I’m back in New Zealand for the second time since I left the school (Languages International).
The reason why? Hopefully, my following notes will explain and show why.

Let me first start with the school. The school was recommended by a language retailer called Prolinguis in Switzerland. Though offered several schools in different countries, I choose Languages International in New Zealand, because of the whole presented package:

  • the school program with the supervised self-study section
  • the possibility to connect General English and Cambridge Course (CAE)
  • the country New Zealand and its landscape, its culture and the offered adventure
  • having four seasons even if they are in opposite to the northern hemisphere as a connection to my home country (Switzerland)

The school program offered me the possibility to improve my English in the way I wanted to go it.
The morning class helped me to learn vocabulary and to settle down the English grammar as well as using the language in common situation with lots of speaking exercises in classroom.

The skill class was important for me to get to know how to write a letter properly. And if you believe it or not but I was once in a situation where I had to handle with New Zealand authorities and I could use the learned skill for writing an official letter.

With the chance to choose what you like to have for option class I could take part in that course I needed the most; such as speaking and grammar.

The way teacher taught in class was great. Not only did they present an interesting program to keep class varied, but were also showing the use of English in unusual ways, like visiting the courtroom.

The Learning Centre is a perfect supplement to the school lessons and settles the learned skills if it’s well used. Of course a bit of self studying had to be done even at home, especially before the Cambridge Exams.

A very important part during school time was the social program. I used it to get familiar with Auckland and to learn about Kiwi-culture. And it was the best way to make friends.

Summarised, to choose Languages International was the right thing for me. The school offers a high quality of the language program and gives you also a range of social activities to practise your English in your spare time with other LI-students.

Secondly, let me write about my homestay family.

I got a lovely homestay family living close to the city centre. With two sons in my age I got along very quickly with their lifestyle. Staying at an unknown place in a new country with unfamiliar people scared me, at first. But ‘finding’ and staying with people who cared about you and wanted to know how your day was and what’s going on beside school made that feeling go away. Soon, I felt like a part of the family.

Coming back means for me visiting really good friends, remembering the good time I had in New Zealand. It means also having holidays and, because of the distance between Switzerland and ‘Kiwi-Land’, getting away from all the stress for a short time.

Written by Benjamin, a Swiss student from Languages International