Olivia, Taiwan (2nd from left in photo above)
Looking back to my days in Southampton, my learning journey was a fascinating combination of language and culture, because during that period of time, not only did I make friends with people from different countries, but also I discovered the local sights and culture with them.
Here’s what I acquired from different aspects of the school.
Lessons
Every day, I learned something new from different topics in each class. The teachers who I met were friendly and patient (I was the kind of student who always had so many questions to ask!).
During the lessons, students could express their opinions and practise their English by means of group discussions or funny games. It was exactly consistent with the description of their teaching style on the website.
I learnt lots of new words and phrases, and every time I used them, I was full of the sense of achievement with each practice. There are also some difficult words and collocations which I have absorbed but not yet put into my conversations. I realise this is normal – language learning takes time!
Friends & Activities
However, it’s not only the lessons that are important. The environment is far beyond my imagination.
Socialising with friends from different countries is a great way to practise your English. The school arranged lots of outdoor activities, which I really enjoyed, such as pub nights. On the subject of pubs, I never thought that I would become keen on beer, but I developed a taste for it in England, which shocked my parents when I went back to Taiwan!
Possibly my most vivid memory was my trip to Oxford. This was particularly special because all the planning was arranged by my friends and I. Oxford is such a beautiful historic city and has the oldest university in the English-speaking world. We had plenty of time to explore the city and also just to lie on the grass and soak up the atmosphere! No matter which trip you choose, you will experience the local culture.
Final Thoughts
When I think of the language learning, the activities, the culture and the friends I made, it was an unparalleled experience in my whole life when I was studying at Lewis School of English. Although in my mind I haven’t reached my ideal level yet, I can now speak naturally at work. It’s a good sign that I’m making progress! The most important thing is that I have got a lot of reward and experiences to share with my friends in my country.
I would tell young Asian students who have never studied abroad before: this school would be a good choice if you want to have a rich and varied experience in Britain.
___
In our new student blog, we are inviting students to share their experiences of learning English, living in the UK and discovering British culture. If you would like to write something for our blog, please contact Tom at tom@lewis-school.co.uk. It can be on a funny or serious topic!
Our first student blog is from Olivia from Taiwan. She has also written a Chinese-language article about her time at Lewis, which you can find below.
Leave a Reply