EC Cape Town Blog - Find out what’s happening in our school!

Cape Town is the perfect destination for learning English in nature

November 21, 2019

Anyone who loves nature and wants to study English surrounded by landscapes and stunning places should start looking for an English school in Cape Town right now. In all, South Africa has 11 recognised official languages, including English. If you are planning a trip to this charming destination, check out some unmissable places to meet in between your English classes. During your English exchange in Cape Town, get to know the mountains and have amazing experiences there Devil’s Peak, Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill are the names of the mountains that frame Cape Town and offer visitors a breathtaking view. Although not one of the most visited by locals or tourists, Devil’s Peak is a challenge for nature lovers. The trail has a moderate level of difficulty and can be done in about 2 hours. The path is surrounded by diverse vegetation and at the top you’ll have a different view of the city and the other mountains. Table Mountain is the most famous in Cape Town and is one of Africa’s premier postcards. From its height of 1,000 meters, you will have a breathtaking view and the journey there can be done through a nature trail or by car and cable car, if you prefer something less radical. To reach the top of Lion’s Head you will face a slightly steep climb, but the reward is a 360-degree panorama of the city. It’s also worth enjoying a beautiful Atlantic sunset from the top of Signal Hill. You’ll see the most beautiful view of the stars! Visit Robben Island and have a true English history lesson about the country’s struggles One of the most important names in the history of South Africa and world history is Nelson Mandela. The former South African president and … Read more

Exploring the city: EC Cape Town Skates!

September 19, 2019

Category: Activities at EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town Staff, EC Cape Town Students, Social Activities, South African culture, Student Testimonial

“I’ve learnt to depend on myself more than ever before”. By Basel Alzarari I read about EC English school on the internet. My parents and I decided to go to Cape Town to study there. I found the best way to learn a language is by going to the people who speak the language that you want to learn. In order to study there, I had organised everything; I booked accommodation and got my visa. I was excited to start a new journey, explore a new place but I was really excited to see if Cape Town skates. When I arrived in Cape Town: A lot of things changed in my life. The pace of living is very fast in South Africa. I usually went to sleep early in order to start the day early, which is not what I was used to. I didn’t enjoy going out at night either. When it comes to eating, the typical food in Cape Town was a bit different for me. I found that people would put sugar in their rice, everything was sweeter. So I preferred to cook my own meals because I could cook whenever I want and whatever I like. In my home town, I really loved to do a bunch of different activities. Especially anything related to skating whether it was ice-skating or rollerblading. What I had noticed in Cape Town is that not many people are interested in rollerblading but skateboarding is a lot more popular. I have never in my life thought that I would try skateboarding, having said that I took the first step and bought a skateboard. It had caught my interest and it seemed to be an amazing way to go around and explore the city, while meeting new people and … Read more

Leticia Dos Santos, student at EC Cape Town.

Why should you learn English in Cape Town?

September 10, 2019

Category: Activities at EC Cape Town, Departing Students, EC Book Recommendation, EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town Students, English Courses, Social Activities, South African culture, Student Testimonial

“I’d say this city is for everyone…it can change your life and even your way of thinking.” By Leticia Dos Santos Studying English abroad is a unique experience. Before coming here, I had very basic knowledge, so I decided to learn English in Cape Town. When I came to Cape Town it was very difficult at first, as I had to figure out how everything worked here – especially the language barrier. After a few weeks, it became natural, I could speak and express myself easily. EC English School Cape Town has provided me all the support and help I needed. I can say that I acquired knowledge of the English language. What has contributed to my learning was the encouragement I’d received from the teachers. The classes were always very interactive and no matter how shy I was, it helped me to develop my skills. The structure is simply amazing, very technological and the methodology used to teach was for sure the difference. The way subjects and lessons are introduced in the class, helps to develop, speech and improve vocabulary. Overall, learning another language is not an easy job. You must work hard and do your best. Literally immerse yourself in the language and culture to make it as natural as possible. My advice would be, don’t take learning so seriously; make mistakes, talk shamelessly, make as many friendships as you can, whether local or foreign, read books, magazines, watch movies in English, but most important, practice English every single day. Cape Town lifestyle Cape Town is an amazing city where I learned about culture and history and had the opportunity to learn English. I think what makes this city so unique is the vibe it conveys. Everyone is always so happy and friendly, the views are … Read more

EC Cape Town Hiking Experience.

August 24, 2019

Category: Activities at EC Cape Town, Class Outing, Social Activities, Student Testimonial, Uncategorized

“Difficult in the beginning but it gets easier with time.” At EC Cape Town, we encourage our students to do more than sit in classrooms, read books and study grammar. So, hikes are always on offer whether it’s up Table Mountain or Lion’s Head. It allows our students to experiment with the language in a natural setting, exposing them to all cultures, levels of competence and personalities. Below, we discover what makes it an EC Cape Town hiking experience worth remembering. My first EC Cape Town hiking experience By Abdullah Balbaid I am Abdullah, one of EC Cape Town’s students, I am from Yemen and living in Jeddah which is in the west of Saudi Arabia. Hiking is one of my fears in life, before I approached this trip I was very frightened yet excited at the same time. So I decided to go hiking up the tallest mountain in Cape Town with my favourite teacher and my friends. The weather was very cold at the beginning of this experience but as soon as we started going up the weather changed to hot weather. It wasn’t very easy for me or for my teacher because the route was full of rocks and it was uncomfortable. When things became difficult, we waited for each other so it took a very long time. I felt happy and full of opportunities to learn English. On top of the mountain I took a lot of photos and we stayed there to eat and have a rest. I ate pizza, it was delicious. The landscape was breathtaking but the problem was that we sat for only half an hour. I wish I could have stayed longer. We started to make a way down and we used a different route. It wasn’t easy because the route … Read more

EC Cape Town Experience – Shark Cage Diving

August 7, 2019

Category: Activities at EC Cape Town, Cambridge Exam Preparation, EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town Students, Social Activities, Uncategorized

“I would recommend everybody to do a language exchange once in their lives” – Nick S. We believe an EC Cape Town Experience is about balance, finding the time to study and then going out and interacting with the world around you. Studying abroad can be a really difficult experience, especially for exam students. You’re away from home, your family and all your natural comforts. Many students have found that EC Cape Town has become a second home for them. A place where they can feel at ease to enjoy themselves and achieve great success while checking items off their bucket lists. Shark-cage Diving by Nick S. I would like to share my own EC experience with everyone who is thinking about doing a language exchange abroad. My name is Nick S. I am 20 years old and I am from Switzerland. At the moment I am studying English at the EC Language School in Cape Town. I have already spent 10 weeks in this beautiful city, preparing for my Cambridge (FCE) exam. What my EC experience taught me? Until now I have learned a lot. You learn much more than a language, you learn different things about other cultures and how you can manage your daily life outside your home country. Not only did I improve my English-skills here, but I have also been having an amazing and crazy time filled with many things to do. I did a lot of unforgettable activities for example I jumped from the world’s highest commercial bridge in Tsitsikamma and I also did skydiving. The most unforgettable activity thus far has been the Shark Cage Diving. What happened? Our trip started at 4.00 o’clock in the morning when we were picked up by a small minibus, which took us to … Read more

Mandela Day – EC Students give back

July 29, 2019

Category: Activities at EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town Staff, EC Cape Town Students, Internship/Volunteering, Social Activities, South African culture, Student Testimonial, Uncategorized

“Do not look the other way; do not hesitate. Recognize that the world is hungry for action, not words. Act with courage and vision.” Nelson Mandela To celebrate Mandela Day (18th July) this year, EC Cape Town students and teachers took up the call again. We decided to volunteer at a homeless shelter, one of many in the city. Cape Town’s winters can be harsh and this affects the homeless even more. So, we thought it would be a good idea to support one of the shelters who provide much-needed support and comfort to the poorest of the poor. It all started with a donation drive and the EC Cape Town community did not disappoint – students and teachers donated food and other needed goods, which we delivered on the day. About 70 students braved the rain to drop off these items and spend some time with the staff and residents of the shelter. Why do we celebrate Mandela Day? By Daniele Martins Everybody knows Nelson Mandela. In November 2009, the United Nations officially declared 18th July as International Nelson Mandela Day. On July 18th you can do something good for 67 minutes. 1 minute for each year that he worked to change the world. On this day, we went with EC Cape Town students and teachers to The Haven Night Shelter and I’m sure that everyone has learned something for life. It’s not about doing, it’s about being…being human. You can learn English and you can learn to be better every day. It’s your choice. What does Mandela Day mean to us? By Yayha Karsoum Mandela Day is one of the most important days throughout the year. Not just for South Africa but for people all over the world. As we know, Nelson Mandela devoted 67 years of … Read more

Tips to improve your English!

July 14, 2019

Category: Departing Students, EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town Students, English Courses, Student Testimonial

“Nobody wants to play with mediocrity” A few weeks ago, one of EC Cape Town’s students was awarded with a Certificate of Excellence! She had made such amazing progress in all aspects of the English language. We were extremely proud to have her around and asked her to share some of her tips to improve her English: My 6 month journey learning English. By Tamires Macabeu I spent almost two years planning my exchange but I never thought about the techniques I would use to learn a new language. I used to think that it would be a natural process, since I was supposed to spend six months in a country with native English speakers. However, I can assure you that this thought was completely wrong. Learning a new language is not an easy process and it requires a lot of effort and dedication. Below I will list some tips that helped me to improve my English from a Pre-intermediate level to an Advanced level in 24 weeks. DO MORE THAN JUST GO TO CLASS I was surprised at the quality of EC school. Literally, I didn’t expect so much support from a school. The teachers are very well prepared and the material they offer is very useful and informative. But, one thing I realized was that some students expected to learn English just by attending class. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. The teachers are going to lead you and give you good knowledge, but if you don’t practice every day outside the classroom, you will always have an average understanding of English, and nobody wants to play with mediocrity. WORK ON YOUR VOCABULARY One of the first things I learned while I was studying English was that improving your vocabulary helps you to improve all of … Read more

We are the Champions! – EC Cape Town Football

July 12, 2019

Category: Activities at EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town Students, Social Activities, Student Testimonial

EC Cape Town – Football EC English School Cape Town hosts a variety of activities, football being an integral one to most of our students. Different language schools around Cape Town took to the field where there could only be one winner. Fortunately, our football squad had all the determination to bring that trophy home. We are the champions! By Ali and Felipe On Friday, 28 June, we went to Fives Futbal in Century City to play a seven-a-side soccer tournament. It was amazing, there were a lot of teams from other language schools around Cape Town. We were afraid at first because we thought we were not really professional players. However, we noticed something about our team, everyone in the team could play in his own position very well, and also substitutes could play in any position. This was our advantage, we started to trust ourselves more than before. So, the first step was the group stages, we were lucky because we played against two teams that we could easily beat, and we drew 2-2 against one of the strongest teams, the University of Cape Town (UCT). The second step was the quarter-final, it was EC Cape Town vs Oxford School Team 2, the game finished in a draw at 1-1. We won the penalty shoot-out 1-0. How we became the champions The third step was the semi-final against one of the best teams in the tournament, Oxford School Team 3. It was very competitive and regarded as one of the best matches in the tournament. Both teams were strong on both the attack and defense. Mid-way through the match, our goalkeeper injured his hand and had to receive treatment, luckily, we were able to substitute him during this time. The final score was 4-4, and … Read more

Ec English students enjoying their dinner at

EC Cape Town Students Observe Iftar

July 4, 2019

Category: Activities at EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town, EC Cape Town Staff, EC Cape Town Students, Social Activities, South African culture

During the month of Ramadan, EC English school Cape Town enjoyed a dinner of delicious meals and great company from both students and teachers alike. We participated in “Iftar” which for our Muslim students is the first meal after a day of fasting at the Capetonian Hotel. We invited one of our students Ahmed Daghistani to speak to us about what the dinner means and how we should correctly break our fast. This is what he had to say: What is Ramadan? Good evening everyone, first of all, I would like to say that it’s an honour to be here. I’d like to thank Glenn and Anthea for giving me this opportunity to talk about Ramadan. I’ll be explaining to you guys why we fast in this month and the benefits of fasting, and how to break your fast correctly. But first, I need to explain what Ramadan is. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar when we fast from sunrise to sunset. Fasting during the holy month is one of the five pillars of Islam, Which includes prayer and charity. To fast, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual activity from dawn till dusk. The period of fasting changes every year mainly because of the lunar calendar. It’s brought forward 7 days every year, eventually causing Ramadan to occur during any season. Why is fasting important? We fast because fasting gives us a better understanding of God’s gifts. It also gives us greater compassion towards the deprived and the people who struggle to find some food to eat or anything drink. If we put ourselves in their shoes, we’ll feel how hard their lives are and start doing something about it. Even though some might think that fasting is unhealthy, scientific studies have shown … Read more