Why I love Antibes!

Antibes is a charming town on the French Riviera. There is everything we need to enjoy a nice life. For instance the little café where we can drink an espresso, talking, while our face is warmed by the sunbeams. My god, everything is perfect!

If you do not believe it, read the following… I will describe a full day in Antibes!

To start with, I would like to relate a day during the week when I go to school as I am participating to a 3 month language stay.

At 8 o’clock, my alarm rings, it is not unpleasant as the sun is already shining. Then I take a short shower being enticed by a smell! Mmh… It‘s the smell of a coffee!

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Chocolate and Culture – Barcelona’s sweet side ;)

As I mentioned before, I was expecting to get many visitors here during my ‘exile’ in Spain. And indeed they came, or at least some of them. My mother visited me some weeks ago. Although I had to work most of the time when she was here  we tried to get the most out of our time together. I am not really into the touristy things but for my mum’s sake I tagged along and now feel as if I have fulfilled my quota of cultural activities for this year.

The first place we went to was the Parc Guell, which is quite close to the flat I live in. Being very famous it was absolutely packed on the particular day we choose to go, but I have to admit it was impressive. How impressive? Well my mum decided to finally find out how the camera on her mobile phone works (my mum has a better phone than me!) just so that she could take a few pictures including a fantastic view of the city. This is quite something, as my mum usually regards mobile phones and such as unnecessary technical gimmicks!

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Il est arrivé!!

Like the rest of France, our dear Stephane is shouting out the phrase: ”Beaujolais Nouveau has finally arrived!” Every year on the third Thursday in November the new wine is published, and not a minute before. In France this is an old and strong tradition, and it is also famous in the rest of the world. The ritual is the same if you are in Lyon, Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, London or Oslo, and also in our school in Antibes.

The school staff has arranged a free tasting of the new wine, and it was a great success. Together with beautiful decoration, bread and cheese, it all created a good atmosphere under the sun of the French Riviera.

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Sorrento and The Amalfi Coast – A Jewel in the Mediterranean

This place was always on my list of “must dos in life” as I had heard and read so much about this place, such as “it’s one of the most naturally beautiful places on Earth”, “the Amalfi Coast is one of the most spectacular coastlines that exist” etc. but I was determined to see it and judge it for myself despite what Byron, Caruso, Goethe, Wagner and many other famous visitors had written!

So, imagine my delight when I came across this school , only metres from the sea and beach and right in the heart of the city! I was given the unique experience of not only learning the Italian language, but also learning about the amazing Southern Italian culture so far removed from our own, and the staff were so welcoming and friendly as is traditional with Southern Italian hospitality.

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Celebrate New Year in Naples!

Christmas time in Italy, especially in the south, is very family and religion orientated and less commercial than in many countries.

Visiting Naples during this particular period is something not to be missed!

The most well known area in Naples for artisan shops and craftsmen, is San Gregorio Armeno area, made up of long narrow cobbled streets in the historical centre of Naples. This area is acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Treasure. All year round you can visit the little shops and bancarelle (stalls) packed full of Presepe (Christmas cribs), and may even see craftmen making new pieces.

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Soccer in Berlin: Hertha BSC 1 – 0 Hannover 96

Saturday November 10th ended up being a pretty special day for me here in Berlin. Not only did Berlin experience its first snow of the winter (if you can really class early November as winter!), but the school managed to get us reduced prices for the football game at the Olympic Stadium. The local team, Hertha BSC played (and beat) Hannover 96! The atmosphere was great. It was a bit cold, but nobody really noticed.

As a group we met up at the underground station at Zoologischer Garten and took the tube directly to the stadium. Extra trains were laid on, so even though they were pretty packed with boisterous, high-spirited Hertha fans, we had no problems getting to the stadium. Football in Germany is as much as religion as it is in England (where I’m from) and there’s that same goose bumps feeing as you join the masses heading for the stadium.

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Great Fun on our Antibes Junior Course!

Antibes is such a nice town, right by the sea. You can walk on the sea shore every day, after class, or around the old town and the harbour, all more beautiful than the other and the sun shines every day!

You will be very tempted to buy many things (sometimes a little expensive for students) to bring back for friends and family.

The school is small and very pleasant, classes are nice with few students in each and it’s great to study.

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Excursion to Pompeii and Naples

I’m studying at a language school in Rome  and in September we went on an excursion in the cities of Pompeii and Naples. I wasn’t sure about going there, but my teachers told me it was something that I should have seen. They were right!

We met at the school at 7.45 a.m. to take the bus that took us to Pompeii.  The first spectacular thing when you arrive, is of course the view of the Vesuvium in  the background of the antique city. When you take a walk in the streets of the Roman antique city, you can discover thermal baths, laid, temples, basilicas, forums, sanctuaries, a big number of houses, villas, enceinte, necropolis, bakery, theatres, amphitheatre, portiques, public’s fountains and thermopiles.

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New! Intensive Business French Course in Paris

Do you want to improve your French? Are you a busy professional with very little time to spare? Then look no further than Apple Languages’ new Intensive Business Course at our Paris (Louvre) School!

We are now offering a new Business French course aimed at executives, managers and professionals who need to improve their French in the shortest time possible. The one week course combined group and private lessons, and takes place once a month.

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Una Notte sotto le Stelle (‘An evening under the stars’)

On a warm August evening, in the heart of Tuscany, what could be better than a drink of wine and something to eat with some friends? Well, you could try having several glasses of wine and something to eat with all the residents of a small village! That’s just one of the activities organized by the Italian school I’m attending in Tuscany. They call it ‘An Evening under the Stars’; a chance to meet local people and taste local produce!

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