Jiajun, dons a boater and tells us all about Henley Regatta, a truly British occasion:

Henley Regatta which is a kind of boat racing was first held in 1839 in London and has been held annually since then, except during the two disastrous World Wars – First World War and Second World War. Henley Regatta was originally staged by the Mayor and people of Henley as a public attraction with other entertainments, the emphasis dramatically changed into competitive amateur rowing.

In 1839, Regatta took place on a single afternoon, but it was proved so popular that the racing lasted for two days since 1840. In 1886, the Regatta was extended to three days and to four days in 1906. Since then, Henley Regatta became more and more popular which means more and more people joined this game. Since 1928, entries exceeded the permitted numbers in several events, and so qualifying races are now required in the week before the Regatta to reduce the number of entries to the permitted maximum. In 1986 the Regatta was extended to five days, with an increase in the maximum entry for certain events.

The length of the Course is 1 mile 550 yards, which is slightly longer than the standard international distance of 2,000 metres. It takes approximately seven minutes to cover, so that there are often two races at once.

During the course of its history, the Regatta has often been honoured by visits of members of the Royal Family. In 1993, women joined the competition which made the race more interesting.

During recent years, there are also entries from other countries - Australia, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Poland, the Netherlands, the U.S.A., Germany, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, South Africa and Great Britain etc. Every year Henley is visited by many crews from abroad and last year 78 crews were from overseas.

These are the interesting story about Henley Royal Regatta, if you would like to come to London to have a real experience of how this game looks like, then contact James either by email: james@answerenglish.com or call him on: 020 7402 8651.

Elisabeth experiences “being a stalker in London”:

Staying in London for such a long time, I’m just wondering many things about this huge city.  Actually I’m wondering when I’ll be able to see some famous people here.

I see everyday in the free papers what was up the night before and many singers or actresses going out for drinks or dinner. But when it’s my turn to go out, I never have the chance to experience this.
Fortunately, working in the Marylebone area appears to be an easy way to catch some stars like Madonna (owning a 10 bedroom house in Great Cumberland Place!) or even Keira Knightley; but with this frustration feeling I still didn’t!

Anyway, Marylebone is not the only spot where you can find well-known people. Actually except from Oxford Street which is very common and popular, you can expect to see famous people everywhere!  (As for example, Kirsten Dunst relaxing with friends in Hyde Park few weeks ago.) But the thing is that London is a really big city and lots of important people from show business but also politics, etc. live here.

If you are a freak, you can still stick to the gossip magazines and wander the streets to catch a glimpse of stars’ day-to-day life. And that’s still a good anecdote to tell your friends when you gather for dinner!

Actually, everyone can be a star in London. Non-famous people try to look like stars (see in Oxford Street) and famous people try to hide and preserve their intimacy. Just make your choice…

But no matter what I’ll tell you more later when I see a star…!

Elisabeth who recently joined our Marketing Team is probably best placed as our resident French person to let you know about an exciting event coming up:

As you may probably know, the Tour de France is a very famous cycling race in France involving participants from many countries. After spending many summers in England I feel that British people are quite keen on this event as well. This is good news as this year the opening of the event takes place in London!

This 2007 edition appears to be an original and mythical one. On Friday 6 July, an opening ceremony from 6pm will light up Trafalgar Square. As for the prologue, starting on Saturday 7 July at 3pm, it is a 8 km individual race across the streets of Central London and will follow a route showing all the stunning monuments of the capital (Whitehall, Downing Street, Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Marble Arch, St James’s Park…).

Finally on Sunday 8 July, the first stage of the race will take riders on a journey from London to Canterbury through some of Kent’s most spectacular scenery. Don’t miss out on this amazing event! Answer English is planning on organising a trip to see the spectacle. If you are interested in joining Answer English send a mail to James: james@answerenglish.com

I love going to London for shopping. If you probably know Oxford Street and its famous store departments and shops, why don’t you go a bit further?

If you like trendy and cool places then Camden Town is for you. One of the most original areas of London for its diversity. (Isn’t it the place chosen by the punks to gather after they left Carnaby Street??)

So if you have the chance to go there, check out the great market. It’s a mix of different styles (from gothic to punk or reggae…), a busy area for shopping, having a drink, or just strolling. In the heart of this bazaar, one new exciting shop has opened and caught our attention. It’s called Red Mutha and it offers a vast range of creations, customised and recycled clothes “for those who dare to wear them”! (as they say). To celebrate their opening, they offer 10% discount to every student who booked an English course through Answer English. Don’t miss the chance to create yourself a special look!

Red Mutha are at: Unit 920 Stables market, Chalk farm road, Camden

Answer English’s French language learning night is taking time off for the summer.  But help is at hand from our partner Language Scene.  Grace Kennedy, language entrepreneur extroadinaire, explains ‘We organise French & English group language exchanges for both intermediate and advanced levels in central London on a regular basis.  They take place in the evening in private bars in central London.

Brief summary of a French & English exchange: We spend approx. 1 hour speaking in French, then 1 hour in English. We have a good mix of both French and English natives and it’s a great way to improve a language with people of a similar level to you in a fun and relaxed environment.

All details and how to register are on our website: www.languagescene.co.uk

It costs £10 to attend; this includes some nibbles at the start of the evening and a stand-up buffet later on.  Here are some Testimonials from previous attendees:

“I was slightly nervous attending on my own, but as soon as I arrived, I was made to feel very welcome by the host and the other people there.  I spoke lots of English with people really willing to help you practise…it was a lot of fun and I will be back!” Cyril Moretto, French & English exchange.

“I liked the fact that we changed tables at regular intervals, so we could meet more people.  Also the wide variety of jobs that people did - some very interesting discussions.  Attending on my own was not a problem - made to feel welcome - very nice and friendly group of people.”  Alice Berry, French & English exchange

So if you are interested in joining in at the next French exchange night please Contact Grace

JiaJun visits Westminster Abbey and reports back:

On a great day of spring in London, I experienced thousand years of history – Westminster Abbey. My first impression is that a very old styled building standing in front of me!

Westminster Abbey (is also known as the House of God and House of Kings) which was founded in 960 AD as a Benedictine monastery has been the nation’s “Coronation church”. It is also the burial and memorial place of numerous famous figures from the last one thousand years.

The Abbey is a living church; each hour, for a minute or so, people pause to pray and everybody is invited to join in them or you might prefer to simply pause for some moments of quiet reflection.

Inside the Abbey, there are so many statues of Kings and Gods that I could not remember the names of them, but I felt different from outside world, even though I could not tell what difference.

There is a museum area inside this Abbey. This is one of the oldest areas of the Abbey, dating back almost to the foundation of the Norman church by King Edward the Confessor in 1065. Here the exhibition is the Abbey’s collection of royal and other funeral effigies. There are so many effigies of Kinds and Queens that I can not remember their names, so if you are interested in having a tour to this Abbey, you can explore yourself.

Ascension following the recommendation of a friend of hers chose Answer English to arrange her language course and accommodation in London. In her own words she explains how Answer English can help you if you are coming to study in the Capital (the sound aint great on this one, so you might have to turn your speakers up):

This video was made by Local Video

Jiajun informs us on Wimbledon Tennis. Now that Queen’s has started in won’t be long before Wimbledon is underway and we cheer on Andy Murray to glory!

The Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon which has been developing since 1877 attracted the best players from 60 nations. The Championships start every year six weeks before the first Monday in August and last approximately a fortnight! Many Tennis lovers from all over the world would like have a real experience here in London. How about you?

The 2007 Wimbledon Championship will take place between 25th June and 8th July 2007. So if you want an English course in London next month, then you will have the opportunity to witness the performance of the world’s best Tennis players! The singles champion will receive £700,000 for both man and women in this year which make the total prize money £11,282,710 (up 8.7% higher than in 2006).

There are currently a three-year project undertaking which will be completed in time for the 2009 Championships, will bring improvements to allow visitors to enjoy the tennis in greater comfort, with better restaurant facilities and with certainty of play under a spectacular retractable roof!

There is also a museum called Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum which offers a glimpse of how the original medieval has now become a multi-million dollar professional sport played all over the world! This museum opens from 10:30 – 17:00 at most of time throughout the year except some special time during Sundays and Christmas holidays.

If you would like to witness the most famous tennis competition - you could always combine with an English course at the same time. So why not come to London to book a course with Answer English on 020 7402 8651 or email James on james@answerenglish.com.

Looking for an intensive course in small groups with lots of opportunities to practice your English outside of the classroom?  Then MovingOn is the course for you!  And what’s more with Answer English you can enjoy a fantastic 25% special offer.  This is available for adults, juniors and families.

The headline facts:

•    12 hours of English per day
•    Max. 6 students per class
•    Daily trips with teachers (max. 6 students/teacher)
•    Accommodation (including breakfast, lunch and dinner) with the teachers
•    Speciality classes (business English, legal, English for teachers, etc…)
•    Classes combined with special activities (Golf, horse-riding, sailing, etc…)

As Gavin Ramsey, course creator and Managing Director of Moving On explains, ‘MovingOn Courses has been offering total immersion English courses for adults and children for more than ten years.  MovingOn Courses is different because we ensure that our students are speaking and listening to English, and only English, throughout the whole day (minimum of 12 hours of English per day).

How?  The students share their accommodation with their teachers, combining 20 hours of  lessons per week in very small groups (max. 6 students per teacher) with afternoon excursions and activities, also with the teachers.

All of our teachers are qualified and experienced and are native English speakers. Our students come from a variety of countries and backgrounds and, in the case of the adult course, also cover a broad age range. The age range for the Junior Course is from 12 to 17  and although it is run separately from the adult course, the location is the same, so parents can therefore benefit from the adult course whilst their kids are close at hand enjoying their own supervised activities and lessons.

The accommodation is in high-quality university residences in the U.K.
and/or Ireland and close to city centres and local amenities. Students enjoy the benefits of individual bedrooms, although twin or double-rooms can generally be arranged on request.

Our courses are specially designed to cover all levels. We never mix levels and students sometimes receive one-to-one tuition if their level is not compatible with that of other students. We also cater for individual needs if required and can offer Business English, English for teachers, Exam preparation, legal terminology etc…

The combination of small class sizes, shared accommodation and activities with the teachers, plus an exposure to English culture, customs and way of life will ensure that you will maximise your progress. That’s why we are called MovingOn.’

Please note: Junior Course has maximum 8 students per teacher and have sports activities in the afternoons

One week all inclusive classes and accommodation is 1147 Euros.  With our special offer you can enjoy this for as little as 860 Euros.  If you are looking to book up with MovingOn be sure to quote Answer English and receive a 25% discount!  Contact Gavin Ramsey: info@movingoncourses.com

Last week we had our last Chinese evening, and this week our final French and Italian evenings for the summer.  You can see the photos in our Past Events Gallery.  As the festival season approaches Answer English is adapting the range of Social Events we put on. These include Walking Tours around Central London, 5-a-side football and Best of British parties.

Advance warning on 12 July we have our Pamlona night and later in the month a trip to the Dogs. To keep up to date on what events we have coming up check out our Social Events page and sign up to our regular e-mails.

At the Chinese night we gave away Chinese with Ease, Volume 2 — Book and 4 CDs. Chinese with Ease aims to take users from scratch to having a solid base in Mandarin language within six months, and to feel comfortable in as little as three months.

At the French night up for grabs was the French Learn in Your Car 60 minute CDS. Beautifully designed, this is the latest in a popular series of books with a new audio component, which makes it even more useful. …Ideal for the casual learner who may be intimidated by the idea of learning a new language, especially since the phonetic pronunciation system is so simple.

Our prize for Italian learners was the Italian in 10 minutes a Day Book and CD set. This is a complete programme that immerses the senses — hear, say, see, touch, read and write! This easy-to-use language kit is designed to develop an immediate speaking ability. The focus in on success, practicality and fun

If you missed out on any of these books & cds, then don’t despair. Those kind people at Gazelle Book Services want you to benefit from a fantastic 25% discount offer on all books bought from them when quoting ‘Answer English.’

To take up Gazelle’s offer head to their website to buy on-line.