food.

I personally got quite addicted to the Malaysian cuisine. My favourite is the chicken with cashew nuts with a bowl of rice. Superb! I had no idea that Korean barbecue could be so good (and I thought I was hopeless with chopsticks, but with the help of all my Asian classmates, I managed to learn).  

Many people ask me if I miss Brazilian food. And I always I say, "Not yet!"

As with everything related to an exchange course, this is a time to try new things and be more open minded and a little less proud of your own nationality. And that includes food.

You can find out more about the attractions local to the Embassy Auckland school at the main Embassy website.

Homesickness

So, you have come to an exciting foreign country like New Zealand. You have travelled around, seen breathtaking landscapes, taken millions of pictures. You have met amazing people and made everlasting friendships. You have practiced and improved your English to a satisfactory level. You are having a good time, and feel completely comfortable with the culture, food and weather.

Even so, sometimes you catch yourself thinking about your hometown, your house, family and friends you left behind. Too often, you picture what your friends might be doing, or where your family will spend that particular national holiday. Then you start calling your parents on a more frequent basis, and before you know it, you finally realize it: you are homesick.

This is something that every exchange student will have to face sooner or later in their courses. There is no way to prevent homesickness, and you have to know how to deal with it. It is, of course, something totally natural to feel. You have been living your entire life in one place, and suddenly, you move to another where nothing and nobody is familiar.

What you can not do, however, is let the feeling spoil your whole experience. Even though you miss your bed, your pet, parents, friends, favourite pub (and restaurant), it is always a good idea to remind yourself why you decided to take an exchange course in the first place: the opposite feeling. That warm feeling, where everything is new and seems to be possible. 

Time goes by so fast that, before you notice it, you will be back. You can let familiar feelings to when you are back to your home country.

Photo: Lynda W1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27948818@N05/3521185529/

/ CC BY-NC 2.0

Andre is studying at the Embassy Auckland school of English, find out more about the English courses available at Embassy.

Making International Friends

One of the most amazing things about being an exchange student is the opportunity to meet people from all around the world, and actually become friends with them. I am talking about creating special types of bond with really nice people, the same way you have in your home country, but who otherwise you would never meet. It is the same friendship, but amongst different nationalities and using another language.

 

Most likely, this is your only chance to exchange opinions and share information about cultures and backgrounds that are completely different to your own. A conversation with a foreigner seems to never end. There is so much to talk about, to learn, to share. These are, at least for me, the most important moments. Only by actually knowing another culture and its country can you appreciate your own. 

Also, if you are not fully satisfied with life in your home town, and you feel uncomfortable with aspects of your culture, perhaps you will find a more suitable country to live, in the future. You finally realize that the world is a big place indeed, and there is a place for everyone.  In order to understand that, you have to give yourself the chance to know people from other places, talk to them, listen to them. If you have only had conversations with people from your own nationality, perhaps you will have to try to be a little more open-minded so that you will learn something.

The tool that makes this happen: the English language. There is something almost poetic about it. You are in a car, travelling somewhere with four people from four different nationalities; you are completely able to understand them and to be understood; you share information and feelings with them; and suddenly a friendship is born.

At the same time, you are aware that your mother language can be totally different. You realize, once again, why you study English. Yes, it is important for jobs, CV's and so on. But, the most important aspect is communication. With English, you are able to speak to the world.

Finally (and maybe mostly important), with friends from all over the world, you can (hopefully) have free accommodation when you visit their country. I hope I might when I go to Spain, Japan and Korea.

by Andre Campos

You too could make friends from all over the world whilst learning English in New Zealand, find out how by visiting the Embassy Auckland website

Accommodation at Embassy Auckland

There are two main types of accommodation when you are taking an exchange course: you can either choose a Homestay family, to live with, or you can share a flat with other students (or even live by yourself in a single room). Choosing the best one depends entirely on the kind of person you are. Independent people might find better to live alone or to share an apartment, whereas dependent ones would feel more comfortable living with a Homestay family.

I personally had both types of experiences. In the beginning of my course, I used to live with a typical New Zealander family. My host-mother was a Kiwi and my host-father was originally from England, but has been living here for more than thirty years.

They were a welcoming and very sympathetic couple, and I was really well treated. They had four young adult children, and every once in a while they had dinner in the house. It was a great opportunity for not only practicing English with native speakers, but also for having insights about life in New Zealand and its culture in general. If you are lucky enough, you can actually even become friends with your host-brothers. This happens quite often in New Zealand, as I said before, New Zealanders are very friendly in general.

After a certain period of time, students prefer to live downtown, or in a place located near school. Auckland is a very spread out city, and distances can be long and quite time consuming. So, nowadays I am living in a single room in the city. It is more convenient because you have everything you need just meters away (you can easily walk everywhere downtown).

The disadvantage is that you have to do everything by yourself (all your cooking, dishes, laundry, etc.). However, you can have more privacy and more opportunity to meet people from all over the world other than just school. In my case, I can talk to Japanese, Russian, Colombian and Chinese students who are in the same building, and share information about our countries.

No matter what type of accommodation you choose, there will always be the chance to improve your English and, mostly important, to mature.

by Andre Campos

Read more about the accommodation options at Embassy Auckland school of English.

The Facilities At Embassy Auckland

Our Embassy Auckland blogger Andre (from Brazil) tells us about the facilities in and around the Embassy Auckland school that he has been enjoying so far...

The Embassy school in Auckland is located in a very convenient place: just around the corner from the city's main street; Queen Street. It is pretty central indeed.

You can have any kind of meal or snack for your lunch; you can have a coffee in the nearby cafés with your classmates after class; or you can go anywhere in Auckland as you have access to all the bus lines going from Britomart (the main station in Auckland).

The school facilities are really good. There are two common rooms, where students can have their meals or just chill out. There are four computer rooms with free internet access (and also wireless access, if you have a laptop). The majority of classrooms have a Smart Board, making classes so much more interesting.

The teachers are the best people that you will ever meet in Auckland, and I am being completely honest. Being an English teacher myself, I have met many teachers in my life, but not as friendly and easy-going as the ones in Embassy.

What I particularly like best about the school is the library. There is a great selection of DVD's that you can borrow (free of charge). There is a really good variety of movies, from the basic Hollywood blockbusters, to cult and artistic, and finally to New Zealand local movies. Not all international language school feature a nice library as Embassy.

Finally, another unique aspect of Embassy is the assembly. Every Thursday, the whole school gets together for the students' graduation. Each graduate can make a speech if he or she feels like, and some of these moments are a good laugh (depending on the student's creativity). 

Again, this is not something that happens to all international schools.

by Andre Campos

Find out more about the school facilities and local amenities at the Embassy Auckland local information page, then take a look at what courses are available at the school (the Embassy website is translated into eleven languages).

A Brief Guide to Auckland City

Auckland is New Zealand's biggest and busiest city. Even though it is not the country's capital, it is still the most famous and popular destination in New Zealand, especially for foreigners and exchange students. When you walk through the city's downtown, you can listen to several languages and see different people from all over the world. 

  

Walk down Queen Street, and you can have the chance to try a great variety of ethnic food for a very good price (around ten New Zealand dollars). Or, if you just want to spend some time with your friends and have a nice conversation, you can go to the various cafés that are spread not only downtown, but throughout the whole city (from personal experience, this is the best way to improve your English). These facts make Auckland one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world.

However, what makes Auckland different from other main cities is its nearness of water. Auckland is surrounded by the sea. There are many nice and really pleasant places where you can take a walk and enjoy the beautiful views, or do some exercise (the harbour, marina and Mission Bay are some of the options).

If the weather is clear, it is an excellent idea to take a ferry and go to one of the smaller islands (Waiheke) or other suburbs (e.g. Devonport) near Auckland and spend the day there. Or, you might as well rent a car (or take a bus), drive thirty minutes, and enjoy the nice beaches in Orewa. Drive a little longer, and you will be blown away by the Piha Beach's beauty. And I haven't mentioned all the public parks yet, where you can have a picnic or just chill out. New Zealanders love the outdoors, and in Auckland it is no different.

Of course, if you love partying the city has much to offer. There are many pubs, and all the nightclubs don't charge anything to enter. A really good deal for students!

And if none of this is good enough for you, there is always the option to travel around New Zealand. Take the weekend out, choose a destination and enjoy. It is very easy to travel around the country. The airfares and bus are reasonable. There are many affordable options for accommodation, and the destinations are always worth a visit.

There's a lot to do and to see in Auckland!

Meet Andre our new New Zealand blogger

Hello, everyone! My name is André, I am twenty-five years old and I am from Brazil. I have always lived in a not so famous Brazilian city called Goiânia, in the middle-east of the country and quite close to the federal capital, Brasília. From now on, in a weekly basis, I will be posting everything related to my experience as an exchange student in Auckland, New Zealand.

I would like to start by explaining the reason why I chose New Zealand, among all the possible countries to take an English course around the world.

It is true that there are many English speaking countries where you can either learn or practice the language, but New Zealand has something unique. It is an abosuletly beautiful country, with breathtaking views and landscapes. You can choose your favorite: beaches, moutains, forests, lakes and rivers. 

  

The most amazing thing of it all: everywhere is reasonably near. It is easy to travel around the country and airplanes fees, as well as bus and car rentals are quite cheap. In my peronal (yet quite small) travel experience, I have not heard about a better country to travel than New Zealand. If you like to travel around and enjoy the country as its maximum, then New Zealand is the place for you. 

Another reason (and this one is specially important to brazilians) is that New Zealand dollar is cheaper than American or any other type of dollar. The cost of living is also not as high compared to other major cities. Lastly, the immigration allows students to work part-time depending on the course length (a good oportunity for not only practicing English, but also to support yourself).

Finally, New Zealand is famous for having kind and friendly inhabitants. Something that proved to be true for both the natives and also the foreign students here in the country. Maybe, partially because of the adventurous atmosphere, the fact is that the majority of people that come to New Zealand seem far more friendly than other popular destinations. 

It has been a great and once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am looking forward to sharing with all the readers.

As the Kiwis usually say at the end of every conversation, "Cheers!"

by André

To find out about studying English in New Zealand or any of the other Embassy schools, in the UK, the US and Australia visit the Embassy website.