Joao Pimenta
Destination Dunedin
When Joao Pimenta was considering his study options, he was looking for a unique destination abroad. What he found was New Zealand; a country that boasts world-renowned scenery, buzzing metropolitans and friendly people.
Four months in, the Brazilian student is calling Dunedin home until the end of year and is enrolled at Otago Polytechnic, completing a Certificate in Cookery (level 3) and an English Language programme.
This is otherwise known as the English Plus programme, where students can study English and an area of academic interest.
“My experience so far has been very good. I’ve made plenty of friends here and I love the culture. It’s a student town, so there’s always something to do and Brazilians like to go out, so Dunedin is perfect for that!”
Like many young students, Joao wanted to take some time out to study and travel abroad. “I was really interested in studying cookery, so I got in touch with a Brazilian agent who said Otago Polytechnic was the best place to go for this course.”
His passion for cooking led him to Otago Polytechnic’s School of Hospitality, where he’s learning the culinary ropes under the guidance of experienced cookery lecturers.
“The teaching style is very different here. My teachers trust and interact with their students. They will show you how to make something and then let you go ahead and try yourself, while they sit back and observe.”
When he’s not in the kitchen, he’s in the classroom learning English with a mixture of international students from around the world.
“My English is getting much better. When I first arrived, someone would talk to me and I wouldn’t be able to understand them. But now, I can have a pretty good conversation!”