Where will you stay in Brighton & Hove?
For the next weeks to come host families will appear on your mypage accounts. Don't worry if you don't get it until 2 weeks before departure. Everyone will get one, unless you've booked the Brighton Club trip departing 30 June.
As soon as you've got your host family's home address you might wonder where in Brighton it is. Google Maps can help you point it out, but the address also often includes what district you stay in. Most of the districts are not within walking distance from the town centre, but buses go frequently and we'll help you get bus passes when we've arrived.
Why don't you ask your host family what's special about their district when you contact them over phone, email or letter before departure. You could also try to find your district on this page. Scroll down a bit and you will probably find it. Otherwise, just mention the district in comments, and I'll gladly help you.
/Emma
Football and Host Families
If you're into English footboll you might have heard of Brighton & Hove Albion. They're not playing in Premier League, but they've had their glory days. In 1983 they tied against Manchester United in the FA Cup Final, but unfortunately they lost the replay (well not for me, actually, being a ManU fan when it comes to football:-)). In today's team we find a Danish goalkeeper, Casper Ankergren, and a Norwegian forward Torbjorn Adgestein. No more Scandinavians, sorry.
Brighton & Hove Albion will probably be most important to you because of where they used to play their home games until last season. The place is called Withdean Stadium and that's where most of you will meet your host families as soon as we've arrived. If they can't pick you up themselves, they'll make sure you get a ride from Withdean to your new home for the next three weeks.
You might wonder what Hove is. It's a town situated west of Brighton, but the two towns were joined in 1997 into the city of Brighton & Hove. It's hard to see where the first town ends and the the next begins since Western Rd with it's shops and restaurants is running through it all, and we'll be spending time in both areas on our trip.
/Emma
You might wonder what Hove is. It's a town situated west of Brighton, but the two towns were joined in 1997 into the city of Brighton & Hove. It's hard to see where the first town ends and the the next begins since Western Rd with it's shops and restaurants is running through it all, and we'll be spending time in both areas on our trip.
/Emma
Brighton Music on Spotify
Brighton has been the home of many artists and musicians. You might have heard of Fat Boy Slim, Nick Cave, Peter André or Dusty Springfield. Want to get to know Brighton from a musical perspective? On this Spotify play list you'll find everything from singer/songerwriter and folk music to dance music and pure rock. The thing in common is that the songs are about Brighton and/or performed by Brighton artists. What's your favourite?
Angus, Thongs an Perfect Snogging
Hi there,
Now I'm back after Easter break. I saw a film the other day, mostly filmed in the neighbour town Eastbourne but also in Brighton. If you wanna check out the trailer, have a look here -> YOUTUBE (at 1:08 you get a glimps of Brighton Pier)
In Swedish it's called "Bekännelser om killar, kyssar och katter", but whatever your nationality is my advice from now on is that you watch films in English, including English subtitles. A fun and efficient way to improve your skills. If you prefer reading, the film is based on a book:
/Emma
Now I'm back after Easter break. I saw a film the other day, mostly filmed in the neighbour town Eastbourne but also in Brighton. If you wanna check out the trailer, have a look here -> YOUTUBE (at 1:08 you get a glimps of Brighton Pier)
In Swedish it's called "Bekännelser om killar, kyssar och katter", but whatever your nationality is my advice from now on is that you watch films in English, including English subtitles. A fun and efficient way to improve your skills. If you prefer reading, the film is based on a book:
/Emma
Find Brighton Landmarks
Clock Tower Brighton Station Royal Pavillion
(Queens Rd, south end)(Queens Rd, north end) (Old Steine/North St)
Brighton Pier (Madeira Drive) Preston Park (Preston Road)
The landmarks above are places where we'll meet for different activities on the language trip. You don't need to know these in advance, but if you're curious you can prepare yourself by learning how to find them before going there. We will show you these landmarks and more, when we're in Brighton, so this is more of a teaser.
Try to find the landmarks on this map, by dragging the yellow "street view" pedestrian from the upper left corner and drop him/her on the streets within parenteses and try to find your way. Why not have a walk between the landmarks and see more of the city. If you don't find the streets just google the street name above the map.
/Emma
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...
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
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
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