Eudes goes sailing this Christmas

I am a DL Level 3 student and I come from Venezuela in South America. I enjoy my classes with my teacher John because I work full time and I don’t have time to go to regular classes. We do various activities ranging from grammar, role plays, pronunciation corrections, (the “j” in Spanish is a hard one) and discuss many topics.

Before I came to Australia, I did some research about where to live and decided on the Gold Coast, Queensland because it has a great climate. It was the correct decision.

A few months ago my friend and I decided to invest in a sailing boat. We enrolled in a sailing class and obtained our sailing licences. I've been sailing for 6 months here on the Gold Coast. It is a great place to learn because there are a lot canals where you can sail in calm water and many beautiful small islands which vary in character. Some have crystal clear water with lots of animals.

I used to spend Christmas with my family back home but because I don't have family here I decided to do something different for Christmas and go sailing to Moreton Island. This will be our second time to sail there so my friend and I have a bit more experience but we can't be overconfident because this is a long and quite dangerous route with one stretch of water where many boats have gone down.

Our 24 ft sailing boat is equipped with solar panels, a small stove, a big 100 litre water tank and beds for 5 people.  It has just the basic things so we will take a big esky full of food, ice and some beers. Hopefully we won't use the engine if the wind is good and we'll catch some big fish.

Thanks Eudes for sharing your story. We wish you a safe and fabulous adventure.  

• How are you spending Christmas this year?
• Have you changed any of your traditions because you're now living in a different country?
• What were the highlights of 2016 for you?

This is our last blog story this year. From all of us in the Navitas DL team, we thank you for joining the program in 2016 and we wish you a very happy Christmas and a safe holiday until we return again on 3rd January 2017.

Anita finishes AMEP on a high

Anita and Teacher Erika

My name is Anita and I come from Ecuador, South America.  I live in Newcastle, NSW.  When I came to Australia I spoke very little English.  I couldn't do anything by myself and I needed help. So in March, 2015 I met my AMEP Distance Learning teacher, Erika, for the first time.  A few days later I also met my Home Tutor.

Since then, both of them have been my inspiration to succeed. They have encouraged me a lot and had enormous patience.  I am about to complete my 510 hours.  During the last 18 moths I have learnt to rely on myself, go to the shops and interact with other people. My husband thinks that I have now become good at spending money because I can go out and do the shopping by myself.

I had a strong desire to learn English and having a bilingual DL teacher who can speak Spanish helped me understand the language and the culture better.

A few weeks ago my family and I travelled to Sydney to see the "Cirque du Soleil" show.  It was a good opportunity to finally meet my teacher Erika face to face.  We met at the hotel where I was staying and had lunch together.  It was wonderful to see her in person after all our Skype lessons.

This week I'll have my last AMEP lesson but I know that Erika and I will always remain in touch. I feel more confident now and I hope that one day I will be able to do a beautician course and start my own make-up business.

Congratulations Anita and well done for finishing your hours and improving your English.  Our best wishes for the next step.

• What would you like to do more independently as your English improves?
• Where do you get your inspiration to keep on learning?
• How many AMEP hours do you have remaining? What would you like to see yourself achieving in this time?
• If you had the chance to visit Sydney what are 3 things you would like to do or see?

Why not add a comment to support Anita or an answer to one of the questions below!

Life and Study in the National Park

My name is Karen and I come from Japan.  I met my husband in Western Australia 6 years ago.  We got married and we have been living here for about 3 years.

My husband has a tourist business in Karijini National Park, which is 1500 km away from Perth.  There are a lot of beautiful gorges and natural pools there. It is a spiritual environment with spectacular views.

We live in the National Park 7 months a year during the tourist peak season. I love watching the beautiful sunrise and sunset and the star-filled sky at night.  I enjoy listening to the different birds, swimming and walking in gorges. Sometimes however living in this remote place makes me frustrated because I miss the dynamics of the city life, the concerts, the festivals, dining out, catching up with people, but I try to treasure all the unique experiences here. I have a job too in the National Park.  I work as a Yoga instructor and a massage therapist.  

I enrolled in the DL program to study English in 2014.  My English has been improving dramatically with teacher Bernadette.  Studying online is the perfect study style for me because of the flexibility.

I have also been studying the Interior Design Diploma course online for the last 6 months which is very exciting. I have learnt how to make scale models to represent the characteristics of different architectural styles. In the picture you can see me with the Gothic style miniature interior design.

I am so happy that living in a remote place could not stop me from taking up new challenges, learning, improving and working hard towards my future goals.  Now I have finished my AMEP course and I am proud to have achieved Certificate 3.

Congratulations Karen on completing the CSWE course and thank you for sharing your unique experiences.  We wish you all the best for your future.

• What do you like the most about your lifestyle in Australia?  What do you miss?
• If you had to live in a national park, how would you feel and what would you do?     
• What courses would you like to do in the future?
• What are the pros and cons of studying online?

Why not leave a message for Karen or write an answer to one of the questions below!

For information on DL Holiday Programs for WA students click here.

DL Holiday Wish List!

All I wish for!

  Are you looking forward to the holidays?
 Wishing for something different this year?

 There's no need to stop learning English during December and
 January. We can make holiday learning your wish come true.

 Study a specialty English course with an experienced teacher. 
 Have one extra lesson each week for 4 weeks from the comfort 
 of your own home. You can choose one course from these 
 exciting topics.  


   Pronunciation

   Job seeking

   Preparing for IELTS

   Grammar (Beginners and Advanced)

   Preparing for driving tests

   Preparing for citizenship tests

   Pregnancy and child birth

   Customer service/retail

   News and current affairs

   Reading to children

 We are also offering for the first time during January:

Free online group conversation classes - For  Level 3 students. If you are a current or even  an ex-AMEP student, you are welcome to join one or more of these group classes. There's no need for a referral as no AMEP hours will be used for this course.

For more information ask your teacher or click here.

You can ask us a question in the comments box below.

White Ribbon Day - Speaking out

The global movement of the White Ribbon campaign was started by a group of men and boys to raise awareness about violence against women. The white ribbon is a symbol of men giving up their arms to say NO to domestic violence.

On 25th November, White Ribbon Day promotes healthy relationships, gender equality and women's safety. The campaign highlights the role men and boys play in preventing the violence.  Men are asking other men to stand up, speak out and act to say no to men's violence against their mothers, sisters, daughters and wives. Men and women across Australia are called to wear a white ribbon as a visual symbol of their commitment to this cause.

If you're a man and know, hear about or witness violence against a woman, what can you do?
Watch this video or click here for tips on what action you can take.

If you're a woman affected by domestic violence, what can you do?
Find help here in your state, find information in your language here or speak to one of our Pathways Advisers who can refer you to a local organisation that can assist you.  All information is confidential.

For more information about what domestic violence means, refer to the Factsheets.

Why not speak out by adding a comment on the blog?

Vera follows her heart

Paul & Vera visiting Moscow

Vera has moved across the globe to be with her husband. Paul and Vera met online about six years ago when she was living in Russia and he was in Australia.  When they were chatting online Vera would type in Russian and press the 'translate' button so Paul could read what she had written and vice versa. "We communicated every day for a year before I knew we could no longer be apart." she said.

Vera's English improved since starting to learn English in the AMEP both in the classroom and by Distance Learning with teacher Karen. Vera was an economics teacher in Russia but is starting a new career in childcare and is determined to achieve her goal.  "Studying in the AMEP has helped me greatly with my English", Vera said.  "I really want a career working with children and my English must be up to standard to do so.  If you're smart and you keep working and keep trying you can do anything you want.  If I can do this at the age of 56, anyone can."

Vera's improved English will help her to complete her Diploma in Early Childhood Education.  She is gaining experience working with young children by teaching art and craft at the local public school.  When she completes her studies, Vera hopes to find work in a child care centre. "Aside from my husband, I haven't had the opportunity to practise my English by talking to a lot of people, so these courses have helped me very much," Vera said.

About communicating with her husband Vera said, "Communication has never been an issue with my husband and I; when we first met all we had to do was look into each other's eyes and we knew there was love.  A lot of people decide to move to Australia for a better life but I moved here for love and for happiness.  The heart wants what the heart wants, so follow your heart and never give up - that's my advice to anyone wanting to find happiness and take on a challenge.  Anything is possible."

Thanks Vera for sharing your story of love, hard work and determination.  We wish you all the best for your life in Australia.

• In what ways does Vera's story inspire you?
• What is the secret to good communication?
• What do you think of Vera's advice to "follow your heart"?
• What are your future goals? How do you overcome obstacles to achieving them?

Why not support Vera by adding a comment below!

You've got to be in it to win it!

Teacher Ross

Each year we celebrate Melbourne Cup day on the first Tuesday of November. They say it's the race that stops the nation. In fact in Victoria it is a public holiday.  Although those who live in other states are not as lucky we still like to join in and have a bit of fun.  

Last Tuesday most of our DL teachers turned up to work as usual, not thinking it was actually Melbourne Cup day, because this year it fell on the 1st day of November. But nothing could stop us from celebrating.  

The office sweep was very popular and staff members had a bet on one or more of the race horses. At 3 pm those of us who were not in the middle of teaching a DL lesson, gathered to watch the race together while enjoying some party snacks.  

Although we all wanted to win, most of us were not very hopeful. It seemed like Teacher Ross, however, was preparing for a win.  Not only that Ross placed the highest bet in the office on horses but he was the first teacher turning up to watch the race, seated and ready to win.

We don't know if the secret to winning was good planning, an optimistic attitude or sheer good luck but sure enough as the winning horse was announced Ross found out he'd won the first prize and he was happy.  His investment of $5 on 5 horses more than doubled and he was ready to go home with a big smile on his face. On his way out, Ross was stopped to be told he had also won the third prize.  This was indeed the race that stopped Ross.

Ross said, "I felt lucky as the horses I thought would win were not the ones who ended up winning.  It's always a surprise!"   With the money, Ross treated himself to a therapeutic massage from Louisa, the masseur who visits our DL office every Wednesday. Congratulations Ross!

• Have you ever won anything?
• What would you do if you won a million dollars?
• Do you believe in luck?  Do you believe that some people are just lucky? Why/why not?

Don't forget to share your answers or comments on the story below.

From telecom engineer to baker and back again!

Tien, DL student

Tien was a telecom engineer in Vietnam for 17 years.  When he first came to Australia it took him 4 months to get a job as a production operator in an electrical company.  He liked his job because he could work in his field and he already had a lot of knowledge about electrical products.

Tien spent 10 months working on a casual basis in this company but the work started to drop off.  So he decided to do something completely different. He and his brother started a bakery business!

Tien said that his brother had been a baker for 8 years but this was the first time he had owned a shop himself. Tien is excited about the new challenge as there are lots of things to learn such as which ingredients to mix, how to bake cakes and different types of bread.  Tien has even learnt how to make donuts!

Tien also has the opportunity in the shop to practise his listening and speaking skills when he talks with customers and is learning a lot of new vocabulary to do with setting up a business. His DL teacher, Meredith, helps Tien with his pronunciation and with the language he needs to communicate with the customers. She says that Tien's English has improved a lot and he can now understand most of what he hears and can keep a conversation going.

Tien is hoping that their business will grow quickly and that he will be able to become a baker by next year.  In the meantime, he has had good news from his old company.  They rang him about a month ago and asked him to start work there again, so now he has two jobs.  He works for his brother in the morning and then does a shift in the factory from 3-11 pm.  Let's hope he gets some sleep sometimes!

Congratulations to Tien for the progress he made both in improving his English and settling into Australia.  We wish him all the best for his business ventures.

• What are the benefits and challenges of having your own business?
• Would you prefer to have your own business or be an employee in a company? Why?
• Have you ever been involved in a family business and what was that like? 
• If you were to start your own business, what would it be and where would you get help?

We'd love to read your comments to any of the above questions or to Tien's story.

From the memoir of an ex-AMEP student

I was in my early twenties when I first came to live in Australia, now many years ago.  But I will never forget the awkwardness I always felt because of my broken English.  Not understanding what people said, wrongly answering questions, asking for repetition and feeling stupid because I still couldn't get it, laughing at jokes I didn't understand ... these were all embarrassing experiences.

I vividly remember many situations where I felt really awkward.  For example when I rang up to apply for a job and they asked me for my "phone number" to call me back.  All I could hear was "file number" which I insisted I didn't have!  Well, that was one job I wasn't meant to get!

On another occasion I was invited by an Australian family for "tea" around 6 pm at their home.  This is usually the time we have a cup of tea after dinner in the country I come from.  So I had dinner before I went to see them to find that they had a dinner meal prepared.  I was too embarrassed to tell them I'd already eaten so I pushed down my second dinner in order to be polite and let my stomach suffer for it.  I knew the hard way that 'tea' meant 'dinner' not a 'cup of tea' and that 6 pm is when people have their big meal in Australia.

Looking back, these were awkward moments at the time but I can laugh at them now.  You will too!

• Have you had an embarrassing situation because of your English?
• What is the hardest thing to understand?
• What do you do when you don't quite understand and how does this make you feel?
• Do you agree that laughing at yourself is a good way to deal with embarrassment?
• Are there any idioms or expressions that you learnt the hard way? 

Please share your thoughts here.

DL students find their wings

DL students have found their wings and taken flight after Adult Learners' Week lessons. Students worked with their teachers to choose a new skill to learn. Some learnt from You Tube videos, some read websites or books and others learnt from a friend. One thing in common is that students learnt informally. In the same way you can learn English too! You can watch a video, do website activities or learn from a friend.

There were so many exciting hobbies and skills learnt. From knitting, to applying make-up and even making a guinea pig hutch. You can see a slideshow of some of the Adult Learners' Week stories. Just click on this link: Find Your Wings Slideshow. Our Adult Learners' Week story was also shared on the Navitas website. Click on this link to read the article: Navitas Website.  This week we feature an interview with Silvia's student, Christiane, on her informal learning experience.

 

Decoupage

Have you learnt anything new lately?

Yes I've learnt how to make decoupage on a bottle. Decoupage means the art of decorating objects with paper cut-outs. It originated in France. You can do decoupage on wooden objects such as coffee tables, chests of drawers or jewelry boxes or glass bottles. All you need is creativity and imagination!

How did you learn to do decoupage?
It started after Adult Learners' Week when I visited my friend's place and I saw her knife block in the kitchen. It looked very pretty with flower decorations on it. So I asked her where she got it from. She said she had made it. So I asked her nicely if she could teach me and she said 'yes!'
How do you feel about learning a new skill?
I really enjoy learning something new. I think it keeps me occupied and most of the time I get carried away doing something new. I believe as humans we will always learn something new. It doesn't matter how old or young we are. Learning something new can be difficult as well, but if you can find an aspect that motivates you then you can never say no.

Well done to all the students who sent in a story of their learning experience. We hope you enjoyed this activity and now have some fresh ideas for learning.

• How do you learn English informally?
• What similarities do you notice between learning a new skill and learning English?
• What is the difference between learning in a classroom and learning informally?

How about writing your comments below.  Remember to sign into your Google account in the top right corner before you comment.

Sara finds a job in her field

Teacher Bernadette with Sara

My name is Sara and I'm from Iran.  I came to Australia with my husband in January 2015.  In Iran I was awarded a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a Master's degree in Commercial Management.  I worked as a Documentation Officer for an import company for 2 years in Iran.

When I arrived in Perth I tried to find a job in a restaurant or a cafe because my English wasn't really good enough to work in my own profession.  I worked full time in a cafe and I decided to improve my English by studying with Distance Learning.

I explained my situation to my DL teacher, Bernadette, so she focused our study on the theme of Work.  I learned how to write a covering letter and I had to rewrite my resume according to Australian standards.  We pracitsed job interviews and we tried to think outside the box and prepare answers to possible tricky questions.

I was very motivated and after each lesson I would practise the interview with my husband.  After a month of very serious preparation, I applied for a Documentation Officer job in an export company and to my surprise I was invited to an interview.  I remembered everything I practised with Bernadette during our DL lessons: the language, the answers, the body language and having a positive attitude.  I was so happy when I was offered the job and very grateful to my DL teacher for her support.

My experience taught me that with hard work and motivation all dreams can come true.  I am here in this great country, doing what I know and what I'm passionate about and contributing my skills to the society.  Thanks to the AMEP DL program and to my DL teacher.

Note: The photo was taken at the Iranian Cultural Show in Perth where Teacher Bernadette had the chance to meet Sara and learn many interesting things about the Iranian culture.

Congratulations to Sara on getting a job in her field.  If you need help with job seeking skills ask your teacher for a referral to one of our specialised DL teachers.

• How is finding a job in Australia different from your country?
• Should job seekers have one resume or more when applying for different jobs?
• What stops people from pursuing a job in the same profession they had before?

Why not add a comment here!

Teacher Ruth celebrates the Aboriginal culture

Teacher Ruth & Artist Sonda

Ruth is one of our DL teachers from Bankstown College in Sydney who has a keen interest in culture and human identity.

Every year Australia dedicates a week in July to celebrate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements. So Ruth travelled to the Northern Territory to join the celebrations. She found it a great opportunity to acknowledge the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society.

The highlight of her trip was making friends with Sonda who comes from Alice Springs in the central desert area of Australia. She is well known in the territory for her artwork and storytelling.  She uses her artwork to carry on telling her Indigenous traditions and culture. She paints in public at markets or in the mall. You can watch her painting here.

Aboriginal Dance

Ruth watched the interesting dance performed by the dance group called ‘One Mob Different Country’. They had the permission from the elders to perform this ceremony in front of the Parliament House in Darwin.

Ruth feels enriched by connecting with Australia's indigenous community.  She enjoys listening to their stories about family and the importance of their place in the Australian culture.

• What does it mean to be Australian or what defines Australia's identity? 
• How much should the past shape your identity as an individual and Australia's identity?
• Australia has many different cultures.  How can we all get along and live in harmony?
• How important is art in understanding each other's cultures?

Tina travels solo

DL student Tina on the road

Besides exploring beautiful scenery, meeting new friends, tasting different cooking styles and practising English, there was something else I learnt from travelling alone, that was to be appreciative and be brave.

I always travelled with someone else. Although I came to Australia by myself, I very soon found other Taiwanese travel mates. I couldn't imagine what travelling alone would be like or if I would be able to handle any problems on my own. I thought I always needed the company of other people.

Luckily, after all the money in my pocket ran out, I got a full-time job as a nanny in Alice Springs. So I moved out of the backpacker hostel into a motel which my employer paid for. I got paid well and lived in a nice double room with a big swimming pool in front of my door. My friends were envious of my life. But they didn't know I couldn't share my room and I didn't have any colleagues at work. The only activity was to join drinking parties after work. But none of the people I met could go bush walking with me the next day because their hangovers kept them in bed. I got so bored and felt lonely.

One of my friends left his car behind for me. I got the car fixed then started my own national park trips. The first trip to West MacDonnel Ranges National Park took fifteen minutes. I was too scared to drive myself into the unfamiliar inland desert so I returned to town after passing the national park sign. A week later I tried again and also every Sunday after that. The cliffs change colour all the time, the river that flows through the gorges is a billion years old and the desert animals are so different. They brought me peace and became my best company. This beautiful park taught me to appreciate nature and the resources we have.

The time I spent in Alice Springs helped me feel independent. I proved to myself that I could look after myself and I was ready for new challenges. It was one of the most memorable travel experiences.

Thanks Tina for sharing your wonderful travel experience with us. We admire your adventurous spirit.  Why not write a message for Tina!

• What is the difference between being lonely and being alone?
• How comfortable are you with your own company? Are there benefits to being by yourself?
• Would you travel alone like Tina?  Why / why not?
• What places in Australia have blown you away? What places would you like to visit?

From distance teachers to distance runners

Silvia, Maree, Meredith
on a coastal walk 

Every year Navitas sponsors teams from its employees to enter a fitness challenge called the Global Corporate Challenge.  The aim is to motivate staff to get fitter.  Teaching in DL is a sedentary activity, which means it requires a lot of sitting down, so the challenge to be active was very welcome.  This year two teams from DL participated in the challenge. Each team had 7 enthusiastic teachers who took up the challenge to complete 10,000 steps a day for a 100 days.  They chose team names that represented what they do in DL:

The Skypettes - Silvia (Captain), Meredith, Karen, Carol, Erika, Maree, Nadia
Distance Runners - Linda (Captain), George, Julian, Johanna, Hena, Christine, Victoria

Karen, Maree, Nadia
finishing the 11 km
Sutherland to Surf race

Congratulations to both teams who tried very hard and completed the challenge finishing 3rd and 5th in their Navitas division in Australia.  The Skypettes completed 5,957 km and Distance Runners 5,695 km collectively while getting fitter in the process and having fun walking together. We asked the captains about their experience.

Silvia said "It was a very motivating experience specially doing it with a team. We bonded together as we organised a few walking events on weekends. As the captain of my team I started to become more competitive towards the end, regularly checking the leaderboard online and encouraging my team to stay in the top 10 which we succeeded in doing. Well done team!"  Silvia led by example.  Her PB reached a soaring 36,000 steps in one day!

According to Linda, participating in the challenge helped her change habits. She said "My job requires me to sit for most of the day so it's important I make an effort to move.  I now walk whenever I can instead of driving to places.  Walking is a great exercise, you can do it by yourself or with a group and it's free."  Linda is proud of her team who participated enthusiastically and enjoyed the benefits of the exercise.

Well done to both teams and to staff members who 'unofficially' joined in and increased their steps.

• How do you keep active? What was the greatest fitness challenge you've ever taken up?
• What stops people from being more active?
• How can you change habits and build healthy routines in your week?
• 22nd September is World Car Free Day which encourages people to give up cars for a day. Is that an easy challenge?  Why/why not?  Share your comments below ...

Geeta gains local experience

Geeta, Level 3

My name is Geeta.  I worked in India as an Electronics Engineer for 10 months. When I moved to Australia, I tried to find a job in the same field but was unsuccessful, so I decided to change my career to accounting.

I have found that studying alone is not enough to gain employment particularly in a new country.  I needed to find a way to get local work experience and local references so I decided to look for volunteer work specifically in the areas I wanted to learn and develop.

I applied to non-profit organisations because they tend to have more opportunities for volunteering. After sending my resume and cover letter I followed up with a call and where possible to arrange an interview.

One day I received a phone call and was offered a volunteer position.  I was very pleased to finally get the opportunity to develop my office skills and make valuable use of my time.  My colleagues speak fluent English which is helpful for my accent.  Every day I am learning something new.  I do archiving of files and maintain clients' details on the database.  I have  recently asked them for other work to further develop my skills which they have now provided.

Even though I work one day a week I still fulfill my commitment coming to the office regularly and on time.  It is difficult to manage volunteer work, study and family responsibilities but I persevere and enjoy the success.  I'm lucky that my husband supports me and looks after our child while I go to work and my DL teacher, Barbara, checked my resume and cover letter and helped me prepare for the interview.  Distance Learning really helped me achieve my goal.

Congratulations Geeta on the progress you made and we wish you well with your career.

• How important is it to have local experience and why?
• What barriers are there for skilled migrants to get their first job in Australia?
• Do you think skilled migrants should aim to work in their original field of study/experience?

DL teachers 'get carried away' with learning!

Your DL teachers just love learning outside the square. In their spare time they get carried away being creative and have certainly found their wings. We hope you are enjoying your Adult Learners' Week lessons and are being carried away too by learning something new. This week we've interviewed three DL teachers to find how they learn outside the square.

Christine

What's something new you've learnt recently? 
Actually I've learnt to make personalised greeting cards.
Nice and why did you want to learn card making? 
I wanted to make special cards to match the personalities and interests of my friends and family. Now I make cards for car enthusiasts, garden lovers, fashion followers, the sports crazy ...
So why do you enjoy learning? 
Learning new things enables me to share with others. I enjoy the delight on the faces of people when they open their special card.
Barbara

What have you been learning recently? 
Well I've been learning how to arrange miniature succulent gardens. I arrange small plants in pots, with a castle or a house to make it look like real life.  I was fascinated how big gardens of the world can be recreated on a smaller scale in a pot.
Wow that's interesting! How are you learning this? 
I Google ideas on the Internet and then use my imagination to make my own creations.
Why do you love to learn new things? 
It occupies my mind and extends my knowledge and creativity. When we learn and create something new it adds a different dimension, an expression of self, thoughts and imagination.

Julian

Have you learnt anything new lately? 
I'm learning how to read music again. My son is learning how to play the clarinet so to help him out I'm learning to read music too.
So when you don't know something what can you do? 
I go to YouTube and search for a video. There are so many enthusiastic people who make videos. I'm so grateful for their knowledge.
Can you give us a tip on how to learn?
It's good to practise with someone. Also I use 'mnemonics' which are phrases to remember things, eg to learn the order of the treble clef notes 'EGBDF' I say the phrase "Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit!"
Great, and finally How to do feel when you've learnt a new skill?
It feels good to achieve something new. It's a quest for knowledge!

We'd love to know what you have learnt recently. Just go to the Events tab above and follow the suggestions in Activity 4.  Write a paragraph and take a photo about your experience, then email it to your teacher by 30th September. We will share the best entries on the Blog.

Adult Learners' Week 1-8 September 2016

Adult Learners' Week - 1-8 September

You are here because you are an 'adult learner' trying to improve your English.

In the AMEP program you learn with a teacher through a training organisation. You get assessed and can get a certificate. This is 'formal' learning.

But in fact most learning doesn't happen through formal training. Learning is like an iceberg. The smaller visible part above the surface reflects 'formal' learning and the larger hidden part below the surface reflects 'informal' learning.

We learn throughout life in different ways: at work, in the community, from family and friends. We learn by surfing the Net, watching TV, listening to the radio or reading a book.

On the 1st September we celebrate Adult Learners' Week in Australia and we would like you to join one of the activities that we have planned for you. The focus will be on informal learning.

To find out more about Adult Learners' Week click here.

Go to our Events tab to find the activities.

Celebrating the Rio 2016 Olympics

The Refugee Team

Have you been following the Rio Olympics!

Which team are you supporting! Perhaps this is the first time you are cheering on the Australian team as well as the team from your own country of origin.

The Olympic games bring a lot of excitement beyond sporting competitions and medal tallies.  There are a lot of reasons to celebrate:

1. These are the first Olympic games to be hosted in the continent of South America so we congratulate our students from this part of the world, specially from Brazil.
2. To help taxi drivers in Brazil to communicate with tourists they were given free English lessons.
3. The Olympics unite people from across the globe with 205 participating countries and over 11,000 athletes.
4. There are over 70,000 volunteers who keep the Olympic spirit alive.
5. There are 10 Indigenous athletes on the Australian team.
6. This is the first time a team of refugee athletes competes in the Olympics. They include 2 swimmers from Syria, 5 track athletes from South Sudan, 2 judokas from Congo and a marathon runner from Ethiopia.
7. The “Laurel Award” was presented for the first time to “Kip Keino”, the two-time Olympic champion runner from Kenya, for his outstanding contribution to education and culture through sport.  After retiring from competition he opened a children’s home for 100 Kenyan orphans, a school in an isolated area for 300 children and a sports training centre for promising athletes in Kenya.

• What Rio Olympics moments, stories or facts have you found exciting?
• If you could join the Olympics as an athlete, what sport would you choose and why?
• The Rio Olympics cost over US$11 billion.  Do you think this spending is justified?  Why/why not?

Add your comments below.

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going

All the people in the world dream of a better life.  Like any other person, I too had big dreams of a better life in Australia.  I was very excited to meet an Australian man who told me he loved me and would look after me until the end of life.  We got married, I took early retirement from my government job in Thailand and came to live in Australia.  I left behind my two daughters in their twenties for my new dream, my new husband, my new life.  I was very happy.

We settled in North Queensland and my husband worked as a bus driver then a truck driver.  I had different jobs, cleaning buses, babysitting, housekeeping, working as a kitchen hand and on a farm planting, picking and packing.  I couldn't choose my jobs in Australia but I worked hard and did an honest job everywhere I worked.  The saddest thing for me was when our marriage broke down and my husband left me.  I wasn't good enough to be his wife any more and I was disappointed that he wasn't the man I thought he was.

Things got tougher for me.  I had no place to live so I stayed in an old church.  Jobs were up and down and I didn't have enough money to send to my family in Thailand.  I got sick and my health got worse.  But through tough times I learned many life lessons and found strength to keep going.  God gave me many blessings to make up for the hard times.

I found myself using my energy to study.  I did a certificate in food handling and a certificate in construction at TAFE and I'm studying AMEP by Distance Learning.  I got my Australian citizenship after trying so hard to read the book for 4 months.  I was proud of myself to get 19/20 in the test.  I had mixed feelings, happy to be Australian but sad for all the things I lost in the past.  Last month five of my new friends came along with me to the citizenship ceremony then we celebrated the Aussie way, we went to the pub and had a couple of beers!

Such is life, the ups and the downs .. It tests you to see what you're made of .. yet I keep going, I keep trying, I keep dreaming .. dreaming of a better life.

Thanks to our student for sharing this great story of resilience, courage and hope.  We wish you every success and happiness for your future.

• What were your expectations before you came to Australia?
• Was your experience different from your expectations? In what ways?
• What helps you deal with life challenges?
• What does your dream of a better life look like?

Countdown to Census - 9th August 2016

• What is the population of Australia?
• How many people were born overseas?
• What are the fastest growing areas?
• How do people travel to work?

How can we find answers to questions like these?  

Every 5 years the Australian Bureau of Statistics conducts a Census which is a survey that everyone in Australia must complete.

Watch this video and find out what information is collected and why.

Census night is Tuesday 9th August and it is compulsory to participate.

So how do you complete the Census?

From August 1st every household will receive a letter in the mail which has a unique login and instructions on how to complete the Census online.  If you prefer to complete a paper form it will tell you how to request the form which you should return in the reply paid envelope as soon as possible. You must include everyone in your home on Census night including babies, children, aunties, uncles, cousins and visitors.

For information in your language go to Help in your language
For more information refer to Frequently Asked Questions

Did you know! 
This is the first time the Census is available online, saving taxpayers more than $100 million.

Have you done your tax return!

30th June marked the end of the financial year 2015-16 which means it is tax time. 

Although there are plenty of things you’d rather be doing than your tax return, the reality is most of us need to lodge a tax return to show how much income we have earned and how much tax we need to pay or claim back from the government.

How much do you know about the tax system in Australia?

1. What do these acronyms stand for: ATO, TFN, ABN, GST?
2. When is the deadline for lodging your tax return?
3. What documents or information do you need to prepare to help you do your tax return?
4. What are ‘deductions’? What are examples of allowable deductions you can claim?
5. How long are you required to keep your tax records for?
6. Do we all pay the same tax rate?  What were the tax rates for 2015-16? 

Use the search field on this website to find answers to your questions.

Watch this video to find out the benefits of using myTax online service. 

Volunteering connects Dominika to her community

Dominika, DL student

I'm from Poland and I live in a small country town in South Australia where I volunteer from time to time at the local golf club.  In Poland volunteering is not valued because it earns you no money.  But now I can see that what you do for free can be worth much more than money.  It is great to be able to help others, use your skills and learn new skills while supporting a local business in a small town.

I help with decorating the club for special events and with registrations for tournaments. Sometimes I also help in the kitchen where I exchange cooking experiences with other staff members.  Most importantly however, I get the chance to talk to people, improve my English and understand the way country people talk which is very quick and full of slang.

The biggest challenge for me is when I do registrations and I have to find people's names on the list.  Because they are club members and locals, they assume I should know their surnames.  I can usually remember the first name and the face but not the surname.  This however helps me understand their Aussie English.  For example there was this member that everyone called "Blue" but I had trouble finding his name on the list under Blue.  When I asked him for his surname it was nothing like the colour blue.  I found out later that in Australia people call you "Blue" when you have red hair!

Volunteering has made me understand the Australian culture and feel part of my community.  I enjoy helping people and I don't feel so homesick in Australia any more.

Talking about country, slang and blue Dominika is sharing this popular Aussie song by country singer John Williamson called "True Blue".

Following The National Volunteer Week we've had a number of responses from DL students with positive stories.  Thanks Dominika for sharing your experience with volunteering and this song.

• What is the meaning of "true blue" in the song?
• Are there any slang expressions that you learned from talking to other Australians?
• Is volunteering valued in your country of origin?  Why / why not?
• If you had the chance to volunteer, what work would you like to do?

Happy 5th Anniversary Distance Learning

National DL Sydney team in 2016

Welcome to the 5th Anniversary of Navitas DL. In July 2011 a small group of 8 teachers began teaching DL nationally. Today Navitas DL has grown to over 100 teachers based in Sydney and Perth, teaching students in NSW, Qld, SA, ACT and WA. Our original teachers reflected on how DL has quickly grown and changed. Here are some thoughts from three original teachers.

National DL Sydney team in 2016

Ross, what do you remember of your first days in DL?

Well the first few days were really interesting! We did very little teaching as we were sorting through all the paperwork. There were lots of cardboard boxes, so we occasionally found ourselves teaching sitting on boxes. We taught students by telephone but we used to get a sore arm after one hour. Also we had books and cassette tapes called "It's Over To You".

National DL Sydney team in 2011

Nadia, how did students do assessments in the old days? 

We used to play listening tapes on an old cassette recorder which we held up to the telephone. It was a bit tricky! Also we made lots of photocopies, sent assessment tasks to students by post and students posted them back. It took so long. Each student had a paper folder but after a while it became so thick.

Ross, when did you start using the Internet and Skype?
We started using Skype a few months later and I do remember saying to my manager "and what is Skype?" At first our computers were slow and didn't have a camera. I also remember the manager saying "here's a new resource called "Your Call" and it is available online.

Anthony, now students use online resources and other technologies. How do you think this helps students to learn? 
In many ways technology has improved what students get out of their lessons. In the past we used to mail the homework out. Now students can send back their work by email which allows for instant feedback from their teacher. Also by using Skype students can do special things they couldn't before, like by using the Skype chat feature teachers can send students extra website links, type words or even send audio files. We can actually use other features such as Skype share screen and Titan Pad so the student and teacher can see the same screen. It's great!

So in 5 years technology in Distance Learning has come such along way. 

• Imagine, what new technology you would like to use in an online English lesson in the future?
• How might you be learning English in 2021?

Please post your comments below; we really would like to read your ideas. 

Meet Teacher Hena

Teacher Hena

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Hena.  I was born in Iraq but grew up in Turkey so I can speak Arabic and Turkish fluently. I've been in Australia for 18 years. I have two sons, 16 and 12 and they are both very much into soccer.  My oldest son enjoys cooking so we cook a lot together.

Tell us about what you do at Navitas?
I am a Distance Learning teacher, a classroom teacher and an assessor and have been working with Navitas for 5 years.

What do you think are the benefits for classroom students who also study by distance?
The classroom is a great place for students to communicate with each other and be face to face with the teacher.  DL is a great option for those who can't make it to class. But students who study both in the classroom and by distance make the most out of the two modes of learning.  They get extra assistance with their classroom work and they can also focus on their own areas of need at their own level with the DL teacher.  Usually their English improves faster.

How is this week special for you?
This week I celebrate the Eid which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.  We usually have a feast where families and friends get together and indulge in eating delicious traditional food to celebrate the end of a hard month of restricted eating.

What message would you like to give to your students about living in Australia?
Australia is a great country.  You can be part of the Australian community without losing your own identity.  You can participate in work and in mainstream community activities with freedom and respect regardless of your background, religion or gender.

• Compare learning in class with learning by distance.  What option suits you best and why? 
• Do you agree with the statement that you can participate in the mainstream Australian community without losing your identity? Discuss.
• What Australian values do you appreciate the most? 

Share your comments below.

Better late than never - A proud AMEP grandma

Sandra & her grandchildren

My name is Sandra. I'm Italian, from Bologna, a Medieval town with the oldest University in the world.  I'm 70 years old and now (with my husband Luigi) I'm a DL student.  I think we are the only people so aged, but we must study English, having decided to live in Canberra because our only daughter and our only (for now) granddaughter live here.

At the moment however, we're waiting excitedly for the second baby!!

Writing about my experience in Australia is very helpful to calm our excitement.  I think that the many difficulties that I have to face is nothing compared to the happiness of living every day as grandparents, or 'Nonni', so it's worth the effort. 

It's very hard to learn a new language at our age. Someone said that it's a good way to keep your brain active, but I reply that my heart is suffering with the stresssssss!  Yes, everyone is very friendly and patient, but I feel embarrassed or stupid when, very often, I don't understand what they tell me.  Moreover we have to speak Italian with our 6 year old granddaughter, who is already perfectly bilingual. But we don't work, so our practice of English isn't intensive.

Luckily, we have met lots of Italo-Australian people who are very kind. Now our dear friends, who helped us to become integrated into the local community, and some warm neighbours are very curious and interested in the Italian culture (such as food, fashion, movies), so we are proud to add some little pieces to the Australian multicultural life.

Another big stroke of luck was to meet Christine, our DL teacher who is so patient and supportive when we make lots of mistakes.  Now, she's becoming a friend, because she knows our problems and our delights and she encourages us in our little steps to improve our English.

.......
While I was waiting for my blog post to be published, my second granddaughter was born.  Welcome my dear Audrey Alice!  Thank you for your red hair, like me!  This is another special gift and for that I love you much more!"

Congratulations to Sandra, Luigi and family on the safe arrival of your granddaugher and on being a good example for our more senior AMEP learners.

• Is age a barrier to learning English?  Why or why not?
• What are the challenges and rewards for the more senior migrants in Australia?
• Is it necessary for grandparents to learn English and how can they practise their English?

Why not share your views below!