Student taken with Wellington city life

Fabio Frei, 19, from Switzerland, has been studying English through The Campbell Institute’s Demi Au Pair programme in Wellington.

The Campbell Institute worked with Fabio’s Swiss education provider to facilitate his stay in New Zealand, and Fabio says the programme was a perfect match, allowing him to work and live with a Kiwi family while studying.

Demi Au Pairs live in with a family, and work for the family for up to 20 hours per week, helping with childcare and housework. In exchange for working, families provide Demi Au Pairs with full board, a stipend, and transport costs to school and back.

At the same time, students study 15 or 20 hours per week, choosing from several English study options, including General English, IELTS or Cambridge Exam Preparation.

Fabio’s life with his “lovely“ host family in Lower Hutt – just 20 minutes from Wellington Railway Station where Campbell is based – provided easy access to Wellington’s vivid city life.

“I live in the countryside at home, so I definitely enjoy the vivid city and the many pubs where you can meet with friends,“ he says. “Never miss pub night – it’s a great opportunity to get in touch with new people!“

He also made the most of Wellington’s “lush nature, rolling hills and breathtaking views.“

“Together with friends we did many hikes around the city. Apart from its sometimes unpredictable weather (always carry a raincoat) Wellington gives you the opportunity to do numerous great activities to explore nature and live the Kiwi life, and it’s even better with friends so don’t be shy, connect with your mates in school – it’s worth it!“

At Campbell, Fabio made leaps and bounds in his English skills, thanks to the programme‘s “relaxed but efficient atmosphere.“

Next up, he will head back to Switzerland to study mechanical engineering and hopes one day to be involved in management in a global tech-orientated company.

While he’ll be sad to leave to New Zealand, he’s made the most of his time here – travelling in weekends and holidays.

“I was able to do some awesome weekend trips with friends from Campbell and also used the summer holidays to travel around the south island,“ he said.

“I will leave NZ with memories for a lifetime.“