Wellington- the best city to live in?

Wellington is the best city to live in, according to Wellingtonians (talking about not being bias!) According to the quality of life survey conducted, Wellingtonians are generally more content compared to other cities.  Nearly 9 out of 10 are happy with their quality of life.

“They also consider themselves healthier, and feel safer walking home day or night, even when travelling through the central city. Despite the capital's infamously tight and winding streets, its residents are the least concerned about dangerous drivers.

The general lack of concern may arise from a deep conviction that they are living in a wonderful city - a view held by 93 per cent of Wellington residents.

And they are generally happy for others to enjoy it as well, with Wellingtonians the most tolerant of diversity” - Dominion Post 26/02/2013

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I have to admit that when I first moved to Wellington, it didn't excite me as much. The weather and the wind have put me off. Well...there are some good and bad days but in total fairness, this year has been great! We have had a really nice summer, blue sky and well...not much wind.   Keep it up Wellington! Please make the summer last a little longer than usual..:)

Speak...for a slice of pizza?

2 Minutes speaking for a slice of pizza.....Anyone??

ETC Speaking Club launched an activity during lunch time for students to encourage them to speak! Elshaday (in the picture) was speaking 2 minutes about her experience when she first came to New Zealand. We had the speaking card laid out with a wide range of topics. Speaking for 2 minutes can be a very long time, especially if we just started to learn another language. Nevertheless, all students who participated spoke very well and everyone get a slice of pizza!

Hello TWENTY THIRTEEN!

So we all have lived and survived 2012, where it has been predicted that the world was coming to an end. How did you start your new year? Did you have a resolution and stick to it?

The first week after a new year and a long holiday is always quite dull. We all wished we had a longer holiday and didn’t feel like coming back to ‘reality’. Nevertheless we all adjusted and got back to our daily routine.

                                                         Breakers Bay, Wellington

The weather in Wellington has been a little quite unpredictable but we had a really good day lately. Quite hot and on top of that, there's no WIND! Therefore on Sunday, I took the opportunity to drive around Wellington and found one of my favorite spot. There were several rocks so it was a little tricky to find the right spot to sit down so if you are thinking of going there, please be aware:)

Where has time gone?

9 more weeks until end of the year

8 more weeks until X mas

Where has time gone?

We heard it all before. ‘ It’s the end of year already?...that’s so fast!’

A question I always ask myself is, ‘ Have I accomplish what I wanted to achieve this year?’

My answer is yes and no. Sometimes we get so side track with all the things that is going on around us that we lose track of what we want to achieve for the current year. Making a list gives you an idea of what you really want. It is easy to write them down but the challenging part is to making it happen. 

It is always good to write down your goal for next year as it gives you an indication and guideline of where you want to go in the next 12 months....
Works for some, really! 

Start thinking about your goals for 2013 now..before you know it, the year is already almost over...:)

Abit of extra English?

ETC Wellington will start a new advanced level English

 class for international students at 29 October 2012.

The better your English, the less you pay!

Morning classes from NZ$ 120.00 per week and Evening 

classes from NZ$ 75.00 per week.

If interested, please email tina@etc.ac.nz 

204 Willis Street, Wellington

04 385 0066

Nowhere else I'd rather be

If you keep up or take notice of the Wellington tourism site, there is a little banner which says 'the coolest little capital in the world' ....

Wellington, indeed is 'cool' and let me tell you why.

For instance, last Sunday was beautiful. It just felt like summer. Blue Sky...fresh air....it was one fine day. People were out Roller Blading by the Waterfront, some were tanning on the beach while some were walking their dogs in the park. Within 5-10 minutes walk from the CBD, you could escape the 'city feel' and go to the beach. Where else can you do that in the world? Not anywhere I know of.

                                What's your reason for the coolest of Wellington? Share your ideas:)

Let's Eat

Once every 3-4 months, students and staff at ETC bring food to share for lunch. This is the second time I get to experience this event (I even brought something to share!). The food that was put on the table range from many different cuisine such as Asian, Middle Eastern and European. I tried many things but there the 2 things that caught my attention. 

One was this dessert made by one of our Iraqi student. I don't remember the exact name of the dessert dish but it was really yummy! Very different from other types of dessert I have tried. I remembered the top was with grated coconut. It was not too sweet but too plain either, perfect finishing after the main course:)

Another dish I tried was 'Tea Leaf Salad' ... Interesting name? Certainly was interesting and very delicious. This dish is from the Burmese cuisine. Basically it's a salad but instead of the normal greens, it is with tea leaves instead and topped with crushed peanuts and some dressing. 

The food pretty much disappeared within 15 minutes! I guess this shows how hungry we were as well as how delicious everything was! This is how great it is when you have students from over 20 nationalities in one room! You get to learn not only the culture, but also what they eat...:)