SUMMER HOLIDAYS FROM BRITAIN TO BRITTANY
When I was a child, my family lived near Bristol in South West England, so summer holidays usually meant a fortnight on the beaches of Devon or Cornwall, all within a few hours’ drive of Bristol. Anyone who has been to this area will know that it is of outstanding natural beauty. The weather, however, can be extremely ugly, even in the middle of summer.
ARE YOU TRYING TO BE PUNNY?
I am a big fan of puns. You know how they say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? The way to my heart is with puns! I cannot resist a good play on words and find myself drawn to people who are “punny”.
SPORTS DAY
Sports day is an annual event which dates back to the end of the 19th century and takes place at the end of the summer term in almost all British primary schools and also in some secondary schools.
TECHNOLOGY: ARE WE MORE CONNECTED OR DISCONNECTED?
Technology has undergone an astonishing evolution that has dramatically changed how we live, work and most importantly, how we communicate and interact.
MAY DAY – WORK OR FLOWERS?
In many countries, the first of May, or May Day, is associated with a celebration for workers. Celebration may not be the best word to describe it.
THE JOURNEY OF LIFE – THE LONDON UNDERGROUND
On the 13th of May, 1924, the London Underground witnessed something truly extraordinary unfold 23 metres beneath the streets…
APRIL FOOL!
In the UK, and several countries around the world, April 1st is known as April Fool’s Day. It’s a day for playing jokes and pranks on people and, if they fall for it, they are then labelled an April Fool.
ELEGANCE AND HOME REMEDIES: A GRANDPARENTS’ TALE
I’ll readily admit that I under-achieved in my life, though some would say, due to the type of childhood that I had, I probably ended up over-achieving, and I owe a debt of gratitude to my grandparents for that.
FOOTBALL MAD
The rules of modern football were first developed in Britain and many of the first football clubs in Spain were established by British expatriates.
NO LOVE LOST FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Almost as soon as school starts in September, the back-to-school promotions end… But it’s once the Christmas things are taken away that the shops begin to promote my most hated festival of the year; Valentine’s Day.
HAVE YOU SEEN MY MUMMY?
As a connoisseur of all things spooky, it’s not much of a surprise that my favourite lesson is Gothic Legends, where we go over some of the most popular horror stories and characters in English literature.
ACCENTS
Students sometimes ask me whether it is better to speak English with a British or an American accent. The answer is, of course, both, or neither. Why not an Australian, a South African or a Jamaican accent?
