Fresh faces in the faculty 48

Ellen Eales English Teacher

What were you doing before before joining QMC? My fiancé and I moved back home to NZ in April this year. Previously I was based in London where I lived, worked, and travelled for four and a bit years (if I include the year of on and off lockdown). My previous role was Head of English at a secondary school located in South London. Before making the big move to the UK, I worked at Wainuiomata High School where I taught English and Media Studies.

What made you excited to join the QMC family? I grew up in the Wellington region and have always known about the great reputation the school has. Always a great competition on the hockey field from what I can remember!

Who was the best teacher you ever had and why? The best teacher I had was Ms Watts at Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Perth (I’ve moved around a fair bit). She was the Head of Media at the time, which of course was my favourite subject.

Her lessons were always the most interesting because she was such a Media Studies expert. She let us have a go at everything, from photography and journalism to film noir. Little did she know she was helping me find my own passion for teaching the subject.

If you could only eat three foods for the rest of your life, what would they be? I will happily settle for an endless supply of Vogels toast, classic kiwi lolly cake and berry biscuit chocolate blocks.

Soraya Rigney

What were you doing before joining QMC? Before joining QMC, I worked in Corporate Services at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok. My work involved providing services to diplomatic officers and Australian agencies regarding property management, procurement, and importation and exportation of diplomatic shipments. After leaving my job and moving to Jakarta, Indonesia, I volunteered at IDGuides to promote and help local communities make a living from ecotourism. I also spent time being a stay-at-home mum to my daughter, who is now in the QMC preschool, while also managing my rental properties in Thailand as a side job.

What made you excited to join the QMC family? First of all, after being a full-time parent for a while, I am happy to return to the workforce. I am excited to be working with such a professional and supportive team. The staff have been very welcoming and helped me settle in well in the College. Who was the best teacher you ever had and why? The best teacher I ever had was my English Literature teacher, Ms Chingchayanurux. Although most students might think Literature is full of boredom, on the contrary, my teacher made the class super fun and exciting. She gave us all sorts of activities, such as dramatic plays, which made the learning experience enjoyable and helped develop my love for Literature. I truly appreciated her great sense of humour and the laughter she shared in the classroom. All students love her dearly.

If you could only eat three foods for the rest of your life, what would they be? Pad Thai, sushi, and Thai spicy jackfruit salad! :)