It is with much sadness I will be leaving my job as Activities and Student Services Officer at Lexis next week 🙁
I have had an AMAZING 2 years with the school and have made lots of brilliant memories <3 More than this, I have met so many lovely, incredible, interesting people and made great friendships that I know will last beyond me working here.
It has been a huge amount of fun running the activities; wine & cheese tasting being a favourite, but not forgetting… skateboarding, slacklining, cooking, coffee clubs, volleyball at the beach, bake sales for charities, jewellery making, and sometimes I’ve even enjoyed doing the BBQs for 100 hungry students (only when helped by Eric!)!
The two best things about this job though…
Meeting and helping students from all over the world; it has been so rewarding <3 I have really enjoyed learning about other cultures and am now lucky enough to have friends to visit in lots of countries!
The wonderful team I got to work with every day <3
Thank you to everyone who has made this a fantastic place to work and an unforgettable experience. A special thank you to Lisa and Koko, two amazing ladies it has been a pleasure to work alongside every day.
It wasn’t an easy decision to leave somewhere that has brought me so much happiness, but I felt it was time for me to try something new! I will still be in Byron so will probably still see lots of you (normally in Woolworths or at the Rails!), and feel free to message me to meet for coffee or cocktails! Much love <3
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Congratulations and farewell to our thirteen students graduating from Lexis Byron Bay today!
Chiara, from Italy, graduates from Elizabeth’s Cambridge Advanced class. It has been an absolute joy having her here at Lexis with us. She is a sweet, caring friendly girl with a lovely positive attitude. Her English is excellent, with her graduating at an Advanced level and Proficient in reading. Elizabeth thanks her for her contributions to class, adding that they will miss her insightful comments, her warmth and honesty. We wish you the very best for the future Kiki <3
Jan, from Switzerland, graduates from Serena’s Elementary class. He was only with us for short 2 weeks but progressed in all areas of his English and made good contributions to class discussions. We hope you continue using your English on your travels and have a great trip!
Isabell, from Germany, graduates from Serena’s Elementary class. She has improved all her English skills during her 4 weeks at Lexis, particularly her listening and speaking. It was lovely to see her attending lots of our out of class activities and making friends from the world over. Good luck with your studies at the Police academy!
Sanne, from the Netherlands, graduates from Mel’s Intermediate class. It was a pleasure having her here with us. She has made many good friends during her time in Byron and we will all miss her beautiful smile! She participated well in class and improved in all areas. Best of luck for the future!
Veronica, from Spain, graduates from Kristy’s Intermediate class. She has been a wonderful student and we are sad to see her go. She has a lovely caring nature and was always happy to help her Lexis friends with her positive outlook. We will miss your warm nature and lovely smile Veronica!
Luca, from Switzerland, graduates from Kristy’s Intermediate class. Kristy says he was a pleasure to teach and she enjoyed watching him progress, particularly with his grammar and speaking. We hope you have an amazing time on your travels Luca!
Max, from Switzerland, graduates from Kristy’s Intermediate class. He always participated actively in class and made excellent contributions in class discussions. He has very good conversational English and graduates with a well deserved A! Have an awesome time on your trip around Australia!
Samira, from Switzerland, graduates from Kristy’s Intermediate class. It has been lovely to have met her; she is so enthusiastic, friendly and always with a smile on her face. She studied hard to overcome her difficulties with grammar and should be very proud of all her progress. We wish you the very best for the future Samira!
Giulia, from Germany, graduates from Michelle’s Pre-Intermediate class. Michelle says she has really enjoyed teaching and getting to know her and enjoy her humour. She has worked hard to make excellent progress in all areas. Have a great time on your trip up North to Cairns Giulia!
Keiko, from Japan, graduates from Michelle’s Pre-Intermediate class. Michelle has loved teaching him and watching him progress. She adds that he has gained so much confidence and his speaking has improved immensely. We wish you could stay longer Keiko, but hope you continue to improve your English and fulfill your dream of becoming an English teacher!
Maria, from Spain, graduates from Adrienne’s Pre-Intermediate class. She’s made excellent progress during her studies and should be very proud of all her achievements. We hope your new language helps you achieve your goals. Have an incredible time in India.
Amelie, from Switzerland, graduates from Michelle and Adrienne’s Upper Intermediate class. This is Amelie’s second time at Lexis Byron, she completed her Cambridge course with us 2 years ago (she was in my very first intake/orientation)! It was lovely to see her again and see her quickly make new friends again! We’re glad she enjoyed her time in Byron and hope to see her again one day!
Mirko, from Switzerland, graduates from Michelle and Adrienne’s Upper Intermediate class. Adrienne says he was a great student and is fast on his way to becoming proficient in English. We hope you enjoyed your 2 week stay in Byron and have a great time on the rest of your travels!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
We have another great month of fun FREE activities exclusively for our LEXIS students!
All activities will be twice a day (unless stated otherwise), so both our morning and afternoon students have the opportunity to participate. Afternoon students will have their activities at 11.30am and morning students will be at 2pm (unless stated otherwise).
Joining the activities is a great way to make new friends, practice your English in a social environment , and of course have fun!!
All activities are free except for surfing ($25 for the monthly 1 hour special or $55 any day for the 2 hour lesson)!
Throughout the month we always have a variety of different activities, with a mix of sports, cooking and craft, so there’s something for everyone!
Once a month we have a free Sausage Sizzle for all of our students during the lunch break (12.15pm in front of school); this month it will be for Valentine’s Day on Thursday the 14th! We also have an early evening activity one Friday a month so our morning and afternoon students can mingle and enjoy some time together; this month it will be Beer Tasting on the 22nd!
We have free Yoga every Monday at 2pm and Tuesday at 11am – with Suzie in Room 8.
Every Monday at 11.30am and Tuesday at 2pm we have Coffee Club; join me or Orla for coffee, Tim Tams, games and conversations!
GIL (Guided Individual Learning) runs every day from 12-1pm and 2-3pm in Room 8. Come along to get help with anything from homework to vocabulary to writing your resume.
Teacher Kristy runs a free guided meditation every Wednesday morning between 8-8.30am in room 8.
Job Club is every Wednesday in Room 8 (with GIL). A teacher will be able to help you write resumes/cover letters, look for jobs, apply for TFN’s and give you advice on gaining your RSA or Barista license!
Don’t forget that you can book your 2-hour Surf Lessons with us anytime at Reception for just $55! Lessons are at 9am and 2pm every day, and 3.30pm on request.
For all your weekend activities check out the Happy Travels February calendar:
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.
Yesterday we enjoyed free bodyboard hire, courtesy of the wonderful team at Let’s Go Surfing!
The students were having too much fun getting ready to go into the water that by time they’d sun-creamed up, I’d taken some photos and Lara had thrown some sand around, it was time for me to head back to school!
I managed to get one quick shot of them in the water before leaving them in the safety of the lifeguard zone. I can imagine there was just as much laughter in the water as there was out of it though 🙂
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Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out our recent survey, telling us which activities you would most like to do in the next couple of months!
Our free activities are designed to help you further improve your English in a social environment, make new friends, have some fun and try something new!
We want to make sure we’re offering our students the activities they’re most interested in, and now we have the feedback we will be putting the activities with the highest votes in our calendars over the next few months!
Unsurprisingly surfing and alcohol had the most ticks, closely followed by Aussie food tasting, volleyball and beach picnic! Check out the full survey results below 🙂
Surf lesson
65
Wine Tasting
64
Beer Tasting
63
Aussie Food Tasting
61
Volleyball
51
Beach Picnic
50
Photography
47
Sweet Food / Baking
43
Slacklining
42
Meditation
41
Cider Tasting
40
Skateboarding
39
Bodyboarding
38
Make a Bag
36
Beach games (bowls, cricket)
31
Didgeridoo Lesson
31
Jewellery Making
29
Tennis
28
Savoury
28
Soccer
27
Make a Dreamcatcher
27
Salsa Dancing
26
Boomerang Painting
24
Painting/Drawing
23
Table Tennis
22
Pool Tournament
21
Tie Dye
17
Games (Wii, Twister)
16
Rugby
13
Poker Tournament
13
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing or Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Welcome to our fourteen new students and one returning student joining us at Lexis Byron Bay today!
Keiko is from Japan. Her hobbies include yoga, taking a walk and watching movies. She wants to work as a receptionist in a hotel and English will be very useful for this. She chose Byron Bay for her studies as it is good for yoga here and has beautiful warm weather!
Erna is from Chile. She likes to travel, read and do outdoor sports, particularly diving. She studied Business and Administration and a Masters in Economics, and is now working in a bank. She wants to improve her English so she can speak with people from all over the world and travel many places without having communication problems.
Mana is from Japan. She enjoys yoga and watching TV dramas. In Japan she was working at a trading company, but will now be in Australia for a year on a working holiday visa. She wants to improve her English so it is easier for her to find work and makes friends!
Jael is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. She works helping people who are having difficulties in their lives. In her free time she helps out at a football club and also regularly babysits. She is here to improve her English so she is able to easily communicate with people from different countries.
Lena is from Hamburg, Germany. Her hobbies are yoga and surfing, so Byron is the perfect fit for her! She studied nursing and works in a small hospital specialising in the treatment of lung cancer. She would like to study medicine, most likely in Bulgaria, and this is what brings her to us; she is wanting to get her English at the perfect level to get a good IELTS score.
Veronica is from Valencia, Spain but moved to Ibiza 5 years ago. Her hobbies are painting, playing djembe and watching the sunset. She studied aesthetic and now works as a spa manager in a hotel in Ibiza. She heard Byron was a hippy, chilled place with open minded people and healthy lifestyles, so thought it would be a good place for her to come and learn English!
Albert is from the South West of France. He has worked in a supermarket for the past four years and is studying at business school. He chose to study English in Australia after people telling him how amazing it is here! He wants to be able to speak to people from all over the world and knows a good level of English will also help him in his professional life.
Benjamin is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. His hobbies include playing football, making music and going out with his friends. He is happy to be here in Australia learning English, improving his surfing and doing some traveling. He wants to improve his English to find a good job when he returns to Switzerland.
Marisa is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. In her free time she likes reading, listening to music and meeting up with friends. She worked as a chef for 4 years but now works in an office in the digital business department. She traveled last year from Perth to Exmouth and Sydney to Adelaide, and knew after this trip she had to come back to Australia!
Suzuka is from Japan. She loves the beach and summer, so is very excited to be here in Byron Bay! She was working as a sales accountant but quit to come to Australia and work for the next year. She will study with us for 8 weeks to help her to find her a job.
Wilson, nickname Neto, is from Brazil. He loves to play soccer at the weekend and spend time with his girlfriend and friends. He is studying Material Engineering at University and will find a job or start his own business when he finishes. He wants to improve his English as he feels it will give him a better way of life.
Moises is from Chile. His hobbies include playing soccer, cycling, scuba diving and snorkeling. He studied accountancy and was working as a auditor accountant. He chose to come to Australia for his studies because of what a beautiful country it is! He is very happy to be here with us for the next 9 months!
Tomoko is from Japan. Her hobbies are playing the guitar, skateboarding and listening to music. She wants to do her farm work so she can get her second year visa and find a job here in Australia. She is very excited that she’ll be able to speak more English after her 8 weeks here with us!
Larissa is from Brazil. She loves everything health related, such as sports, yoga, meditation and organic food; these are just some of the reasons she chose Byron Bay for her studies. She studied dentistry for 4 years and has been working as a dentist for the past 10 years. Three years ago she went to California to complete her yoga teacher training so is now also a qualified yoga teacher. In the future she would like to have her own yoga studio and organic cafe.
Juliane, from Brazil, returns to us after a 5 month break! She first started with us in February and finished in July, without the intention of coming back. After doing some traveling, including going to Europe and seeing the Northern Lights in Norway, she decided there’s no better place then Byron Bay!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Welcome to our five new students joining us Lexis Byron Bay today!
Alan is from the Italian part of Switzerland. He loves to travel and discover new places and cultures. His hobbies are listening to music, yoga, trekking and cooking. He studied at hospitality school and has worked in different hotels as a receptionist. He decided to come to Australia to experience something new and create new work opportunities for himself!
Rita is from France. She likes tennis and playing the saxophone. Her biggest passion is traveling and she has visited many countries. Since finishing her Chemistry studies she has been working as a quality engineer in the pharmaceutical industry. English is very important for her job so that is what bring her here to us! She chose Australia for her studies because of the sunshine!
Laura is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. In her free time she likes to read and spend time with her friends and family. She completed commercial training but decided she would instead like to be a school teacher, so is now studying again at the University of Bern. She is here with us at Lexis so she can achieve the Advanced level in English for her studies.
Marcella is from Brazil. She works there as a lawyer. In her free time she likes to hang out with her friends. She chose Australia for her studies because of the beautiful weather, wonderful landscape and amazing people!
Patrick is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. He loves to be in nature and regularly goes hiking. He also enjoys playing soccer and floorball (similar to ice hockey but without ice!). After completing his electrician apprenticeship he has been doing the first part of the required 245 day militarily service. He wants to improve his English for his travels around Australia and New Zealand!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach
The lovely Lucas from Brazil first started with us in March this year, and after a quick break in September decided he missed us too much and wanted to extend his studies and stay in Byron Bay!
Lucas on his first day 🙂 Him and Dana (centre) are the only two still here!
Lucas comes to many of our free activities so I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know him over the past 7 months. He has a great sense of humour and is always smiling, friendly and courteous. Lucas always makes an effort to speak to new students from different countries, and this has helped him to improve his English and make friends from all over the world!
All the teachers agree that it is an absolute pleasure having Lucas here with us at Lexis Byron and it’s been wonderful watching his English grow and grow!
Being that he comes to many of the activities I now believe Lucas to be Lexis Byron’s most photographed student! For this reason, and also because of his cheery demeanor, I asked Lucas to be this month’s Happy Student! He happily obliged, so now you get to read all about his Lexis experience, along with just some of the pictures of him at our activities…
Why did you choose to come to Australia and to Lexis Byron Bay in particular?
I chose Australia because my brother already studied here at Lexis Byron and told me about his experience, and because here is paradise! I think I made the best choice. I also came to Australia because the climate and warm weather is similar to Brazil.
Lucas’ brother Douglas studied with us at Lexis Byron for 6 months in 2011. You can see him here on one of April 2011 blogs! (top right picture – furthest on the left, and middle right picture – back of the kayak) https://lexisbyronbay.com/2011/04/20/beautiful-byron-days/
What are your English goals and how is Lexis helping you achieve them?
I would like to be able to speak English fluently. Here at Lexis I can improve my English a lot and I now believe fluency is possible for me.
Lucas started with us in Elementary and is now at an Upper Intermediate level. Go Lucas!!
Tell me a little bit about your teachers and classes…
All the teachers are really good. They always help us and make activities interesting. The activities are really fun and good for improving our English.
You’ve joined in a lot of our free activities. What has been your favourite one so far?
Yes, when possible I try to join in a lot of free activities. I like to do them just to have fun, talk to people and always learn more; it could be a new word or sentence, or about another persons culture.
Outside of school, what is your favourite thing about Byron?
I like the energy that is here. The people are really friendly and the places are beautiful. I really enjoy going to the beach.
You work in one of Byron’s most popular bars. What is your advice to other students looking for work in Byron?
Never give up! Before I started working in the Rails I was everyday trying and finally I got a job! So my advice is never give up and keep trying!!
You’ve stayed with two host families during your time at Lexis. Can you please tell me a bit about these experiences?
Both experiences were really nice and I had a good time at both. First I was at Veronica’s, who has a beautiful house with swimming pool and my room was very spacious with a bath. She is a lawyer so she taught me about the Australian laws and helped me find a job. I lived there with two other students, Axel from French part of Switzerland and Yves from the German speaking part of Switzerland, so that was really fun. Next I lived with Kathy, who is very kind. I learnt a lot about Australia from her and I could tell her lots about South America too. Again I lived with two other students, Gabriela and Antonio from Spain, which was great. Both host mothers helped me to improve my English and would correct me when I said things wrong.
Finally, what would you say to anyone thinking of coming to Lexis Byron Bay?
DO IT!! It’s a great place to improve your English. There are many many people who can help you, especially Claire (Activities and Student Services), and also Lisa (Campus Manager) who has helped me from day one until now. The quality of the teachers is really good and they’re all really nice. Each teacher has a different way of teaching and different accents, which helps you to improve your listening.
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Welcome to our twelve students joining us at Lexis Byron Bay this week!
Maria is from Barcelona, Spain. She plays handball and likes riding her bike. She works as a hairdresser in Spain. She decided to come to Lexis Byron Bay because of the recommendation from her cousin Pol who studied with us for 5 months in 2016, and also her friend Eric who is currently studying with us!
Gustavo is from Brazil and here with his wife Giovana. His favourite hobby is playing soccer. He works within administration but would like to study business when he returns from Australia. He is looking forward to improving his English over the next 20 weeks with us!
Giovana is also from Brazil. She loves animals and takes care of cats and dogs. She wants to improve her English for new opportunities in her professional and personal life. She chose to study in Australia so she can discover a new country, culture and people! She picked Lexis Byron Bay because her cousin Izabel studied with us for nearly a year between 2016-2017 and said it would be the best place for her!
Celine is from the South of France. She loves sports, with her favourite being volleyball and judo, which she has a black belt in! She has a masters degree in Chemistry and works the CNRS (Central National of Research Scientific). She needs to improve her English as it is very important for her future career.
ChangSeok, nickname Eidan, is from Korea. His biggest hobby is basketball, both playing and watching. He started his English studies in Sydney but there were too many Korean people, so he decided to move to Byron Bay instead to meet people from other countries and improve his English quicker! When he finished his studies he would like to work in Uluru.
Nicol is from Italy and currently living in the Italian part of Switzerland with her family. She likes to spend time with her friends, playing sports. She also loves to travel, which is one of the main reasons she is here! She has worked as a secretary for 3 years in the state’s office, but is taking a year break to travel and improve her English and German. She chose Byron Bay for her studies as it has always been her dream to be near the sea and surf!
Marta is from Spain. She has been living in Sydney for the last year and a half but chose to move to Byron Bay because of the nature and yoga! She worked as a beauty therapist in Sydney, giving massages and facials. In the future she would like to manage a business focusing on health, yoga, surf and massages.
Silvia is from Italy. She loves travelling, reading and all sports, but particularly surfing! She has a bachelor degree in Civil Engineering and an after-degree certificate in International Co-operation. It has always been her dream to come to Australia and she wants to be able to surf the beautiful Australian waves! When she has improved her English she would like to do an internship in Civil-Environmental Engineering.
Audrey is from the French speaking part of Switzerland. She works with children, as a social worker. She wants to improve her English so she can travel the East Coast of Australia and makes friends with people from all different countries! She is very excited to be here for the Australia summer, especially as it is snowing now in Switzerland!
Elsa is from the French speaking part of Switzerland. Her hobbies are drawing, painting, snowboarding and hanging out with friends. She studied applied arts and has worked as a decorator for the past 4 years. She wants to study English in Australia for many reasons; the main one being when she returns to Switzerland she would like to be a snowboard teacher and English is very important for this. She also loves travelling and knows English as important for this, as many people are able to communicate in English.
Yaiza is from Spain. She loves surfing, yoga, running and photography. She has been studying human resources at university and also working as a waitress. She wants a good level of English so she is able to speak fluently with people and get a good job. Her dream job is one which will allow her to work online so she has the flexibility to work and travel at the same time!
Alejandro is from Spain. He has been studying at Lexis Brisbane but decided he wanted to experience Byron Bay, so will now study with us for the next 3 months!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Congratulations and farewell to our six students graduating from Lexis Byron Bay this week!
Kana, from Japan, graduates from Mel’s Intermediate class. It has been an absolute joy having her here at Lexis and wonderful to watch her confidence in speaking grow and grow. She has a lovely personality and smile and has made many friends during her time in Byron. Best wishes for the future Kana, we will miss you!
Corentin, from Switzerland, graduates from Mel’s Intermediate class. He had made brilliant progress since he started with us in our Elementary class. Mel says he always asked thoughtful questions and got along well with all of his classmates. Wishing you all the best for the future Corentin!
Saskia, from Switzerland, graduates from Mel’s Intermediate class. Mel said she has been a pleasure to teach and a lovely addition to the class. She worked extremely hard in class, so it’s no surprise she’s graduating with a well deserved A; well done Saskia! We hope you enjoyed your time at Lexis Byron as much as we loved having you here 🙂
Dayane, from Brazil, graduates from Serena’s Elementary class. She showed a good attitude towards learning and participated well in class. We hope you enjoyed your time in Byron Dayane and have a brilliant time on the rest of your travels!
Claudia, from Portugal, graduates from Serena’s Elementary class. She has made excellent progress in her 4 weeks at Lexis and has picked up the new language quickly. Her results improved a lot each week and she should be very proud of her achievements. Enjoy your time at Lexis Sydney!
Vivienne, from Switzerland, graduates from Kathleen’s Cambridge First class. She has worked very hard during her studies and has proven to be a fast learner who asks intelligent questions. She has made great progress in all areas of her English and graduates at an Upper Intermediate level with a grade A! Everyone enjoyed having her sunny personality in class each day. We are sure you will do well in your FCE exam and wish you all the best!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
It was a beautiful sunny day here in Byron Bay on Friday so many of our teachers decided to teach their classes in the glorious sunshine; Serena being one of them!
Her Elementary class had a fun afternoon playing board games outside to revise what they had learnt that week about verb patterns.
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing or Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Welcome to our sixteen new students joining us at Lexis Byron Bay today!
Eloise is from France. Her passions are discovering new things, new countries and new cultures! She studied Management for 4 years and having now completed her Bachelors, has decided to do some travelling and learn English! She chose Bryon Bay for her studies because of how beautiful it is and she feels our school will be the best fit for her!
Fiona is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. She is a very active person and loves doing all different types of sports, particularly skiing. She also loves to play the piano. She is taking a gap year to have some time to think about what she would like to do in the future; she is thinking of perhaps studying medicine. She came to Australia for her studies because she loves the breathtaking scenery and relaxed lifestyle and people.
Eva is from Barcelona, Spain. She works in human resources and also as an events planner! In her free time she likes to go to the gym and salsa classes. She studied Labour Relations at University and has 2 Masters; one in Public Relations and one in Human Resources. She needs to improve her English for her event planning job, as many of her clients come from other countries!
Michele is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. She loves to travel and is looking forward to being in Australia for 3 months meeting people from all over the world. She works as a medical assistant in a doctor’s office in Zurich. After 6 weeks of study with us she is hoping to find someone she can then travel Australia with!
Patricia is from Spain. She enjoys going to gym and travelling. She works in a pediatrics, caring for babies and children. Since she was little she also wanted to explore Australia, and now she has decided to combine that with learning English! She is wanting to improve her English so she can then travel to more countries and meet new people and learn about their culture.
Bastien is from the Marseille, in the South of France. He loves water sports, particularly surfing and wind surfing! He also likes rugby, riding his motorbike and playing guitar. He has just finished in studies in water sports and boating. He chose Australia for his studies because of the obvious reason; the number of water related activities! He is looking forward to doing lots of surfing as well as improving his English so he can find work here.
Fernanda is from Brazil. She loves cooking for her friends and family. She works within the IT department of Carrefour, managing projects and apps. English is important for her job so she is here to improve her level and also visit her sister who is now living here!
Eli (Elea) is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. In her free time she likes to stand up paddle board on Lake Zurich, and is also in a scouts group. She works as a nurse in a children rehabilitation hospital. There is a lot of international patients coming into her work so it important she has a high level of English. She chose Australia for her studies so she can also surf and visit her cousins in Sydney.
Maite is from Ibiza, Spain, but is now living in Madrid. She completed her Degree in Journalism and was working as a journalist for a Spanish news agency. She decided to quit her job and move to Byron Bay! She wants to improve her English so she can work as a travel reporter. Since arriving last week she has been loving the positive and amazing energy of Byron!
Teresa is from Spain. She loves going to the beach, singing, surfing and yoga! She needs to pass the IELTs exam so she can go to London and study fashion styling and creative direction at University. She chose Byron for her studies because of the nice weather and wanting to travel around the surrounding areas!
Christelle is from the French speaking part of Switzerland. Her interests are travelling, psychology, meeting and learning about new people. In her free time she likes to relax as she studies and works hard. She has just completed an apprenticeship and is now taking a break to gain new skills and improve her English before staring University. She chose Australia to study because it is a beautiful country with nice weather.
Claudia is from Portugal. She likes art and going to the gym. She works for a sports medicine company, within the manufacturing department. She wants to improve her English so when she returns to Portugal she can find a job within the tourism industry.
Jose is from Malaga, Spain, but lives in Barcelona. He likes to go out partying and for dinner with friends. He was working for a gas company, maintaining installations and repairing machines. He will be with us here at Lexis Byron for 6 months to improve his English for travelling and work.
Karin is from Japan. She likes listening to music and watching movies. She loves her dog, Hime, who is 13 years old. She is very happy to be here studying English and living in a homestay.
Carlos is from Spain. He loves to surf and is looking forward to improving on a shortboard here in Byron. He also really enjoys reading. He works as a nurse in the emergency department of a hospital. English is very important for his job, so he will spend the next 6 months improving it with us! After his studies with us he will travel Australia and Asia.
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
It was lovely to see some new faces at Coffee Club yesterday, as well as some regulars 🙂
Coffee Club is every Tuesday at 11.30am and 2pm 🙂 Join me for a variety of coffees, Tim Tams and games!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Loving the photos from this weekend’s Massive Lexis Camping Bonaza!!
What an awesome start to your Aussie Experience… Camping with kangaroos, BBQs on the Beach, paddle-boarding and of course lots of cold beers!!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing or Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Yesterday we had a brilliant afternoon making Korean Kimchi!
Despite being advised by our Korean students that it was ‘impossible’ to make in such a short amount of time, I put together an adapted recipe and (hopefully!) made it work!
Lisa brought in jars for us to re-use so each of the students could take their own Kimchi home with them <3
All was going well until two of our Korean students, Song and Jin Wook, poured the whole 50 grams of curry powder in, instead of the recommended 1 to 2 tablespoons!
We added some extra sugar and watermelon to make it sweeter and take away some of the spice but it was still making us turn red in the face! Song and Jin Wook recommended having with rice when it’s ready to eat, and this will hopefully give it a milder flavour and make it more enjoyable to eat!
It is recommended to wait at least 1 to 5 days so it can ferment, but it can be left (refrigerated) for a few months. I’m looking forward to finding out next week how the flavours have changed after the fermentation period!
To make this at home you can follow my simple adapted recipe below (along with the typical Korean ingredients in red). I prepped the cabbage in the morning so it would have a few hours to soften, and the rest of the recipe took us less than an hour to do! Not impossible after all 🙂
Ingredients
1 medium cabbage (napa cabbage)
1/4 cup sea salt
1 tablespoon grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 to 3 tablespoons chilli powder (gochugaru/Korean red pepper flakes)
8 ounces radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks (Korean or daikon radish)
4 medium spring onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (scallions)
Equipment
Cutting board and knife
Large bowl
Plate and something to weigh the kimchi down, like a jar or can of beans
Colander
Jars with canning lid
Instructions
Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. Cut the cores from each piece. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the spice paste.
Make the spice paste. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce and stir into a smooth paste. Stir in the chilli powder, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons); set aside until the cabbage is ready.
Combine the vegetables and spice paste. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. Add the radish and spring onions.
Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.
Pack the kimchi into the jar. Press down on the kimchi until the brine rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. Seal the jar.
Let it ferment for 1 to 5 days. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid (place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow).
Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point too. When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it’s best after another week or two.
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
Welcome to our nine new starters joining us Lexis Byron Bay today!
Giorgia is from the Italian part of Switzerland. Her hobbies include reading, listening to music, walking at the beach, shopping, skiing and travelling! She has just finished studying Economics at school and now wants to take some time to learn new languages! She will study English with us for 6 months and then wants to study German and French. She chose Australia for her studies because of it being a beautiful place with nice and helpful people!
Nora is also from the Italian part of Switzerland and has traveled here with her friend Giorgia. She loves animals and has a turtle and cat. She also enjoys reading, partying, skiing and eating Italian food. She has just finished studying Economics and is now dedicating this year to learning new languages, starting with English! She chose to come to Byron Bay because we have the best beaches and plenty of different activities!
Gara is from Lanzarote, one of the Canary islands in Spain. She loves animals, especially her two dogs and four cats. Her hobbies include going to the cinema and photography, which she studied in Madrid. She chose to come Australia to learn English so she can travel and meet people from all over the world!
Gilles is from the French speaking part of Switzerland. In his free time he likes to hang out with friends, practice sports and hip hop dance. After he finishes his studies in Australia and his military service he will study Economics at University. He is wanting to improve his English because he feels it is important the world over and very useful for traveling. It has always been his dream to come to Australia so combining the two is what brings him to Lexis today!
Jin Wook is from Korea. His hobbies include Table Tennis and pocket ball. He works as a car engineer in Korea and is hoping to find a job here in Australia doing the same. He will study at Lexis for 3 months and then travel Australia, which he is very excited about! He went to Byron main beach when he arrived at the weekend and is already in love with Byron!
Salome is from the Italian part of Switzerland. She loves music and plays the harp. She also loves to travel, discover new places and experience new things. She has just finished High School and is very excited to be here for a new adventure! As well as studying English she is also looking forward to going to the beach and doing lots of activities in Byron! After her 13 weeks at Lexis she will travel Australia before returning to continue her studies.
Cristina is from Spain. She loves sports, particularly triathlon and would now like to learn surfing here in Byron Bay! She works as a computer programmer in Spain and is hoping to find similar work here in Australia. She loves to travel and wants to improve her English so it is easier for her and she can make new friends in other countries. She also thinks improving her English will help her find better work in Spain.
Daniel is Spanish but lives in Switzerland with his family. He enjoys all sports, but his favourite is Thai boxing. He also loves natures and his dog, especially combining the two by taking his dog for runs in the forest! He works in an architect office in Switzerland. He chose to come to Australia to learn English after two of his friends told him ‘it is the best country in the world’!
Saskia is from the German speaking part of Switzerland. She loves snowboarding and hiking in nature. She has just finished studying to become a primary school teacher. She now needs to improve her English so she can take the Advanced test and start teaching next year. She chose Byron Bay for her studies because of it being a small town and having lots of nature.
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing and Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach
Mikio, Ryo, Nonoka, Haruna, Rei, Itsumi, Ai, Yuno, Ryuta and Fuki graduate from Kristy’s Elementary class. Kristy says she has loved teaching them all. They loved the language games they played in class and practiced lots of pronunciation, with them all making big improvements! They were very shy when they first joined us but their personalities all shone through into their second week!
Mana graduates from Michelle’s Pre-Intermediate class. Michelle says she has a beautiful and graceful approach to learning. Her understanding of grammar and use of vocabulary has been excellent and her speaking has improved during her time with us.
We are sure this has been a wonderful experience for them and one they will remember forever!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing or Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
On Tuesday some of our Hiroshima study group experienced what Byron’s most famous for…surfing!!
The waves were perfect for beginners and the sun was shining and warm 🙂
They all had a great time and Let’s Go Surfing managed to get everyone standing!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing or Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
On Monday our Hiroshima study group set off on a Scavenger Hunt!
In groups of 3 and one pair they had to get pictures from the below list:
Take a picture of somebody…
Eating an ice-cream
Drinking a coffee
Running in the park
Wearing a blue top
Jumping in front of the Lexis school sign
Sitting below the LOVE sign
Surfing in the ocean
Doing a Yoga pose
Australian
On holiday / a tourist
They only had 30 minutes to get as many as they could before meeting me back at the beach. They all did a great job, with every group getting 8 out of the 10 in the short time they had!
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE and English plus Surfing or Yoga in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
