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Before you leave your country Passports and Visas- Check your passport is valid for the whole of your stay in the UK.
- Make sure you allow yourself enough time to apply for a visa.
- If you are not sure if you need a visa, check with your local British Embassy or visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk.
Start practising your English- Look at any English textbooks you have from previous courses, to refresh your memory.
- Listen to English (films, television, tapes, BBC World Service) to get your ears used to hearing spoken English.
- Try and read a little in English - even if it is only magazines.
- Buy a good bilingual dictionary or electronic translator. You can buy an English only dictionary at the school.
- Think about what you want to have achieved by the end of your English course and when you will do your homework and extra self study.
Plan your trip- Buy a good guidebook to London and the UK. Think about what you would like to see and estimate how much it will cost.
- Take some photos of your family, your home and your city and buy postcards of your country. Your accommodation provider and your new friends will be interested to see where you live and to 'meet' your family.
- Think of interesting facts about your country and your culture to tell your teachers and friends.
- Think about how you will get to your accommodation on your first day in London. Will you need our Airport Meeting & Transport Service?
Health matters- Make sure you have supplies of any medicines you use regularly.
- Visit the dentist for a check up.
Money- Decide the best way to bring your spending money. Usually it is safest to have travellers cheques and credit cards.
- If possible, do NOT bring large amounts of cash.
InsuranceWhat to pack- The weather in London is changeable at any time of year, so bring 'layers' of clothes - jumpers, jackets, coats, etc, which you can put on or take off as the weather changes.
- Bring comfortable walking shoes as you will want to do a lot of sightseeing.
- Make sure your electrical equipment can be used on standard British voltage, which is 220 - 240v.
- If possible buy an electrical adaptor for the UK.
- Bring a small present for your homestay host.
Don't pack too much! You will find lots of things to buy in London.
Enjoy your journey! |
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"I hadn’t imagined that I was going to have such an incredible life like a wave before I came to London. I can’t find any word to describe my feelings as so many things are mixed and scurrying in my mind. It’s nearly 7 months since I came here, unaware of the difficulties that I was going into. If all of my teachers and friends hadn’t been around me, I couldn’t have held out against this adventure of living in London alone. I feel like I’m an explorer, and the exploration has given me treasure inevitably."
Fumi, Japan "Why did I come here to London? A month before I came here I was planning to travel to Europe for 2 months but suddenly an idea sprang to my mind. “How can I travel unless I can speak English?” Of course I can travel, because I’m good at the world language which is smile and gesture. But, I can’t get anything more than impression of first step. I need more than that. So …I’m here. Multicultural city – London. I’ve been here for almost 9 months. I don’t think my English is good enough, but I made a lot of friends – many nationalities. Also, I visited Greece (it was my dream …) and Switzerland. It was a fantastic experience. Now? I’m planning another travel to visit my friends and experience their life in their country."
Ji Eun, Korea |
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