Calling all EC CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS. Please can you make sure that we have your up to date contact details. So if you move house, out of an EC residence or host family or change contact numbers etc please let me [Mike] in the computer room as soon as possible. Enjoy the Bank Holiday Weekend

Need to earn some extra cash between your English Language Classes at EC Cambridge? Well we are here to help. On the first Thursday of every month, EC Cambridge will be running a job club to assist our long term English Language Students with finding Employment locally. The club will help you with many aspects of finding work, such as C.V workshops, interview skill workshops, access to relevant resources in the computer room and even assistance with obtaining a National Insurance Number. Please remember that your student visa may prohibit/restrict your ability to work in the UK, so bring your passport and visa with you if you are unsure about this. Feel free to come along and look for further updates on the blog regarding this. Come and see me [Mike], if you have any further questions. Hope you all enjoy the long weekend.

Congratulations to Marie Mulier who scored an 8 – a truly outstanding score for an Upper Intermediate student. Well done and congratulations to Marie!    

Thorpe Park is a theme park a short distance away from Cambridge. So if you like Rollercoasters and scary rides this is the place for you. All EC Cambridge students have the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to Thorpe Park. To win all you have to do is write a review about EC Cambridge on www.my-language-travel.com. Once you have done this come and see me [Mike] in the computer room between your English Language Lessons to be entered into a raffle. The excursion will be on the 16th of May so time is of the essence! Good luck!

Calling all English Language Students at EC Cambridge! We have managed to obtain a limited number of tickets to Englands last friendly game, before the World Cup against Mexico. This will be a fantastic way to spend an evening following your English Language Classes. The match is on the 24th may. For a bargain at £58.00 you’ll get transfers from Cambridge to Wembley and back again and most importantly, tickets to the match. The Coach departs Parkside at 15:45. Be quick as the tickets are selling like hot cakes and we don’t want you to miss out! See Mike in the computer room ASAP for more details.

Following the Easter break, England prepares for another Bank holiday. The May Day bank holiday is also known as International Workers Day or Labour Day and derives from a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organised by unions, anarchist and socialist groups. It is also a public holiday in many other cultures. This means that on Monday May the 3rd, the school will be closed for the day. If you want a break from your English Language Classes and want to see some fantastic British coastline, you have the option to go on the Norfolk Coast Walk. The trip costs £20.00 and includes travel to and from the coast. See Mike in the computer room for more details. Enjoy the weekend and hopefully the sunshine!

Wed 5th London Theatre – The Lion King Come and spend an evening in London’s theatre land, the West End, and a ticket to this, one of its most popular musicals, based on the classic Disney movie.  £45.00 Fri/Sun 7th-9th May Edinburgh Scotland’s Capital City. This is a great weekend; we visit a Scottish woollen mill and have a whisky tasting, take a guided city coach tour of Edinburgh and have free time to visit the famous sights of this historic city as well as having two evenings to enjoy the great nightlife. There’s also lots of beautiful scenery to enjoy as well as a visit to the historic English City of Durham. Visit to woollen mill, whisky tasting, guided coach tour of Edinburgh and excursion to Durham included. Book early. £160.00 Sat 8th Canterbury & Leeds Castle Christianity was introduced to Britain at Canterbury in 597 and here you can visit the country’s oldestCathedral. You can also visit the Roman Museum, explore the great shopping centre and much more. Then to the beautiful and romantic moated and medieval Leeds Castle, for centuries home to many Queens of England. Castle admission included. £30.00 Sun 9th May Oxford & Blenheim Palace Visit the city of dreaming spires and oldest University in the country, founded in 1249. Explore and enjoy the famous colleges, museums, exhibitions and the city’s excellent shopping centre. We also visit the impressive Blenheim Palace, ancestral stately home of the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Palace admission included. £30.00 Wed 12th London Theatre – Les Miserables & Mamma Mia Spend another evening in London and a choice from two great musicals: Victor Hugo’s French masterpiece or the record breaking show based on the music of Abba. Les Miserables £42.00 / Mamma Mia £44.00 Sat 15th Stratford upon … Read more

When is St George’s Day? St. George’s Day is on 23 April. It is England’s national day. Who was St George? St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag. St George’s emblem was adopted by Richard The Lion Heart and brought to England in the 12th century. The king’s soldiers wore it on their tunics to avoid confusion in battle. Who was the real St George and what did he do to become England’s patron saint? St George was a brave Roman soldier who protested against the Romans’ torture of Christians and died for his beliefs. The popularity of St George in England stems from the time of the early Crusades when it is said that the Normans saw him in a vision and were victorious. Dragon-Slaying Patron Saint of England One of the best-known stories about Saint George is his fight with a dragon. But it is highly unlikely that he ever fought a dragon, and even more unlikely that he ever actually visited England. Despite this, St George is known throughout the world as the dragon-slaying patron saint of England. St George is always depicted as a knight carrying a shield with a red cross, generally sitting upon a horse and always killing a dragon. How does England celebrate St George’s Day? By tradition, 23 April is the day for a red rose in the button hole, the national flower. So enjoy the day and have a great weekend!

Hi all Fancy a kick around before returning to English classes? Well here’s your chance! EC students are invited to Parkers Piece every Sunday at 14:30 to practice their footy skills! Weather permitting, this will be running throughout the summer and in to the Autumn. There are already some whispers of a Mini World Cup in the near future, so keep checking the blog and activitiy programs for more details.

With the sun shining and the temperature rising, summer is clearly on its way! And what better way to spend an hour or two, in the glorious British sunshine, than to have a relaxing punt ride down the river, soaking up the rays. A punt is a flat bottomed boat which does not have a Keel, and its propelled by means of a long pole. Punts were introduced as as pleasure craft in Edwardian times, since then punting has become one of the most popular ways to see the famous bridges and colleges along the river Cam. For all EC English language students a punting trip is free of charge and part of your weekly activity program. See Mike for further details. Punting will be running weekly from the first week of May and throughout the whole summer. So if you fancy a chill-out before or after your English Class, then this is for you! There’s plenty more activities to look out for in May so check the activity program and the activity board in the computer room. Have a great week!