A Day in Brighton
When I woke up this morning there was snow on the ground. I think I need to dream away for a while...
Young Victoria in Brighton
Have you seen Emily Blunt in the film Young Victoria, that won an Oscar in 2010. If not, you should try to see it immediately. Brighton was actually one of the filming locations and that for a good reason. Victoria became the Queen of United Kingdom in 1837, at the age of 18, and visited Brighton for the first time the same year.
On the picture you see the Royal Pavillion in Brighton, the former summer recidence of her two uncles King George IV and King Edward VII. It's built in Regency style, an exotic, oriental fashion popular in the days when King George IV was still just a prince and wanted to spend as much time here as possible. Well it wasn't exactly the Victorian style. She called the Pavillion "a strange, odd, Chinese-looking place", which might be true, but nevertheless she returned here twice. In 1942 she made some refurbishing so it would be suitable for her little family (she had only given birth to two of her nine children by that time), but since it was never really her style and some people saw it as a waste of the state's money to have built it from the start, she sold it to the town of Brighton in 1850.
Thanks to Queen Victoria it's now open to the public (and thanks to George IV it exists at all). We'll take the Explorer Pass students on a tour inside, to see how the royals lived in the beginning of the 1800's. It's well worth the visit, but the park outside is also a lovely place for picnic with the STS group. Click on the picture and have a look around.
/Emma
Churchill Square
Some places in Brighton are more important to find than others. I'm going to write about one of them today. The place is called Churchill Square and one of two main reasons to remember it is that it's a major bus hub. Most of the buses are passing here and in the end of the day when you're going home to get some sleep you'll always find STS leaders in yellow jackets here. The first days, particularly, are sometimes a bit nervous, but if you've forgotten your bus number or lost your room mate you don't need to worry. We're there to sort it out with you.
The other main reason to go here is for shopping. If you click on the picture above you'll get a 360 panorama view around the square, where you should easily find the entrance to this great indoor shopping centre on the south side. This will be heaven for those of you, who are into shopping, especially on a rainy afternoon. If you want to see what kind of shopping you can do just follow this link. More shopping tips will come, but not today. :-)
/Emma
Brighton Blogs by Former Students
I assume most of you reading this blog are teenagers, and I'm happy to see an increasing number of readers. Hopefully some of you going with me in July already found your way here, but those of you going other periods are as welcome of course.
Nevertheless, I realise a blog written by a 33-year-old leader might not be completely satisfactory. :-) Maybe you have, like I, googled around for blogs by former Brighton students, and maybe you recognise some of these. I found two blogs in Swedish and one in Norwegian that are really good. The Norwegian blog is written by one of my students in 2010 and the other two by students I never met. However, I think they'll help you get a feeling of how it's like to be out there. (If you don't speak Swedish or Norwegian, the links within parenteses are translated through Google Translator. Please, be prepared for some inaccuracies.)
2+1 Pop Idol 2010 - Norwegian (English)
2+1 Pop Idol 2011 - Swedish (English)
Sport Course Beachvollyboll 2011 - Swedish (English)
/Emma
Nevertheless, I realise a blog written by a 33-year-old leader might not be completely satisfactory. :-) Maybe you have, like I, googled around for blogs by former Brighton students, and maybe you recognise some of these. I found two blogs in Swedish and one in Norwegian that are really good. The Norwegian blog is written by one of my students in 2010 and the other two by students I never met. However, I think they'll help you get a feeling of how it's like to be out there. (If you don't speak Swedish or Norwegian, the links within parenteses are translated through Google Translator. Please, be prepared for some inaccuracies.)
2+1 Pop Idol 2010 - Norwegian (English)
2+1 Pop Idol 2011 - Swedish (English)
Sport Course Beachvollyboll 2011 - Swedish (English)
/Emma
Get Around (buses and trains)
You will most likely be using both buses and trains in Brighton. I'll tell you about what means of transport we used in 2010, but you can be pretty sure much will be the same this year.
After landing at Heathrow we are greeted by a lady (in 2010 remember, might be an man this year, who knows), who makes sure we all get on the coach to Brighton. Since we'll be spending a couple of hours on the coach, it's a good idea to buy a snack on the airport or bring one from home. It's also wise to visit the toilet. The leader flying with you will remind you about all that.
When you arrive in Brighton, the host families will meet up together with some more STS Staff. Transport to your new homes will most likely be by car. You'll spend some time at home (how much depends on what time we arrive) and the host families will, among other things, help you finding the means of transport you'll be using on a daily basis from now on. The most common alternative is the bus, but in some cases the train is a better option, depending on where you stay. Whatever of the two it'll be, the leader will help you getting discount cards, since you'll be there for three weeks and single tickets will be more expensive.
After a couple of days you'll be quite confident finding your way, catching the right bus/train and getting off at the right stop. You're getting ready for longer trips. Full days excursions to Hastings and London, for instance, are usually made by train from Brighton Station, which you can see here, and the trains are quite comfy.
In London you might come across some more means of transport. The Tube or Underground will probably not be used on your first London trip, since we like to show you the beautyful city from the street level, but perhaps on the second visit when the Explorer Pass students go there for shopping and other adventures.
These are the most common ways to get around, besides walking (which I'll write about later) and you are probably more or less familiar with most of them. Nevertheless, everything gets a bit more exciting when doing it in a new country, right!
/Emma
A Typical Day
So, how's the typical day if you're an STS student in Brighton. This is an example:
8.00 You have breakfast. Milk, cereal, juice, tea, toast and jam are common components.
8.30 You catch the bus and greet the driver, as one usually do in Britain.
9.00 School starts. One class could be about phonetics/pronunciation or in other words "how to speak like an Englishman", another could be role playing games where you practise a lot of speaking and one could be about British culture and everyday life. In some cases you'll have activities before noon and school in the afternoon. You'll get a schedule in Brighton telling when and where you'll be doing what.
12.30 You eat your packed lunch together with your classmates. For lunch you usually get sandwiches with, for instance, lettuce, sliced tomato and cheese, and with that also a drink, a bag of crisps and a fruit or a chocolate bar. Very unlike a Swedish school lunch, but this is what British youngsters get and one aspect of a language trip is experiencing everyday life of the country you visit.
14.00 Your afternoon activity might be a visit to a museum, crazy games or why not a game of rounders (brännboll in Swedish) or football in Preston Park. If you had activities in the morning you'll have school now.
16.30 You might wanna do some shopping at Primark or just relax on the beach before going home to your host family.
18.00 You get supper at your host family's.
19.00 You meet up with the group for your evening activity. That might be some kind of games, a barbeque, going to the cinema or to the STS Disco. Everything will be in the schedule you get in Brighton, so you'll know in advance what kind of activity you'll have. If you have an idea of a good activity, that's not in your schedule, suggest it to your leader. It might be possible to squeeze in. The most important thing is that we have fun together with the group.
21.00 You might wanna go home to have some rest or maybe you prefer going to the funfair at the pier before that? STS leaders will be in town as long as you are there, so you always have us to turn to.
22.30 You might already be in bed or, if you've chosen to be out late, you now catch the last bus from Churchill Square to be home in time. You have to be home with your host family at 23.00 at the latest.
Sweet dreams and a good night's sleep before tomorrow's adventures!
/Emma
8.00 You have breakfast. Milk, cereal, juice, tea, toast and jam are common components.
8.30 You catch the bus and greet the driver, as one usually do in Britain.
9.00 School starts. One class could be about phonetics/pronunciation or in other words "how to speak like an Englishman", another could be role playing games where you practise a lot of speaking and one could be about British culture and everyday life. In some cases you'll have activities before noon and school in the afternoon. You'll get a schedule in Brighton telling when and where you'll be doing what.
12.30 You eat your packed lunch together with your classmates. For lunch you usually get sandwiches with, for instance, lettuce, sliced tomato and cheese, and with that also a drink, a bag of crisps and a fruit or a chocolate bar. Very unlike a Swedish school lunch, but this is what British youngsters get and one aspect of a language trip is experiencing everyday life of the country you visit.
14.00 Your afternoon activity might be a visit to a museum, crazy games or why not a game of rounders (brännboll in Swedish) or football in Preston Park. If you had activities in the morning you'll have school now.
16.30 You might wanna do some shopping at Primark or just relax on the beach before going home to your host family.
18.00 You get supper at your host family's.
19.00 You meet up with the group for your evening activity. That might be some kind of games, a barbeque, going to the cinema or to the STS Disco. Everything will be in the schedule you get in Brighton, so you'll know in advance what kind of activity you'll have. If you have an idea of a good activity, that's not in your schedule, suggest it to your leader. It might be possible to squeeze in. The most important thing is that we have fun together with the group.
21.00 You might wanna go home to have some rest or maybe you prefer going to the funfair at the pier before that? STS leaders will be in town as long as you are there, so you always have us to turn to.
22.30 You might already be in bed or, if you've chosen to be out late, you now catch the last bus from Churchill Square to be home in time. You have to be home with your host family at 23.00 at the latest.
Sweet dreams and a good night's sleep before tomorrow's adventures!
/Emma
Missing Brighton
Since most of you, I guess, haven't been to Brighton, you are not yet in a state of actually missing the place. I warn you, though, that going there may result in a constant longing back.
My first time in Brighton was in 1993 as an STS student. I was 14 and spent four weeks in Hastings. Brighton was the destination for one of our full day excursions and I remember how impressed I was by the Palace Pier. They actually have an amusement park at the very pier.
In the summer of 2010 I returned as an STS leader. That summer we actually had a full day's excursion to Hastings, but for now I'll focus on Brighton and what I learned to miss there. The top-5 list follows:
1. Students and leaders (whereever you go with STS, it's always your new friends you miss the most afterwards)
2. Going to cafés (my favourites are Redroaster for hot chocolate and the coffee shop at C&H for cream tea)
3. North Laine and it's great diversity of shops (they've got everything from mad hats to cafés where you paint your own cup)
4. Brighton Royal Pavillion (it's an exotic, oriental, royal castle from the 1800's, in the very city centre.)
5. Brighton Pier (this is basically the heart of entertainment and amusement, and the place where many STS students choose to spend their free time between activities. Don't forget to taste MooMoo's milkshakes here)
These are just a few things I miss about Brighton, but there are many months to go and I'll tell you more as spring progresses. No worries, though, there will still be loads left for you to explore on your own.
/Emma
My first time in Brighton was in 1993 as an STS student. I was 14 and spent four weeks in Hastings. Brighton was the destination for one of our full day excursions and I remember how impressed I was by the Palace Pier. They actually have an amusement park at the very pier.
In the summer of 2010 I returned as an STS leader. That summer we actually had a full day's excursion to Hastings, but for now I'll focus on Brighton and what I learned to miss there. The top-5 list follows:
1. Students and leaders (whereever you go with STS, it's always your new friends you miss the most afterwards)
2. Going to cafés (my favourites are Redroaster for hot chocolate and the coffee shop at C&H for cream tea)
3. North Laine and it's great diversity of shops (they've got everything from mad hats to cafés where you paint your own cup)
4. Brighton Royal Pavillion (it's an exotic, oriental, royal castle from the 1800's, in the very city centre.)
5. Brighton Pier (this is basically the heart of entertainment and amusement, and the place where many STS students choose to spend their free time between activities. Don't forget to taste MooMoo's milkshakes here)
These are just a few things I miss about Brighton, but there are many months to go and I'll tell you more as spring progresses. No worries, though, there will still be loads left for you to explore on your own.
/Emma
Going to Brighton?
Going to Brighton with STS this summer? Great! I'm one of the Swedish leaders at the International course starting 14 July. Right now I'm preparing this blog to be a tool for teenagers and their parents curious about the adventures ahead, and as summer approaches I'll fill it with a lot of useful information.
Please, bear in mind that this blog is not an official STS publication. If you have specific questions about bookings, flights or host families turn to the STS office of your country.
Nevertheless, I'm happy to answer questions about language trips in general and Brighton in particular and I hope to see you in Brighton in July!
/Emma
Please, bear in mind that this blog is not an official STS publication. If you have specific questions about bookings, flights or host families turn to the STS office of your country.
Nevertheless, I'm happy to answer questions about language trips in general and Brighton in particular and I hope to see you in Brighton in July!
/Emma
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