In today’s blog, we would like to share the profiles of our Sydney & Gold Coast’s Principals (Nicole Capodieci & John Finlayson).
Nicole Capodieci
Hobbies: Mountain bike rides, Trivia & Cooking exotic foods
Position at Langports: Principal of the Sydney Campus
How long have you been working at Langports? Over 1 year now
What do you like the most about working at Langports? The people and the atmosphere. We have a wonderful team and the best students in the world. School wide activities are my favourite!
How long have you been working in the Education Industry and what do you like the most about working with international students? I am working now for over 7 years in the management of the education industry and I can still learn from our international students, their culture and their stories.
What have students taught you? Students teach me every day. One of the steepest learning curve we get is on international food day. A deliciously educational experience 🙂 I have tried to make many of these dishes myself, since.
Do you have a remarkable experience that you would like to share with us? I enjoy talking to students about etymology, which is the study of the origin of words. A lot of great trivia knowledge come out of that. Often the meaning/true sense is funny and it makes you never forget about that word again.
As example: An Italian student told me that back in the day outside of Rome there was an inn/tavern at the intersection of the three main roads leading to/away from the city. People would gather there, drink, and talk about the inconsequential happenings of the day. The inn was named for the fact that it was at this confluence of these three roads (three = tri, road = via): TriVia.
What is the best advice/tip you can give students about learning another language? The best advice I can give is to overcome your fear of making mistakes and practice. If you join our activities, you will have so much fun that you don’t even realise how much you learn!
What would you say to students who are thinking about coming to study English at Langports? This experience will enrich your lives, enhance your language abilities and boost the contacts you are making for life. Our new Langports family would be excited to meet you and together we can have an amazing time and enjoy beautiful Sydney together.
John Finlayson
Hobbies: Working on my car, fixing stuff, traveling and trying new food 🙂
Position at Langports: Gold Coast Principal
How long have you been working at Langports?: About 2 and a half years
What do you like the most about working at Langports?: The people, we have some amazing staff who are such a pleasure to work with and so may interesting students from all over the world. It’s a great feeling to see them come here and grow so much, not just in their English ability but also through the experiences they share while here.
How long have you been working in the Education Industry and what do you like the most about working with international students?: About 12 years now and the best thing about working with international students is actually what I learn from them. Every student who comes to our school brings a piece of their culture with them and it is my privilege to get to see and share cultures with people from all over the world.
What have students taught you?: Well I have picked up a few “cheeky” words in about half a dozen languages, but the best thing is to see the world through a completely different perspective. Every culture you are exposed to shows you a different way of looking at everyday life and this can be very eye opening. I find it helps me to appreciate everything more.
Do you have a remarkable experience that you would like to share with us?: I would have trouble choosing just one. But, something that has stuck with me is traveling through the tri-border area of western China, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Way up there in the mountains, watching the sunrise over the world’s 2nd largest Ice Mountain and running across the border into northern Pakistan to meet some locals and check out a beautiful glacier.
What is the best advice/tip you can give students about learning another language?: Practice! You can study as much as you like but in the end when you are back home the things that will stick with you the most are the things you used day to day outside of school. You should take what you have been learning in class and find a way to use it outside of class. This is the best way to learn and living in Australia while you study provides you with the best opportunity to do this, so don’t waste this amazing opportunity.
What would you say to students who are thinking about coming to study English at Langports?: Do it! You won’t regret it. You will be able to improve your English a lot in a short amount of time; but you will learn so much more than just English. The experiences you have here, the friends you make and the cultural exchanges with people from all over the world will change you and stay with you for the rest of your life.
Thank you!! 🙂
Related blogs:
At Langports, we love making a difference! http://www.langports.com/at-langports-we-love-making-a-difference/
How Australia made me a stronger person! http://www.langports.com/how-australia-made-me-a-stronger-person/
Why not study English with these amazing teachers at Langports Sydney? http://www.langports.com/why-not-study-english-with-these-amazing-teachers-at-langports-sydney/
My lovely homeland – Iran http://www.langports.com/lovely-homeland-iran/