INTERNATIONAL @TBC

“Throughout 2007, TBC has hosted a number of fee-paying International Students from a few diverse countries – Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan & Vietnam. Although a small proportion of our College community, International Students can have a significant impact on the exposure of our local students to different cultures, languages and customs. For our students, our future, to be successful in the ‘Global Village’, opportunities for Internationalisation are essential…” Enough of my formal marketing blurb! I hand over to the students to report upon another busy and exciting year at TBC!                    Mr. McGrath, Director of International Students

Comments from a few of our International leavers, 2007:

  Anderson Nam, Yr13

I have studied at Tauranga Boys’ College for over 3 years. I am from Korea. New Zealand was recommended to me as a place to gain a better quality education. I arrived in New Zealand with my auntie and although my Auntie’s family went to Auckland after a year, I decided to stay in Tauranga. I live with a Homestay family and I am very happy with the atmosphere, the school and the environment surrounding me. I think I have made the correct decision by coming to Tauranga Boys’ College in New Zealand. I have met many friends from different countries and I have improved my English very much. I have enjoyed going on trips with the International Department to places like Rotorua and the beach and playing soccer against local school International teams. This is my last year in Tauranga and Tauranga Boys’ College. When I leave I expect to come back to New Zealand, back to this amazing place sometime in the future.

  Moritz Melchior, Yr12

In February I arrived in Tauranga, it was a hot day and after the long and tiring flight from Germany I just wanted to sleep! My English was improving faster than I expected and after two or three weeks I spoke more confident and better. Then the first Term of school started and I had to go to school. Before that life was not much different than in Germany, except for the good weather, but the school was something completely new for me. It was hard to get used to the uniform and there were no girls at Tauranga Boys’ College, but I enjoyed other things for example my subject Outdoor Education, and the school camps with the International class or sport teams! Now I have been here for almost 6 month and I am half way through my year and experienced many new things such as diving and surfing. Sometimes things were a bit difficult but most of the time I simply enjoyed it!

Report from the International Head Boy – Ben (Liang Yu) AN, Yr13:

To be a student leader of Tauranga Boys’ College International Department, I feel really honored and I am proud of it. I have been studying in Tauranga Boys’ College for five years now, I have met lots of students and made lots of friends from so many different countries, most of them were nice, friendly and kind. From the first day I arrived at Tauranga Boys’ College, all of the staff members have been very kind to me, they have shown me lots of warmth and welcome. They looked after me very well. There were lots of activities that the International Department has organised for international students in Tauranga Boys’ College, such as taking us to lunch every last day of the term. New students could go to the restaurants that they have never been also they could also make friends by these activities. We also had trips to some other cities around the North Island. It is a really good chance to take the students to places they have never been and seen the view they never seen before. Tauranga Boys’ College has also often organised social afternoons (tea or sports) with other schools around Tauranga. It is also a very good chance and activity for students to see international students in Tauranga. These activities that the international department has organized are always very fun and I have always enjoyed them.