Enjoy English in Hastings

Swiss Fondue

2012-01-29T15:08:00.005Z

When I told Maria, one of our students from Switzerland, that I had never had a fondue she arrived at school the next day with a packet of fondue cheese for me, which her boyfriend had brought from home the weekend before.

So, today, I put the Swiss cheese into a saucepan with two cloves of garlic and melted the cheese. I cut up some French bread, which I bought in the Borough Market yesterday (see article below), and opened a bottle of Italian red wine.

My wife joined me for lunch and we ate fondue. Thank you once more Maria. Delicious!

Ian

A Good Way to Begin the Weekend

2012-01-29T09:45:00.008Z

When our students go up to London on the train to Hastings they often go to Victoria or Charing Cross stations so that they arrive right in the middle of London but they are missing a great experience of 'hidden London'. Get off at London Bridge station, walk down to the main road, go across the road to the cathedral, go down the steps and you will find yourself among crowds of people shopping for food in 'The Borough Market'.

You will find cheeses from England, Italy, France which you can enjoy tasting (this one is called 'Conte' and comes from France). There are sausages and cold meats from Germany, France, Italy and England too.

There is freshly baked bread of every kind - French baguettes, Italian focaccia and ciabatta, English cob and farmhouse loaves too. There stalls selling olive oils and vinegars which you can taste by dipping little pieces of fresh bread into bowls of different flavour oils. Delicious!

And sweet pastries too, from Greek honey baclavas to French tartes to American muffins, as well as stalls selling hand-made chocolates.

If you want to but something fresh to prepare yourself, there are fish stalls - fruit and vegetable stalls - stalls selling just mushrooms and fungi - and meat stalls selling what we call 'game' which is wild birds and animals like deer, rabbit, ducks and so on.

By now you will be hungry. There is every kind if hot food to tempt you. Venison (deer) burgers, vegetarian falafel, paella, pizza, sausage in a roll, hot soups, coffee and pastries - it's definitely time for a second breakfast!

The market is situated under three railway bridges so that it is quite noisy with trains travelling to and from London Bridge station rumbling overhead every two minutes - it's a great atmosphere. Well, after all that walking around and eating perhaps it's time to go for a glass of real English 'ale' in a really traditional old English pub called 'The Market Porter' on the corner opposite the market.

So, if you caught the early train it should now be about midday and you have plenty of time to head into the centre of London for some shopping and sightseeing.

P.S. Five minutes walk through the narrow riverside streets you will find a replica (copy) of the old sailing ship 'The Golden Hind', then five more minutes walking past the site of the old 'Clink' prison (1151 - 1780) you will come to a replica of Shakespeare's Globe theatre and five more minutes walk by the river Thames you will arrive at the Tate Modern Art Gallery.

Some Advice for the New Year

2012-01-06T14:48:00.002Z

If you want to be rich

If you want to be rich
You should have a bank account.
You shouldn’t buy anything easily.
You must work hard.
You mustn’t use a lot of credit cards.

If you want to be rich
You need to make a lot of rich friends.
You ought to polish your intuition.
You should be hard working.
You shouldn’t waste your money.

If you want to be rich
You must try new things which nobody has done.
You mustn’t be lazy.
You need to save some money.
You should save your money in a bank account

If you want to be rich
You shouldn’t lend your money to someone
You must invest your money in stocks
You have to avoid gambling, women and drink
You ought to avoid borrowing money with things such as your car or house

If you want to be polite

If you want to be polite
You should bow when you meet an elder person.
You shouldn’t be late.
You must say thank you sincerely.
You have to be brave.
You need to read some books about manners

If you want to be polite
You should greet someone
You must respect someone
You have to have patience
You need to tell a white lie
You ought to remember something about someone who you meet

Written by: Yuki, Megumi, Naoko from Japan and Seok Jun from Korea

In this lesson we were focusing on using modal verbs for giving advice and also using a conditional sentence.

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T11:13:00.003Z

Happy Christmas 2011

2011-12-18T18:46:00.004Z

Wishing a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year

to all our students both past and present.

Shiori Goes to Brighton

2011-12-18T18:24:00.001Z

Last month on the 9th of November, I went to a gig by my favorite band, Madina Lake, in Brighton! It was the first time that I (had been) to a gig in England, so at first I didn't want to go even (though) I was a big fan of the band because I didn't want to go there alone. But then I changed my mind because we (do)n't have a lot of their gigs in Japan.

Finally, I bought (a) ticket and went there by myself as nobody (else) was interested in the band! Although the music of the four other bands was fine - my favorite was the most famous band of the five so they played last - I was a little bit bored.

Surprisingly, I tried to talk to a boy who was also alone! What a brave person … haha! As soon as I (had) made a new friend, I started to feel very happy and finally I really enjoyed it ! The gig was fantastic and they were just amazing. I was really proud of myself and of them!

When we were on our way home, suddenly my friend (asked) me if I wanted to go back because he thought there were something going on! So I followed him and we entered the place again. He was right because we were able to meet my favorite band's guitarist who was (so) nice! I was so impressed (when I met) him, that I couldn't talk to him. Typical!!!

Later, while we were walking to the station, suddenly I realized that I hadn't checked the train time. So I didn't know when the last train would come. Unfortunately, when I got (to) the station, the train had already left. Then I had no choice to go back to Hastings, so I decided to take a taxi.

The nightmare didn't finish at that time. When I tried to take some money from the cash machine, I made a mistake four times, I couldn't (get any) money. But I had a card which is similar to a debit card. I asked taxi driver whether I could use (it) or not but I couldn't. However, he told me that he would take me home and I could pay for it as I had another card at home. So I (was able to) go back home,finally. I was really happy because I could sleep in my room!

Shiori Saito

Christmas Lunch

2011-12-15T17:31:00.002Z

On Wednesday, Debbie and about a dozen students went into town to have lunch together at a pub called Pissaro's. As you can see, everyone got into the Christmas spirit and wore their paper hat. Antonio, however, decided to wear his on his arm!

Horoscopes

2011-12-12T14:36:00.003Z

Our FCE students are not just good at studying grammar and passing exams, they can also see into the future and read your horoscope from the stars. Amazing! Here is advice about work, love and health from Magic Marta - Stargazer Stefano - Rune-Reader Ravin and Shaman Shiori.

Capricorn: 24/12 – 23/01: Work: You are in the wrong place. It would be a good choice for you to go to work for Poundland. Love: Hastings girls/ boys will be suitable for you. Health: Stop smoking, drinking, eating.

Aquarius 24/01 – 23/02: Work: It’s time to get a job in a museum to expand your knowledge. Love: You will be a solitary person. Health: Just relax, calm down, don’t be aggressive.

Pisces 24/02 – 23/03: Work: You will receive a tempting offer from McDonald’s. Love: Stop dreaming!! You will never meet someone in the New Year, just focus on your hamburgers!! Health: Try a new diet.

Aries 24/03 – 23/04: Work: Nothing to say.. Love: I don’t mind your sentimental situation, it’s your business. Health: Buy a gun.

Taurus 24/04 – 23/05: Work: Are you ready to be fired?? Love: Stop looking at Facebook, the real life is outside your home. Health: Smile!!!!!! It’s a joke!!!! Everything will be fine (in the future)

Gemini 24/05 – 23/06: Work: Something marvellous is going to happen in your life, you are going to move to work in the middle of The Sahara Desert with camels and dangerous snakes. Love: You can meet your prince or princess. All you have to do is go to North Korea. Health: Keep drinking beer and vodka.

Cancer 24/06 – 23/07: Work: Until next year you will be unemployed but don’t worry because the important thing is health. Love: Go to a foreign country, it will give you the opportunity to find true love. Health: You are putting on weight. Keep training!

Leo 24/07 – 23/08: Work: Someone is going to kick your beautiful bottom. Love: Well…You are a lost case!! Health: Maybe less working out would be better.

Virgo 24/08 – 23/09: Work: Work as much as you can, you are not going to retire… Love: Just keep going Health: Take up skiing in Switzerland with Stefano!!!!

Libra 24/09 – 23/10: Work: Keep trying sending CVs. Have you ever tried to apply for a job at Morrison’s? Love: You have already found true love so make sure that he/she is not gay/ lesbian. Health: OMG go to the gym!!!!

Scorpio 24/10 – 23/11: Work: Keep working until you die. Love: Keep loving until you die. Health: Keep running until you die.

Sagittarius 24/11– 23/12: Work: Find in the dictionary the meaning of work.. Love: Call a random number. Health: Stop looking at magazines, move to the kitchen and keep on reading.

December FCE Class

2011-12-09T20:15:00.008Z

On Friday December 9th, the FCE course finishes and our four brave students will travel the next day to the test centre in Eastbourne to do their exam. They have been great fun, lots of laughter and jokes but also lots of hard work. Everyone at HELC wishes them well for the exam tomorrow and we are sure they will all do very well. And here they are.....

The only teenage girl in the school is our little Japanese girl, Shiori! But she persists in denying it, she thinks she is an “adult”. Since she arrived here we do not think she has improved her speaking skills. She has made some progress however since Stefano arrived because they had three arguments per week. We also think that she is crazy because she is the only one who would wake up at 4.00 a.m. to queue in front of HMV store to be the first to buy the newest movie of Harry Potter just for a freaking poster and then throw away the DVD. Even more, she would be the only one to go to Brighton to see a gig at night without checking the train timetables to come back home, so she had to take a taxi back to Hastings.

We can’t imagine Stefano without an iPhone. Obviously, his favourite place is London because every weekend he goes to London instead of staying in Hastings. He is so funny and energetic and he likes arguing about whales with Shiori. Also, he likes bothering Marta about her pronunciation, especially “Yes (Jes)”. He will deliver your stationery using his mouth because he is a pelican! Probably he was a cat in his previous life because sometimes he makes some sounds like “miaow”.

She is from Spain and she is typically Spanish. She has a family in our FCE team. Ravin is her husband and Stefano and Shiori are her aggressive children. She treated us like her real family. She is always smiling even though we make some jokes about her. We call her the Queen of Morrison’s (supermarket) because she really loves Morrison’s. Her favourite phrases are “Don’t be nosy”, “I have to go to the toilet” and “Leave me alone”. She is a really romantic person as she has been waiting for her real prince to come into her life since she was born.

In class one morning.........
Ania: “Marta?”
Class “Present”
“Shiori?”
“Present”
“Stefano?”
“Present”
“Ravin?” “Ravin?”
“He’s on holiday!”
“AGAIN?”
The truth is that our Korean student is on holiday more than in class and he prefers to do his 100 pages of homework when he is in the gym running. We discovered that he is really keen on cooking, his speciality is plain toast in the morning, sandwich at lunch and in the evening? Ehm … if he is lucky, salad with bread - that’s why he decided to leave his host family. Also, he’s an electronic engineer because he can fix every kind of electronic device maybe because he is Korean or is he just a genius?

These profiles were written by Shiori, Ravin, Marta and Stefano about each other and are not to be taken seriously.

A Yodelling Song

2011-12-07T18:56:00.007Z

Karin Kreuzer, from a little village way up in the mountains of Switzerland, entertained us with a traditional Swiss yodelling song and she also emailed me a photo of her in traditional dress.

Yodelling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register or voice to the head register. This making a high - low - high - low sound.

This form of singing is difficult and you need a lot of training and practice.

I have been singing in a Yodel choir (Jodelclub Alpenroesli from Sierre, Switzerland), since 2006. For me, it is not only a hobby, it is a passion and with a very good friendship!

Karin

Who Am I?

2011-12-07T18:31:00.002Z

Debbie, with the help of some of our students, set up and decorated the Christmas tree in room 12 and we got into the Christmas mood by beginning the day with a game called 'Who am I?" before we all went to class and starting studying grammar!

International Food Night 2011

2011-10-20T17:47:00.006+01:00

On Wednesday all the students went shopping at Morrisons (supermarket) and then returned home to spend the afternoon cooking some wonderful typical dishes from their countries. At 7.00pm they arrived at HELC to lay out the feast. And these pictures show the wonderful variety of food on offer.

A dish from the Czech Republic

Kebabs from Turkey

A green salad from Spain

Fish, rice and seaweed from Japan

Three dishes from Korea

Rösti from Switzerland

A dessert from Spain

Shiori and Yuki from Japan

After the food, we moved into room 12 and formed teams to do a general knowledge quiz. There were sixty questions, six teams and the winning team with a score of 55 was called 'The Hunters' (Petr, Antonio, Mira and Alicia). Well done them!

All About Us

2011-10-17T11:57:00.003+01:00

Salva, David, Alicia, Sandra, Stefanie, Cristina, Hwan

Stefanie: My name is Stefanie and I’m from Switzerland. I’m eighteen years old and I’m a student. I would describe myself as curious in a positive way, organized and punctual. I’m a helpful person and I’m always available when somebody needs me. I think I’m also quite an honest person, maybe sometimes too honest.
On the other hand, I can be a little crazy at times. I have to admit that sometimes I can be too thoughtful because I’m always thinking (about) what to do next and what I have to attend to (and) by which date. So I can sometimes be quite restless. On the whole I think my best characteristic is that I’m an alert listener who always tries to help.

David: I am David and I am from the Czech Republic. I’m 35 years old and I am between jobs now. I think I have empathy with other people. I’m always willing to listen to their opinions. It also means that I like meeting new people, but I am not particularly gregarious, I like my privacy.

I would describe myself as an honest person. People can trust me and usually they do so but they should also be careful, because I’m always forgetting everything. I consider myself to have a great sense of humour.

On the other hand, I can be lazy at times and to be honest, I have problem with being absent-minded sometimes. All in all I keep myself to myself.

Cristina: My name is Cristina and I’m from Spain. I’m 42 years old and I’m a train hostess on a hi-speed train. I’m an optimistic and reliable person. My friends say that I’m chatty and witty but sometimes awkward and intolerant.

I have to admit that sometimes I can be obstinate because I don’t like changing my mind too much. All in all, I can be tetchy sometimes but in general I’m friendly and funny. I think my best characteristic is that I am a lively person who always like to try new things and take advantage of every opportunity .

Hwan: My name is SEUNGHWAN and I am from Korea. I’m 27 years old and I am student at the graduate school. I think I am easy-going because I never hurry up even when I am busy. If I hurry up then I start to be nervous and I can’t do anything correctly. So whenever I work or do something, I tend to spend lots of time.

On the other hand, my friends say I am unfriendly because when I say, it sounds aggressive. Actually, people who live in my town sound aggressive and look unkind. But I don’t hate my friends. It is just my manner. Some friends know my mind. Nowadays I sometimes try to speak kindly to my friends.

On the whole, I am really obedient. I sometimes look aggressive and unfriendly but it’s not true. I am kind and generous. When my friends need my help, I always spend time or money to help them, or to listen to their troubles.

Alicia: My name is Alicia. I’m from Spain. I’m 37 years old and I’m also a train hostess on a hi-speed train. I think I am an energetic and friendly person, although sometimes people say I look quite serious. However my friends say I can be quite bossy and obstinate, and it’s true, I rarely change my mind.
Generally speaking, I have to admit that I am a demanding person, both of myself and of other people, I only expect the best.

I think my best characteristic is that I am a truthful person, honest, and reliable, my friends always trust me to help them and I am always pleased to do so.

Sandra: My name is Sandra and I’m from Switzerland. I’m 26 years old and I work as a store manager. I would describe myself as open-minded, creative, optimistic and cheerful. I think I am hard working, punctual, reliable and I’m demanding.

My friends say I am a good listener and as well as a good advisor but sometimes I can also be impatient. People who don’t know me think that I’m arrogant but in fact I am just cautious when I meet new people.

Salvador: My name is Salva, and I’m from Spain. I’m in my twenties and I’m unemployed at the moment, however I’m studying to become a teacher.

I consider myself to be creative, because I can imagine many different ways to use one thing, for example I created a cable holder with the plastic a cd case, and I enjoy cooking, because I can release my mind and try new recipes. In addition, I think I am hardworking and also particular about everything I do, such as my notes from class, I need to write them down with colours and cleanly, to make them easy to study and understand. Furthermore, I would describe myself as a warm and active person, I love being with people, and prefer practising sports rather than watching them on TV. I usually swim, ride bicycle with my friends and I would like to practise archery. My friends say I am a reliable person, they told me that I’m always there when they really need me.

On the other hand, I can be tetchy at times, if I don’t get enough sleep in a long period of time, I mean, I tend to get irritated over small things, and in this situation be quite insecure or pessimistic, but all of these things change completely when I have a good-night’s sleep.

This is my morning class and the vocabulary topic of today's lesson was adjectives of personality, so we wrote personal profiles. You can check the meaning of these words using the Oxford dictionary link in the side-bar. Ian

Battle of Hastings Day

2011-10-17T11:17:00.009+01:00

The battle of Hastings was fought on October 14th 1066 in a field a few miles north of Hastings where there is now a town called 'Battle'. The Saxons lost and the Normans won and this event is re-enacted every year on the actual battlefield, as you can see below it is very realistic.

The Normans are on the left and the Saxons are on the right.

These are the Normans attacking uphill to the Saxon shield wall.

The YouTube video below is of the 2006 enactment - 940th anniversary - and it shows what the battle must have been like on the day.

Hello from Veda

2011-10-13T18:01:00.003+01:00

Hi Ian, how are you? It's (been) quite (a) long time without contact, I hope you still remember me ~ I'm Veda, the Taiwanese girl studying in HELC last year. This picture was taken recently when I attended a fair party, and I'm the middle one. So..... do you remember me??? I'm in England now, and studying in Birmingham. At the end of this month on Friday 28 October, I'm going back to Hastings to visit my host mum, Barbara, and also want to visit you at HELC.

Veda - Taiwan

Yuki Sings at Cafe Relax

2011-10-13T12:21:00.003+01:00

There were about twenty of us who were going to enjoy Yuki singing. We met each other at the petrol station at 19.15 to go to Cafe Relax down by the sea We were already a bit late so we had to hurry up because Yuki was singing at eight.

It was very windy and a little cold but finally we arrived at the cafe just in time. We ordered some drinks and then Yuki came in. She looked lovely in her Chinese dress and the flower in her hair.

She sang two songs in Japanese and after that there was a break. We all talked, took photos and enjoyed the time together. After the break,Yuki sang two more songs, one in Japanese again and one in English. She was a little nervous but she sang beautifully.

After Cafe Relax, we went to some other pubs, talking together and by and by we got to know each other better. We had a nice evening and we enjoyed ourselves a lot. Stefanie - Switzerland

The Jenny Lind

2011-10-03T07:17:00.001+01:00

Same hour, same place, all together most of the students from HELC find each other in front of the gas station at 8.30 pm.

No worries, if you are going to arrive 20 minutes late, everyone will wait for you.

Destination? Nobody knows, we just know that we are going out for a couple of beers somewhere in Old Town and we will arrive at home after midnight.

What is the task for the evening? You will find it in the pub and also in the Friday morning class that our teachers could confirm. We always have a great time,laughing and joking all night long.

Different nationalities from each corner of the world all together in the same place, it is something just amazing and incredible.

This is also an opportunity to make new friends and learn from different cultures. So, what are you waiting for? I hope too see you next Thursday, same place and same hour. Stefano - Switzerland

My Birthday

2011-10-02T20:41:00.006+01:00

Today, I have reached what one of our teachers said was an estimable age, a respectable age or even you might say a venerable age but whatever the age, today was the warmest and sunniest birthday I have ever had - 25˚.

The birthday cake was a surprise for me in the staffroom on Friday - and I would like to say a big thankyou to everyone at HELC for the present.

Ian

Niagara Falls

2011-10-02T20:28:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone, I'm enjoying myself in Toronto! I made nice friends who are Korean, Brazilian, Mexican, Japanese and more. I'm going to a Korean restaurant with them this Friday. Fridays are our half day!

Now I'm studying IELTS. I tried the TOEFL class but I don't like the way my teacher teaches and the style of TOEFL especially the speaking part, I don't like speaking to a computer. My target is to get 6.5 IELTS score and become an exchange student in Britain at Kent Uni, Edinburgh Uni, Sheffield Uni or Surrey Uni, then I'll visit HELC again!! :)

I went to Niagara falls last Sunday! Awesome!! I've never seen such a huge and beautiful natural site before and luckly we saw a rainbow with Niagara Falls!

Fortunately, the weather was perfect. I heard it was unusually good weather in this season! I rode on a boat in which we can go near the Falls and get the mist from the Falls. When I was near the Falls, I felt so impressed but at the same time, I also felt scared because people could die there. I realized that we shouldn't think nature is just beautiful.

Best regards, Takako - Japan

Rye Harbour

2011-10-01T18:18:00.004+01:00

Rye Harbour Master patrolling the river

Today is the hottest October day on record in England - 29.9˚ - this is what we call an 'Indian Summer'. I went over to Rye, which is a small ancient town near Hastings, and watched the boats heading down the river Rother and out to sea for an afternoon sailing.

A flotilla of yachts heading out to sea

The Sound of 'Ongaku'

2011-10-01T09:09:00.004+01:00

One of our students from Japan, Yuki Shimizu, has a great voice and on Friday after school she gave an impromptu concert for us. The song she sang is from a well-known musical / film which you will recognise from the tune but not from the words as she sings in Japanese.

Crazy Golf Champions

2011-09-26T16:35:00.005+01:00

Kerry is our Accommodation Manager, amongst other things, and her brother Dom is our IT troubleshooter but they took time out from their duties to take part in a Crazy Golf tournament and came out the winners! Who needs gold medals when you can have a blue plastic... thing?

Secret Ambitions

2011-09-23T11:13:00.009+01:00

The writing task this week was to write a competition entry entitled 'Secret Ambitions' for a student magazine or blog. Denise, Maria and Emilie reveal their secrets to you below. PS: Emilie is taking the IELTS exam in Eastbourne tomorrow so we wish her the best of luck. Ian.

The Vatican Library
One of the dreams I’ve always had is to become the Pope’s personal assistant. I’ve always been impressed by the important political role of the Church and I would like to know more about it and the only way to do that is to be part of it. It’s not necessary to be a priest but, you have to be literate and well - educated. Becoming the Pope’s personal assistant is not an easy job but if you’re a really focussed person you can achieve it.

My ambition is to have the opportunity to enter the Vatican library, which is full of books from different centuries which are often kept secret. If I had access to this library, I’d spend a lot of time there and I think I would discover a hidden part of our society. It would be fascinating but you need to be mentally- balanced because you could find inconvenient truths there and you would have to keep them secret if you want to continue in your research activity. I’d like to peek at the Pope’s political meetings, but first of all I would like to understand why a person who bases his faith on values like poverty or humility has such a luxurious lifestyle.
Maria - Italy

Sailing the World
What I have always wanted to do is live on a boat, sail all around the world and discover as many as possible islands. The fact is that you always feel at home on a boat because your home is your boat.

The reason why I always wanted to be on a boat travelling the world is to feel as free as possible. Free from all worries, free from the clock time, free to be nowhere, there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon and for each day to have a new and different sun.

You learn more about the world around you than working in a company everyday, trying to be the best in your job. Just try to think of what gives you the most happiness and what enriches you the most.

This is a crazy dream that I will probably never realize because its too far from reality, it would require you to leave all your possessions, family and friends behind. But sometimes I think that having nothing can mean possessing treasures more than all. You need to be brave enough and to have an absolute detachment from everything you use to be or have, and loneliness can be burdensome as well. Finally you have to be driven, furiously independent and a bit crazy, I admit.
Emilie - France

Swimming with Dolphins
Since my childhood I have carried a secret ambition. Swimming with wild dolphins in the open sea has always been my wish, and today it is still my dream. Dolphins have always fascinated me. It’s so impressive to see them jumping out of the water in complete joy and to hear them communicating in their beautiful sounds. Furthermore they are so social and helpful in their schools.

My ambition is to dive and to swim only with wild dolphins. In my opinion dolphins that live in captivity suffer from solitude and they don’t have enough space to swim around in those small pools. These animals belong in the ocean and they can’t live a comfortable life in captivity, which is why so many dolphins in zoos around the world die too early.

For me it would be a real pleasure to dive with these creatures in the ocean. Only in their natural environment is it possible to observe and to experience what fascinating animals dolphins are. After a short time they welcome you into their group and start swimming with you by their side. Most dolphins even allow humans to touch them; they try to make contact, because in the wide ocean humans are not a threat for them, only companions.

You don’t need a special talent or any preparation for this trip, and you shouldn’t be afraid of the depth of the ocean. Of course you have to attend a short diving training course and you need the right equipment because without it you can’t stay under water for a long time. It would be useful to have some general knowledge of dolphins and their behaviour and body language in order not to provoking them. Despite the fact that they seem always to be friendly, they still are wild animals and can be a danger to humans. One day I will make my dream come true!
Denise - Germany

Two Visitors from Japan

2011-09-20T06:36:00.004+01:00

Yesterday, we were surprised and delighted to receive a visit from two of our ex-students from Japan, Hitomi and Chizuru. They are sisters and both studied here at HELC but at different times. They are here in Europe for a two week holiday and after visiting HELC they were catching a train to Gatwick Airport to fly off to Barcelona in Spain for a few days.

A Film Review

2011-09-16T20:19:00.002+01:00

Leanne's afternoon class is working at advanced level and on Friday Leanne set a task to write a film or book review. Here is a review, by Denise from Germany, of a film called 'Moulin Rouge' which it would seem that Denise enjoyed very much.

Moulin Rouge Review

“The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return“

“Moulin Rouge“ (2001) is a truly unique, modern musical drama with an emotional core, directed by Baz Luhrmann. It's the successor to his former masterpiece “Romeo and Juliet“. Very notable is the fact that the ending is revealed during the first few minutes of this film. This way the audience knows right from the beginning that there will be a sad ending. It's a film about love- but first of all about loss. The story; two young lovers fighting against all odds, it is not new, but Luhrmann creates a stunning originality to a familiar plot. Some people may criticize the linear plot without unexpected character revelations, but Luhrmann is able to catch the audience with simply his well-developed characters themselves.

The story of “Moulin Rouge“ is extracted from three operas and fixed together in a brilliant way. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman are entirely convincing as passionate lovers. Furthermore, both sing all songs themselves and show their huge talent- their voices even compliment each other.

Watching „“Moulin Rouge“, you think about an expensive Broadway production on screen. The music,drawn from several familiar 20^th century sources, catches the audience right from the beginning. “Come What May“, the secret love song of the two main characters, was actually written for “Romeo and Juliet“, but it wasn't used; therefore Luhrmann uses this romantic song as the only completely original song in the entire film. Ewan McGregor uses all his acting talent to make sure the audience shares Christians despair in the song “Roxanne“.

With its several unusual show-elements, the film risks being controversial. Hundreds of different costumes are being used, and some dancers really wear in-your-face outfits and represent exotic images. All actors demonstrate an artistic masterpiece. Due to intricate sets, the film never gets boring.

Luhrmann's personal style is impressive. Even the beginning of “Moulin Rouge“ is special- a screen-within-a-screen opening scene is used. Furthermore there is a vast variety of camera angles throughout the whole film. It's an extraordinary use of camera and screen, primarily during the scenes that play in the Moulin Rouge itself. All scenes in there change very quickly, which is truly a feast for the eyes.

One thing is clear: whether you like this film or not, you cannot absorb all it's content in one viewing!

Leanne's Class

2011-09-09T17:40:00.003+01:00

It's Friday afternoon and the end of the week and this is yet another 'goodbye' photo because Filip is leaving today. Filip is standing between Ai from Japan and Leanne, in red.

Museums Guide

2011-09-07T18:53:00.013+01:00

The British Museum

My morning class did a little bit of research on the internet this morning and looked at the websites of a few popular English museums. They then wrote a short review of each museum in the style of a tourist guidebook. If you are in London or Oxford you should give them a visit. Ian

The Science Museum

If there is one museum in London that is worth a visit, it is the Science Museum. Founded in 1857, it is now one of London's most visited tourist attraction. The Science Museum is not just another museum where you walk around and look at different exhibits, but a museum where YOU are in the spotlight. Interactive exhibits give you an opportunity to discover yourself!

There are different permanent galleries to visit. The two major exhibits are Making the Modern World which is focused on technology and transport, and Who am I?, which introduces topics like science, medicine and biology. One of the highlights of the museum is the 4D Cinema on the ground floor where you can feel the impact of a rocket launch (the entrance is not free). Throughout the year the museum offers changing events. For further information and news please visit www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

The opening times are very attractive for tourists - daily from 10am to 6pm (please note: the last entry will be at 5.15pm). Not only adults interested in science, but also children will absolutely adore the Science Museum because there is a huge gaming area. Furthermore, in case you get hungry, you and your family can rest in one of the three modern restaurants that have a wide range of food. Wheelchair access is guaranteed in the whole museum. After your visit it is possible to buy some souvenirs for your relatives and friends in the museum shop- the prices are very fair.

The Science Museum is located in South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD. I recommend going there by tube. South Kensington is the nearest station (approximately 7 minutes from the museum). You can either choose the District Line, the Circle Line or the Piccadilly Line. The main entrance is on Exhibition Road. Don't worry - many signs will show you the way, so you can't miss it.

Denise - Germany

Natural History Museum

Do you know that there are more than 70 million specimens in the world? If you want to find out more about our brilliant nature, the Natural History Museum is the best choice to visit. It is not just another boring museum, but a great opportunity to discover and understand the world you live in.

There are lots of different exhibitions you can find interesting, for example dinosaurs, mammals, Earth’s treasury and so on.

It is one of the most visited museums in London, it first opened its doors to the public in 1881. Located just a short hop from the South Kensington underground station. Free to visit and open the whole week from 10 am to 6 pm.

If you visit the NHM you don’t have to worry about food, because you are welcome in all the restaurants and cafes. Many of them have healthy food options and high chairs for babies.

The museum is really big, so you can spend your whole day there, and it can be a good time for children and for adults too.

For more information visit the website: www.nhm.ac.uk

Zsolt - Hungary

Museum of London

If you have a few hours to spare in London, the Museum of London is well worth seeing. Being free, it is an especially good choice to visit, when you run out of money in the early afternoon. Located just a few minutes away from the St. Paul’s Cathedral it is easy to reach.

Including nine permanent galleries, the Museum of London explores the story of London from prehistoric times to the present day. What is particular worth seeing is the 6,000 year old ceremonial axehead. Brought to London from the Western Alps, it is made from jadeite. Also you have the chance of seeing an antique Roman leather bikini or Oliver Cromwell’s death mask.

If you want a different kind of experience, you have the opportunity to see two exhibitions. “Archaeology in action” shows you recent archaeological findings in London and the methods used. Informing about modern slavery in the capital of the UK, “freedom form” is worth visiting, if you are interested in current problems.

The museum is open from Monday to Sunday and from 10 am to 6 pm. For more information visit: www.museumoflondon.org.uk

Saskia - Germany

Ashmolean Museum

If you’re in Oxford, visiting the stunning University complex and have a few hours to spare you should take a look just beyond it, and you’ll find the Oxford Ashmolean Museum: do not worry about the time it’s almost always open from 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Sunday, even Bank Holidays.

The Ashmolean Museum is the world’s first university museum, one of the top 20 most popular free attractions and will offer you an all-round experience through history. What you will especially appreciate, if you love classical art, is the wide collection of Western art which includes many Renaissance paintings and sketches but also important objects like Stradivari’s violin.

On the other hand, if you prefer a more exotic kind of art you’ll find a lot of eastern pottery from all over the world: not just the famous Ming vase but also Japanese and Islamic artefacts. What is particularly worth seeing, and you ll adore it in both cases, is the collection of Greek and Romans casts: a real leap into a plastic, dynamic, actual classicality.

During your visit don’t forget to take a look at the current temporary exhibitions, they are usually very stimulating and will take you on a complete and organised tour: until the 20^th Nov 2011 you can visit “Cultural Revolution: State Graphics in China in the 60s and 70s”, a wonderful experience that lets you understand the fundamentals of modern Chinese society.

What is really unbelievable, indeed, is that if you don’t have much time you can simply appreciate just a part of the collection of the Ashmolean, because it’s all for free - so you can come again!

Andrea - Italy

Notting Hill Carnival

2011-09-01T20:27:00.003+01:00

My name is Olga Susoliakova, a 25 year old student from Slovakia. I have been studying for a Ph.D. degree at Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic). At the moment I´m a student of HELC in Hastings, because I´d like to learn to better communication in an English accent. I have been in Egland for 3 weeks and I have visited a lot of interesting places during this language stay. One of these was the most popular event Nothing Hill Carnival in the streets of west London. I have never been in to type of action, so I decided to visit it.

This carnival is similar to the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, but it is the biggest European Caribbean Carnival. There are people from all over the world, especially from Brazil, Jamaica, South Africa and the others countries. The traditional procession usually starts on Saturday to Monday during English summer Bank Holiday for 40 years (excellent!). The main idea of this event is connecting of various world cultures.

At first, we booked an underground ticket with Discovery Tours agency. We were going by train to London on Sunday. In general, travelling by train is better and more comfortable than travelling by bus. We had 2 young guides from Victoria Train Station to Nothing Hill. The procession started at 12:00. I was very suprised from many colours, various costumes and magical Caribbean music (reggae, flamingo, samba etc.). I was satisfied, because everybody was full of energy with a smile on their face(some girls danced with the participants- so amazing). We had an opportunity to taste their food and their traditional drinks.

Of course, there were many policemen and security workers(approximately 6000), because safe of the visitors was the most important after civil commontion in London 3 weeks before(average number of the visitors of this year was 1 million people). There were 2 disadvantages: a lot of rubbish (NO litter bins were here) and lack of the toilets. I recommend this for all visitors to Great Britain, it is a great experience.

Phantom of the Opera

2011-08-23T13:12:00.007+01:00

My name is Shiori Saito. Now,I will tell you about my weekend. Two weeks ago,I went to London on Saturday to watch the musical (The) Phantom of Opera but before going there, I had to book the ticket because it was a very popular musical.

The day before I watched the musical, I tried to book the ticket on the internet. But they'd already finished (selling)tickets on the internet so I had to call them. But of course I'm not good at calling in English,so I asked the teacher, whose name is Ian, to help me. It was awful. I didn't understand almost anything. Since I had this experience, I decided to improve my speaking skills.

Eventually, I had booked my seat which was very good.When I went to the theatre, I had a problem again. I showed my ID card because the man who was (on the phone) to me told me that I have to show my ID number. But when I showed my ID number,the man who was working at the theatre said, "You have to show your plastic card." But unhappily, I didn't bring (it) there. So I had to refund that ticket and then I had to pay with cash. Fortunately, I had enough cash to pay (for) that and that cost was a little bit cheaper than before!

Anyway, the musical was fantastic! Sometimes,it made me sad because the story was not (a) happy ending. But their voices (were) amazing,and (really) attractive but the problem was, it was (a) little bit difficult to understand all of them, because they were singing although that is very good for us to improve our English. So,I would like to see (the musical)again.

I won't write the details because if someone who is reading this blog wants to go to the theatre, it could be boring! Anyway, this was a good experience. I (discovered) that I have to book in advance,otherwise I have to call them.

Shiori - Japan

Our Summer Barbecue at HELC

2011-08-20T18:39:00.005+01:00

Nightmare Journeys - The Authors

2011-08-19T19:00:00.003+01:00

This is my morning class. It's Friday and they have been writing a story about a nightmare journey they have had. The aim of the writing task was to use the travel and transport vocabulary we had been learning this week and also to use past tenses (past simple - past continuous - past perfect simple) and linking words like 'so, but, because, although' etc. In the picture, from left to right, we have: Christina - Shiori - Eduardo - Marta - Jiri - Giacomo. You can read their stories below.

Nightmare Journey l

2011-08-19T18:46:00.003+01:00

Hi, I’m Marta, I’m from Spain and I’d like tell you a story about a journey I did some months ago.

After many months working, I decided go to Sicily at Easter to see a friend. It was the second time I (had been) there. I bought a flight to Trapani Airport and I knew my friend (would be) waiting for me there. I remember my flight was early that morning so I left home and arrived at 5.00 a.m at the Airport. At the check–in desk everything was alright and in the passenger control too.

Suddenly, while I was waiting to board I saw (that) the boarding screen was not showing Trapani, it showed Palermo but the flight number was right so I didn’t think I was wrong, I thought possibly the screen was wrong and, in fact, when the flight attendant saw my boarding pass she didn’t tell me anything.

Anyway, the flight was perfect. I slept for one hour but when I arrived and looked through the window I didn’t (recognise) that airport and for some minutes I was afraid so I decided to wait for the plane to land and later ask where I was.

In the airport, while I was waiting for my luggage, I didn’t recognise that place and when I went out I noticed I had never been there before. (At) that moment I called my friend to tell him I was in another airport and he told me “Don’t worry.” because he was coming.

In the end, at the other airport, the flight agents told him my flight (had been) diverted and I (had) arrived at Palermo airport. On the way my friend had to speed on the road to be on time at my new airport.

Later, when I was (at) home I read my email and I had (received) one in which the company told me the flight will be diverted because Trapani Airport is sometimes used by the Italian Army and the plane will land in Palermo airport.

Luckily, everything was fine because my friend lives there but I don’t want to imagine if I had been alone there.

Nightmare Journey lll

2011-08-19T18:40:00.002+01:00

Hello, my name is Christina and I’m from Germany. I’m 19 years old and this is one of my nightmare journeys.

I don’t know (exactly) when it happened but I think it’s some months ago, maybe in April. It was a Friday evening, when I was driving to the cinema with my mother. Since I have had my driving license I have always driven the car.

On this evening, it was very dark but it was not very late. We had been talking a lot about different things and had been listening to the music when this terrible accident happened. I love animals and, of course, this is one reason why I’m a vegetarian and don’t want to eat animals anymore. There are some more reasons but they are not so important for this story.

So, while we had been laughing and I didn’t keep my eyes on the road, I saw a cute rabbit on the street. It was only a few metres in front of my car. It was looking at me, but instead of going back to the meadow it hopped to the middle of the street. I will never forget this moment. I didn’t recognize it at first so I couldn’t push the braked to stop the car, so I ran it over. After this awful noise I stopped the car and asked my mother to drive the car. God bless her, she agreed and we changed seats. I was so upset about this accident; it took a few hours to realize what had happened.

The next morning, when I got up my mum was telling the story to my father and he asked me, why we hadn’t brought it home with us. Yes, you can (imagine) my reaction to this. I wasn’t very happy about it, of course.

Nightmare Journey lV

2011-08-19T18:29:00.004+01:00

Dear reader, I’m Giacomo Vazzana, a young Italian man at the time of the story I’m going to tell you. This story is about the worst journey in my life.

More or less two months ago, I was driving a little van, and with me there were three other friends. We were bringing a sofa to a homeless person when (ahead of) us we saw the police. Suddenly we decided to stop the van to permit one of us to get out of the vehicle. In fact, it is only for three people.

After that, we restarted and immediately the police stopped us. They ordered us to get out from the vehicle and began a detailed and accurate investigation because they were suspicious about our behaviour, so the policeman asked us “Why did you stop the van and afterwards, restart? Maybe because there was another person with you?” We answered that it was because we heard a knock in the box of the van so we stopped to open the tailgate.

These reasons didn’t convince the policemen who called reinforcements and suddenly another two police-cars arrived. It began to be late, the sun was already gone, it was night and I hadn’t had dinner yet. The police ordered us to follow them to the police station where they could continue the interrogation. So we were escorted (there) as criminals.

On the way to the police station, we agreed a common version of our story. In fact we thought they would perform individual interrogations. In fact, when we arrived only one of us was called by a new policeman. The first thing that my friend said was ”For everything you must ask Giacomo Vazzana, I don’t know nothing!” I thought to myself ‘What beautiful friends I have!’.

I spent a long time explaining to the police our volunteering activity and I gave them a ‘popular name’ who (had) asked us for a collaboration in the past (for example the director of Caritas rather than the bishop of Como), they finally let us go apologizing for the mistake.

On the way back we met the friend who had previously dropped out from the vehicle. He wanted to get in the van, but we were too afraid about the possibility that the police would follow us, so we went home, left the van, took the car and came back to pick up the last friend! At the end of the story, I arrived home after midnight, without having dinner, with a police report and all this for trying to help someone!

Nightmare Journey V

2011-08-19T18:22:00.004+01:00

Hi, my name is Shiori and I’m from Yokohama in Japan and this is my nightmare journey story. Almost eight weeks ago, I came to England by plane. This was the second time to come to England because four years ago, I went to Cambridge for three weeks. I took a direct plane which took 12 hours, the route was from Tokyo Narita to London Heathrow but this was the first time that I (had gone) abroad by myself, so I was really nervous.

The night before the journey, I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about my luggage. If I forgot to take something, of course I can’t go back to my home so I would have to wait for luggage to be sent.

When I went to the airport, I found my colleague who wanted to say good-bye to me. We talked for almost thirty minutes and after that I went to the baggage check counter because I was afraid of missing my plane. When I went there, I had got enough time to do everything but I think this is the personality of the Japanese, I was still terribly nervous. Some of my friends said, “You’ve got enough time to check in. Don’t worry.” Now, I agree with them but then I couldn’t hear that!

When I arrived at the baggage check counter, there was a short queue. I thought there (would be) a long queue so I was really surprised and after I passed the check counter the things finished so quickly. I regretted what I did because it was not so difficult.

After finishing all the checks, I got on the plane. My seat was good because it was next to the window, so I thought I could sleep well. But, unfortunately, the person who was sitting next to me was very talkative so I couldn’t sleep well in the plane. But I liked her because she was really kind, but the problem was (that) I was so sleepy, so it was not (a) good situation.

When I arrived at Heathrow Airport, that was the beginning of the nightmare. I had already booked the taxi before I came to England so I got a taxi. After one hour, I didn’t feel well because I hadn’t slept much. (At) first, it was not so bad, I could control myself, but unhappily, it was getting worse (but) I kept silent otherwise I would throw up.

When I arrived at my new host family’s house, I thought I was in emergency, I felt awful. Finally after finishing the tour of our house, I ran to the toilet. Then, I thought after that long journey, I have to sleep at least eight hours if I can. That is my awful, but good, experience.

Nightmare Journey Vl

2011-08-19T14:07:00.007+01:00

Hello, My name is Eduardo, I’m from Spain and I’m going to tell you about the worst journey in my life.

My nightmare journey began when I was preparing to come back to Spain from Monterrey airport in Mexico; the story was four years ago. The airport staff said to me that the flight from Monterrey to Madrid was delayed, but they didn’t tell me how long I was going to wait. I thought that it was horrible. None of the staff gave food to anyone or me all night. I think these flights aren’t cheap and they could give something to us in the night.

After I had been waiting all night, more or less eight hours, the plane was ready to fly to Madrid. The delay was because this plane came from Japan to Monterrey and now it was ready to take off to Spain. In the end, I arrived in Spain after eight hours waiting in the airport and twelve hours flying, for me this flight was the longest in my life.

Eastbourne Air Show 2011

2011-08-18T20:59:00.003+01:00

Eastbourne is a town just along the coast from Hastings and every year they have an air show which is quite spectacular. The main attraction for most people is the RAF display team called The Red Arrows but there are lots of other planes to entertain the crowds, as you can see from this YouTube video.

A Milestone

2011-08-16T07:17:00.005+01:00

In the days when people travelled on foot or on horseback or in carriages pulled by horses, there were stones at the side of the road on which was carved the number of miles to the next town or city i.e. London 56 miles - Hastings 24 miles. These were called 'milestones'. Today, we don't use these stones (although you can still find some of them if you look carefully) but we continue to use the word. The meaning has changed now to mean an important event in the development of something (see the OALD dictionary entry below). Today we have reached the figure of 20000 unique visitors to our blog so you could say it was a milestone.

Milestone (n)

1 a very important stage or event in the development of something
This voyage marked an important milestone in the history of exploration.Today we have passed another milestone on the road towards peace.2 a stone by the side of a road that shows how far it is to the next town and to other places

Mogwai in Bexhill

2011-08-07T08:19:00.005+01:00

To begin (with,) it’s been a long time since I wanted to see Mogwai live. They are one of my favorite bands and I discovered them when I was 18. So when I learnt that they were going to play in Bexhill, ten minutes by train from Hastings, I got my ticket immediately!

They are one of the most influential and famous bands of the post rock scene; real seekers of all kinds of sounds, their music is almost only instrumental. There are five of them in total, with three guitars, bass and drums, plus violin who was a guest invited for the show.

The show usually begins with only a guitar line which is completed with lots of different sounds following the variations of the theme. Like at the bright dawn until the end of the day, by way of a huge storm. They make it full of spirit and energy, which takes you into a dream.

So when I saw them in the De La Warr Pavilion, which is a quite small area, it was absolutely brilliant, their show was awesome. I could feel their music’s effects and distortions closer, I was for an instant stuck in the sound!

The De La Warr Pavilion was the perfect place to see Mogwai. Moreover there is a wonderful terrace facing the sea and on the roof we can listen to music every week-end.

Emilie - France

First Certificate in English - Exam Results

2011-08-05T10:03:00.006+01:00

In June, five of our students sat a Cambridge exam and we are very pleased to announce the results which have recently been sent to us.

Andrea from Switzerland obtained a grade B1 (PET) - congratulations to you Andrea!

Debbie, who is also from Switzerland, joined the exam course a little bit late but she worked hard and passed with a grade C (FCE) - well done!

And from South Korea - Ji Yoon, Ji Eun and Myung Seon who all passed with grade C (FCE) - congratulations to you too.

Congratulations again from everyone at HELC.

What Students Think of HELC

2011-08-05T09:20:00.002+01:00

When students leave HELC, we ask them to complete a feedback form where they can comment on the school, the teachers, their host families and anything else they want to comment on. Many students just tick the box 'Satisfied' and don't make a comment but some students have taken the time to write something. Here is a selection of comments from our ex-students.

'I have nothing but compliments for HELC. The fact that (it) is a small school with not many students and HELC's efforts to make everybody know each other, with the little tour on the first day and also the Welcome Party, creates a friendly ambient (ambience). I'm going to miss being here. The weeks passed so fast.'
Carmen from Spain

'HELC is a fantastic school that's why I'm back here and also my boyfriend came here four months ago. I'm going to miss it but I'm sure that I'm going to be back one day.'
Elisabetta - Italy

'I liked the school I'm very surprised because the English people are very funny and nice people.'
Virginie - France

'The school is perfect to learn English with a great atmosphere.'
Miguel - Spain

'The staff in this school is very friendly and they have not problem with help to anyone. It is pity because I could not stay more weeks.'
Eva - Czech Republic

'In Hastings I have had one of the best experiences of my life. I liked very much the school and the activities that Debbie prepares. We have a lot of information and a lot of things to do so I have never been bored. Since I came here to improve my speaking, I am happy because the classes are focussed on speaking.' Marina - Spain

'This is my second time at HELC and again I had a wonderful time.'
Petr - Czech Republic

'HELC has got great staffs, students and education system. I really enjoyed my stay here! Thank you very much! I'm thinking of coming back here from this fall (autumn). See you around!'
Kazunori - Japan

'Not used to this kind of trip, I had a lot of apprehension at first, but the atmosphere of the school and the teachers' friendliness makes it very reassuring and comfortable.'
Marc - France

'This school is very friendly and good to study because we use only English and the class is very small.'
Naoko - Japan

'It's the best school I've ever been (to). I've spent my time here really happy, it has been a wonderful experience, which I love the most is your friendliness.'
Andrea - Spain

'School staff was very friendly and I enjoyed my time in school. Hastings is quiet (quite) okay, in the surrounding area is a lot to explore.'
Sonja - Switzerland

Takako Travels to Ireland

2011-08-04T12:04:00.003+01:00

Have you been to Ireland? If you haven’t, you should go! Last week, I went to Ireland by myself. I’ve never been there before, but I’ve been attracted by Ireland. I went to Dublin and (to the) south of Ireland called (the) Dingle Peninsula.

In Dublin, I visited some cathedrals. In one of them, there was an Irish music concert. It was great and I was fascinated by the music during the concert. At another one, I went into the crypt and shook hands with a mummy! Even though I had a strange feeling, I was told I would be lucky, so I’m waiting to win (the) lottery someday! I also went to pubs and enjoyed listening to Irish music and drinking. I didn’t use to like Guinness, but suddenly I thought Guinness was Irish beer and (so) it must be good. So I tried (it) twice and guess what!! I still don’t like it!

Although I enjoyed (myself) in Dublin, It was almost (the) same as I had expected. But (the) Dingle Peninsula was absolutely fantastic! Despite (being) (a) small town, it has (a) great atmosphere, beautiful mountains and islands. I planned to take a ferry (to an island) but unfortunately the weather wasn’t good and the sea was rough. The ferry was cancelled. So I called a taxi driver who had driven (me) from my hostel to the town centre and asked (him) to drive (me) around (the) Dingle Peninsula. He accepted. Not only (did) he drive but (he) also brought me to some heritage (places) and explained the stories. The nature was awesome! It was so huge and (so) green. I was very impressed and can’t forget the feeling still now.

I met some Irish (people) in pubs, hostels and (on) the train from Dublin to Dingle. They are all kind and open-minded. I don’t know whether I was just lucky or (if it was the) Irish personality, but one of the reasons why I could (was able to) enjoy (my journey) and travel safely was that I met them. In my case, I feel like going back to some places where I’ve been to because of the people whom I met there. So now I really would like to go back to Ireland again.

After travelling in Ireland on my own, I feel I’m stronger than before. In addition, I fell in love with travelling as a backpacker!! I will plan another trip soon!!

Takako - Japan

Writing about Sport

2011-08-04T11:55:00.004+01:00

My class is working at Pre-intermediate level (3) and the topic of the lesson was sport so after doing some vocabulary work and studying a bit of grammar we went into the computer room and everyone typed up a short article about a 'sport' from their country. Personally, I think I would prefer to do the 'plum dumpling eating' to 'running with the bulls', but my favourite one is definitely 'Sand Racing' in Saudi Arabia. I hope you enjoy reading the articles below, don't forget to vote [ funny - interesting - cool ] if you enjoyed reading it.

Here is a short video of a sport from a part of England called 'Gloucestershire' where they make cheese.

Ian

Plum Dumpling Eating in the Czech Republic

2011-08-04T11:44:00.002+01:00

In (the) Czech Republic (there) are two most important sports. Football and ice-hockey. Many people discuss this in the pub, at work, at home, everywhere. We say: “Every man can be (the trainer) of (a) football team”.

Football fans support their local team and in (at) the same time there are two groups - the Slavian fans and Spartanian fans. Sparta and Slavia are (the) two oldest and most famous clubs in (the) Czech Republic. When Sparta and Slavia play we call it (a) derby. It the same like (as) El Classico in Spain.

When (the) Czech national team play in (the) European or World cup people go to the square and watch the game on the big TV together. They paint (the) national colours to (on their) faces and they have national flags. A lot of people meet in pubs too.

This (is the) same when (it) is (the) World Cup in ice-hockey. For example, last year (the) Czech national team won (the) Championship and in the final (they) won against (the) Russian team. It was not expected. Many people celebrated the gold medal in the streets and squares and in pubs to (until) late (at) night.

I would (also) like write about a one special sport. It is eating sweet plum dumplings. This famous competition is in (a) small village on (in) the eastern part of Moravia called Vizovice. Moravia is (a) department on (in) the east (of the) Czech Republic. The winner on (of) this sport is the man or woman who eats more (the most) dumplings. I think that all (the) competitors have stomach-ache (the) next day.
Jan – Czech Republic
.

Tamatori in Japan

2011-08-04T11:32:00.001+01:00

It is the Japanese traditional festival. (which is called) Tamatori. This festival takes (place) on January 1st every year in the shrine.
The people taking part in it run away (up) to the top of the shrine to get a ball,
I think they wear (clothes called) ‘Fundoshi’.

The person can became happy in this year if they get the ball but this festival is so dangerous because they (really) want to get it, they run so fast and attack people and many people break their bones.

I haven’t seen it, I have (only) watched it on TV. When I watch it on TV (it) is fun, but I don’t like it because fortune (says) I must get myself to do (make an) effort.
Kanako - Japan

San Fermin - Running of the Bulls

2011-08-04T11:16:00.001+01:00

I’m going to write about a very famous party in my country. The party’s name is San Fermin, this event is known around the world. San Fermin is celebrated all the years (every year) in Pamplona, (on the) 6th of July. Pamplona is a small city in the north of Spain.

The party lasts for seven intense days, when the people enjoy the party and have a very good time. The most important event in this party is the Encierro. People from all the world go to Pamplona for(to) participate in it. In the Encierro the people must run in front of the bulls, it is very dangerous because the bulls have got big horns and also the streets are very thin (narrow) and there are a lot of people running.

In order to run, (it is) only necessary that the runners are on foot and that they wear good trainers and clothes for run (running). The typical clothes in San Fermin is a (are) white trousers, (a) white T-shirt and (a) white and red handkerchief around the neck.

I (usually) see (watch) the Encierro every year on the television because if you (would) like (to) see the Encierro from (a) balcony you’ll need a lot of money. But I was very fortunate because five years ago I could (was able to) see (watch) the Encierro on the (a) balcony, for me (it) was a great experience and I have never forgotten it.

I think that the San Fermin is a very good tradition, and it must never disappear.
Idoya - Spain

Tomatina in Spain

2011-08-04T11:07:00.002+01:00

Tomatina is an unusual party in a town called Bunol, in Valencia, in which the participants throw tomatoes at each other, the party is in the streets of the town and most of the population from the town go. On this day, there are in the centre of the town some trucks full of tomatoes and the people can take them free. At the end of the party everyone can wash in some public fountains. It’s on the last Wednesday of August each year. I’ve never been to the party, but I would like to go some year.
Jesus - Spain

Ice Hockey in the Czech Republic

2011-08-04T10:31:00.002+01:00

The most interesting sport in (the) Czech Republic is ice hockey, which is played in the stadium. Six people play and five of them change in the game. Czech people are good at this sport. We won the Olympic Games in Nagano in 1998. (The) Czech team won (the) national championship 12 times.

The most famous ice hockey player is Jaromir Jagr. He is 40 years old and he comes from Kladno. He (has) played in NHL (for) many years and he played (for) two years in Russia. This year he went to NHL again. He wants to stay (for) one or two years.

When (the) national championship happens, many people in my country sit before (in front of the) TV and hope we will win. When we win, we celebrate our triumph on (in) the square in Prague. It is (a) big celebration. When we lose, we are sad and we ask where is the mistake?

Jaromir Jagr says, that our ice hockey is not so good today. We have to rear young players but our team hasn’t (doesn't have enough) money for this and it is our problem. We have to find sponsors. If we can’t rear young players, it will be (a) problem in the future for us. I hope our ice hockey will go up and not down.
Alena – Czech Republic

Baseball in Korea

2011-08-04T10:11:00.003+01:00

I think Korea’s most interesting sport is baseball. There are seven Korean baseball teams and the teams are professional players.

Everyday except Monday they have competitions and (the) baseball place is (called a) stadium. Every year April until October is (the) baseball period (season). Winner (The winning) team is decided on (in) October. (it) depends on (the) winning average..

Baseball is a very exciting (game) because nobody knows (the) winning team and (the) people who prefer (a) baseball team is (are) very different. This depends on (their) region. For example, Busan people like (the) Lotte team but Incheon people like (the) SK team. It’s (They are) very different, this is because each team has its own song (which) is very interesting and very strong (and when the) people (are) shouting (it) is really exciting! I have never seen it (one) yet but I really want to see (a) baseball competition.
Da Hyeon – S. Korea

Sand Racing in Saudi Arabia

2011-07-30T10:51:00.003+01:00

This sport happens in the desert , we have a big sand dunes ,so every weekend we go there. You must be professional driver, because this sport is very dangerous.

If you want share in this sport you have to a special cars or a custom car with strong engine. First the racer stop under a sand dune and they must go very fast to the top, and the person who arrives first is the winner.

But some time this sport is very dangerous, because we have a lot of accidents or maybe the car burns so we can’t help them because this place is far way from the cities, so some of them died, it’s like this sport so much, for me now I have a custom car but it’s not ready now so maybe next winter I will sharing in this race.

Aziz - Saudi Arabia

Where I Live - Takako

2011-07-28T18:51:00.002+01:00

I live in Yamaguchi, Japan. It’s very small city and in countryside. It takes six hours by express from Tokyo, but it’s very quiet and peaceful.

In my hometown, there are lots of hot springs. Hot spring is a very big bath and the hot water cones from under the ground. The water cures our body, for instance, stiff neck, backache, and is good for our skin. It makes our skin smooth. Most hot springs are located in public places, so we have to pay a little money, but it’s worth going there.

However, there are different kinds of hot springs in my hometown. These are only for feet and it’s free. We can go there any time we want. In addition to, they are close to pubs. So whenever we finish drinking in pubs, we go to the hot springs with drinks. It’s fantastic!

I do like my hometown, but it’s small, so good for relaxing but not for shopping. Sometimes we need to go to big cities to do shopping.

Today, I was surprised to hear that my hometown is brother city with Pamplona in Spain, where one of my friends in HELC lives. I didn’t know that, and I didn’t care about the twin cities of my hometown. Now I’m in a language school, so I’ll search for students who live in twin cities of my hometown!

Takako - Japan

Where I Live - Emilie

2011-07-28T18:46:00.002+01:00

I live in France, in a town name Arpajon. It is at the south of Paris, about 30 minutes by car. There are nearly 10,000 people who live there. I live in the center of Arpajon, 5 minutes from the train station.

I live in a quiet street, near a little river where there are lots of ducks; it is a part of countryside near Paris.

There aren’t lots of things to do there; the advantage to live in this town is to be near Paris.

However, there are some good restaurants or places to relax, but this is true that we usually go in Paris when we want to do shopping, have a drink, to visit an exhibition or go to a concert.

In my hometown you can relax near the river or go for a walk in the forest. For lunch or dinner, there are also typical restaurants where the foods are really good and not so expensive.

Usually, with my friends, we go to Paris, to have a drink and very often we buy something to drink, to eat and just stay on the bank of the Seine. Indeed, lots of people have a seat there and just listen to music or look other people who dance Tango, Salsa…and have a chat with friends.

Actually, I like living near Paris instead inside, cause I can enjoy the capital without the inconvenience of a crowded city.

Emilie - France

Where I Live - Torsten

2011-07-28T18:39:00.004+01:00

I live in a city called Bielefeld, in the west part of Germany, between the big cities Hannover and Dortmund. It’s a city of about 300.000 people. We, my wife and I, have a flat in the old town from where we can reach every nice place, like theatre, museum, nice pubs and restaurants, on foot. The city is crossed by a range of hills called Teutoburger forest with a historical ancient castle on the top.

One of the popular events which happened every year in may, is the long distance run, called Hermannslauf, about 32 km through the Teutoburger forest. The background of the name is the starting point. The run starts at the Hermannsdenkmal, a monument, in memory of the fighter Herman the Cerusker, who was the leader of an army, which fought some hundred years ago against Rome, won and stopped them of going far.

A famous name of our city is “Dr. Oetker”. It’s a big company, still owned and led by the family Oetker. They produce food like pizza, yoghurts and baking products and sell it all over the world.

Torsten - Germany

Where I Live - Nacho

2011-07-28T18:32:00.003+01:00

I live in Pamplona, a small city in the North of Spain, close to San Sebastian and Zaragoza. Pamplona is the capital city of the province of Navarra. The river Arga crosses it and it is surrounded by small mountains who conform the “Cuenca of Pamplona”.

It has a populaton of around 200,000 inhabitants, and around 9 square miles of surface. Pamplona has an old town part, which dates from 75 B.C, and was founded by the roman general Pompaelo (whose name was used to name the city).

I live there for study reasons as my University is there. I live in a flat close to the centre of the city, around a 15 minutes walk, and also close to the city limits (as I said, it’s a small city) and that’s one of the things I most like about my city: being able to go walking both to the centre and to the countryside.

Pamplona’s centre has everything you would need: shops, restaurants (even very good ones!), bars, movie theatres… You can go from bar to bar eating delicious Spanish “tapas” (in Pamplona they are called “pintxos”) and drinking wine or bear and spend the whole morning or afternoon there without noticing it.

But the main reason Pamplona is know for is because of the Sanfermines, a popular party between the 6^th and the 14^th of July. In this days, on the old town, there is the well known “Running of the bulls”, where some people try to run in front of a group of bulls, and often get wounded. But the Sanfermines are much more than the “Running of th bulls”, it’s a continuous party along 7 days without rest. Music on the street, packed bars, tons of entertainment for people on all ages and much more. So if you’ve got the chance, don’t hesitate it and visit Pamplona!

Nacho - Spain

Where I Live - Laura

2011-07-28T18:27:00.002+01:00

My town where I live is called Schifferstadt. It is in the South-West of Germany. It is very small , 18.000 people live there. But there are many things to do like going to the cinema or a restaurant, playing tennis or soccer. To relax you could take a walk in the forest of Schifferstadt or maybe you would like to go swimming. There are some good places to go to eat for example typical German food. If you like to visit something there are some really nice frame houses and a museum. Schifferstadt is a calm place to live in that is one reason why I like living there. One more reason is the friendly atmosphere there.

Laura - Germany

Where I Live - Marina

2011-07-28T18:18:00.002+01:00

I live in a city called Murcia, which is in South-eastern Spain. It is not the biggest country in Spain, but it has the loveliest weather. My town has a special sea called ‘Mar Menor’ which is a small sea surrounded by a piece of land. There, the temperature of the water is never cold, in fact it is surprisingly high. Apart from this, there are no waves and the sea is always calm, you can go inside and the water and unless go 4 or 5 kilometres long the sea does not cover more that your shoulders. On the other hand, from my town you can also go to the open sea.

Moreover, in Murcia you can also visit the cathedral, the theatre or the casino. In the same place there are lots of bars and pubs where you can find very good places to have lunch or dinner the best dishes in the world. Waiters are also very nice with people. It is all in the same place that is the Old Town, where you can also go for a relaxing walk.

The other part is a more rural area where there are mountains and in the north there is a very well known city for its wines. There are also a lot of routes to go hiking and a route to go rafting down the river.
Marina - Spain

Where I Live - Bettina

2011-07-28T18:16:00.002+01:00

I live in Weinheim. Weinheim is a town in the South of Germany, near to Heidelberg. It belongs to Baden-Wuerttemberg but it takes you only a few minutes to cross the frontiers to Rheinland-Pfalz and Hessen. So I live in the triangular of three states. Weinheim has got approximately 40 000 inhabitants. It is located between the hills of the “Odenwald” and the flatlands of the Rhine. The region is called “Mountainstreet”.

I live in the north of the city, near to the railway station. However, it also takes me only ten minutes on food to the forest and 15 minutes to the city centre. That’s why I sold my car four years ago when I moved to Weinheim. Every place where I want to go to I can reach on food, with my bicycle or by train. I enjoy this situation without any car because I it makes me feel free.

Weinheim offers a lot of possibilities not only for his inhabitants but also for tourists. Weinheim is also named the “two-castle-town”. The “Wachenburg” is a very young castle. It was built in about 1900 by a student’s association. From the old “Windeck” castle there is only a ruin left. Both castles are placed on the top of a hill from where you have a wonderful view on the city.
Bettina - Germany

Where I Live - Michaela

2011-07-28T18:04:00.004+01:00

The name of city where I live is Hradec Kralove. When you translate the name in to English it means something like Castle’s Walls of Kings.

It’s the city in the Czech republic in the east of Bohemia by the confluence of two rivers - Labe and Orlice.

Right now there live 96000 people. It used to be more but many people have moved and now they live in small villages just a few kilometres from Hradec.

I live in the suburbs but the city centre is just thirty minutes walk away…

I wouldn’t recommend Hradec to every tourist but if somebody is interested in history or in architecture, they shouldn’t miss this city.

After the first world war the city became famous for modern buildings.

And when you are standing on the Great Square you are able to see three different kinds of building styles: gothic cathedral, renaissance bell tower and baroque church.

The city is near the mountains Krkonose and Orlicke mountains so many people who travel there for winter sports, usually travel around Hradec.

Many castles with interesting history are near Hradec. Also I can’t forget about the museum of African culture. The whole exhibition is made of private collection from the famous Czech traveller Emil Holub (Emil Pigeon )

A good place to go for dinner is a small restaurant on the Great Square called Knihomol (I would translate it like Fly of Books. It’s impolite way how to call somebody who spends too much time reading books and studying.)

Michaela - Czech Republic

My Afternoon Class

2011-07-22T22:08:00.003+01:00

From left to right: Emilie from France; Marta from Spain; Takako from Japan; Andrea and Laura from Spain; Nacho and Marina from Spain; Michaela from the Czech Republic and Carlos from Spain. Marta, Andrea and Laura are leaving today to go home.

Happy Birthday Kelly

2011-07-22T22:02:00.002+01:00

Friday Afternoon in the Garden

2011-07-15T17:47:00.007+01:00

The sun is shining. It's Friday afternoon. There was a school party last night so most people are tired today. Everyone wanted a lesson in the garden to finish off the week. We had a general knowledge quiz and Nacho, Eva, Jan and Michaela won with their team called 'The Spiders'.

After that, we played a game called 'Hotel Reception' where one student plays the part of a hotel guest who has lost their voice and they have to mime their problem to the hotel staff.

Eva is trying to mime the message "Please send a glass of milk and a cheese sandwich to my room, number one O nine."

A New Baby Boy!

2011-07-14T21:30:00.004+01:00

One of our ex-students from Japan has just had a baby boy. So, congratulations to Maki and her husband on the birth of Leo Hendrix Ford who weighed 4.34 kgs (9.5 lbs) at birth! Best wishes from everyone at HELC. "Omedeto gozaimas"

50 Things to do before you die

2011-07-12T18:02:00.002+01:00

This week my afternoon class watched a short film taken from a BBC TV programme called "50 things to do before you die" where the BBC had asked its viewers to email the kind of things they would like to do. Well, my class thought about what they would like to do and each student has chosen three things and written about them here.

We tried to agree on a class Top Ten but we just couldn't agree but here are some of the suggestions (NOT in order):

1] See the Northern Lights from Alaska
2] Explore the Galapagos Islands
3] Spend time on a Paradise Island
4] Go Sky Diving
5] Drive a Formula One racing car
6] Go white water rafting on the Zambezi River
7] Fly over the Grand Canyon in the USA
8] Trek to the lost city of Machu Picchu
9] Go swimming with dolphins
10] What would be your choice of something amazing to do before you die? Email me with your ideas at iandsouthan@gmail.com

Emilie

2011-07-12T18:00:00.003+01:00

The 3 things that I would like to do before I die are: doing a rafting expedition in Zambia (Africa), flying over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter and walking along the Great Wall of China. It was so difficult to choose only 3 thing

My first choice is (a) rafting expedition in Zambia because I think it’s a good way to discover wild Africa and the African scenery is awesome. You live closer to the nature and at the same time you defy the elements by rafting. You just feel really alive and in communion with nature.

Then, I’d like to fly over the Grand Canyon. The landscape which has been made by nature is just breath-taking, you feel like you are on the top of the world. To be on a helicopter to fly over this gigantic place makes you feel as free as a bird.

Last, I chose walking along the Great Wall of China. It’s just one of the Seven Wonders of the World for me. This place is full of history and the landscape is also wonderful. It’s huge, about 3000 miles long, and was built by people over two thousand years ago. It makes an impressive feeling and I’d really like to see a sunset from there.

Emilie - France

Desiree

2011-07-12T17:59:00.008+01:00

The three things that I would like to do are: Driving along Route 66, scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef and seeing the Northern Lights.

My very first choice is driving along route 66 in USA. The main for doing this is because I’d like to know the states in a different way, not as a tourist. Driving from Chicago to Los Angeles allows me to know a variety of states, meet people with different ideas and also this trip would let me enjoy landscapes, a wide range of scenery and to visit other cities. If I had to say who I would like to go with I’d say I’d like to do it on my own. It is a good opportunity to be alone and discover more about myself. Furthermore, if I travel alone I can stop whenever I want without thinking if the others want to or not.

The second choice is scuba diving on the Barrier Reef in Australia. I’ve chosen this in the second place because I like travelling and visiting various countries. In the future I’d like to go to Australia, so if I go there apart from doing the scuba diving I could go to Sydney, Canberra etc. too. So, it’s more than scuba diving - it’s sightseeing, walking through a range of places, learning different cultures. In this trip I’d like to go with my friends to have fun doing scuba diving, laying down on the beach and going out to different clubs or theatres.

Finally, the last activity I’d like to do is seeing the Northern Lights in Canada. Not only is it a great opportunity to take part in a natural phenomenon but also I could discover the north part of Canada. I have never been there so I think this trip could help me to learn more about mother nature and (Canadian) culture. In this tour around Canada, I’d prefer to go with my boyfriend. I find laying down in the grass during the night very romantic. I could spend time with my boyfriend talking during the whole night waiting for the Northern Lights.

To conclude, I’ve chosen this three activities because I’m sure I can manage to do them before I die, I know it’s difficult but it’s something that I have to do at least once in my life.

Desiree - Spain

Marta

2011-07-12T17:59:00.006+01:00

The first one, (to travel by) express from London to Venice, this trip during a week. In London the first day with my friends, trying to see the most important things of London, eating chocolate, ice creams and what we want in each moment. If we feel tired we can use a limousine to go to different places in London.

The second day in Paris with my boyfriend, having a pizza for dinner in the best viewpoint of Paris looking at the lights at night. The third day with my family in Belgium. The fourth day with my friends in Amsterdam and the fifth day with my Mum inBerlin and then Prague. Then, again with my boyfriend in Budapest, then Rome and the seventh day in Venice.

Second, on a paradise island for a week with my friends and my boyfriend too, swimming in the sea, drinking on the beach, calm in the day and parties at night. Trying to have a funny time all together. We have all the time in the world to do that we want.

Third, taste all the ice creams on Earth with all that want to come with me. Eating ice creams on the top of the viewpoint of New York listening to jazz.

Marta - Spain

Michaela

2011-07-12T17:55:00.002+01:00

The three things I would like to do are:
Watching animals in their natural environment. This is my first choice because I love animals and I would like to see them with my own eyes. Whales, elephants, birds, snakes… Every animal in the world is special in it’s own way so I don’t mind which kind of animal just see it in the wild.

Seeing the Northern Lights.
Northern Lights are something what has been created in nature without the help of humans. You can see it in many pictures, photos and in films but in my opinion, seeing all these colours, changing every second, against the black darkness of the sky, must be an extraordinary experience.

Travelling with the Orient Express.
I always enjoy books by Agatha Christie. She is one of my favourites writers. I’ve already seen a few of the places in Devon where some of her books were written. Many times I have thought about what it really is like to travel around Europe in a train like people used to travel many years ago.
Michaela - Czech Republic

Marina

2011-07-12T17:51:00.002+01:00

The three things I would like to do before I die are visiting a paradise island, driving a formula one car and going on a balloon flight. Firstly, I would like to visit a paradise island because one of the things I most like is swimming in the sea and I could do it on the paradise island as well as being in a wonderful environment. Moreover, on a paradise island you can rest and relax, just enjoying the sound of the sea and the wind. In such a calm place you could forget everything and only relax.

Secondly, I would like to drive a Formula 1 car because with a normal car you could not go as fast as you want so, you are not going to experience speed unless you drive a Formula 1 car and I would like to feel what is it like to travel at high speed.

Finally, I would like to do a balloon flight because you can see a different perspective of your city. We always see the city from below. But, with a balloon you can see your city from above and maybe you can discover unknown things because it is like a walking on the sky. A plane flies faster but the balloon goes slow and you can see every detail of the city. Moreover, I think these things are not so expensive to try doing them at least once in my life.

Marina - Spain

Andrea

2011-07-12T17:44:00.003+01:00

First of all, I have to say that’s is really difficult for me to choose just three things to do before dying. But, if I had to choose I would say that the first thing I would do would be escaping to a paradise island. From my point of view, all of us live a stressful life with a strict routine. Nowadays, our lives are too fast to explore ourselves, to take our time in order to think, or even dream. So, being on a paradise island could be the best opportunity to stop, to take it easy, to relax, and to enjoy the little things. For instance, in a paradise island you can just be sitting in front of the sea enjoying the nature or you can walk through the forest and discover unexplored waterfalls.

A paradise island allows you to feel yourself as if time had stopped and you could choose in every moment what you can do and who you want to be, without figuring out who society wants you to be. If I had the opportunity, I would go with someone I really love, someone who would make me feel happy, relaxed, comfortable, and I would like to go to Seychelles.

My second choice is exploring Machu Picchu in Peru. In my opinion this is the most magical place in the world. Walking over the walls that our ancestors built so many years ago helps you to travel to old times. While you’re enjoying the sunset in Machu Picchu you can imagine yourself as if you were one of the builders of this wonderful construction. In fact, it’s considered to be one of the eight wonderful things on Earth.

Finally, my last choice is scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, in Australia. As far as I am concerned, being under the sea sharing your time with the most exotic fishes and marine creatures in the world must be an unforgettable experience. I think that the best chance for knowing the universe under the sea is visiting the Great Barrier Reef, because in the Antipodes you can be aware of how different and amazing nature can be.

To sum up, I would say that if I had to choose what to do before dying I would choose something really different compared with the things I am used to doing in my everyday life which allow me to enjoy life.
Andrea - Spain

Cristina

2011-07-12T17:40:00.002+01:00

Ride a camel to the Pyramids. I would like to visit Egypt because I think it could be interesting and also because I studied a few years ago the culture and society of Egypt. On the one hand, it must be an exciting moment when you are riding the camel, but on the other hand, the customs are different from mine.

Explore Antarctica. Antarctica is a continent like no other on Earth. It has no government and belongs to no country. Not every day we can explore such a huge continent and see many different species of animals like penguins and other marine animals. Obviously, it is important to know that it is the coldest place on Earth. The temperatures in winter are approx. Minus 80 degrees in the interior. For all these reasons I would like to do this.

Fly over a volcano. I’ve chosen this option because it excites me , and a I’ve never heard about this amazing activity before. Hawaii for example is an archipelago of volcanic islands located over a geological “Hot Spot”, so its must be a very exciting experience and unknown for many people.

Cristina - Spain

Laura

2011-07-12T17:39:00.001+01:00

From my point of view, the first thing I would choose to do before I die is to visit Galapagos islands, because I love nature and I think this place is the best one to enjoy its beauties. Galapagos are paradise islands on which loads of animals live together in a big community, hundreds of different species sharing the same environment without human influence. And apart from that, if you are not a nature lover, I think it is worth visiting these islands just to enjoy their wonderful landscapes, with incredible wild beaches, pure sea, and lovely sunsets. On the other hand, from the scientific point of view it will be very interesting too, because in this islands you can study the effects of the human industry, pollution and devastation of the sea and the ecosystems which affects so may species carrying them to disappearance.

After this one, my second option would be to swim with dolphins, because they are one of the cleverest animals in the world, and it is fantastic to see how quickly they can learn so many funny and beautiful things. In fact, I would love to teach them myself to do all those “games” in the water, so I could be more close to them and understand more their particular intelligence. I think it will be a wonderful experience, and not only for myself but also for the rest of the people who want to see them jumping and swimming in such funny ways.

To finish, my third option, related again with nature, would be to see the Northern Lights in Canada or in Alaska, because I think is an incredible phenomenon, which I would like to see with my own eyes. In fact, I don’t understand very well why it happens, so that will be a perfect opportunity to study and discover more about it. In fact, I think that if you don’t get the chance to see it in person, it is difficult to imagine so many colours in the sky, for us always blue, moving at the same time and making so many different and incredible forms. It is difficult to believe even watching photos of this strange effect!
Laura - Spain

Nacho

2011-07-12T17:37:00.001+01:00

My top 3 things to do before I die are, first, travelling into Space, second, skydiving and third, fly in a fighter jet.

The reason I’d love to travel into Space is because there you can easily realise how small we are, that all the problems of the world can fit on such a small planet, that all the people you have and you’ll ever meet live there. It must be a shock to realise from there that all the people that have ever existed live on such a small piece of rocks and water. And also the feeling of being the first to explore some places, to be the first who has ever stayed in one place.

My second one is skydiving. I’d like to know how it feels to fly like a bird, to fall into empty space and to reach the ground safely thanks to the parachute. I think I can’t even get close to imagining how free you feel up there.

My third one is flying a fighter jet. I think there is nothing in this world that can compare to the speed, acceleration and agility of a fighter jet. It would be an awesome experience to pilot one or even to get a ride on one of them despite the lack of comfort due to high speeds and g-forces.

Nacho - Spain

Takako

2011-07-12T17:35:00.002+01:00

Three things I would like to do before I die are travelling all over the world, eating delicious food and skydiving.

My first choice is travelling all over the world because I’ve only been to some countries, so I haven’t seen a lot of things yet. I think my sense of values is small now. In addition to that, if I travel all over the world, I can meet my friends whom I met before. I’m in a language school and I can make friends with many people from different countries but I have to say good-bye to them when they are leaving. It’s not easy so I really would like to travel all over the world.

My second choice is eating delicious food. I’ve eaten lots of delicious Japanese food, French food, Italian food, and more but I ate them in Japan. In my opinion, when we eat some food in the home country, the food is more delicious than in our own countries. So if I travel all over the world, I can eat many types of food.

The first choice and second choice have a connection but my third choice is skydiving. I’ve seen some countries from an airplane, but skydiving is much different. Though I might have to take a risk, the benefit is so great.

I chose only three things, but I want to do more. I’m young so I’m sure I’ll do some of them.
Takako - Japan

Sabrina

2011-07-12T17:11:00.003+01:00

The three things that I would like to do are: fly to one country of the third world and give all my money to the poor (hopefully I will be rich before I die) and try to give the inhabitants something to live on for the rest of their lives. For example, help to build houses, try to cook with them, help to advance the sanitary situation and I would teach the children or the adults at the school.

I will help poor people because I have everything I ever wanted and it is really sad how many people haven’t had the same opportunities as me. For me it is normal to go to the bathroom and turn on the tap and to take a shower. It is also common for me to go to the supermarket and have a huge choice or to have something to eat in my fridge everyday. When I am ill there is no problem to see a doctor.

Second, I would go on the “Way of St. James”, it’s a pilgrimage. I would go alone because I think this long trip should be my last way before I die. On this way I will try to think about everything I have done before.

My third and last thing that I would do before I die would be to drive a car from Formula 1. I am a person who loves speed and being free. I’ve been watching Formula 1 since I was a child and I really enjoyed it.

Sabrina - Austria

My Journey Home from Hastings

2011-07-07T22:16:00.001+01:00

Last Saturday I went by the train from Hastings to London at 7:55 with Peilei. She got off at Gatwick Airport and I went on to Victoria station, where I arrived at 10:10 so I had a lot of time to move to Victoria Coach station.

I left London by bus at 11 a.m. My journey home was long, but comfortable. I sat alone in the bus and had a lot of space for sleeping. There was a steward in the bus and she served us hot drinks (free) all the journey and we watched a few very funny films.

There was only a small problem with a drunken passenger. He, a young man didn’t know what to do during (such a) long journey so he (had) bought a bottle of vodka and drunk it. He become very rude and noisy. The steward thought that he could be dangerous and decided to set him down at the nearest petrol station - it was 8 p.m. in Belgium.

Unfortunately, He didn’t want to get off and the steward had to call the police. Finally, the police (arrived but they) refused to help us. The steward and drivers had to throw the drunken man off by themselves.

The rest of the journey was without problems. So, Ian when you talked about your interesting experiences with flying last Friday, I thought that travelling by bus was boring - but it isn’t true.

Best regards
Radka - Czech Republic

Pascal Visits FILO Brewery

2011-07-07T21:44:00.006+01:00

As a home brewer I’m always interested in non-industrial beer and so I was glad to discover that there is a pub in Hastings Old Town, which brews its own beer. Since 1985, the “First In Last Out” in the High Street is a micro brewery which produce five different beers. The FILO appears regularly in the “Good Beer Guide” and some of the beers are award winners.

Michael, the owner of the brewery, (above left, with me on the right) plans to serve his beer in other pubs in the region as well. And he is thinking about selling bottled beer to his clients. That hadn’t been possible in the former pub’s former brewing room. So the brew equipment moved from the pub to a bigger location in the neighbourhood some weeks ago.

Even though the work hadn’t been finished, Michael was kind enough to show me his new brewing location anyway. “At the moment the brewing stuff, which allows me to brew 185 gallons (=840 litres) of beer, is exactly the same as in the pub, but now we have the chance to get bigger if necessary”, Michael said. For example, there is enough space for another storage tank and that would allow brewing more often.

Later on, I was able to speak with Tony the brewer, who brews once a week at the moment. He said: “In former times there were a lot of Microbreweries in Hastings and surroundings but they are all gone.” In his opinion the time is changing slowly and people are beginning again to value local beer. After some problems with the heating, Tony ran a successful test run and he is happy about the new brewing location. He is going to use the new opportunities to create a new beer variety. “Not a Lager of course but it’s time for a new ale in FILO.” he said.

Ales are traditional English beers which are dispensed by a hand pump at the bar. Real ales usually have a distinctive flavour that comes from different types of hops. Ales are served at a temperature from 10° C till (to) 14°C so that the full flavour can be developed as well as possible.

So, my recommendation to all HELC students and Hastings visitors is very easy: visit the FILO and drink a half (or two) of Tony’s “Ginger Tom”, which is probably the best beer you can get in Hastings. And finally, the old brewing room in FILO is going to be used as a kitchen in future.

Cheers from

Pascal - Düsseldorf, Germany

An Imaginary Dinner Party

2011-06-23T17:59:00.004+01:00

The class has been working of 'future' forms so today we planned an imaginary dinner party and invited some interesting people and prepared a menu for the meal. When writing about the planned meal we used 'will' rather than 'be going to' or 'present continuous' because we are not simply chatting about our personal plans and intentions, we are expressing absolute certainty or 'facts' about the future relating to a more formal event.

L-R: Radka and George from the Czech Republic and Danilo from Switzerland

Tonight, we will have a dinner party.

We will invite Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Madonna, Elvis, Pavarotti, Queen Victoria, Shakespeare and Napoleon.

Barack Obama will sit opposite Angela Merkel. Elvis will sit between Madonna and Pavarotti and Shakespeare will sit between Queen Victoria and Napoleon.

We will have salmon cakes with vegetable salad for a starter. For the “Entrée” we will serve lasagne. The main course will be roast beef with potatoes and roast vegetable. The dessert will be chocolate pudding, ice cream and fruit salad.

For drinks, we will serve red Spanish wine, still water and natural fruit juice and espresso coffee.

L-R: Peilei from Germany, Aziz from Saudi Arabia and Cecilia from Italy

Tonight we will have a dinner party.

We will invite President Obama, Bono, Madonna, Shakespeare, Mrs Merkel, King Abdullah of Saudia Arabia, Queen Elizabeth the first and Mr. Bill Gates.

Mr Obama will sit at the end of the table on the left, and Mrs Merkel will sit on the opposite side. Madonna will sit in the middle of the longest side of the table, Bono will sit on the left of Madonna and Shakespeare will sit on the right of Madonna.

Queen Elizabeth I will sit opposite Madonna, between Mr Gates (on the left) and King Abdullah (on the right).

We will have Soup, Salad and Baguette with Pork for a starter.

For the entrée we will serve Rice with lamb, carrots and fish.

The main course will be Fish with Potatoes and Steak with Chips.

For dessert we will serve Pineapple, Ice Cream and Tiramisu.

For drinks, we will serve Water, Orange Juice and Champagne.

Welcome Night

2011-06-21T22:30:00.004+01:00

On Monday evening, almost every week, students at HELC go to a pub in Hastings to welcome the new students who had arrived in the morning to start their course. This week, we went to a popular pub called Pissaro's and spent the evening talking and being entertained by Kelly on a very out-of-tune pub piano.

A Cream Tea

2011-06-10T13:09:00.004+01:00

Today is the final day of the exam course for our FCE students so we left school at 9.30am and went into town to the Café des Artes and enjoyed a cream tea. A 'Cream Tea' is a pot of tea, a fruit scone, butter, jam and cream. Tomorrow is the exam so we wish them lots of luck.

[L-R] Myung Seon and Ji Eun from Korea, Andrea and Deborah from Switzerland and Ji Yoon from Korea.

Happy Birthday Emilie

2011-06-10T13:05:00.005+01:00

Today is Emilie's (centre in red) birthday so Pascal, her classmate, baked a cake and decorated it with sweets and a candle. Normally, HELC does not take students who are under 18 but we have made an exception for Emilie who appears be 'one' today. (Don't ask me about the umbrella! It was Pascal's idea!)

Japan comes to HELC

2011-06-02T20:20:00.006+01:00

One of our students from Japan, Yasuko Yamaashi, wore her kimono to school today to show her classmates and fellow students and teachers what Japanese women wear on formal or traditional occasions.

Nightmare Journeys

2011-05-27T19:26:00.010+01:00

People travel around the world a lot these days so many of us have had terrible journeys: flight delays, cancelled trains, traffic jams and so on. Four of my students have written about their worst journey. Emilie from France - Shingo from Japan - Pascal from Germany - Takako from Japan.

Tokyo to London

I came to Hastings in April because I want to study English. I was sitting on an airplane at Tokyo airport but this airplane didn’t take off. It was engine trouble so the air company decided to not take off that day. I received a hotel coupon and meal coupon but I wanted to stay with my girlfriend so I asked the air company is it possible. The air company said yes so we could stay at a hotel. The next day I received 12500 air miles compensation. I got on another air plane and I arrived at Heathrow airport twelve hours later. Shingo

A Train Crash in Germany

I joined my family for a holiday at the Garda lake in Italy many years ago. My brother and me went there by train.

On our way back to Berlin we switched the train in Munich and took the ICE to Berlin. After one hour this train stopped suddenly with an emergency brake. Some very worried looking staff ran to the front of the train very fast, so we knew something happened but we didn’t know what.

After a while, there was an announcement, that the train had an accident. On a level crossing a man had tried to pass through the closed train barriers with his harvester. But that didn’t work and the harvester got stuck between the barriers und couldn’t move. The train driver did an emergency brake but because the train was very fast, the braking way was too long. The train ran into the harvester and smashed it into two parts. Fortunately the man got off from his harvester before the crash and so nobody was injured.

We had to wait until a technical train came and pulled our train to the next station. We were pulled very slowly and it took a long time to arrive at the station. There the train was checked by traffic controllers. This took a long time as well. The train staff offered free drinks for every passenger. Fortunately there wasn’t any serious damage on the train so we could continue our journey.

We arrived in Berlin six hours late. We read in the Newspaper the next day that the harvester driver was drunk. Pascal

24 Hours in Malaya

Last year, I stayed in Adelaide, Australia with my friends to study English. After we finished our course, we went to an airport to take our plane. We needed to change planes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but the plane from Adelaide to Kuala Lumpur was cancelled. So we waited in the airport for five hours. I think this wasn’t special but something happened in Kuala Lumpur.

We had to stay there for one day because the plane from Kuala Lumpur to Japan was only once a day. We didn’t want to waste our time, so we decided to go to the city centre for sightseeing. It was a very humid and hot day. Our hotel reception called a taxi driver for us, but the taxi driver was one hour late! As soon as he came, we rode in the taxi. Ten minutes later, the taxi broke down on the motorway. At first he tried to repair it but he couldn’t. He called his friend to help us. His friend was also late. So we needed to wait another one hour on the motorway in humid weather near a dog with rabies. Later we could go to the city centre, but we were on a stopover in Kuala Lumpur so we didn’t have any money. We couldn’t enter the big tower (Petronas) but we could go to a bird park. I didn’t enjoy it because of the bird droppings. Fortunately, I wasn’t dropped on.

Finally, the taxi driver took us to the big Supreme Court which had traditional decoration and a beautiful road and he apologized to us and bought some coconuts. But the taste was disgusting! I couldn’t drink it and I had to keep it in a shaking taxi. Anyway, I could come back to Japan and I told this story to my friends. So I think it was not so bad. The next time, I will take trains in Malaysia. Takako

A Landslide in France

I went on holiday to join my brother in the south of France. I took a train because all planes were already full, I didn’t book my ticket in advance. The train would stop in many places between Paris and Toulon and that day the weather was so bad, there was a big storm.

So it took a long time because the train ran slowly. When suddenly it stopped without any reason and first we stayed one hour like that, the driver told us nothing about the situation. I think traffic controllers had already informed him about what happened but they probably couldn’t tell him how long it would take to set off again. The passengers began to stand up and spoke together and tried to see what was happening from the window. Finally the driver told us that there was a huge landslide on the railway line and that the train cant be moved for the moment.

We waited until the technicians Railway Company arrived and cleared the line. But it took a long time because the slip had carried trees and many other things with it. The other problem was that it was a TGV, it works with electricity so when it stops there isn’t electricity. It means no heating, no warm food or drink. The train was full and soon even cold food was lacking, we could have only water! And there were many elderly and very young, people who began to be very hungry and angry. Finally we stayed 5 hours stuck like that without any heating or food.

At the end, technicians had succeeded to clear the railway line and the train set off but I arrived very late and so tired and the worst was that the railway company just offered the passengers a free ticket. Emilie

A ' Thank You ' Present

2011-05-27T18:53:00.005+01:00

Two of our students - Deborah from Switzerland and Manuela from Germany - left today to return home after studying here at HELC for twelve weeks and they kindly presented the teachers with this huge box of chocolates. Deborah and Manuela, thank you very much.

Birthday Girls

2011-05-27T18:45:00.004+01:00

This week in the FCE exam class we had two birthdays. On Wednesday, Ji Yoon from Korea celebrated with a strawberry cake and on Friday Andrea from Switzerland celebrated with a sticky chocolate and toffee cake. Happy Birthday!

Our FCE students left to right: Seon - Deborah - Andrea - Kelly - Ji Yoon

Tate Modern

2011-05-19T10:00:00.012+01:00

Tate Modern is an art gallery in London which is housed in an old power station. It is located between London Bridge and Waterloo railway stations on the south side of the river Thames, opposite St. Paul's Cathedral on the north side of the river. Entrance to Tate Modern is free except for the 'special' exhibitions which are on from time to time.

This is a self-portrait by the famous New York artist of the 60's - Andy Warhol.

This was painted in the 1960's by the British artist, Bridget Riley.

This painting is by Roy Lichtenstein, a 60's American Pop artist.

This piece is called 'Blue Purple Tilt' and it is by American artist Jenny Holzer.

Have you been to Tate Modern? Or Tate Britain, or the National Gallery? If you have, let me know what you liked and what you didn't like. Do you have a favourite painting or artist? Write something (in English) and email it to me and I'll add it to this blog. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Ian

The Globe Theatre

2011-05-18T19:05:00.003+01:00

After visiting Tate Modern, I went to the Globe Theatre next door to watch one of William Shakespeare's plays called "As you like it' which is a romantic comedy. The theatre is a copy of the original theatre which was built in 1599. It was a great evening.

The stage at the Globe is surrounded by the audience on three sides. For just £5.00 you can watch the play but you have to stand and if it is raining, you will get wet because the theatre has no roof in the centre.

I paid a bit more and had a seat in the top gallery which had a great view of the stage, and it had a roof. (It didn't rain).

Helenswood Girl's School

2011-05-18T18:55:00.005+01:00

On Tuesday, suddenly, my teacher told me and my friends to come to her room after class. At first, I thought I had done wrong things. But, "Don't worry. You didn't do wrong things." she said. After the class, she told us about going to the local primary school on Thursday. I was surprised and glad to be chosen. But soon I started to worry because I don't have confidence in my English speaking skill. But on the contrary, I thought it would be a good opportunity to speak English and a good experience.

The day came. In the afternoon, we arrived at the school. At first my heart was beating. But some students waved to us, so it was getting better. We met three groups. There were seven students in the first group. They were painting and very shy. They seemed to prefer to paint rather than to ask us questions. We talked with them a little and left the room.

In the second and third groups, 11 year old students asked me many questions about Japan. I explained about Japanese food, houses and culture. For example, in a Japanese house, we have to take off our shoes. As you know, Japan is famous for hot springs. When we soak in a hot spring, we have to have our body clean because we share the same water. And they also wanted to know how we felt about Hastings. Hastings has many trees, beautiful sea and parks. So we told them that we liked Hastings, its nature and weather and they were lucky to grow up with the nature.

It was very short time but I had a great time. The students smiled to us nicely and made us happy. I enjoyed the school visit. At the same time, I thought that I have to practise to speak English but it was good for me to know about Japan more!

Takako - Japan

Visit South Korea

2011-05-13T19:08:00.003+01:00

My morning class has six students: Chiara from Milan in Italy - Seung Hwan from South Korea - Milan and Petr, both from the Czech Republic - Jessica from Paris - Francisco from Gran Canaria in Spain. We are working at elementary to pre-intermediate level and the articles below were written in less than half an hour. We hope that you enjoy reading them and here is the first one.

Ian

Jeju is the biggest island in Korea. It is located south sea of Korea. How to get Jeju is flying airplane from Seoul for 2-3 hours. Jeju is very beautiful. Now, it is voted for the new 7 wonders of nature. The highest Mountain Hanla of Korea is there. Mt. Hanla is 2000m high.

If you go Jeju, you can see beautiful mountains, sea, and traditional buildings and foods and you can go trekking, hiking, swimming and scuba diving. Because it is warm except (in) winter, you can feel so nice. But there is a little windy. So, Koreans say that “there are the wind, the stones, and the women in Jeju.”

Seung Hwan - South Korea

Visit Gran Canaria Islands

2011-05-13T19:04:00.002+01:00

Roque Nublo is an ancient rock. It’s a big rock laying in the middle of the island and situated to 40 km from the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. You can get there by bus, car or walk. You can see other places on the island: the villages of Artenara, Tejeda, La Aldea and the Soria’s a man-made lake. The temperature is wonderful every year, and it’s a natural reserve. You can walk to this place and eat a picnic here but be careful with the rubbish. You can touch the rock and take a photo but you have to respect this place.
Francisco Sanchez Benitez - Spain

Visit Prague

2011-05-13T19:00:00.002+01:00

Prague is the oldest city and Prague is the capital city in the Czech Republic. It is in the middle in the Czech Republic. Go to Prague by train, bus, aeroplane, car and boat too. In Prague there are very many beautiful places to see. Perhaps: There are squares, cathedrals, churches, a river, shops, shopping centres and parks. In Prague (there) is (a) very large castle, where live our President V. Klaus with his wife. In the old square is an old clock machine, its name is Prague Astronomical Clock from (the) year 1410. Prague is old, about 1100 years and it has 1.3 millions people and Prague is an expensive city.

Petr Machan - Czech Republic

Visit the Eiffel Tower

2011-05-13T18:55:00.002+01:00

The Eiffel Tower is in Paris, it is very beautiful and it is very famous. It is ancient, it is 121 years old and it was built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 in 2 years, 2 months and five days. Now it's possible to visit it for 8,20€

For looking the Eiffel Tower its possible go to on metro or bus and on the train. The Eiffel tower is also enjoyable for the children.

Jessica - France

Visit the Moravian Karst

2011-05-13T18:50:00.001+01:00

The Moravian Karst is one of the most important karsts with more than 1100 caverns but only 4 caves of the whole number are open to the public.

Where is it? In the centre of Europa near the city Brno about 20 km.

How do I get there? You take the bus to Brno and then you must take the bus to Moravsky Kras.

What can I see? You can see 4 of 1100 caverns.

How much does it cost? It cost £5 for 1.5 hours in one cave. Circuit is long 1750m.

Why is it special ? Because a mother tossed her child into the abyss (gorge) but it still lived.

How old is it? Very, very many centuries old.
Milan - Czech Republic

Visit Milan in Italy

2011-05-13T18:36:00.002+01:00

The Duomo of Milan

In Milan there is a beautiful cathedral, called The Duomo. It is situated in the centre of town. You can arrive in the centre of town with car, by bus or tram but to arrive in front of the cathedral you have to walk for about 500 metres.

When you arrive in front the cathedral you can enter into it and you see a beautiful pictures. It is tall 108,50 metres, it is very big and dark and always full of people.

You can go up the cathedral with a lift or walk. If you go up with lift it cost 8 € while if you walk it costs 5€. When you arrive at the top you see a wonderful view, you see all Milan.

It is special because it is the symbol of Milan that all visitors of the world like to visit.

Chiara - Italy

Writing for the Blog

2011-05-09T21:33:00.003+01:00

Andrea, Ji Eun (Kelly), Myung Seon and Ji Yoon are halfway through their Cambridge exam course studying for the FCE exam in June. As part of the course, they have to develop and improve their writing skills so I asked them to write articles about their long weekend (Friday 29th April to Monday 2nd May) and you can read the results below. I think you will agree that they have done a good job (they took most of the photos too!).

Ian

A Very Special Day

2011-05-09T18:33:00.005+01:00

It was Friday the 29th of April, early in the morning; exactly a quarter to seven and we were standing at the train station in Hastings. We were waiting for the last students. The train left at 6.55 a.m. There were 12 of us – students from HELC and we were going to London to see the royal wedding of Kate and William. We sat in the train and read the programme that we had received from Debbie. We had the timetable of whole royal wedding. We made plans and talked about where was the best place to see something. In our wildest dreams we didn’t expect, Deborah, Simone and I, what we saw later.

When we arrived in London we had to split up, because there were so many tourists and English people. We went to Buckingham Palace but the site was so crowded that we couldn’t see anything, other than a Swiss TV reporter who was carrying out an interview with a Swiss girl. The next idea was going to Nelson’s Column, there was a big screen, but it was very difficult to get there. We walked through St. James Park, in the end we found a crossing point and could go to Horse Guards then we walked through Charles Street.

The Queen's car on its way to the Abbey

Now, we were in the Whitehall and we found a space in a row and waited there. 10 minutes later we saw Eugene und Beatrice after that Charles and Camilla, then the Queen with her husband and finally Kate and her father being driven to Westminster Abbey. We were very happy. The atmosphere around us was brilliant, an older man had a HTC mobile and maybe two minutes after Kate got out from the car, he had a photo of her from the BBC website and he showed it to us. We admired Kate’s absolutely wonderful wedding dress.

Kate's car on the way to the Abbey

In the Whitehall there were loudspeakers. We could hear the whole wedding ceremony in the Westminster Abbey. When we heard the words “Yes I will” from Kate and William, we had goose flesh.

The carriage with Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge

After the wedding ceremony we saw The Horse Guards with Kate and William in the carriage and Pippa and Harry with bridesmaids, and Kate’s father and mother in a carriage with Camilla and Charles and the other people.

The horse guards with the white plumes on their helmets are called

The Lifeguards

The horse guards with the red plumes on their helmets are called

The Blues & Royals

We were so happy and we couldn’t believe our luck. That was my unbelievably lucky and happy royal wedding day !

Andrea - Switzerland

Tulips in Amsterdam

2011-05-07T14:03:00.005+01:00

Amsterdam was my second trip to Europe and the night before I reached Amsterdam I couldn’t sleep because I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing something new.

I’d never seen so many varieties of tulips before. A tulip isn’t familiar to me. To be honest, I can’t remember when I actually saw tulips but I can’t forget some wonderful tulips which I saw in a childhood picture book. So, Keukenhof was unbelievable for me.

As soon as I entered it, I couldn’t keep my mouth closed. Yellow, pink, red, blue, black, purple, white and so on. Shiny colours welcomed me. There were mixed colour flowers and I thought man can’t make these kinds of colour. It was awesome!

White tulips especially appealed to me because a white tulip has not only calmness but also strong inspiration. I want to be a person like a white tulip. It was lucky because I could look at those amazing flowers in sunshine and gentle breeze. It was an unforgettable memory.

Anne Frank’s house remains in my memory too. It was much more interesting than just reading the book. It was solemn and most people were in sorrow. Anne's diaries were displayed on the wall and I didn’t want to miss even one sentence. I felt dreadful for her but thanks to the helpers who secretly provided them with food. I was angry that someone had informed on Anne’s family.

It was horrible to imagine her life and I respect her for keeping her diary in such hard times to let us know in the future about her life. It was a significant experience and I will read Ann’s diary again. Kelly - S.Korea

Amsterdam, where I dream of living.

2011-05-06T19:31:00.006+01:00

This was not my first trip to Amsterdam. Six years ago, I went there but to be honest, I wasn’t keen on it so much, because at that time I really felt scared of people who took drugs. However, in spite of such an unpleasant memory, something really appealed to me and I decided to go back there without any hesitation.

We arrived at Amsterdam about 8 o’clock in the morning, after 12hours in a coach. I expected that I would be absolutely exhausted but I was really fine owing to the glorious weather and interesting atmosphere of the city. As it was very early in the morning before the streets had been cleaned, they were slightly dirty but it didn’t matter to me. Even some rubbish made the city look interesting. (Am I too positive?) While I was walking on the street, I discovered a a large number of fascinating things, the most interesting thing was architecture. Amazingly, all the houses were different from one another and were well designed and characteristic.

It was absolutely fascinating to me who has been living in routine cubes called ‘an apartment’. While I was looking at the beautiful houses, two different emotions turned up in my brain; one was happiness to see something awesome and the other one was envy of their means of production to be able to make a lot of different style of architecture. Even though a design is fantastic, if there are no suitable means of production such as a machines, materials, skills and so on to make the design real, it is just an idea. And these wonderful buildings definitely affect the sense of the people who live in Amsterdam, so it could be the reason why a current Dutch design is the best.

My favorite design group is also Dutch, its name is ‘Droog’ (which means 'dry'). Fortunately there is a Droog shop in Amsterdam. Before the trip, I had been looking forward to going there. Usually I really can’t follow maps but on this occasion I became very proficient. While I was heading out to the shop, my heart leapt with joy amd I walked on air. I was like a butterfly searching for a flower. When I found it, I shouted with excitement, before entering the shop, I held my breath. I couldn’t believe that I was looking at the products in reality. Droog’s design is not splendid or pretty but it is obviously creative, clever and slightly crazy. I thought their design went through the essence of materials so I have dreamed of working for ‘Droog’. If I could work with them, I would not mind eating mashed potato everyday. Not only I, but also my friends really enjoyed this experience and that made me very happy. Good design doesn’t need much explanation because it is made of reason covered with intuition. After looking round the shop, I bought a book about ‘Droog’, it was a little heavy but priceless to me. It might be very helpful in the future.

During the trip to Amsterdam, I was really inspired by everything and I realized that an impression about a city could be totally different depending on a point of view and now Amsterdam was the best city I had ever been. Probably after my English course, I will go there again expecting something fantastic.

Ji Yoon - S.Korea

A Weekend in Amsterdam

2011-05-04T19:01:00.007+01:00

Finally the Easter holiday started on the 22nd April for which we had been waiting all week because I went to Amsterdam.When I arrived there, the weather was quite good so I was happy.

First of all I went to the Van Gogh museum. Although there was a long queue in front of the museum, I could enter it as soon as I arrived there because I already had bought a ticket. The painting by Van Gogh were amazing. Before I went there, I had seen his painting into a book but facing his paintings was totally different. Not only his physical problem but also it reflected mental problem. Especially a self-portrait made me feel gloomy.

After that I went to Anne Frank's house. It opened until 10 o'clock because of Easter so we could go to there in the evening. I have read Anne Frank's diary and was very impressed by it so I wanted to see the site where she had lived. It's atmosphere made me calm and uncomfortable. The photos which were displayed were extremely sad because Anne in the photos looked peaceful and was smiling. Someone who was next to us burst into tears.

Even though the trip to Amsterdam was only for 3 days, I saw lots of interesting things. If I get another chance to go to Amsterdam, I would like to go just to enjoy the atmosphere.

Myung Seon Shin - S. Korea

A Message from Kristine

2011-05-04T18:46:00.001+01:00

After spending four months in a lovely host family and in HELC, I say “AU REVOIR” and “THANK YOU ” to all my good teachers who taught me the new skills to speak better than before. I expected a lot from myself !

I also thank all the young International students who were very nice to me despite the gap in age (almost thirty years). I go back home a little bit sad but glad to see my sons, my family and my friends who are waiting for me.

My stay in Hastings was the best in my life that I had dreamt about it for a long time. I will have good memories. Good Luck to everybody!”
Kristine Bosc from Paris, France

Hastings Jack-in-the-Green Festival

2011-05-02T19:45:00.008+01:00

Held every May Day weekend, this festival brings strange people out onto the streets of Hastings! Based around the old traditions and beliefs of a 'Green Man' who celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of summer.