It was very overwhelming to come study in Australia. However, Kardinia and all the teachers helped me to get through all the challenges.

As an overseas students in Kardinia, the school has always been helping me since the first day I came here. They helped me get used to this new environment with their advices. There is an oversea student- coordinator to look after the oversea students. I am pleased that I can always talk to her when I need help and she is always happy to give us a hand. Besides, the teachers are very nice and friendly. I remember when I first came here, they always asked me how I was which meant a lot to me because you can feel that you are part of the school and people are willing to help you out.

Geelong is a beautiful city and I really enjoy the life here. I like to go to have brunch with my friends on Pako or in town. There are many lovely restaurants and cafés in Geelong. Nevertheless, Geelong is located near beaches and I love to go to the beach in summer. It is a great idea to spend your summer on the beach.

I am glad that I have this opportunity to study in Kardinia, everyone is very friendly and happy help you. I also enjoy the atmosphere here, Kardinia is a place where you can make a lot of friends and indeed, to learn.

WONG Yi Man (Alexa)

出國留學是一件既興奮又緊張的事。在每位老師和同學幫助下，我很快就能夠適應這個新環境。

作為一個海外學生, 感到緊張是無可避免的，幸好Kardinia每位同學和老師都會不厭其煩地幫助我，好讓我們有一愉快的校園生活。在Kardina, 有一位國際學生輔導員去管理和照顧學生的需要。當我遇到問題是我也會去尋求她的協助。當遇上學習上的問題，老師也會很樂意利用他們的課外時間去幫助我們。

Geelong是一個空氣清新，環境優美的城市。我非常享受這兒的生活模式。我喜歡和朋友到市中心的咖啡店，買一杯咖啡。這兒也有一些亞洲餐館，當我想念家鄉菜時我也會去光顧一下。天氣方面，除了和北半球的氣候相反外，整體溫度是非常舒適，不會太冷也不會太熱。夏天時我們可以到海灘沖浪和游泳.

我感到十分榮幸可以為Kardinia 撰寫這篇文章同時也高興可以在Kardinia 就讀。我十分享受Kardinia 的學習氣氛和這裡的一切。

Being born into a poor farming family and growing up in a rural area in southern Thailand, I never thought I would have an opportunity to travel abroad. Before I heard of AusAid, the fully-funded scholarships by the Australian Government for students from regional Thailand during the mid-1990s, my dream about the future was never anything bigger than having an ordinary job in my small hometown after getting a bachelor’s degree from a local university.

I applied for an AusAID scholarship as soon as I was informed of the opportunity. I went through all the screening tests and all the required application processes, and was finally awarded a fully-funded scholarship to study an undergraduate course at an Australian university.

With my Australian host family

Receiving an AusAid scholarship was just the beginning of my life-changing journey. My first few years as a foreign student was not as smooth as expected. I struggled a lot with both the different culture and the English language. As a result, my academic performance at my first university in Australia was less than satisfactory, and I was very nervous that I might have to come back to Thailand empty-handed.

With new friends in Melbourne CBD

However, I was very fortunate to be given another opportunity to study in Australia. This time, studying a bachelor’s degree at Deakin University. I finally found subjects of my true interest and I am forever grateful for that second opportunity. With lessons learnt from my previous course at the first university, I realised that I would have to do my absolute best at Deakin, not only for myself and my family, but also for my kind sponsor who did not give up on me.

Working on a final-year project

The course structures at Deakin are very well organised. The unit guidelines helped me tremendously, to plan my study throughout the semesters. My attention was focused on studying and I devoted my time to attending lectures, working on the assignments and projects well ahead of the due dates. My efforts were not in vain. My academic results at Deakin were satisfactory and I managed to graduate with a bachelor’s degree within the timeframe allowed by the AusAid programme.

My degree equipped me with a very strong academic foundation in the technology field. All the assignments from my degree undoubtedly enhanced my analytical skills because some assignments involved long, complex and intricate calculations, as well as applications of theories in real-world practice. Participating in many extracurricular activities during my years at Deakin has also improved my self-esteem and self-confidence.

Participating in many extracurricular activities during my years at Deakin has also improved my self-esteem and self-confidence.

At the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus

After graduating from Deakin, I joined the Thai Customs department when Bangkok’s new international airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, was opened almost 10 years ago. I passed the screening tests and became a new customs officer – one of the few chosen applicants out of over 100,000 people applicants at that time.

As a customs officer, my main duties include inspecting imported cargos. Inspecting a variety of products imported into the country is a very challenging task, however, the skills I learnt at Deakin has helped me to understand and examine the products effectively. The lessons I’ve learnt from my studies at Deakin and my experience living in Australia has definitely helped with my career.

The lessons I’ve learnt from my studies at Deakin and my experience living in Australia has definitely helped with my career.

At Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport

Customer service skills is also very important in my job because we serve a lot of customers from different nationalities each day. Having spent a few years with international friends at Deakin, it has become my nature to be friendly and to approach people with an open mind. My English skills have also been a very important factor for my good performance and continuous career growth as a customs officer at a big international airport.

On duty as a customs officer

With my bachelor’s degree from Deakin, together with my good performances at work, I have received a great opportunity for postgraduate studies overseas. I have been awarded another fully-funded scholarship from the Thai Customs department to take a master’s degree in the field of operations research, which is essential in promoting improved operations and services provided at the Customs department. I have confirmed my enrolment at a university in the UK, where I will go for my master’s degree next year. Without my bachelor’s degree, my experiences living in such diverse cultural settings, and all the lessons learnt during my years at Deakin and Australia, I wouldn’t have this day.

“I am happy I made the Gordon Institute of TAFE my study destination; I could not have had it any better. Being a TAFE, I felt the practical approach and real experience would help me further my studies and career path.

The teachers are a great asset. The amount of care and attention they provide exceeds expectations. I go to class every morning knowing that I have their full backing and support. Lessons are broken down into very simple and concise parts, our nursing labs are fully equipped with state of the art tools and our lesson plans are set up to match the current needs of the workforce.

The students are very welcoming and ready to interact. I have made friends who have become family. The multicultural environment made settling in a lot easier. Finding my way around during the first few weeks of admission was no problem because staff are always ready to direct you to your destination.”

Yakubu Daffi
Diploma of Nursing (Enrolled-Division 2 nursing)

Good things of Kardinia International College                                                    

Kardinia International College (KIC) is a globalised school because many overseas students who are from around the world and KIC students study together. We can learn cultural differences from overseas students and improve the level of our education.

KIC students are kind, friendly and caring so when I ask them to help me, they always help me tenderly. The teachers are also kind and helpful so we can ask them questions unhesitatingly. They also provide us good education. They help us expand our knowledge.

There are a lot of good facilities for students to study at KIC. We have new buildings called “The Learning Commons” and “Senior Centre”. They provide us a lot of studying materials and let us concentrate to study.

We always use our own tablet computers to study. Information-organised society has been developed nowadays and KIC provides us an opportunity to use laptops at school. Because of that, we will be able to do well in information-organised society in the future.

We can get high levelled education and expand our knowledge through studying at KIC. We also can make friends with a lot of kind students. Our life at KIC is filled with joy.

SETO Yasuhiro

カーディニアインターナショナルカレッジは世界各国からの留学生とカーディニアの生徒がともに学ぶ国際的な学校です。私たちは留学生たちから文化の違いを学び、自らの教養レベルを向上させることができます。

カーディニアの生徒は親切で、フレンドリーで、また面倒見がよく、僕が質問をするときはいつも優しく答えてくれます。また先生方も親切で面倒見がよいので、僕たちは躊躇することなく質問をすることができ、さらに、よい教育を与えてくださるので、私たちの知識を広げることができます。

カーディニアインターナルカレッジには生徒の勉強に最適な施設があります。「ラーニングコモンズ」と「シニアセンター」という新しい建物があり、私たちにたくさんの資料と勉強に集中できるする環境を提供してくれます。

私たちはいつも個人のパソコンを使います。情報化社会が進む現在、カーディニアではパソコンを使う機会がたくさんあります。そのおかげで、私たちは将来、情報化社会で活躍することが可能になります。

私たちはカーディニアインターナショナルカレッジで勉強することにより、よい教育を受け、また知識を広げることができます。またたくさんの親切な生徒とも友達になることができます。私たちのカーディニアインターナショナルカレッジでの生活は、楽しみにあふれています。