a sight from the inside
1. Did you take converters with you?
Liza, 13: No, and I regretted it. I bought one here anyway.
Anna, 15: Yes, and I use it all the time.
Polina, 15: Yes, and it was extremely useful.
Dima, 17: No, but I definitely wish I did. I bough one here anyway and we have one in our host family.
2. Do you enjoy studying at the BIS? What do you like about it?
Liza, 13: I highly enjoy it. Every student gets more attention and the teachers are really funny.
Anna, 15: I really like studying there. It's not like an ordinary school at all - we play games and have fun nearly all the time.
Polina, 15: I enjoy it, and I love the teachers' attitude. Even if you make a mistake nobody would start shouting at you or blaming you, unlike it can happen anywhere else.
Dima, 17: Yes, it's very interesting to study here. The education process is completely different from the Russian one.
3. What problems did you have while staying in London?
Liza, 13: Nobody wanted to socialise with me. But I managed to find friends here.
Anna, 15: There're many immigrants here, who speak with an accent, which is difficult to understand.
Polina, 15: It was tough to get used to the left-sided driving system.
Dima, 17: There were some problems with understanding, because not all people speak perfect English. The accents are difficult to get used to.
4. What do you advice to take with you?
Liza, 13: Take converters or buy them here. Take lots of cash - it's a great place to shop. Take towels and sunglasses.
Anna, 15: Take a camera, towels, sunglasses, and a pen in the plane - you'll have to fill an immigration blank during the flight.
Polina, 15: Take an converter, cash - different nominals, a book to read in the underground or an MP3 player - the trains are really slow sometimes.
Dima, 17: Take converters and probably some medicine. Sometimes it's difficult to find what you need in the pharmacy.
5. Has anything awkward happened to you in London?
Liza, 13: I dropped my ice-cream on the table, does that count as awkward?
Anna, 15: Yes. We wanted to get on a bus, but the driver didn't want to let us on - I don't know why.
6. Where do you advise to go after all the sights have already been visited?
Liza, 13: The British Museum is a great place to go.
Polina, 15: It's great to go to the park and have lunch or something like that, if you've visited all the sights already.
Dima, 17: If you're 18 already, it'd be nice to go to a pub. It's an important piece of culture, I think.
7. Did the traditional sights fit your expectations?
Anna, 15: Everything did, except Stonehenge.
Polina, 15: Definitely. I loved them all even more, than I expected.
8. Do you like your host families?
Liza, 13: Absolutely. They're cool, but to be honest I'm tired of eating cornflakes.
Anna, 15: They're great. We have dogs in out house, the food is really tasty and the mother of the family understands Russian.
Polina, 15: Absolutely. They're kind, and I feel at home. It's great to have a possibility to witness a life of an English family.
Dima, 17: They're good people. They're polish, by the way. It's easy to understand them, even despite their accent.
9. Did you buy a local SIM card? How do you go online?
Liza, 13: I don't use my phone here. I use the internet to contact my family.
Anna, 15: I've bought a card, but I don't use it. I use wifi to get on the internet.
Polina, 15: I didn't buy a local SIM-card. I use wifi to get online. I don't use my phone a lot here.
Dima, 17: I didn't buy a SIM, I use wifi and my Russian card.
10. Did you bring cash or a card with you?
Liza, 13: I use cash. It's not always convenient, but sometimes you can't use the card. Though carrying all those coins around is getting on my nerves.
Anna, 15: I have both. It's practical. The card is great because if you run out of money, your parents can put some on it.
Polina, 15: I brought cash with me. You can't use your card everywhere. You should always have some cash on you anyway - even if you have a card.
Dima, 17: I took both cash and a card. I use MasterCard. It's more convenient to have both.
Liza, 13: No, and I regretted it. I bought one here anyway.
Anna, 15: Yes, and I use it all the time.
Polina, 15: Yes, and it was extremely useful.
Dima, 17: No, but I definitely wish I did. I bough one here anyway and we have one in our host family.
2. Do you enjoy studying at the BIS? What do you like about it?
Liza, 13: I highly enjoy it. Every student gets more attention and the teachers are really funny.
Anna, 15: I really like studying there. It's not like an ordinary school at all - we play games and have fun nearly all the time.
Polina, 15: I enjoy it, and I love the teachers' attitude. Even if you make a mistake nobody would start shouting at you or blaming you, unlike it can happen anywhere else.
Dima, 17: Yes, it's very interesting to study here. The education process is completely different from the Russian one.
3. What problems did you have while staying in London?
Liza, 13: Nobody wanted to socialise with me. But I managed to find friends here.
Anna, 15: There're many immigrants here, who speak with an accent, which is difficult to understand.
Polina, 15: It was tough to get used to the left-sided driving system.
Dima, 17: There were some problems with understanding, because not all people speak perfect English. The accents are difficult to get used to.
4. What do you advice to take with you?
Liza, 13: Take converters or buy them here. Take lots of cash - it's a great place to shop. Take towels and sunglasses.
Anna, 15: Take a camera, towels, sunglasses, and a pen in the plane - you'll have to fill an immigration blank during the flight.
Polina, 15: Take an converter, cash - different nominals, a book to read in the underground or an MP3 player - the trains are really slow sometimes.
Dima, 17: Take converters and probably some medicine. Sometimes it's difficult to find what you need in the pharmacy.
5. Has anything awkward happened to you in London?
Liza, 13: I dropped my ice-cream on the table, does that count as awkward?
Anna, 15: Yes. We wanted to get on a bus, but the driver didn't want to let us on - I don't know why.
6. Where do you advise to go after all the sights have already been visited?
Liza, 13: The British Museum is a great place to go.
Polina, 15: It's great to go to the park and have lunch or something like that, if you've visited all the sights already.
Dima, 17: If you're 18 already, it'd be nice to go to a pub. It's an important piece of culture, I think.
7. Did the traditional sights fit your expectations?
Anna, 15: Everything did, except Stonehenge.
Polina, 15: Definitely. I loved them all even more, than I expected.
8. Do you like your host families?
Liza, 13: Absolutely. They're cool, but to be honest I'm tired of eating cornflakes.
Anna, 15: They're great. We have dogs in out house, the food is really tasty and the mother of the family understands Russian.
Polina, 15: Absolutely. They're kind, and I feel at home. It's great to have a possibility to witness a life of an English family.
Dima, 17: They're good people. They're polish, by the way. It's easy to understand them, even despite their accent.
9. Did you buy a local SIM card? How do you go online?
Liza, 13: I don't use my phone here. I use the internet to contact my family.
Anna, 15: I've bought a card, but I don't use it. I use wifi to get on the internet.
Polina, 15: I didn't buy a local SIM-card. I use wifi to get online. I don't use my phone a lot here.
Dima, 17: I didn't buy a SIM, I use wifi and my Russian card.
10. Did you bring cash or a card with you?
Liza, 13: I use cash. It's not always convenient, but sometimes you can't use the card. Though carrying all those coins around is getting on my nerves.
Anna, 15: I have both. It's practical. The card is great because if you run out of money, your parents can put some on it.
Polina, 15: I brought cash with me. You can't use your card everywhere. You should always have some cash on you anyway - even if you have a card.
Dima, 17: I took both cash and a card. I use MasterCard. It's more convenient to have both.
EXCLUSIVE: JENNIFER, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STUDIES
1. You're new in London. How long have you lived here so far?
I've been here for a month now.
Did you face any difficulties while moving here and getting things around?
I really enjoy driving. I used to drive all the time in America, and it was really difficult for me to get used to the right-sided driving system.
2. Do you see any great difference between the American and the British lifestyles?
I think the difference is about people, how they carry themselves. In America if I bumped into someone in the underground they were like "Oh, I'm so sorry". Here people would just look at me as if they hated me and say nothing.
3. Did you have any problems with understanding people who a speaking with accents?
London is a multicultural city, so many people have such problems. Sometimes I have to listen closely to understand what people are saying. But I love British accent - it's considered to be one of the most beautiful accents, you know. I love listening to English people talking.
4. There're many stereotypes about English people all over the world - they're drinking tea all the time, their sense of humor is weird, etc. Did any of these turn real for you?
Well, I've heard that English people have tea and coffee breaks, this was really unusual for me. I'm used to working non-stop, and now we go and have a cup of tea or coffee from time to time.
5. What do you advice students to take with them when coming to London?
Take an umbrella, it's necessary. I always have one in my bag - it's raining all the time. You should also take something to make you feel comfortable - I took my favorite shampoo that can't be bought in London, for example.
6. Have the traditional sights fit your expectations?
Yeah, I was very excited about visiting them. Expect, maybe, for Stonehenge. I expected more, and when I came there, there were just simply rocks. But that's what it is.
7. Has anything awkward happened to you in London?
Well, this didn't happen to me, it happened to my friend. She was in the underground, and someone pushed her, so she poured her coffee on her laptop, and the person who pushed her didn't even apologize. That's how friendly they are.
8. What do you think of Russian students, who've come to BIS so far?
Very nice students, very polite. And really good English.
9. Where do you advice young people to go? Especially if they're under 18.
There're many places in London to visit. But if you really want to go to a club or a party, you should visit some really big place - they won't actually check your age there.
10. What do you advice students to do as language practice before coming to BIS?
Watching films or listening to music or to the radio is the best way of practice, I think.
I've been here for a month now.
Did you face any difficulties while moving here and getting things around?
I really enjoy driving. I used to drive all the time in America, and it was really difficult for me to get used to the right-sided driving system.
2. Do you see any great difference between the American and the British lifestyles?
I think the difference is about people, how they carry themselves. In America if I bumped into someone in the underground they were like "Oh, I'm so sorry". Here people would just look at me as if they hated me and say nothing.
3. Did you have any problems with understanding people who a speaking with accents?
London is a multicultural city, so many people have such problems. Sometimes I have to listen closely to understand what people are saying. But I love British accent - it's considered to be one of the most beautiful accents, you know. I love listening to English people talking.
4. There're many stereotypes about English people all over the world - they're drinking tea all the time, their sense of humor is weird, etc. Did any of these turn real for you?
Well, I've heard that English people have tea and coffee breaks, this was really unusual for me. I'm used to working non-stop, and now we go and have a cup of tea or coffee from time to time.
5. What do you advice students to take with them when coming to London?
Take an umbrella, it's necessary. I always have one in my bag - it's raining all the time. You should also take something to make you feel comfortable - I took my favorite shampoo that can't be bought in London, for example.
6. Have the traditional sights fit your expectations?
Yeah, I was very excited about visiting them. Expect, maybe, for Stonehenge. I expected more, and when I came there, there were just simply rocks. But that's what it is.
7. Has anything awkward happened to you in London?
Well, this didn't happen to me, it happened to my friend. She was in the underground, and someone pushed her, so she poured her coffee on her laptop, and the person who pushed her didn't even apologize. That's how friendly they are.
8. What do you think of Russian students, who've come to BIS so far?
Very nice students, very polite. And really good English.
9. Where do you advice young people to go? Especially if they're under 18.
There're many places in London to visit. But if you really want to go to a club or a party, you should visit some really big place - they won't actually check your age there.
10. What do you advice students to do as language practice before coming to BIS?
Watching films or listening to music or to the radio is the best way of practice, I think.