An Li

For An Li, an international education meant her first trip overseas and she chose New Zealand, over 10,000 km away from her home in Beijing.

"When I first came here it was a bit scary, but I thought it was a wonderful place. Patrick (from Dynaspeak) came to the airport to pick me up and took me up to One Tree Hill from winter in China to summer in Auckland there was no pollution and the sky was so blue!"

First step was English language study, and she enrolled at Dynspeak for three months of English and then sat her IELTS exam.

"Mark (at Dynaspeak) taught me how to deal with IELTS he asked me questions that are similar to the speaking test in IELTS which was really good. I really liked the speaking class too. We also wrote journals every day, which my teachers marked, it was very helpful.

Li then went on to Massey University, studying a Bachelor of Business majoring in Finance. This took her only two years because she fast-tracked the programme completing five papers each semester instead of four and also studying at summer school. "The first year's papers were a little difficult but after that it was much easier, all the subjects were interconnected."

She also kept working on her English by returning to Dynaspeak during school holidays.

"The advantage of studying in New Zealand is that I could have a real life experience I could work while I was studying and experience life and culture in New Zealand. I could also take more control of my own life here. I decided what kind of life I would have. "

Now graduated Li has started her career in New Zealand, working in the finance industry. When asked what she misses about China, she laughs, "Nothing now! Except my parents. Hopefully they will come and visit me here in New Zealand."