In Year 10, Ploy found herself living in a different country, speaking another language and thousands of miles away from her parents. She’d never really stayed away from home before and she was very nervous.
Her family had found out about Nga Tawa through a Thai agent, Poonpatra. Ploy had gone to school with her son. Interestingly, Ploy also went to kindergarten with another Thai girl, Deedee, who started Nga Tawa at the same time. Ploy didn’t remember her straight away but they became great friends.
Ploy loved horses, as did her little sister Pear, so her Mum and Dad wanted them to go to school somewhere they could ride. In Thailand, they drove 30 minutes to a riding school each week. At Nga Tawa, they walked a few minutes from their bedroom door to the stables.
At first, Ploy thought only being able to Facetime her parents if she needed them would be horrible, but she quickly realised the Boarding Managers are like second mums. She’d go and talk to them when she was feeling homesick, stressed about schoolwork, or was just feeling a bit sad and needing someone to talk to.
When her sister, Pear started at Nga Tawa two years after her, she was able to help her adjust to life in New Zealand. The two of them would fly home three times a year and their parents have been out to visit.
Ploy tried lots of different sports during her time at Nga Tawa. She played badminton, did cycling and represented the school at cross country and equestrian. Her riding improved a lot and she misses Murphy desperately, the school pony she rode.
Ploy says boarding at Nga Tawa taught her a lot about life. It taught her how to live with other people, respect others, take care of herself, keep her room tidy, do her own laundry, and meant she had to learn how to cook.
Even though she loved New Zealand, Ploy promised her father and grandfather she would return to Thailand for University. The fantastic academic results she achieved at Nga Tawa prepared her well for the Business degree she is currently completing in Bangkok.
