How I became an international student in Australia
Introduction
Starting my life as an international student was, without exaggeration, a challenge. Not because it was difficult for me to learn English, but because I had become accustomed to the freedom that the Working Holiday (WH) visa provided me.
Freedom with the Working Holiday Visa
With the WH, I had the freedom to live wherever I wanted in Australia. Therefore, she had chosen to live in small towns or remote areas, where there were no people who spoke Spanish. This immersion in the local culture helped me enormously to improve my English, however, my working holiday was only for one year.
Decision to Become an International Student
After having traveled quite a bit around the country, the time came when I had to make the decision to apply for an international student visa. I couldn't extend my WH (I didn't meet the age requirement) or look for a sponsor because my career in Chile didn't help me with immigration procedures. So the only option was to become a student.
The 20 Week English Course
The English course that I contracted was 20 weeks, so that I could strengthen myself in grammar issues, and thus continue with a Diploma in hospitality. That was the first idea and it was the easiest option at that time because I had been working in hospitality for a year and already knew the vocabulary.
Visa Change and Preparations
In order to change my visa, I contacted a study agency in Melbourne. They advised me on the documents I needed and showed me what my best options were at that time. It is worth mentioning that it is very important to be alert to changes in the government regulation Subclass 500 Student visa ( homeaffairs.gov.au ), that is the link for you to review.
The course I took cost me 4,400 Australian dollars at that time, plus visa, plus health insurance. Since I knew I was going to be a student, I paid everything in advance. When I was backpacking, although I traveled and had a great time, I dedicated myself to saving as much as I could, because I didn't want to be stressed about money issues in my student life, without thinking that a pandemic would come.
Studying English Online
Experience with the English Course
I studied when COVID-19 was starting, a strange time with unique challenges since there was not much information about what would happen. However, circumstances have changed significantly since then, and English schools are prepared to modify courses if necessary, so your experience will be different.
After three months of studying online, since they canceled in-person classes. I was very frustrated and disappointed because I invested a lot of money for in-person classes, not online, and I feel that the school did not provide the best service.
We were few students, so the school mixed the courses. There were basic level students with advanced level students, so the classes were sometimes slow and boring for me.
Learning and Conclusion
Without lying to you, you learn much more by living day to day, sharing time with people who really speak the language than in school. Why you might ask? There are many Latino students and there are schools that have Latino English teachers teaching the language. I'm not saying they are bad, but real Australian English is quite different from what appears in books.
In my opinion, there is not much difference between studying English in your country and in Australia. The big difference is going to be in the amount of money you are going to have to pay for your classes.
In the end, I can say that I was lucky. My teacher was Australian, so I continued to improve my hearing.
At the end of my course, I took with me not only a bit of improvement in my English, but also wonderful friendships that I still keep in touch with. Some of these people have become lifelong friends. Even though we don't see each other often, they always hold a special place in my mind and heart.
Remember, every experience is unique and what worked or didn't work for me might be different for you. Good luck!
The Best of the English Course
The teacher was Australian, so my ear continued to learn. He was super committed to his students and supported me in everything.
Have the possibility of having colleagues from different countries.
The school wasn't that far from the city, so it was easy to get around.
The Bad Things about the English Course
The school mixed students of all levels. Remember that I studied in times of COVID.
I didn't know much about the school I chose, since I went with what the agency told me. Always search, ask, email or ask another student.
I was not in a good mental attitude to start classes again.
Tip to Strengthen your English
The main advice I can give you is to immerse yourself in the language you are studying. They have to enjoy it, with this they will retain the information. Laughing and making mistakes is part of learning. Maybe this article .
Many times we put pressure on ourselves or feel bad because we get carried away by what others think and it really doesn't matter. As long as you feel comfortable, there is no problem. If they don't understand you, repeat it in another way or explain it in another way. Here I realized that the people who really care about you are going to help you. Get out of your comfort zone, it is the only way to face fears of the language.
They won't make fun of you, maybe they'll laugh at the way the word sounds, but they'll always tell you "you're doing great, keep going." They hopefully know a language and we, our brain is between two languages or more.
I know that, for us who are from other countries, many times there are words that we cannot pronounce well because it is difficult to imitate the sound. However, try explaining in different ways or imitating people until that word comes out.
Share your Experiences
Have you had any similar experiences when changing from a free lifestyle to a more structured one like that of a student? How did you handle it? Share your experiences in the comments!
March 2020 | Western Australia
