International
Student Experience
Thanh Vinh (Albert) Nguyen, Year 9 from Vietnam
If someone asks me, how do I feel when I study abroad? And should their children study abroad too? I’ll show how I became a new person from the past to now with all the journey studying in a different country, how I made new friends, how the school supported me in study and order face. To be honest, studying abroad is very fun and I enjoy it, and especially my homestay family supports me and takes care of the smallest things when I study here. I have learned many things that in the past, for example, I know how to cook by myself, I know how I manage my timetable so I don’t rush my time or waste it as I did in the past, I make newer friends and focus on my task, it that I can’t do in the past. And should they let the children go and study abroad, my answer is yes but it depends on many different in the children’s lives and if they worry about beingalone in a new country, the school will find the best homestay and put them in so they will never be alone, the school will find the best option to help you on your study journey. Overall, I feel extremely fun and enjoy my time at school and homestay, and all of the teachers are very friendly and always happy to help when I need it or can say that they were always ready to support me no matter what happens. Also, I want to say thank you to everyone who supported me during the time that I was here to learn and grow up, especially my homestay family, and all the teachers and friends that I have met.
Nguyen Truc Anh (Haniee) Pham, Year 10 from Vietnam
I have had very positive experiences since the first days I entered the school. The learning environment here makes me feel very happy; the teachers and friends have helped me a lot in my subjects. Whenever I don't understand a lesson, the teachers are always willing to explain it to me again. In the beginning, I thought I wouldn't be able to adapt or make friends because this was my first time in a new environment, but now I have adapted more easily and made many new friends from all over the world. I am very grateful for the support from my teachers and friends
Thu Thao Tran, Year 11 from Vietnam
North Geelong Secondary College is a school in the peaceful city of Geelong. My name is ThuThao I am currently an Year 11 international student at this beloved school. First, the school is located near the beach, so whenever I feel stressed, I usually go to the beach with my friends to breathe in the fresh air and listen to the sound of the waves, which really relaxes my mind. Public transportation is very convenient, and there are many different bus lines near the school, so it's easy for me to take the bus home or go out with friends. Furthermore, one of the important things I've noticed about my school is the wonderful teaching program for international students. We are provided with an excellent curriculum. When I first joined the school, I was shy and didn't interact with anyone. But the school has an English centre at the back, which has really helped me develop my English skills - it's been very useful.
International students are also provided with a building with all the amenities like heaters, air conditioners, microwaves, fridges, etc. This is really helpful for me because I don't handle the cold well, so in the winter I can come to school thinking "It won't be cold today because I have a heater".
Additionally, the school is always organizing events for international students to help us learn new knowledge and connect with each other. They also have a "Cooking Day" every term, which has made me enjoy cooking more.
The teachers at my school are also extremely passionate. They always try to find teaching methods to help us learn better. One thing the school has done really well is providing after-school English classes for international students. These classes have greatly improved my English and also helped me make more new friends.
Lastly, I just want to say that I feel very lucky and grateful to be studying at this school.
Year 11
From Vietnam
Hasti Astaraki, Year 11 from Iran
Hi my name is Hasti, I've been living in Australia for almost two years and also I'm an international student.
I remember the first days when I came to Australia, I was not fluent in English and I had no friends.
And I went to GELC and learned English there for a while,And in the same way, I was able to find very good friends with kind hearts there, they helped me a lot to get to know the school and the rules here, and they gave me the best memories, and I remember Mis Vivian was my teacher. And she was the kindest teacher I ever had.
I had learned English well, it was enough to speak and understand what my friends and teachers said, but it was still not enough for me because I still didn't know how to write or read well.
And in the same way, I have to say special thanks to Mrs Tonia for her help. I always went to Mrs. Tonia's office every day with many problems that I had with my strange questions, but she always helps me with her patience and a beautiful smile on her face. I have to say in here that thank you so much and you are always the best for me.❤
And as for being an international student for me, it can be said that it is a difficult task, but this difficulty is full of a bright future. In these two years, I gained a lot of experience about different people and personalities, and I also learned about the nature of the program. I learned to be independent and to be strong enough to deal with small and big things and to find a good solution for them in the world.
I am very happy to be an international student because all those pressures make me work harder and this will be a very good and strong point for me.
I am very lucky that I have some very good teachers and they understand my language situation and always help me to learn and give me their time and give me hope.
And I hope that I will be able to achieve success in this difficult path by the end of the Year 12 and become a good and useful person in the future and in the society, so that all my efforts and my family's and my teachers' efforts will come to fruition.
