Intermediate students hit the Byron farmers market this morning to enjoy the first sunny day of spring. Students had a great time checking out the local produce as well as practising their English in a real context - interviewing local shoppers and finding out from growers about their different products….and doing some shopping!
Reggaefest hits Byron this September.
The best Reggae artists from all over the world are
coming to Byron to chill you out!
Early bird tickets on sale now –
Come and see us at Reception for more info..
On chilly winter mornings, everone is keen to get out in the sunshine, and we don’t always have to be in a classroom to speak English. Every Thursday there are farmers’ markets in Byron Bay, and many local farmers bring in their freshest, most delicious food. There’s also plenty of music to keep people entertained, and snack food and coffee if you just want to relax.
This week, two classes took advantage of the chance to practice their English by chatting to native speakers at the markets: the Upper-Intermediate students and the Pre-Intermediate students.
Students were interviewed for a documentary about Byron Bay...Are you guys ready to be famous?
You're supposed to be looking at the other camera!
Ready to ask the difficult questions...
Are you ready to ROCK?! No? Me, neither. Let's just chill out to these guys...
One of the 'fruit' stalls. Very flat, very colourful, and very chewy fruit.
With June, comes winter in Australia, and winter in Byron Bay is one of the best times of the year to visit. Sure, summer is nice, too, but in winter it’s still warm enough to hang around the beach and go swimming or surfing. Last weekend our FCE teacher, Andrew, was out in the sun with his camera to photograph Byron Bay delivering its typical, warm weather.
The beach at Suffolk Park
At Suffolk Park beach.
Heading for better waves at Broken Head, the beach next to Suffolk Park.
The Wreck, next to main beach, is popular for snorkelling, swimming and sunbathing.
Hey Everyone!!
We are going to run soccer matches every Thursday evening from now on. Get down to the Byron Fields at 5:30pm on Thursdays and come and play with some local Byron soccer stars!
This is a great chance to meet new people, practise your English and of course become soccer superstars!
Meet at the Byron fields at 5:30. Bring shoes and a smile!
Have you ever wondered what the difference in the nights sky is between the northern and southern hemispheres? 
Come down on Thursday night to have a look at the wonderful sky and stars. Phil will be down with his HUGE telescope!
We’ve had a couple of rainy days here and a few students have been asking what to do instead of lying on the beautiful beaches. Here are some ideas!
Shop Til You Drop
Jonson Street is Byron Bay’s main thoroughfare, and it’s brimming with boutiques, home wares, jewellery, antiques and galleries offering the handiwork of local artists. Have a walk around some of the side streets and you might discover some other shopping gems.
Escape with a Movie
If you’ve been swimming, walking and keeping active for days, there’s no better change of scene than a good movie. The Byron Lounge Cinema is housed in the Old Piggery building, and features a choice of upright or fully reclined seating. There are several sessions a day, and a varied program of recent releases and art house classics. If you come into the office we can give you special GV Byron Bay tickets!
Learn Something New
Several venues in the Bryon region offer short courses (days or hours) in yoga, massage and painting. What better place to get in touch with your arty side or discover your inner Picasso, than in the creative, alternative lifestyle embracing Byron Bay.
Get Pampered
Why not indulge with a relaxing, rejuvenating body treatment? There’s the choice of small local masseuse or resort day spa. Treat your face, body, hands and feet with any of a myriad of wonderful treatments on offer.
Dine Decadently
With casual beach cafes, pub bistros, fine dining restaurants and eclectic eateries on the menu, there’s no better place than Byron Bay to become a food critic for a day. Why not devote some time to getting to know the best spots for a sumptuous breakfast, leisurely lunch or delicious three course dinner! There are plenty of international cuisines and vegetarian options available, so there’s sure to be something you’ll rave about.
And finally, Byron Bay is all about anything goes, and that includes doing nothing at all. If you’ve been seeing the sights, or been swimming your days away and dancing till dawn, then take a day to lay about with a good book. Just look up now and again for those beautiful Byron views.
Hi Guys….
If anyone is looking to perfect their camera skills check this out!
PASSPORT. CHECK. AIRLINE TICKET. CHECK. GLOBAL VILLAGE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL STUDY ITINERARY. CHECK. CAMERA. CHECK.
Capture your enviable Byron Bay living and learning experience with a short course in Photography here.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY 1 – Commences 27 April and 2 May
5 Week short course, one am or pm class offered per week.
| Here it is folks, the final artist announcement for Bluesfest 2011. If you are interested in any of the people playing or the schedule just click on the blue words!
As you can see, they’ve definitely saved some of the best till last with these stellar talented musicians, so if you weren’t excited before, you will be now! Tickets for Thursday 21 April and Tuesday 26 April are still available – dont miss out, the clock is ticking and it’s only a week until Bluesfest finally kicks off! The whole lineup has become picture perfectly clear with the COMPLETE official downloadable Bluesfest Playing Schedule is now online. That means you can now make all those big decisions and plan your final Bluesfest itinerary. Check it out for all artist times and stages – download it, print it out, circle your options – get set to make sure your Bluesfest 2011 experience is all set to go in glorious fashion! Please note that on Tuesday April 26 Bluesfest will open its doors at 11am, music starts at 2pm and finishes at 10pm, allowing everyone to get home in plenty of time for school the next day. |
Grab your tickets now for Thursday 21 and Tuesday April 26.
The FINAL Bluesfest announcement for 2011 includes:
Warren Haynes, Clare Bowditch, Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Frank Yamma, Neil Murray, Shane Nicholson, Buddy Knox, Lisa Miller,
Louis King and the Liars Klub, Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson,Grace Barbe Afro Kreol, Ajak Kwai, The Blackwater Fever, Bobby Long, Secret Sisters, Nga Tae, Collard Greens and Gravy, Old Spice Boys, Victor Valdes & the Marin Brothers, Raghu Dixit, Jackson Firebird,Hank Green’s Blues, Joewah, A French Butler Called Smith, U Blues Band, Microwave Jenny, Kingfisha, Mojo Bluesmen, Bob Abbot & the Fabulous Green Machine, Transvaal Diamond Syndicate PLUS The Incredible Sky Pilots Plasticiens Volants
Woohoo!! It’s that time of the year again. The Bluesfest!! Yay!! With Bob Dylan and countless other internationally renowned and amazing musicians! Calling all students.. if you have a fixed address in Byron when you go to the ticket office show that you are a resident here and you will be delighted to see that you can get some very good discounts on tickets. If you have any questions just come and ask Justin or Kate in the office .
I highly recommend that you go along to at least one of the days.. it’s a great day, wonderful music, and a peaceful wonderful atmosphere. Remember, six GV students will be working at the festival, so when you go don’t forget to wave and smile! See you all there…
A fantastic today was had today! We all the had the wonderful experience of being part of Lucas Proudfoot’s world famous show. Lots of the guys got to learn the didge and the girls kept the rhythm. Lucas really did us proud, explaining the history of Byron and of the aboriginal instruments. Followed by “kangabanga’s” (kangaroo burgers) and a couple of cold beers.. the day couldn’t have been more perfect.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Our resident chef Bec got into the swing of things with the students this afternoon and made a batch of delicious pancakes!
Delicious! Thanks Bec’s!!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Check out this weeks jobs in Byron!
Munch Juice Bar: Requires a front of house person with drivers licence, duties incluse coffee making, juices, smoothies, cash handling. Please come in with resume.
Au Pair: Long term, live-in fem required, 25- 30hpw, full accom and meals in a lovely home Suffolk Park, to help with newborn, 3yo boy & housework. To apply email details to: info@massagegear.com.au
Kinoko Japanese Restaurant: Experienced and qualified chef for full time work Email asadleibo@gmail.com
Shop assistant: Required part time for retail shop: Call 0432 332 127
Gardener: with excellent gardening knowledge. Mature age person, email details: rmcewen@ozemail.com.au
Full time chef: Start now in organic cafe in Mullum. Exp in wholefood vego cooking a must. Reliable, committed, long term. All resumes to: Mullum Santos Juice Bar
Au Pair: Long term, live-in fem required, 25- 30hpw, full accom and meals in a lovely home Suffolk Park, to help with newborn, 3yo boy & housework. To apply email details to: info@massagegear.com.au
Today I caught up with Bruno.. This is what he had to say about his time with us at GV Byron. 
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are from…
My name is Bruno and I’m from the south of Brazil, a place called Blumanau which is a biggish city, kind of the same size as the Gold Coast.
What did you do back at home and what made you decide to come to Australia?
In Brazil I worked a technical assistant for Hyundai and studied at University doing a degree in Business Administration. I decided to come to Australia because when I was in Brazil people told me that there weren’t so many Brazilians in Byron. I also wanted to come to a smaller size city to enjoy the life and natural beauty that being in a small city offers.
How long have you been at GV Byron and what are you studying?
I am currently in the Upper Intermediate class! I started in the pre-intermediate class with almost no English and now I’ve got pretty amazing English!
I like this school. The people here are always happy and very kind. The teacher’s work very hard and really prepare their lessons well. They really take the time to consider my needs and to help me with the ideas that I struggle with. There is a great downstairs area, there is a place for lunch, games, relax, study , the internet and even a Wii console!!. Really… it’s nice.
I have enjoyed it so much here because of all these reasons that I have told a good friend of mine to come to GV Byron Bay and not to go to any other school because this is such a wonderful place. Everything for me is PERFECT! … and even better, I know my English is getting better.
What do you plan to do when you have completed your studies with us?
When I finish here I will go around Australia for a month and then maybe I will go to Indonesia.
What has been the single best moment that you have experienced since you joined GV Byron?
Wow. This is such a hard question as there have been so many good moments. Actually, there really isn’t specific moment. Meeting the teachers, Justin and Kate has been great fun. I really like the student house because I have a lot of friends that visit me there; we can practice English as the rule is to speak English when we are in the house. It’s a nice house, close to the beach and the bottle shop.
Is there anything you’d like to add??
I would like to tell everyone to enjoy your time in Byron it’s an unforgettable time!!
Three legends of the music industry, Bob Dylan, BB King and Elvis Costello have been pre-announced as the headliners for the Byron Bay Bluesfest in April this year. This year several GV Byron Bay students will be working at the festival (thanks to teacher Andrew’s inside knowledge!) and we highly recommend that you all go and check it out!
There will be absolutely stellar performances by hundreds of world-famous acts. For more information on how to go, or even how to volunteer to work at the fest check out http://www.bluesfest.com.au/news/
Today is gorgeous!! Stunning sunshine, crystal clear blue waters and a beautiful sea breeze! A perfect day for a tour of Byron Bays historic lighthouse! Check out the photos below..
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Hi Everyone,
Just a reminder about Phil’s great star night on the 13th March. Phil knows more about the stars than anyone we have met, so go along and find out about the great southern sky!
We all had a beautiful day snorkeling with Turtles, loads of different types of fish and a few friendly Leopard sharks!
Check out the photos below!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
On Friday night this week SAE is holding a party with DJ’s and a live band and GV is invited!! This should be a good fun evening where you will be able to meet lots of people and other students from Byron and around the world.
The party will be held at:
The Byron Entertainment Centre (where we go for the circus)
17 Centennial Circuit
Arts and Industry Park
It’s FREE ENTRY!!!
Drinks can be bought from the bar (NOT BYO)
7pm to 1am
See you there!
On Friday night, Phil, our beloved bicycle man very kindly donated his time and telescope to show the students the great southern hemisphere and the associated stars and planets. This is always a great event and very interesting and Phil is incredibly knowledgable.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
As this was such a great event we will be running this monthly, so don’t forget to check it out on your activities schedule for next month~!
Hi Everyone,
If anyone is interested in studying photography check this out.
INTRODUCING NEW SHORT COURSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
10% DISCOUNT OFFER TO GLOBAL VILLAGE STUDENTS*
Introduction to Photography 1 – commences 28 February
Introduction to Photoretouching using Photoshop – commences 2 March
Introduction to Graphic Design for Photographers – commences 4 May
Enrollments closing soon for
Film|Documentary Directions – commencing 14 February
visit byronbay.saeshortcourses.com for course information or contact Course Coordinato
This Saturday, SAE one of the most famous and highly regarded Audio Engineering and Film production institutes in the world is having an open day. There will be studio tours, Live music and an overview of their academic programme. If any GV students are interested, go and check it out from 11- 3pm on Saturday.
SAE and GV Byron Bay have started to work together and if you are a GV student you will be able to get a 10% discount off any short course price. Any questions, just ask Justin!
SAE Institute Byron Bay is having an Open Day on Saturday January 30th from 11am – 3pm, and our doors are open to anyone who would like to come check out our campus, inspect our world-class facilities or meet our friendly staff (including our Academic team who will be available to chat about all the Higher Education pathways that we have on offer).
Budding audio engineers and producers can get a taste of what it’s like to study our Bachelor of Audio Production. We’ll have students and staff on hand, recording Foley and ADR for a motion picture, recording live drums, mixing tracks, and creating beats in our extensive MIDI suite.
Aspiring filmmakers can take part in demonstrations of professional digital video camera techniques, Steadicams and doorway dolly’s, matte painting, compositing, motion tracking, colour grading end editing. There will also be opportunity to visit our Green Screen facility, where an on-set shoot will be taking place.
Today is a very special day for our Spanish student Antonio and Swiss student Marcel as it is their Birthday. As always we celebrate our students birthdays with cake and song..
Happy Birthday Antonio and Marcel from all us here at GV Byron
Yesterday we were blessed with the most beautiful weather for a lighthouse tour. We saw dolphins, turtles and rays from the top of the stunning Byron Bay Lighthouse. Our next tour is on Thursday 13th January 2011. Come to the office and book with Kate for some fantastic photo opportunities.
Damian caught up with me this morning to have a chat about his experience of the FCE preparation course and his life in Byron Bay. Damian was an absolute pleasure to have in the school and is always a very charming and humourous student. Thanks for sharing Damian.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are from…
My name is Damian and I am from a small village in Switzerland near Luzern.
What did you do back at home and what made you decide to come to Australia?
In Switzerland I was a employee in an insurance company as an apprentice. I decided to come to Australia to take a break after my education and to improve my English.
How long have you been at GV Byron and what are you studying?
I studied at GV Byron Bay for 12 weeks in the FCE preparation course. It was extremely interesting and I learnt a lot of things. It was interesting because I met a lot of people from all over the world and we had a chance to share our own cultures with each other which was very nice.
My teacher was Andrew. I would really like to say that he is the best teacher I have had. He is a very motivating teacher, lively with a great sense of humour and terrible fashion sense! (although, we have now bought him a beautiful island shirt and he looks much better!)
What do you plan to do when you have completed your studies with us?
I finished two days ago and I am now going to enjoy my time in Byron Bay for the next three weeks. After that I will spend a week in Sydney and then very sadly I have to say good bye to Australia and go back to the snow and the cold.
What has been the single best moment that you have experienced since you joined GV Byron?
Wow. This is such a hard question as there have been so many good moments. Actually, there really isn’t specific moment. I have enjoyed meeting people from all over the world so much as it has opened my mind and my world the different opportunities that exist on this lovely planet.
What is your favourite place in Byron?
Probably the lighthouse or the rails (and I don’t drink!!) There is some great live bands playing every night and it’s good to go and hang out with your friends after studying all day!
Is there anything you’d like to add??
I would like to tell everyone to have the time of your life in the most easterly point of Australia at GV Byron Bay!
Today I caught up with some of our students to talk about their experiences of working in Byron. This is what they had to say….
From top left – Ben, Daniel, Aron, Rio and Filipe.
Work Testimonials:
Filipe Augusto Ribeiro,
Hi I’m Filipe from Brazil. I have been studying in the Intermediate General English class for the last two months and have really enjoyed my time here. I have had several jobs since I’ve been in Byron and right now I have two jobs.
My first job is at the Pacific Italian Restaurant where I work as a kitchen hand and I do this a few nights a week. This is a cool job for me as I am a chef at home in Brazil and it’s interesting to work in a kitchen in a different country as things in the kitchen are done quite differently.
The other job I have is as a rickshaw driver. This job is great fun, I really like this job as i get to improve my English skills and make money. It is lots of fun as everyone talks (usually in English) to me and I get to meet people from all around the world. It is often funny as people talk to me and tell me crazy things but are always very nice. They can be quite hard to understand when they are very drunk, but it’s always friendly.
This is my last week at the school and after this I will have another job to go to as a kitchen hand in another restaurant!
Daniel Feas.
Hi I’m Daniel from Spain/ Switzerland. I have been studying at GV Byron Bay for the last three months doing the FCE preparation course. I will be in Byron for another month and then am off to Perth to study the CAE preparation course for ten weeks!
I am just about to start a new job this weekend in Byron. Since my family is Spanish I speak fluent Spanish. I grew up in Switzerland so I also speak fluent French and of course my English is great! (Thanks GV!) This means that I am pretty much tri-lingual. Happily I have found a job where I can put my language skills to use. I am going to be a tour guide in Byron, taking people around Byron Bay and showing them different areas and the different activities that one can do in Byron, from Kayaking, to dolphin watching, the lighthouse etc etc. I can’t wait to start as it will be a great way to practise my language skills and meet lots of new people.
Ben- Sang Il Byun.
Hi I’m Ben from Korea. I have been studying General English as GV Byron for two months in the upper intermediate class. Today is my last day at school, and it has been great as I have learnt a lot and found the job workshop to be really useful.
At the moment I am working as a kitchen hand for “Red, Hot and Green” a cafe in town. I work four days a week for three hours a day which fits in perfectly with my study. Last month I had a different job, which Justin found for me. This was an interesting job. I had to ring doctors in Korea from Byron Bay and interview them and then collate the results for the marketing team for the company I worked for. I really liked this job as it was quite relaxed!
Aron – Young – Sik
Hi, I’m Aron from Korea. I have been studying at GV in the General English course for the last ten weeks.
At the moment I have a small part-time job working for GV, helping the staff move furniture around and set up and close the school. This is a great job as it doesn’t take much time but I work every day! It also helps keep me very fit which is nice!
Rio- Jong Ha Lee
Hi, I’m Rio from Korea! I have been studying at GV Byron for 14 weeks and will be here for another 36 weeks! I’m very excited today as I just got a new job which I start tonight working for Why Not Cafe.
I will be working as a Kitchen Hand which will be a new experience for me. I think it will be a great experience as I will have to practise my English and earn money at the same time
We have a very special treat for the students on Monday Night. Phil, our beloved bicycle man, is coming to the school at 8pm. Phil is an avid star watcher and has a huge telescope which he is going to bring so that everyone can see the night sky in great detail.
He has very kindly offered to teach everyone about the southern night sky. This will be a beautiful evening and it is amazing to be able to see the stars and planets so clearly through the telescope! An event not to be missed.
It looks like the weather is going to be perfect this weekend!
Have a look at the list below to see what fun things you can do in Byron for the weekend!
Some great things happening tonight. Don’t forget that you can all get free entry into Cheeky Monkeys with your GV Byron Bay green wristbands, cheap beer and $5 meals. Only available for GV Byron Bay students.
Friday Night:
More great live local music this Friday. This time we have Engine 37 at the Hotel Great Northern. They put on one hell of a good show so come check it out!
Beach Hotel – Redback City and Zahlu and The Alchemists.
Treehouse – Robert Owen Campell- Very nice tunes
and don’t to get out and about to try and spot the Oprah Winfrey Crew!
Saturday:
Beach Hotel – The Vauderville Smash
The Rails – Byron
Cheeky Monkeys, Ladies night.
Enjoy folks!!
Calling all students. Keep a careful eye out around town today as you might see Oprah Winfrey! Her entourage have already been out Kayaking with GV’s Kayaking team and rumours are about that drinks will be had in the top pub!
Good luck with stat spotting!
We had a very special treat on Saturday with over 50 students from Taiwan coming down to visit us and have a BBQ at the beach with GV Byron students.
It was a beautiful day, and lots of fun was had. Frisbee, volleyball, sausages, salad, sun and a wonderfully warm ocean all contributed to making it a brilliant day. With over 100 students there, the Chefs were very busy. Thanks to all for making it such a nice time, and to our Taiwanese friends, check us out on facebook and keep in touch!
Melbourne cup madness! We had an excellent day for the Melbourne Cup! Each class started the day with presenting us with a poster with a crab from every country on it and its “form”, which was hilarious. Crab racing then ensued! The winning crab was from Switzerland!
After crab racing we then had a lovely relaxing BBQ until the main event which was of course the race. One of our students was very lucky and won over $400. Well done Damian.
Everyone really got into the spirit of things and looked fantastic as you can see from the photos. We had two particular “best dressed” winners on the day, Mori, in a beautiful three piece suit and Yuka. It was a really fun day! Thanks to you all!
I caught up with two of our students today to have a quick chat about their lives here…
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are from?
Hi I’m Gabriel from Belo Horizonte in Brazil.
What did you do back at home and what made you decide to come to Australia?
At home in Brazil I used to study at university, studying civil engineering. I came to Australia because I had heard that Byron Bay is a beautiful and very relaxing place. My sister used to live here as well, about three years ago and she really enjoyed it here. I really wanted to go to a place which was different from my home in Brazil; a small friendly town sounded really good to me and very different from where I live in Brazil
How long have you been at GV Byron and what are you studying?
I have been here for three months and I’m studying the FCE.
What do you plan to do when you have completed your studies with us?
I’m not totally sure but I hope to travel around Australia and then go to New Zealand to spend a few weeks and then.. HOME!
What has been the single best moment that you have experienced since you joined GV Byron?
The teachers are very friendly, open people. They are more than teachers to me; they have really become my friends which is a really special experience. The students who come to GV are really open to one another, and it is a really wonderful chance to make some great friends. The location of the school is great, it’s really quiet and it’s really easy to relax here.
What is your favourite place in Byron?
My favourite place in Byron is the beach.. of course! I’m a surfer… but I also have to say I really like the school. I spend most of my days at the school and I really like it. I can give you a good example, I had a week vacation between English courses and I still came to school every day even when I was on holiday, which just goes to show how much I like it here.
and Eva….!
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are from…
My name is Eva and I come from Hamburg, Germany
What did you do back at home and what made you decide to come to Australia?
I have just finished high school in Germany. I came to Australia primarily to learn English, as it the lingua franca of the world nowadays. I also wanted to have to experience a different lifestyle and see the world through different eyes before I started University.
I especially wanted to come to Byron Bay, as it’s a really famous place; my agent told me that Byron is a wonderful place to study. I thought it was a really good idea to come to a relaxing, quiet place to live and to work and to experience the world around me.. and so far it’s been perfect!
How long have you been at GV Byron and what are you studying?
I am in the CAE class, and have been studying for two months so far.
What do you plan to do when you have completed your studies with us?
I finish in the middle of December and when I have finished studying here I will travel for five weeks around Australia.
What has been the single best moment that you have experienced since you joined GV Byron?
I can’t really speak about one experience as I have really enjoyed my time in general here. What I can say is that I am really impressed with how accessible the staff at the school has been. The student support has been excellent. Everyone, from the teachers, to the student services to the academic management has been approachable, kind and attentive. I have felt very comfortable in discussing any issues that have arisen and all of the staff have done their very best to support me.
The activities have also been really fun. The school itself is great for example; the student lounge is fun, and it’s a good place to chill out. The classrooms are all new and that makes for a good environment to study in. One of the best days was when we went Kayaking and I could see lots of dolphin and whales!! Amazing!!
What is your favourite place in Byron?
The beach of course!!! Clarks beach is beautiful, the ocean and waves are amazing.
Is there anything you’d like to add??
I have to say that life here has been really nice. The beach is beautiful, the people are open and friendly and it feels very different from Hamburg. It is quite an alternative culture in Byron, but it a very positive one and it really good for me, I think, to experience a different way of thinking..
We had a wonderful surprise this morning. Juan (our very infamous Spanish fire fighter!) came back to say hello with wine and flowers!
Juan studied with us almost ten months ago in the CAE class and was an absolutely brilliant student who used to make us all laugh. Not only did we get to have the pleasure of his company, but he tells me that his sister will come and join us in December! We all look forward to that!
Thanks for coming back and saying hello Juan. You really made our day…
Mori our resident Sushi Guru made us all some incredibly tasty Sushi. Mori’s sushi is now world-famous and people are talking about it from Colombia to Zürich to Taipei! Thanks for all your hard work Mori!
Fe who studied with us here at GV Byron Bay for six months and lived in the student house for all of that time left us with an amazing present on the student house wall. It’s such a special thing and we all thank you for the time and care that you put into that Fe. I hope life back in Rio is fine and you aren’t missing us too much!
This is what Fe had to say about her gift “
I was talking to some of our students yesterday and one comment really struck me as a really nice reflection and which I wanted to share with you all. We were talking about the school and Byron and Jong had this to say about his experience studying with us here.
“One of the best things about coming to GV is the environment of the school itself. Since the school is quite small, it really feels friendly. I have been here for only 3 weeks so far, and I’ve met so many people from all over the world. I’m spending time with Koreans, Swiss, French, Japanese, Italians, Colombians, Brazilians, Spanish, and Taiwanese. It’s quite amazing to have this chance to meet so many different cultures.”
“I joined this school to improve my English and am currently studying at the lower intermediate level. The class is really small and very friendly and I feel like I really belong. Because of this I am having a much better time in Byron than I ever expected, as I have made lots of friends already. I was really nervous before I arrived here, as I was worried that I would be lonely, but the total opposite is true. I think it’s because we are all in the same position, and so even though we are from different countries, we are all living the same new experience. Which makes it a really caring and fun environment”
Thanks for sharing Jong . Great to hear that you are having fun here.
Yesterday was a beautiful day and to celebrate the arrival of our new Cambridge and General English course students we had a lovely BBQ.
After a hard day of language testing a snag and a beer were well deserved! It’s great to meet you all. If there is any way that we can help you whilst you are here please drop into the office anytime!
Spring in all its joys is here. Rothy, our beloved teacher Andrew’s mother, took our students down to the beach to build a labyrinth. (Another new word for the vocabulary book!) I’m told that this is an ancient ritual originating from ancient Crete taking the form of an elaborate structure designed somewhat like a maze, but with a clear pathway.
These days. labyrinths can be thought of as symbolic forms of pilgrimage; people can walk the path, ascending toward salvation or enlightenment! So.. (after that explanation I hope you are still all with me!) we went down to the beach to make a labyrinth, which was lots of fun, and appreciated not only by the students but also by walkers by. Thanks very much Rothy, we hope the path to enlightenment is now more clear!
Spring seems to be here with some wonderfully warm and beautiful days. To celebrate this (and of course to try to see any Whales that might be lurking) we went up to the lighthouse.
The lighthouse tour is always really fun. We get to go inside the actual lighthouse and the tour guides are typically funny Aussies. And.. we saw Whales! Yay!
On a beautiful Friday afternoon for the last day of our junior Japanese school group tour the ice cream truck dropped round!
Wonderful!!
As tensions have been running high around the ping pong table over the last few weeks, we took the school down to the local tennis club to see who the real “Tennis” champion is..
Although everyone participated and had lots of fun, Marcelo, Hideki and Keisuke showed us all how the game should really be played! Good on you guys!!
We look forward to round two….
This afternoon we went up the lighthouse to do the tour.This is always an interesting experience as the tour guides are both informed about Byron’s history and also very funny!
The afternoon shaped up into a lovely day after we got there. Incredibly enough there were quite a few whales, which you can see the very top of in one of the photos!
Good fun was had by all… Don’t forget guys.. surfing today!
This is a great week for art on the beach. The beachfront in Byron will be displaying art sculptures from local, national and international artists.
Check out: http://www.artscapebiennial.org/#
“artsCape Biennial”, is an exhibition of environmental sculpture situated within the beautiful beachside parklands in the heart of Byron Bay. It is a free 16 day outdoor sculpture event. Get down to the beach this weekend and check it out! There is an offical opening for artsCape at the Beach Hotel on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. See you all there!
One of our Spanish students is an incredibly talented flamenco singer who I had the great fortune of listening to on Saturday night. Sergio is going to play again, at the Buddha Bar on Monday night from 6pm. I highly recommend that we all go down and watch him and his “right handed” flamenco guiaritst.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear some brilliant music.
Will see you there Sergio!
Thinking of doing other things aside from walking down the beautiful beaches, watching the whales and dolphins and enjoying the beautiful winter in Byron?
Check out:
The Lennox Head Gromfest.
This the world’s original and best gathering of young surfing talent with all of Australia’s best and many young internationals confirmed in the line-up.
Check out : http://www.visitnsw.com/town/Lennox_Head/Rusty_Gromfest/info.aspx for more details.
It is coming to that time of the year when internationally famou\s writers from around the world descend on Byron Bay. This year one of the guest stars is Brett Easton Ellis, the author who wrote, Less than Zero and American Pyscho.
The festival always needs volunteers, and I know several of our students have already registered to help out in the festival in what is bound to be a really interesting experience… this is a just a little reminder for you guys to get in touch now! Please read the below information provided by the writers festival.
The Festival would not be possible without our brilliant crew of volunteers and we’re very proud of their track record. It is largely due to their unfailing willingness, courtesy and hard work that the Festival has earned its reputation as a friendly, relaxed and well-run event.
Volunteering at the Byron Bay Writers Festival is an enjoyable experience. Festival volunteers meet happy people, make new friends and absorb fresh challenges. It’s rewarding, it’s stimulating and it’s fun.
Volunteers fill a wide range of roles including administration, venue and event supervision, ushering and ticket checking, driving writers about, hospitality and site maintenance.
If you have registered and have an enquiry please email
As part of our regular General English classes we ask our students to reflect on their lives in and around Byron… This is Sergio from Spain’s story! Thanks!
There are so many awesome places where you can travel to in Australia and especially near Byron Bay
I’ve been in Aussie for three months now and have been to lots of different places! Some of my favourites have been Lennox Head (except when we had that crazy water day), Nimbin, Gold Coast and Fraser Island. Each place has had its own special meaning to me, and almost everywhere is beautiful.
I want to talk about a funny trip I had the other week. My friends and I rented a “Byron Juicy Camper” with GPS. After an hour or two, the GPS stopped working. Of course.. we got totally lost! But, luckily, Australia is quite easy to drive around as once you find a highway, then is only one way to go and you can work it out really easily!!! We were all laughing at this…
One of my favourite things to do in Byron Bay is ride my bike around the town. There are some great places to visit and see all over Byron. Going up to the lighthouse (phew!!!!!) is hard work, but once you get there it’s so pretty. We even saw some whales the other day. That was so special! I’ve never seen a whale before… and it was a memory I will treasure forever!
The start of the week was kicked off by the first reported sighting of a Whale for the season! It’s a beautiful Monday and seeing a whale at the start of the day is an amazing way to start the week..
We strongly recommend that you all go to the lighthouse to look out of them. They are beautiful creatures and we can look forward to seeing them for the next four or so months! Yay!!
Tourism Australia is currently running a photo competition called “There’s Nothing Like Australia” which gives participants an opportunity to share their favourite moments in Australia.
The competition is a great way to show off your photographic skills and to practise your English at the same time.
When you submit your photo entry, you also need to complete the sentence “There’s nothing like…” with a phrase which explains your photo and your favourite experience in Australia.
You can enter the competition online at: http://nothinglikeaustralia.com
We encourage you all to give this competition a try.
Perhaps “There’s nothing like studying at GV Byron Bay!” might prove to be a winning entry!
Good luck!
Here are a few shots which we have to share… this is why we love living in this wonderful place.
