Buonasera a tutti!

I’m writing you this from my host family house here in SORRENTO! I have been going out far too much recently so I’ve decided to stay at home and study a bit of Italian grammar, il presente semplice! (The present tense)….The host family are great… a mum, a dad and two teenage kids. The house is so clean and the parents cook like a dream!

I have never felt like that they host students for a job, it feels more like they do it because they really like people and want to meet as many different cultures as possible. Italians are really good at making people feel at home and their natural hospitality means that even if you are far away from home, you never feel lonely and if you feel homesick they often take you under their wing. They always ask me what I’m studying and of course, staying with a host family is an excellent way to back up what you have learnt in the classroom.

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Having an ‘Aix-ellent’ time in Aix-en-Provence!

Okay, it is an irresistible play on words, but it is also the truth… I had an Aix-ellent time in Aix-en-Provence! It was SUCH a beautiful place! It was a Roman Spa town once upon a time, so everywhere you go the buildings are of gorgeous golden stonework, the streets are cobbled and every few blocks there is little square to rest in and adorned with the relaxing trickle of one of Aix’s many fountains. It means that it feels like you are in a peaceful haven even in the middle of a bustling university city!

My French school was right next to the old town, literally 10 minutes walk from the famous Cours Mirabeau and the Café Deux Garcons where Albert Camus used to hang out. It was awesome! Plus, the weather in Aix is amazing, clear blue skies most of the year round – they actually get 300 days of sunshine annually! Even in early spring (which is when I went) I could comfortably sit outside on a café terrace, lap up the sunshine and relax, watching the French world go by.

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Learning the Lingo in Egypt!

The best bits of the courses that I took were for me the very thorough drilling of sounds/letters, controlled oral practice ‘chains’ around the class, the slightly freer oral/aural pair work information gap activities we had from time to time, the use of visual aids to reinforce meaning, the use of very targeted task-based simple listening on audio CD, the very targeted letter recognition and copying exercises, and the relaxed concentration of trying to copy exactly the flowing pen strokes of my calligraphy teacher, Ahmed, who was a really neat and exact scribe.

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Great times in Granada!

Serene yet full of life, ancient and truly awe-inspiring … how I loved Granada! I had the best time there! When I visited Granada, I soon realized that I had landed in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with perfect weather, fantastic friends and a unique atmosphere like no other – it was my dream city.

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Laid back in Nerja!

I just couldn’t have chosen better… Nerja was the perfect place to lie back and enjoy the very finest of the traditional Costa del Sol! There were lovely golden coves, beachfront tavernas, whitewashed buildings, fantastic sunshine and a backdrop of the dusty hills of southern Andalucía – it was a picture postcard of everything I could’ve hoped a coastal town in the south of Spain to be!

I truly loved every second of my time in Nerja. After visiting so many of the larger, bustling cities of Andalucía, coming to Nerja was a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing breath of fresh air. Everywhere you go you can see Nerja’s heritage as a sleepy fishing village, with low-rise, white washed villas, cute mosaic patios, palm trees, and a lovely traditionally Spanish high street, where every store name ends in ‘–eria’ J … the panaderia, ferreteria, dulcerias, zapaterias, pescaderia… you won’t find ugly, neon clad chain stores in Nerja. It was charming and wonderful! Yet you still have absolutely everything you need, and if you were really and truly desperate for a big city ‘fix’, Malaga (which I spent a day in and really liked!) was only 40 minutes away!

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Fantastical Florence!

Florence is a very special city- pretty and stylish, romantic and arty. Studying Italian here couldn’t have been dreamier! I found so much to do and see whether walking around the city, marveling at the art, learning how to cook Tuscan specialties, or simply just relaxing by the picturesque Arno River- I truly enjoyed myself!

The school is fantastic; it is actually a beautiful 17th century palace! It is situated right in the historic centre of Florence, which makes the most famous bridge in Italy – the Ponte Vecchio, its backdrop. While sitting in class, the bridge was in clear view from my window, which was perfect for taking impressive photographs! All of the staff in the school welcomed me in straight away, and it was obvious that the teachers loved their job. Each Italian class was more fun than the next!

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STILL in Sorrento!

I’m still in Sorrento, we had a really interesting week this week. Some new students from the UK arrived so my school organised a pizza party for us all. Have you ever eaten a true Neapolitan pizza? They are SO much nicer than a pizza you can buy at home. REALLY tasty with lots of Mozzarella cheese and fresh tomatoes! My new friends really enjoyed it and it was such a good way to introduce the new students to the school. Oh and we also visited the volcano Vesuvio, an incredible view from the top and lunch in a nearby farmhouse, my Italian course is turning into a gastronomic tour!

But seriously, travelling around is such a good way to practice what you have learnt. I can now ask for tickets for transport, I can understand basic directions and I m meeting the true Italians who make you realise that a language has a living cultural aspect to it which is difficult to grasp when you just have lessons.

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Enjoy Yourself When in Rome!!

After an awesome trip to Italy, I am convinced that the number one city for an Italian course is ROME! It has such a unique atmosphere, incredible sites and sounds, and friendly locals everywhere you turn. I loved it so much I found it hard to say goodbye!

Everyone knows Rome for its incredible ancient remains, and I had done plenty of research in guidebooks before my trip… but no matter how many photographs you see of Rome nothing can compare to the feelings of awe when you actually see the Pantheon, the Vatican, or the Trevi fountain up close. Most amazing of all is the beautiful Colosseum for the first time – I was mesmerized! I imagined the arena being full of Romans watching gladiator fights, cheering and booing as they used to do. And the sheer scale of the Colosseum is breathtaking – it is enormous! I simply can’t imagine how it was ever built. The only word that I can use to sum it up is: “WOW!”

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Sunny days in Nice!

Nice is simply perfect – a beautiful. picturesque town, lying on the warm shores of the Mediterranean Sea with a welcoming, friendly atmosphere and INCREDIBLE weather! It seems the sun never stops shining! I loved it to bits! Seeing the sparkling Mediterranean each morning, enjoying the wonderful climate, and taking part in fun-filled school sponsored activities are just some of the many things I loved about studying in Nice. The weather is unbelievable, and makes all the difference when sitting, taking in the sun, at break time, chatting with other students in the school garden.

My mornings were spent in class studying, afternoons loaded with activities to help you practice French and become familiar with your new surroundings, and evenings full of Nice’s wide range of nightlife. It felt like my time there was not nearly enough – I long to return to my easy-going French lifestyle! It made it so easy to study, being surrounded by such a relaxing atmosphere. Walking along the promenade and enjoying a cup of excellent French coffee after classes was always a favorite activity of mine, and the afternoon outdoor markets are also something I loved. On Mondays the market behind the beach sells antiques, but from Tuesday through Sunday food and flowers are the specialty. Everyone outside selling their goods is welcoming. I just fell in love with the warm ambiance of the marketplace and couldn’t stop going back, looking at everything on offer, even though most of the time I was really just ‘window shopping’!

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Exploring Granada one Adventure at a Time!

Mexican poet Francisco de Icaza wrote…

“There is no greater sorrow than to be blind in Granada.”

I cannot think of a better way to describe this magical city. There is never a dull moment in Granada! The history and culture of this incredible city is visible everywhere. It is so easy to discover new things in Granada that it is an adventure to live and study there.

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