Juraiporn Sirirungtrakul from Thailand

The English speaking environment provides me with confidence and opportunities to improve my English and learn about other cultures.

There are a significant number of international students here at Macleans so it is easy to make friends. The whānau or house system also gives us a great chance to bond with people in the class and enjoy ourselves in group activities such as clubs and shared-lunches. House competitions also inspire us to participate, help us to improve our strong and weak areas and allow communication skills to be improved.

Together with the combination of European and Asian life-style, the school encourages students to speak up and give their opinions which I personally think is one of the weak points of Asian students.

Apart from that, Macleans provides a wide range of sport and cultural activities such as intercultural clubs, music and basketball which I personally enjoy taking part in. There are also some social sport events available so we can still join the sport activities even though we miss out the trials for the school teams.

Academically speaking, there are a variety of subjects available here such as music, art, sciences, commerce, woodwork and mechanics. The school also offers both NCEA and Cambridge Assessment International Education (which is internationally accepted), so it opens up the pathway to tertiary study. The teachers here are very friendly and open minded. They give us the chance to ask questions, discuss what we do not understand and offer help when needed.

I extremely enjoy being here at Macleans College where people are friendly and encouraging and it provides me every chance to reach my highest potential both academically and socially.

It is the best place to be away from home.

My homestay is caring and I feel like I am living with my own family in Thailand.

The thought of coming to a new country for study might be scary and terrified but New Zealand has proved to me that there is nothing to worry about.

Kiwi land is one of European orientated countries whose cultures and way of life are completely different to our ‘Asian’ way. Here we learn to respect each other’s personal space and their way of thinking to make their own decisions no matter how inexperienced a person is. We believe that making decisions and learning from mistakes together make up who we are.

It is not just only their way of thinking that caught my mind. The moment I stepped out of the airport I was amazed by the greenness of this country. The fresh air, loose traffic and the friendliness of people here distract me from the uneasy feeling of this new place.

Living in a home stay is extremely helpful in learning cultures and adjusting to the different life style. My home stay is very supportive and caring. They assist me with my study, especially English; correct me when I say words incorrectly and help me out with the phrases that I do not understand. The friendliness they have gives me the feelings of family and friends. These reduce my thought of home and enable me to focus on my study here. ‘A good household produces efficient people.’ That is the truest statement I have ever heard.

Hello. My name is Nisachon Prawatlertudom. I come from Pratraya in Thailand.

I have enjoyed studying in Macleans College and I have made many friends from other countries. They are very nice and friendly and the teachers are so kind to me. They are ready when I need help. I will remember everything that I have been taught.