From Thailand to New Zealand, Erica is building her English skills and connecting with people from different cultures. Erica Piamthong has been living in New Zealand for over a year and is originally from Thailand. Her mother tongue is Thai, and she also speaks English. Erica already had some experience with English before starting at DynaSpeak. She had previously lived in New Zealand and learned English at high school. She found DynaSpeak on the internet and decided to join the NZCEL Level 3 General programme. For Erica, studying at DynaSpeak has been different from her previous learning experiences. As she explains, teaching methods can be different from country to country. Since studying at DynaSpeak, Erica says she has developed her English skills, cultural understanding and new friendships. One of her most memorable parts of her time at DynaSpeak has been the supportive atmosphere: “Teachers were always encouraging, and I made great friends from different cultures.” Looking ahead, Erica hopes to continue her education and study for a higher qualification to support her future career. Her journey shows that learning English is not just about improving language skills. It can also be about meeting people, understanding different cultures and preparing for the next step in life.