"There are so many people in Thailand. I wanted something different for myself. Even though I’d never been so far from home before, I knew in my first few days at Nga Tawa that someone was always going to have my back."
Anya arrived at Nga Tawa as a 14-year-old and stayed for four years. She was looking for new experiences that she couldn’t get in Thailand, and a lot fewer people! Even though she wasn’t sporty, she was pleased she gave sports like soccer and softball a go. After Nga Tawa Anya went on to study Marine Biology at Massey University in Auckland, something she probably wouldn’t have done if she hadn’t come to Nga Tawa. Her supportive teachers helped her to realise she was actually quite good at Biology and for someone who feels better about herself when she does things well, she liked the idea of exploring a career in that field.