Today Nicole our Homestay Coordinator took some time to have a chat with Alexis – our Happy Student this month
Alexis started his English course in November and was happy to answer some of Nicole’s questions.
- Tell us a little about yourself:
I am from Switzerland, the French part. I was born and raised in Geneva and this is the first time in my life, that I have left Europe. I am 22 years old and have some family in Italy. Most of my holidays I spent there but my Italian is still quite bad. I understand more than I speak! Apart from Italy, I have only visited Belgium. I am very excited to be “at the end of the world” in Australia!
2. Why did you choose Byron Bay?
First, I wanted to go to Canada. But I choose not to be vaccinated and I was not allowed to travel there. Australia opened the borders for unvaccinated travelers and some of my friends who have been there, have only said positive things. So I thought, I apply for the Working Holiday Visa and see, if they would accept me. They granted my Visa and I couldn’t be more excited to spend a year in such a beautiful country.
I choose to come to Byron, because I prefer the smaller towns and I heard there was a lot of Live Music and some great Pubs! As of now, I am very happy with my decision.
3. What were your weaknesses in English, before you came to Australia? Tell me more about your teachers and classes.
My English vocabulary is quite limited and I need to work on my pronunciation. I really like the sound of the happy Aussie accent and I am trying to adapt it. My goal is to speak English more fluently. I don’t want to think about how to express myself and I am hoping, that eventually the English language will come naturally. My teachers are great! I am super happy with Maya and Josie. It is great to have two different teachers, it gives me the opportunity to improve and to learn from two different teaching styles. My classmates are great, we are always having so much fun. I need to be careful not to be too distracted.
4. What are your favourite things to do in Byron Bay?
There is a lot of Live Music in Byron Bay. The school is close to town and I can walk everywhere. There are so many different restaurants and food options, also I love the Australian pubs! The Rails is one of my favourite pubs in Byron. I am always happy, going there and a lot of my classmates love to join me. I never sit alone for long 😀
5. What is your most magical moment in Byron Bay?
I had a massive jetlag when I arrived in Australia. The first 3 days were the worst. When I arrived at my host family in the middle of the night, the Host Karen greeted me and she even offered me something to eat. I did not expected this. After sleeping for only 3 hours I wandered to the Main beach in Byron and there was this guy playing guitar and singing some songs. It was such a great moment for me. I felt like I arrived in a beautiful place and talked to a few locals. Everybody is so friendly and happy to talk to me. They genuinely want to know my story, I really like that.
6. What do you like the most about Lexis in Byron Bay?
I love the amazing Energy/Atmosphere here. Everyone is always friendly and has time for a chat. The activity program is awesome! So many cool things to do in Byron. I also love, that the school is central and I can walk everywhere.
7. What is your advice for someone, who is thinking about enrolling at Lexis in Byron Bay?
Please do it! I believe the best way to improve English, is to live with native speakers. You are forced to use the language and learn way more, than studying it in your home country. If you decide to come to Australia/ Byron make sure you book your accommodation, I didn’t know, that it is that difficult to find a place to live. Luckily Nicole could help me out! Also, you will make a lot of friends from all around the world. Speaking as much English as possible will help you to improve your English language.
If you want to find out more about the Solar Train, click here
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE, and English plus Surfing in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
