Isn’t it amazing when you go abroad to study English and you get to achieve your goals? Not only that but you’re also able to enjoy and experience people’s culture. Let’s see what Lin Dong Sian “Jarvis”, a software engineer from Taiwan, has to say about his experience in Pines.
1.Why did you decide to study English and why did you choose Pines?
I love traveling. I’ve realized that when I travel, it is hard for me to communicate with people in English so I’ve made up my mind to study English. I want to improve my speaking and listening skills. I’ve read good comments about PIA saying that it is one of the best ESL academies in Baguio City, so I’ve chosen to study here.
2.What were your expectations before coming to Pines International Academy?
I really wanted to be fluent in English and to be able to understand what people are saying. Also, I wanted to take TOEIC. I really expected that PIA would help me achieve these goals.
During my first week in Pines, I couldn’t understand what my teachers were talking about. After few more weeks, I was able to talk with them and understand what they are saying. Therefore, I can say that my expectations are being met and I am improving.
3.What are the interesting things you’ve experienced in Pines, Baguio City?
The students and the local people in Baguio are interesting for me. The students in PIA are from different countries. I like chatting with them because they always give me unexpected responses. The same question will have different answers because of our cultural and national differences, which is really interesting.
Furthermore, while I was downtown looking for a restaurant, I got lost. One Filipino was enthusiastic enough to help me find the place. He told me that he worked in Taiwan for seven years when he got to know that I came from that country. What a coincidence!
4.Did Pines help you achieve your goal? How?
Yes, Pines helped me achieve my goals. I am very fortunate to have professional teachers. Whenever I commit mistakes, they are patient in correcting them. I was able to enjoy and understand my classes with them. I’ve learned a lot from my teachers. Also, I’ve got so many chances to practice here so there was higher possibility for me to improve my English skills.
Since I think that listening and speaking are the most important skills that I need to improve on, I always ask my teachers to talk with me. In addition to this, I preview the lessons in my reading textbook so that the following day, my teacher can correct my mistakes.
5.What do you like most about the school/ the city? / What made you the happiest coming to Pines to study English?
I love nature and Baguio City is located on top of mountains. There are pines trees everywhere which contributed to the cool weather in the area. This city is so vibrant. It is full of life and this makes me comfortable and happy. But the main reason is that I’ve got the opportunity to be a student again– to do my best to study and enjoy while having no pressure.
I would recommend Pines to other people who are planning to study English abroad. I would tell them that in addition to having professional teachers, the environment is also good for learning.