Marco Braida

General English (Upper Intermediate)

ORIGIN:Italy

BACKGROUND:“I came to New Zealand to live with my Kiwi girlfriend. Back in Italy I worked in the automobile industry as a project engineer for an Italian company where I was involved in car design (for example BMW and Mini). Now I am looking for a job in Auckland but I knew I’d need to improve my English – specially my grammar - first.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:: : “When I initially approached Fern I was very impressed. A fern tutor gave me a full tour of the school, detailed information on courses and services as well as lots of information about course content. No other English language school in the CBD presented themselves in such a comprehensive way.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF COURSE::“I really enjoyed my time in the Upper Intermediate class. I was very impressed with my teacher. Her teaching methods were very clear and also a lot of fun. I was able to improve my grammar in a short period of time and I received enough additional support (such as grammar material) to continue improving my grammar at home. I was also very impressed with the facilities at Fern and enjoyed the daily lunches in the NZMA cafe.”

FUTURE GOALS:“I have graduated from Fern now and am starting to apply for jobs in my field of expertise.”

Eleonore Watrin

English for Hospitality

ORIGIN:Punaauia, Tahiti

BACKGROUND:“At the moment I am studying hospitality and catering at an international school in Bordeaux, France. I have done two years of the course and have one more year to go. As part of the course we have to do internships in English-speaking countries. I have already completed one in Jersey in the Channel Islands and now I have come to Auckland for a three month internship. I am working as a bartender at Non Solo Pizza Italian Restaurant in Parnell.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:: “I think it is really important to be able to speak English well, especially if you work in the hospitality industry. I was keen to do a hospitality course at the same time as doing my internship in New Zealand so that I could learn all the hospitality-related English vocabulary. I began looking for relevant courses on the internet back in France, and found out about Fern and the English for Hospitality course. It was just what I was looking for.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF COURSE::“I am really enjoying the course. The classes are small so you get lots of one-on-one time with your tutor and the environment is friendly. It’s very easy to make friends here. I am learning a lot of relevant English words and phrases which I then practice on my customers when I go to work! I am learning a lot of other stuff too, such as how different customers are in English speaking countries than in Europe. It is important to understand their different mannerisms if you want to work internationally. At the moment we are studying bartending in our EFH class, which is especially useful for me since I am working as a bartender. I get to practice everything I am learning in class when I get to work each night.”

FUTURE GOALS:“Next year I have to do another internship and am thinking of going to New York or Canada. After I graduate from my hospitality school in France I’d like to go to LA to do a one year hospitality diploma, so that I also have some English speaking hospitality qualifications. Eventually, if possible, I’d like to build my hospitality career back in the Pacific.”

Aliya Khabirova

IELTS

ORIGIN:Chelyabinsk, Russia

BACKGROUND:“Back in Russia I am a university student majoring in Economics and Management. I have two more years to go before I complete my degree. Right now it is our summer break so I decided to go to an English speaking country for three months to improve my English. In the future I want to study at an English speaking university and I also need to have good English for my career. My agent in Russia suggested going to the UK, the USA or New Zealand. New Zealand appealed the most because of its natural beauty and good study environment.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:“My agent said Fern School of English was very good and recommended I study IELTS.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF COURSE:“I really like this school. On the first day my English was terrible and I found the first week pretty difficult! But it is a very friendly environment and the tutors are very good. They have helped me a lot and I have improved a great deal. It is much more relaxed in the classroom than it is back in Russia so I am really enjoying that.”

FUTURE GOALS:“After finishing my 12 weeks of study at Fern I am going to travel around the North Island for a week and then head back to Russia to start university again. I’ll definitely continue to study English when I get home though as I want to keep building on what I have learned in New Zealand.”

Naoko Nozowa

City and Guilds International Award in Barista Skills

ORIGIN: Japan (but now lives permanently in New Zealand)

BACKGROUND:  “I am an agent for Japanese students and NZMA is one of the schools I recommend to my students.  I decided to do the one-week City and Guilds International Award in Barista Skills course so I could see for myself first hand what it was like – and also because I love coffee!”

HIGHLIGHTS OF COURSE:  “I would definitely recommend this course.   It would be particularly useful for someone who is thinking of opening a café or someone who is working in one.  Or even if, like me, you just love coffee!   It is pretty intense – there is a lot packed into one short week – but the facilities are good, it is a useful course and a great school.”

Narinthone Kanlanga (Jacky)

General English

ORIGIN:  Vientiane, Laos

BACKGROUND:  “Back home I was a high school student.  I came here to improve my English and study hospitality.  My parents are building a hotel so I need experience and qualifications so I can help them with their business in the future.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:  “In Laos I studied at an international school and one of my teachers recommended Fern as an excellent place for me to study.  It also appealed to me because once I turn 18 this June I will be able to do their English for Hospitality course and after that I will be able to staircase straight onto the National Diploma in Hospitality Management at NZMA.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “It’s a very comfortable environment here – it feels like home!  When I first arrived I was lonely and nervous because I didn’t know anyone, but the teachers and students are all so friendly that after a week or two I felt great.  I am the youngest in my class but we all take care of each other.  I feel that my speaking and grammar has improved already.”

FUTURE GOALS:  “After graduating with my hospitality diploma from NZMA I’d like to study hotel management at Auckland University before heading back home to help my parents with their hotel.”

Sofiya Islamgulova

General English

ORIGIN:  Moscow, Russia

BACKGROUND:  “I graduated from university with a civil engineering degree and started my career as a hydraulic engineer then later I became an interior designer.  For the past two years I have worked for one of the leading retail companies in Russia as a construction project manager.  I develop fashion retail stores and need to communicate with foreign partners a lot so I need a good level of English.  If I can improve my English it will increase my career opportunities further, as far as salary goes and also as far as things like business and training trips abroad.  That’s why I decided to head overseas to study English.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:  “I knew I wanted to come to New Zealand so I started looking into different language schools via the internet.  Fern had an excellent website with lots of quality information.  Then when I started communicating with a Fern advisor I got very prompt clear answers to my questions which made me even more confident that it was the right school for me.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “The tutors at Fern use very effective methods of study.  They are well prepared and if you need any help or have any problems they are always ready to help.  Every lecture, every hour in class is well utilised.   So far I have only been here for six weeks but already I can notice a big difference in my English.  In the past I have learned grammar and writing but until now I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with native speakers so that is making a huge difference.

“All the staff here really care about the students.  When I arrived I was a bit stressed.  I lived with my parents in Russia, so coming here alone was a big challenge for me.  But on my first day at Fern I felt the warm friendly atmosphere and relaxed.”

FUTURE GOALS:  “After graduating from Fern I’d love to stay on in New Zealand and find a job as a project manager.  That would improve my level of English even further and also give me international career experience.  In the long-term I see myself working on big construction projects, such as hotel or restaurant chains.”

Alex Woo

NZMA Certificate in TESOL

ORIGIN:  Korea

BACKGROUND:  “I moved to New Zealand with my family nine or ten years ago and did all my high school years here.  After graduating from Pukekohe High School I started studying microbiology at the University of Auckland, but I soon came to the conclusion I wasn’t that good at chemistry so after my first year I changed my degree to marine biology!  I’m just about to start the final year of my degree and I thought I’d get a TESOL qualification during my university holidays.

“Back in high school I taught some Korean kids English and I found it really rewarding to see them improve.  One of my students could only say yes or no when he first arrived but at the end of three months he could speak basic English.  I felt really good about that.  I really enjoy teaching which is why I decided to take the TESOL certificate programme.  I wanted some formal training and guidance, to learn a bit of structure about how to actually teach – and I wanted to have proof that I can teach!”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:  “I looked around at a few different schools in Auckland but I opted for Fern because a friend of my fathers had studied there and strongly recommended it.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COURSE:  “The course was great and I am very glad I did it.  It was hard and very structured but very worthwhile.  My class was small which was great because it enabled an enormous amount of interaction between the students and the tutor.  Our tutor was very helpful and the facilities at Fern and NZMA are excellent.  In fact the general atmosphere there is really good – the environment is warm and relaxing and everyone is friendly and smiley.

“At times it was pretty stressful because there are assignments you have to do as well as planning your lessons but I learnt a lot about managing my time and working as part of a team.  The course was very intense but at the end of it I felt a real sense of achievement.
“I realise now that in the past when I was teaching I didn’t have any structure to my lessons or even know how to teach.  But this course has taught me how to plan ahead and helped me improve my confidence.  It has given me teaching knowledge and techniques and I feel much more able to be a good teacher now.  This certificate has given me a really good teaching foundation.”

FUTURE GOALS:   “Throughout this year, while I complete my university studies, I’d like to do one-on-one teaching part time and I’d also like to get teaching work over the summer holidays at the end of the year.  I’m sure I’ll use this qualification a lot in the future.”

Jacky Chen

General English

ORIGIN:  Shanghai, China

BACKGROUND:  “After graduating from high school in China I spent a year studying English there before moving to New Zealand.  I arrived here in July 2009 and my plan is to improve my English and then eventually gain a Bachelor Degree from the University of Auckland.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “Before coming to Fern I was studying at another language school but I decided I needed a change.  It was a good decision.  This school is good.  I’m in the pre-intermediate class now and hope to work my way up during the 24 weeks that I will study here.”

FUTURE GOALS:  “I plan to stay at Fern until July and then I will start my one-year foundation course which will give me entry into university.  Once I have completed my Bachelor Degree I’d like go back to China and become a businessman.”

Joanne Kim

NZMA Certificate in TESOL

ORIGIN:  Seoul, Korea

BACKGROUND:  “I moved to New Zealand with my family eight years ago, when I was 12.  We lived in Christchurch and I went to intermediate and high school there but then I moved up to Auckland to go to university.  I am about to start my third year of my Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.  I decided to do Fern’s TESOL course during my university school holidays.  I enjoy teaching and I want to use this qualification when I go back to Korea for a three-month holiday at the end of this year.  Having this certificate will help me get a teaching job there.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:  “I discovered Fern when I was looking for an English school for my cousin.  I saw they offered the TESOL certificate there and it is very close to my apartment so I decided to enrol.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COURSE:  “The four-week course was pretty intensive, but so long as you don’t have a job at the same time I think it’s OK.  The most challenging part for me was the teaching practice – it was harder than I expected and I was very nervous the first time I taught a class.  During the first two weeks of the course you practice on your classmates, but in the second half of the course you teach real students!
“The tutors were really helpful and they taught us a lot, such as icebreakers and how to teach children.  By the end of the course I felt much more comfortable about getting up in front of a class and teaching.  I now feel much more prepared for teaching and am looking forward to having the chance to work in Korea and teach kids. 

“In fact thanks to this qualification I have already gained a teaching job here in Auckland.  I am now doing one-to-one classes with a Korean student, teaching them English.  I got the job straight after graduating and I am sure that I wouldn’t have been hired without the qualification.  It’s good to be putting everything I learned at Fern into practice already and not having to wait until I go back to Korea at the end of the year.”

FUTURE GOALS: “I will finish my university degree and will also try to keep up my private English teaching part-time.  I really enjoy it and it is good money.  I find teaching very interesting, so even once I graduate from university I still plan on continuing to teach in the future.”

Ali Al Hajouj

Ielts Preparation

ORIGIN:  Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND:  “Back home in Saudi Arabia I am a qualified vet.  After completing my vetinarian studies I worked for 14 months, but I have now decided I want to change careers!  The money is not great and there are not many job opportunities for vets over there.  I am just 26 so still young enough to change direction.  My dream is to be a scientist.  I want to go back to university to study microbiology.  I decided that New Zealand would be a great place for my studies as it has an excellent reputation in Saudi for its quality of education and it is also good value for money.

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “I am going to study microbiology at Massey University, but I need an IELTS score of at least 6.0 to get into the course so I must improve my English first.  Initially I was studying General English at another Auckland language school but then I changed to Fern because it is a very good quality school and they also have an excellent IELTS Preparation class.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “The IELTS class here is really nice and very exciting!  I am definitely improving.”

FUTURE GOALS:  “I need to achieve at least 6.0 before February because that’s when I plan to start my Masters in Microbiology!  That will take three years – and then I’d like to go on and do my PhD!  I love studying!”

Jungha, Lee (Lidia)

English for Hospitality
National Diploma in Hospitality Management
Student

ORIGIN: Seoul, Korea

WORKING:  Food & Beverage Attendant, Crowne Plaza, Auckland

BACKGROUND: “Back in Korea I graduated from university with a major in jazz dance.  I then spent about four years working as a dance instructor teaching a variety of different styles.  But about three years ago I decided to move to New Zealand for a change of lifestyle and a change of pace.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “When I first arrived in Auckland I studied General English at another language school.  But then I decided I wanted to get into hospitality because it is a very diverse industry and also there are lots of jobs so I came to Fern School of English to study English for Hospitality.  After completing the 12 week course I began my hospitality diploma at NZMA.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN: “English for Hospitality was a really useful course to lead me into the diploma course.  It gave me a good foundation and a much better understanding of things once I actually started my diploma. “The diploma was great.  I particularly enjoyed the practical aspects of the course such as learning how to make coffees and cocktails.  It was so exciting!”

EMPLOYMENT:  “When I was studying at Fern I was working at Wagamama as a waitress.  Then once I started learning about cocktails in the diploma I decided I wanted to be a bartender!  I spent the first year of my NZMA studies working as a part-time bartender at The Carlton, a busy pub in Newmarket, as well as another bar in Papakura.  It was great to put into practice what I was being taught in class.
“Then in the second year of my diploma studies Redfish helped me to get a job as a waitress at the Copthorne Hotel.  I worked there until I graduated and then got a job as a food & beverage attendant at the Crowne Plaza.  It’s a fantastic job.  The people at Crowne Plaza really look after their staff and it is a great team of people to work with.
“Gaining my diploma from NZMA was very worthwhile.  Without it, I wouldn’t be able to work in a hotel.  If you want to climb up the ranks in the industry and get promoted, you need qualifications.”

FUTURE GOALS: “One day I’d like to open my own café or be the General Manager of a big company or resort.  I’d like to get permanent residency in New Zealand but later on I’d be keen to move to Melbourne, Australia.  I think there are lots of opportunities within the hospitality industry over there.”

Murat Yilmaz

General English

ORIGIN: Istanbul, Turkey

BACKGROUND:  “In Turkey I was a government official involved in computer management.  At university I studied Economics and Communications and worked part-time.  When I graduated I worked full-time for a year before coming to New Zealand about five months ago.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “I want to do a Masters Degree in Economics at university in New Zealand but first I need to improve my English because I need to get an IELTS score of at least 6.5 to be accepted onto the programme.  That’s why I am studying English at Fern for six months!”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “The teachers are good and I think my English is improving – although it takes a long time! At the moment I am studying General English in the Upper Intermediate class but I might move into the IELTS Preparation class soon.”

FUTURE GOALS:  “Once I gain the IELTS score I need I will start at Auckland University.  After I have completed my Masters I plan to go back to Turkey and back to my old job, although I will be at a higher level.  Getting my Masters is very important for my career.  I’d like to stay working for the Turkish government although eventually in a managerial position.”

Sena Nur Arslan

Ielts Preparation

ORIGIN:  Izmir, Turkey

BACKGROUND:  “In Turkey I am a high school student.  I wanted to complete my last year of high school in an English speaking country and also to study in an English speaking university.  I got a scholarship to study at Auckland University so that’s why my parents and I decided I should come here.  I’m going to go to Epsom Girls Grammar for my final high school year and then if I stay in Auckland for university I will study electrical engineering.  New Zealand is great.  It is pure and green and there’s no pollution.  There’s so much to enjoy here.
“This is not the first time I have been to school in another country.  Although my parents are Turkish, they lived in Germany for 35 years.  I was born in Germany and have lived, and been to school in both Germany and Turkey.  Getting a top quality education is very important to me and my family.

“I am very interested in science, engineering and the environment.  Twice I have been chosen to go to America for an international environmental competition.  In 2008 I won a silver medal for my project and I came away with a bronze medal for a different project in 2009.  I was competing against students from all over the world.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “I am studying English until it is time to start my final year of high school in February.  My friends recommended Fern and said it was the best place to study IELTS.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “Our teacher is very experienced and we are learning a lot of new things.  She is very helpful and is always happy to give me extra work when I want to do more study in my free time.  I am working hard and I can see how much my English is improving.  I love it here.”

FUTURE GOALS:  “I want to be a scientist.  Through being a scientist I will be able to help people to improve their lives and hopefully help to save the world.”

Ye, Ting (Meko)

General English
National Diploma in Hospitality Management
student

ORIGIN: Fu Jing, China

BACKGROUND:  “In China I had just graduated from high school before coming to New Zealand.  I was very keen to see the world.  I have many friends in New Zealand and they all told me what a beautiful country it is so I decided to come and see it for myself!”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “I am really interested in hospitality so looked around at some different hospitality schools in New Zealand.  NZMA seemed to be the most professional and it was also good because it had an English language school, Fern, attached to it.  That suited me very well because I spent a month studying General English there before starting my diploma at NZMA.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “I think Fern is a very good school.  My English improved a lot during the month I spent there and I loved going to class each day because I had such a nice, funny teacher!  He taught me so much.  Choosing to study at NZMA was an excellent decision.  I loved Fern and I am also really enjoying studying my National Diploma in Hospitality Management.  All the staff here are very kind and friendly and I have made a lot of new friends.  It is like a big family here!”

EMPLOYMENT: “At the moment I have two different part-time jobs in addition to my NZMA studies.  I work in a café and I also make tea in a tea shop.  Until now I have never had a job!  I’m really enjoying working and also the fact that I get to put into practice at work everything that I am learning at NZMA.”

FUTURE GOALS:  “I will graduate from NZMA in 2011.  I’m not sure what I’ll do after that – I may stay on here and gain some more work experience or I may head straight back to China.  But one thing is for sure – I’ll definitely be working in hospitality.  That’s the industry I want to work in for the future.  Hospitality jobs are very popular in China but a lot of people over there don’t have professional training and qualifications.  I think China needs more graduates from hospitality courses such as those offered by NZMA to really bring the level of service up over there.  When I go back to China I’ll take back everything I’ve learned about the industry and I’ll be really, really good at my job!”

Atsuya Sato

General English
English for Hospitality
City & Guilds Barista Skills

ORIGIN: Aomori, Japan

BACKGROUND: “In Japan I am a graduate school student majoring in English Grammar.  I already have a Bachelor Degree in Cognitive Linguistics and now I am working towards my Masters.  I have taken a one year break from my university studies to come to New Zealand. I wanted to come here because I come from a family of travellers – my mum studied in Korea, my sister lives in USA and my dad has travelled all over the world – but none of them have been  to New Zealand!  My teacher at grad school had studied in New Zealand and highly recommended it.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “My agent recommended Fern to me.  It also appealed because of its 12-week English for Hospitality course.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN: “The tutors at Fern are very enthusiastic and easy to understand and the facilities are great.  It was really interesting learning all about the hospitality industry.  I think New Zealand has excellent customer service so it is a great place to study hospitality.  I really enjoyed the one-week barista course too.  It went into the background of coffee and the making of coffee in much more depth than on our EFH course.  It was only a short course, but very intense and I learnt a huge amount, both practical and theoretical.  I think having this City & Guilds qualification will definitely help me get a job in a café.”

FUTURE GOALS: “Next month I go back to Japan and return to my university studies.  I hope to get a part-time job in a café until I graduate and then I’d like to throw myself into the hospitality industry full-time.  I’d like to get a job in a café or bar and learn all about running a place.  I’d also like to take some business courses.   My sister lives in America and she is very keen to open her own café – I’d love to work with her on this venture.  I am very keen to work in food & beverage.  I have a licence to be an English teacher in junior high school and high school but now I am thinking I might leave that until further down the track when I am older.  There are so many other things I want to do first!”

JV Tan

General English

ORIGIN: Malaysia

BACKGROUND: “I am a high school student back in Malaysia.  I didn’t really like the school I was going to and wanted to go to the international high school there however I didn’t do well enough in my assessment to be accepted.  My father decided I should go abroad and study English for six months and then come back and resit the test.  Hopefully next time I will get in!
“I chose to come to New Zealand because I have relatives in Kohimarama also I think the environment in New Zealand is very good for study.  People are kind and friendly, the scenery is nice and the air is not polluted.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “Fern appealed to me because it has students from lots of different nationalities so I can learn a lot, not just about English but also about different cultures.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN: “It is a really good study environment at Fern.  The tutors are very caring and genuinely concerned about our education.  They are always trying to find answers for us when we need them.  Also every Friday we do activities which are a lot of fun.  I am really enjoying studying here.  I started off in intermediate level, then I did IELTS for a while and now I am studying in the upper intermediate class.  All my skills have improved a lot since starting here.  Even though I am the youngest student at Fern, I feel very comfortable here and get on really well with all my classmates as well as my tutors.”

FUTURE GOALS: “Soon I’ll go back to Malaysia and resit my test to get into the international high school that I want to go to.  In the future I’d like to go to university and go on to become a successful business man and work for my father.”

Yuki Kurosu

English for Hospitality

ORIGIN: Kanagawa, Japan

STUDYING: English for Hospitality

BACKGROUND: After graduating from university in Japan Yuki spent three and a half years working as an administration assistant for a real estate company.

“But I got sick of it and wanted to do something different.  I was keen to find a job that uses English so I decided to come to New Zealand to improve my language skills first.  New Zealand is safe, a good place to live and a great place to study.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “I have always wanted to work in a hotel so I searched hospitality schools on the internet.  NZMA and Fern came up.  Fern’s English for Hospitality course sounded really interesting and useful and I liked the fact that you could staircase from Fern to NZMA.  Eventually I may go on to do the hospitality management diploma at NZMA.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN: “The EFH course is a lot of fun.  We do lots of different activities which really suits my style of learning.  We don’t just stay in the classroom all day – we do things like cocktail making and barista training in the NZMA café, we’ve been to the zoo, had a sports day and we do hotel visits.  These types of activities help you become closer with your classmates too so the atmosphere in class is very good.

“Our tutor is great.  He is very enthusiastic, helpful and supportive and fair to every student.”

FUTURE GOALS: “Once I graduate from the EFH course I’d like to test out my new-found knowledge by getting a job in a restaurant or café in Auckland.  It will be great to get some hospitality experience.  At the moment I am trying to decide whether to return to Japan at the end of my one-year working holiday visa or stay longer in New Zealand and gain my National Diploma in Hospitality Management at NZMA.  But whichever choice I end up making, my long term goal is to work in a hotel in Japan.

“Even when I was a university student I wanted to work in a hotel but I didn’t have enough confidence.  But now, if I go back to Japan with improved English, qualifications and hospitality industry work experience I will have the confidence to apply for a hotel job!”

Yongsik Cho

Business English

ORIGIN: Seoul, Korea

STUDYING: Business English

BACKGROUND: “Back in Korea I am a university student studying business and economics.  Recently I have come to realise that English is very important and can have a huge influence on my future.  Because of this, I decided to take a six month break from university and go abroad to study English.  I looked at lots of different countries but New Zealand appealed to me the most because it is safe and quiet – the ideal study environment!”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “When I was deciding on a language school my priorities were somewhere that offered a Business English course and somewhere with a good range of nationalities.  My agent recommended Fern.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:  “When I first started at Fern I spent three weeks studying General English (Intermediate level), then three weeks studying English for Hospitality.  For the last couple of months I have been studying English for Business.  The Business course is very useful for me and I thoroughly recommend it.  I think it is an ideal course for prospective professionals and students who are learning business in their own countries.

“Because I already have a business degree, it is not the business side of things that I am looking to learn – what I need to know is how to talk about business and use business terminology in English.  And that is exactly what this course is teaching me.  I have learnt so many new business words and phrases.  The course is very practical and the tutor is great.  Better still, there are only six students in the class so we all get lots of one-on-one attention!”

FUTURE GOALS: “I will keep studying business at Fern until February, when I head home to finish my university studies.  I have just one more semester to complete.  After I graduate I’ll get a job, probably in the marketing or sales area for a big corporation.  I am also considering continuing to study English once I get home to Korea because now I know how important and useful English will be for my career so I need to keep working on it and improving.

“These days English is very important in Korea, especially if you are job hunting.  A few years ago all you needed was a good score for TOEFL or something similar, but nowadays speaking is a lot more important.  Lots of Koreans have great English examination scores – but it doesn’t mean they can actually speak English well!”

Lida Gao

English for Hospitality

ORIGIN: Harbin, China

STUDYING: English for Hospitality

BACKGROUND: “In China I was a bit of a rebel!  I didn’t like studying because I didn’t like the boring style of teaching in China so I didn’t finish high school.  My family has a big cosmetics chain but I have never wanted to work for them – I have always wanted to do my own thing and I have always had my own dream.  I want to open my own chain of coffee shops and cafes. 

“For the last three years I have been gaining hospitality industry work experience in China, waitressing in a restaurant and working in a supermarket.  Working in the industry made me realise I’d really need to study and gain some relevant qualifications if my dream is going to be successful.  That’s when I started looking into studying abroad.  New Zealand really appealed to me because my best friend was living here and it is also a very safe country.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN: “My agent recommended Fern to me – she had studied there herself and had really enjoyed it!”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN: “The EFH course is very useful.  My tutor is crazy and enthusiastic and I really love his style of teaching!  It’s a completely different way of teaching than in China.  At Fern we do loads of different activities and have heaps of fun in class.”

FUTURE GOALS: “After finishing EFH I am going onto NZMA to do my National Diploma in Hospitality Management.  While I’m studying at NZMA I hope to get a part-time job in a café or restaurant so that I can gain more work experience.  Once I have done all that I will have to reassess.  I’ll either go to another country to gain further experience or, if I think I am ready, I’ll head back to China and launch my business.”

Taiki Noma

English for Hospitality

BACKGROUND:
“I have worked in the hospitality industry for eight years.  After finishing high school I spent two years at cooking school and then started working as a kitchen hand.  Later I worked in a resort as a waiter and when I came back to Tokyo I got a job at a hotel.  I spent two years working as a waiter in the hotel’s French restaurant.  While I was there I became very interested in wine and later went to work at another French restaurant as a sommelier.  I decided to come to New Zealand because I wanted to improve my English so that I could speak with my customers more easily and I also wanted to learn about New Zealand wines.  Kiwi wine is becoming a lot more popular in Japan these days.  I came to New Zealand in March.  I spent the first three months studying English at a language school and then did a one-month barista course before starting my English for Hospitality programme at Fern.”

REASONS FOR CHOOSING FERN:
“I thought it would be a very useful course for me because I want to be able to explain about food and wine to people in English.  Although the general English studies I did when I first arrived in New Zealand were worthwhile, I really wanted a course much more specific to my career. I needed to learn lots of courtesy English, as well as hospitality vocab.  English for Hospitality was exactly what I was looking for.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF FERN:
“I learnt a lot of really useful words and phrases.  Also we visited lots of hotels during our course which was very interesting.  I discovered that Kiwi hotel staff are very different from Japanese hotel staff - they are much more casual!”

EMPLOYMENT:
“While studying at Fern I worked at a Japanese restaurant in Ponsonby.  It was great because all the new English sentences I learned in class I could then practice on my customers in the restaurant!”

FUTURE GOALS:
“Now that I have graduated I’m going to do a bit of travelling and then in November I’m heading back to Japan.  My friend is opening his own Italian/French restaurant in Tokyo and he wants me to manage it for him.  I’m really looking forward to it – and thanks to my time in New Zealand, my hospitality English is a lot better and I have increased my hospitality knowledge, particularly of wine and coffee.  Eventually I’d really love to open up my own restaurant.”

Haritz Saizar

General English

“For the last five years I’ve worked as a lab technician back in Spain but I’ve just taken a year off.  I spent the first three months of the year studying mechanical drawing in Poland and arrived in New Zealand just a few weeks ago.  I started studying English at Fern as soon as I arrived and will study for five months and then spend another month travelling.

“It’s been six years since I last studied English!  That was back when I was a high school student and I have to say that studying at Fern is quite different – and much more fun!  When I learnt English at school in Spain we mainly did lots and lots of grammar.  At Fern the classes are much more dynamic.  Sure, we do some grammar, but we also do lots of speaking and get to practice our English through lots of interesting games and activities.”

Kitty Ferrao

General English

Twenty year old Kitty Ferrao is halfway through a Law Degree in her home country Brazil.  She has come to New Zealand for six months to take a break from her university studies and improve her English language skills at Fern School of English.

“I am enjoying studying at Fern a lot.  We have two classes every day.  The first class is more serious and grammar focussed, while the second class includes a lot of games and fun activities as a more relaxed way of practising our English.  The combination of the two different styles works really well and both my teachers are excellent.

“My classmates are all great too and I’ve been really impressed with the facilities here.  Another thing I love about Fern is that they have a lot of activities outside of school which enable staff and students to mix together.  It’s really good.”

Young Ju Cheon (Jessica)

General English

“All the students at Fern School of English work really hard which is great because it helps motivate me to study hard.  I think this school’s strict English-only rule is very useful because it forces us to communicate in English at all times.  It’s hard – but it definitely makes you improve quicker!

“I can feel a big difference between my English when I first started at Fern nine weeks ago and my English now.  It has really, really improved.  The Fern teachers are very kind.  I always have lots of questions for them and they are always happy to make the time to explain things to me.  I also write in my diary everyday and they always take the time to check it for me.  I’m really going to miss them when I leave!”

Bo Ra Hong (Bora)

IELTS Preparation

“I want to do a three year viticulture and wine-making course in New Zealand and I need a score of at least IELTS 6.0 to get in.  Many people recommended Fern English as a great place to study IELTS.  I did a trial lesson and was very impressed with the tutors and the facilities.  The cost was also reasonable so I enrolled.  I’ve been here for about a month now and I’m really enjoying it.  My classmates are nice and all the teachers here are very good and are happy to give you extra help if you want it.  Sometimes it’s hard to see it yourself - but my teachers and friends all say that my English is improving.”

Takefumi Miyoshi

Business English

“I trialled four different Auckland language schools and Fern School of English was the one that I felt the most comfortable in – I instantly liked the atmosphere and also the teachers and other students.  I spent my first month at Fern English studying General English and then moved into the Business English class to improve my skills in that area.  I have a very good teacher and I am really enjoying my class.  My English is improving, especially my reading and listening.”

Mi Sook Kim

IELTS Preparation

Four weeks of studying IELTS at Fern School of English ensured that Mi Sook Kim achieved the score she needed in her recent IELTS examination.

“I am an education consultant for Hanauhak and I needed a score of 7.0 in order to gain my Immigration Adviser Licence.  I have lived in New Zealand for five years but because I am not a native English speaker I thought it would be good to get some tuition prior to my exam.  I chose Fern because we have sent some of our students to study IELTS there and they have given us excellent feedback about the school.

“It was pretty intensive but the four weeks of study definitely helped me achieve my score.  The class gave me the opportunity to practise topics I was likely to get in my IELTS exam and it was also very useful to have my writing corrected by a professional teacher.  I would definitely recommend Fern’s IELTS Preparation Class.”

Shuichiro Yanaguchi

General English

Shuichiro is in New Zealand on a one-year working holiday.  He decided to spend his first three months Down Under studying at a language school before heading off to explore the country.  His agent recommended Fern School of English as a great place to study.

“I’m really pleased with this choice.  Fern is a very good school and the teachers are very kind and friendly.  There are students from lots of different cultures here and I have made a lot of friends from all over the world.  In Japan we don’t have these multicultural opportunities.”

Yusuke Yanagi

IELTS Preparation

“I am a businessman and by being able to speak English well, I think there will be a lot more opportunities for me in my career.  Since enrolling at Fern School of English I have spent six weeks studying General English, six weeks studying Business English and I’m just about to complete 12 weeks in the IELTS Preparation class.

“My English has definitely improved during this time.  When I first arrived I was scared and didn’t have the confidence to try or to ask people if I didn’t understand, but it is much easier now.  I’ve had lovely classmates and great teachers in all my English classes at Fern.  I think Business English was particularly useful for me because it was so relevant to my career.”

Mami Gomyo

English for Hospitality graduate
NZMA National Diploma in Business student
Part-time waitress

Mami initially came to New Zealand for a one year working holiday.  To kick start her trip she completed Fern’s 12-week English for Hospitality course.

“This course is very popular with Japanese people.  I wanted to find work while I was in New Zealand, which is why I chose EFH.  It was a really great programme and I learnt a lot.  Before doing the course I had no idea about how to deal with customers but we were taught all that.  Having that qualification enabled me to quickly get a waitressing job in an Auckland restaurant so it served its purpose well.”

Mami has enjoyed New Zealand so much that rather than returning to Japan, she applied for a student visa and is now studying her National Diploma in Business at NZMA!

Ali Yagci

General English

"I came to New Zealand to study English so that I can help in my father’s business back in my hometown Izmir in Turkey. If I can speak English well that will be really helpful in our dealings with other countries. I also want to improve my English in order to get a high enough IELTS score to be accepted into a good mechanical engineering programme at a university in Canada or the UK.

"My agent recommended I study at Fern. In five months I have progressed from elementary to intermediate level and soon I hope to join the IELTS Preparation class. My goal is to get a score of 7 in the IELTS exam so I need to study really hard!"

Auttapon Kunatham (Stephane)

Fern General English graduate
NZMA National Diploma in Hospitality Management student

"I spent my first month in New Zealand studying English at Fern before starting my National Diploma in Hospitality Management at NZMA. It was perfect because Fern and NZMA are in the same building! It was very worthwhile because it gave me a chance to settle in and by the time I started at NZMA I had gained a lot more confidence.

Ha Thi Thu Phuong (Phuong)

General English

Sixteen year old Phuong moved from Vietnam to New Zealand to complete her high school education. She began studying General English at Fern as soon as she arrived, determined to improve her language skills as much as possible before starting school.

"My cousin suggested I go to Fern and I’m really happy that I did. I really enjoy it here. I have made lots of new friends and the teachers are really good. I started off in the Elementary class and have now been moved up to Pre-intermediate. There are only a couple of other Vietnamese students at this school which is great because it means I have to speak English all the time to communicate with everybody here. It makes my English improve quicker! I have already noticed a big improvement in my language skills, especially my speaking and grammar."

Jochen Schmihing

General English

"I had never heard about Fern School of English. I was looking on the internet for a school that met my interests - visiting New Zealand, learning English and scuba diving.  My time at Fern was really great. All the people I met - staff, teachers and classmates - were very kind and helpful. The services at Fern are excellent. The teachers are excellent too, especially Portia, my teacher. Fern also has a very good was the connection with the Formule 1 hotel. The hotel has a good offer for students, who don´t want to live in a homestay family."

Li Zhe (Vincent)

General English

"I've been at Fern for four months now. When I first arrived I couldn't understand anything, but now I can understand a lot and feel much more confident to talk to native English speakers. My English is much better than it was before. My listening and speaking have improved heaps and my grammar has also improved.

"Classes here are much more fun and very different from classes in China. In China there are very few opportunities to practice speaking and listening so although many Chinese students have good grammar, their speaking is not good. Studying English at Fern is much more practical – we actually use the English we are learning. My teacher is very good and all my classmates are very kind and funny. There are many different nationalities in my class so it’s very interesting and that gives us all a lot to talk about."

Liu Ming

General English

"I want to be able to work anywhere in the world. I'm from China but I've spent the last five years living and studying in Japan. Already I can speak Chinese and Japanese - if I can master English as well, it will open up a host of exciting opportunities for me in lots of different countries.

"I wanted to learn English in New Zealand because I'd heard it was clean and the people were friendly. An agent in Japan told me that Fern was a great place to study, which is why I enrolled. I'm really enjoying it. The teachers are very kind and always smile at us and I love the fact that they have lots of fun activities and outings as part of the course. I feel very lucky to be here."

Miyuki Hoshi

English for Hospitality

Before coming to New Zealand, Miyuki was a manager at McDonald's in her home of Miyagi, Northern Japan. She worked for the fast food chain for eight years, eventually becoming one of their top employees. Last year she decided it was time to learn more about the hospitality industry at an international level, so she headed Down Under.

"I was keen to come somewhere and learn not just General English, but also about hospitality service too. The English for Hospitality programme seemed perfect. I'm two-thirds of the way through the course now and I'm loving it. I have a really good teacher and my classmates are very friendly. We learn about lots of different types of service, hospitality situations and environments. It's very good for me! EFH is not just sitting down and writing. We do lots of activities such as making coffees, cooking and going on hotel visits. It’s very interesting".

Nataliya Naydenova

IELTS Preparation

Keen to move overseas and develop her career in the finance sector, Nataliya moved from Bulgaria to New Zealand last year. Her first goal was to improve her English before starting to explore opportunities for work.

"There were a lot of different language schools to choose from. I opted for Fern because classes start every Monday so I could start whenever I wanted. That was very convenient for me. Also they had a good IELTS class which is what I was predominantly interested in."

"I've been very impressed with the course so far. It's very practical and I have improved a lot already. When I first got here I was embarrassed to say even a word in English in case I made a mistake, but now I’m much more confident."

Nedim Ulusik

General English

A qualified and experienced electrical engineer, 28 year old Nedim has already spent four years studying and four years working in the field. Hailing from Istanbul, Turkey, he has recently come to New Zealand in order to give his engineering career an extra boost.

"In order to progress further in my job I need to be able to speak English. I have never learned English at all, so I decided the best way to do it would be to spend a year studying in an English-speaking country. I chose New Zealand because of its clean, green and safe image and my agent recommended Fern as a great place to study.

"I couldn't speak any English at all when I arrived here so I couldn't understand much. Thankfully after about a month things started getting easier and I made friends and started to settle in. I am really happy to be learning English and Fern is a very good language school."

Saeko Kuze

English for Hospitality

Saeko works in the family business – her father owns a very successful cake shop in Kyoto, Japan. With an increasing number of foreign customers, Saeko was keen to brush up on her English and her customer service skills. The 12-week English for Hospitality course at FERN was the perfect solution.

"It's a great course. My teacher is very nice and the class is very exciting because we do lots of practical activities such as making coffees and cocktails. We've also done some cooking and visited hotels and restaurants.

"I'm learning such a lot of useful stuff, such as how to serve customers properly and what is required in specific hospitality jobs. My English is improving, and so is my confidence. I feel that when I go back to Japan I'll be much better at serving my dad's customers!"