Memory of studying abroad in England in English VER (in English VER, expression completely different)


That was my first trip to Europe and also that staying was about four months,
so I didn”Ēt know what should I bring to there.
And that was quite long stay, so I have too much experience to write,
so I don”Ēt know what should I write about.
I thought it will be somehow, so finally it”Ēs okay to bring even money and a passport,
although it worries variously. Then the baggage was settled in 11kg. (17 or about 18kg was everybody's averages.) So, I was considerably surprised by everybody.
By the way, this short-term studying abroad is a part of the program of my university,
and the school records in Britain can change into the credit in Japan.
I left Japan at 8:00 in the morning, and I changed a plan in Singapore to Britain.
That was the air route that I used.
It took about 6 hours to Singapore, and 12 hours to Britain.
It came down to Britain and Manchester and went to the house of the host family who will care about me for 2 months.
At the first meeting, I felt tense with the ability to speak perfectly, but that was no problem at all.
Janet (host Mother) was kind of rough and exciting mother, and I had very sociable impression with her.
somehow, the first day also has the tiredness in a flight and fell to sleep.
The time difference of Japan and Britain is 8 hours although I did not feel a big jet lag.(I just daydreamed little bit )
My hosts lived in Timperly, and it takes 30 minutes to the bus stop, and 50 minutes to Manchester.
That was a good country side, but if I hanged out until late,
the time of the last bus came soon, so there was no opportunity to go out at night easily.
I went to the place which is called English Language Teaching Centre (common name ELTC) of Manchester University.
I made many friends in ELTC, and there are many students in ELTC in order to learn English from Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and many countries.
The first day of lesson was very surprising because even while the teacher was teaching,
all students tried to say something they thought. That situation was like a kind of lawless area
but I got used to join and enjoy, and I envied the place which students have lots of opportunity to say something,
and that is completely unlike a lesson of Japan.
"Be punctual! Although it said carpingly from the guy who works at Japan Centre, it was surprised that it was also newer that all the members had gathered with lesson start time.
There are 12 people in my class, and classes were from 9:30 to 15:30.
After classes, we did sports or hang out with friend. Of course there are some homework, but that was not so mush, so we had enough free time.
Then, what was surprising thing is closing time of a store!!
Stores were closed around 17:00!! I was really surprised about that!
And also the badness of a salesclerk's attitude further!! It will be certainly surprised, if you are Japanese.
Even customers make a queue, shopkeepers have a chat with other clerk, and work is slow at a register, a ticket office, etc.
Actually I wanted to say "Hey, what on earth are you doing?"
but it”Ēs their culture, so I shouldn”Ēt say like that.
Prices also had influence with strong ”Čpound”É with a high (17.5%) consumption tax, so were quite high.
If you think that there are lots of gentlemen and fashionable people,
that prejudice is easy to break up.
Actually before I go, I had lots of prejudice about England.
If you think like that, I can say it”Ēs completely wrong.
They don”Ēt care about fashion, so they just wear clothes as they comfortable like sweat suits.
Although many people said to me that you can improve your fashion sense. If I get used to Britain,
that sense must break up hahaha !!
On weekend, bank holiday or something like that,
I joined the ELTC-sponsored England sightseeing tour, hang out with my friends, or plan about travel by my self.
There are too many places that I want to tell
-- York, Leeds, Blackpool, liverpool, lakedistrict, Wales, Chester, and Salisbury,,,etc.
York is really good place to visit becuase it is beautiful, and is historic and it is also modern.
I experienced many first events in Britain!
Going to see the friendly match of Japan VS England, and being large-excited
(although this was also the first time that soccer is seen at the field, excited with the famous players!!)
And it was my first experience to go to club and danced and danced, and Drunk 9 pints (about 5L.) of GINESU in a pub(although I didn”Ēt like beer until now), so actually I had precious experiences in Britain(^¢¦^)