Dario from Switzerland tells us about his CPE Cambridge English test exam preparation course.
Hey Guys!
In this little text I want to tell you about my stay in EC-Cambridge.
First and Foremost I’ve been here for six months and I enjoyed every single day of it. Not only did I got to know many amazing people from fairly remote countries, but also the welcoming Staff of the school.
I would recommend especially this language school to absolutely everyone. The school covers a wide range of English levels and adapts perfectly according to everyone’s weaknesses. Moreover, you can pick up the beautiful British accent and walk down the hallways where some of the most extraordinary geniuses have walked down by visiting the different colleges.
Cambridge is such a historical and intellectual place that I immediately fell in love with it. It offers almost everything from the DNA-Pub to Ted Backer’s. There is an incredible number of leisure activities which prevent you from feeling bored.
The School is a very modern building. The facilities are very neutral and offer perfect, ‘non-distracting’ learning space. The employees are very helpful and try to cope with every situation. The whole atmosphere makes you feel to be part of the big EC-Family, simply because everyone is so nice and supportive, which is what I like the most about the school.
The Courses are separated into seven levels, which provide perfect adaption. Your level is concluded from the result you score at the placement test. After taking this test on the first day you will be put into a class according to your score, however, if you feel uncomfortable with your level you can change it within one week.
Personally, I attended an Exam-Course throughout my whole stay. This courses are very well organised and usually taught by teachers who work / worked for the examination company. Furthermore, most of the organisational paperwork is done by EC so you don’t have to worry about.
Nightlife is one of the most discussed activities, just because there are so many possibilities. The centre covers everything from Nightclubs to Pubs and Bowling. In the end it is up to you what you want to do. Usually there’s always some other EC-Students who join you, so don’t worry about being alone.
Since I prefer a nice Pub to a Nightclub my absolute favourite is the DNA-Pub (Eagle-Pub), because it’s simply one of the most beautiful ones and offers a nice variety of British Beer.
Furthermore, there has been a development of a little EC-Tradition that we meet up every Tuesday at 9pm. at the Templin Bowling. This is because Bowling is such a funny activity and it is a nice place to get to know the new ones.
EC-Activities are provided throughout the whole year. Mainly it is about visiting a College or a museum, but sometimes there’s fun included. Like on the Pub-Tour or Punting excursion. Not only do you get to know some of the nicest pubs of Cambridge, but also the perfect place to go after an exhausting hour of punting.
Accommodation was one of my problems when I came here, since I wasn’t sure what to book. In the end I decided to go to a host family. Now I am so happy to have chosen like that. A host family provides you with food and you don’t even have to cook it yourself, which is quite attractive for me since I’m a horrible cook. Moreover, you can talk to the family and improve your speaking, or if you’re on a higher level, your British accent.
What I like the most about my host family is that they make you feel welcome. Most of the time I was home I spent speaking to either my host-mum, host-brother or host-sister. They provide you with the English language which is actually spoken, and maybe some other vocab too.
Coming Back to Cambridge is on my top three points of my to-do list. As I said in the beginning I really fell in love with this place and I’m definitely coming back.
To all Future Students I just want to tell to enjoy the time. You might miss home, friends and family, but you will definitely miss this place as soon as you go back. So make the most of it!
Cheers