Student Stories

What I enjoy most about studying at Thames High School is the flying course (which Ritsuki attends outside of school hours at the Hauraki Aero Club and is situated five minutes out of Thames Township.) I am doing training on how to control the plane.

I also like the Outdoor Education here at Thames High School, it’s a very fun class.

The teachers are very kind here!

My highlights were {the} Outdoor Education Programme here at Thames High School. We did a lot of trips like the Tongariro Crossing. Surfing was fun as well and the scuba diving was awesome.

I would recommend Thames High School because the teachers and all the people are very friendly, it’s just a good atmosphere here at the school.

My homestay family was really nice. It was really fun. I felt really comfortable after a few days and we did lots of things together like going to the beach.

I was really shy before I came here but everyone came to me and talked to me and I made lots of friends really quickly. Everybody here is really keen to do stuff.

My highlight was my host family took me out on the boat and we sailed around the Coromandel and we went diving!

Starting at Thames High School was scary at first but the teachers and students made me feel really welcome straight away.

A highlight {of my time here} was the soccer team. I made heaps of friends through the soccer team (they call it football here).

My host family made me feel like part of their family, they really treated me like their child and it was an excellent experience.

The education and learning at this school is so amazing. Before I arrived, I was afraid that because I didn’t speak English, I wouldn’t fit in and make friends. Things were completely different for me and I found the staff and students always happy and enthusiastic to help me. In my first year at Thames High School, my English improved dramatically. I enjoyed the fun activities provided for international students, like climbing, surfing, fishing and also cultural experiences. I love music and I really enjoyed studying music and the opportunity to sing in front of the whole school. Thames High gave me a lot of memories and has been an unforgettable experience for me.

Thames High School is definitely a fantastic school for international students. From the first day I loved the family feeling, everybody seems like being a part of a great Whanau; as an International student, it was great to become part of this amazing family. I enjoyed the wide range of subjects, sports and activities. My personal highlight was Outdoor Education; on the one side an exciting adventure, on the other side I learned things for the rest of my life. So don’t hesitate if you have the chance to go to Thames High. It definitely was the best time in my life and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way.

In Thames I got to know different types of people through sport, such as tennis and football. Thames is super cosy as it is a small town, and I can walk to school and to the shops! I only stayed for six months, not long enough to know everything, but long enough to enjoy the friendliness of everyone.

I can say with firmness and enthusiasm… I love Thames!

Thames High School is an awesome school with nice students and nice teachers. I enjoyed the sport and outdoor activities such as soccer and the Adventure Racing Team. Thames High has a wide range of fun subjects like Outdoor Education and Fitness. I joined many sports teams to make new friends and I tried to get involved into many activities. I love to run up the Pinnacles because you have an incredible view from the top.

Being at Thames High has been one of the best experiences in my life. If I had the opportunity of doing everything againI would do it exactly as it happened. Obviously I missed my family and friends, but I made new friends and now I consider them my other family. So if you have the opportunity of living this wonderful experience, don’t think twice! I promise you, you won’t regret it.

Thames is a good place to live. It’s really different from where I come from but I enjoy studying here. The people are really friendly and I have found it easy to make friends here. Because I love playing basketball, I joined the school basketball team, where I made new friends and had a lot of fun.