Nowadays international summer camps have become very popular, because in my opinion more and more teenagers decide to study abroad. To be more precise I mean that they go in a foreign country to practise a foreign language and of course to make new friends from all over the world. This is really important to be accepted in a well-known university (especially in the U.S.).
WHAT IS THIS? It is a summer program mainly for teenagers (but children from 8 years old to eldery people 70 years old can also participate in some camps), in which you participate in order to practice or even to learn from the start a new language. The most camps are located either in the U.K. or the U.S.A. and there are plenty of languages to practice, lessons, hobbies, sports etc. As I have mentioned before, in the english speaking countries there are some camps in well known universities (like Oxford, UCL) in which you can attend quite difficult lessons which have a realation with the studies that you want to follow (more information here). Moreover if you are interested in practicing english with a variety of other activities (for U.S.A. , U.K. and Canada), click here. If you want to have a variety in the countries and the languages, you should click here. |
WHAT'S THE DAILY PROGRAM ?
The following program is from the last camp that I was in Montpellier, France:
You wake up at 07.30 in the morning and around 08.00 you have your BREAKFAST, which is:
Of course we could always drink a hot bevarage (tea, hot chocolate and coffee) and juice.
Afrerwards you have to walk with your group and go in an elementary school for our morning lessons. Each class was consisted by 10-15 students and had a difficulty level in french according your abilities. The first lesson is 1 hour and 30 minutes, then you have a 30 minutes break (all the students are gathered in the school playground and they sing, play international games etc.) and after this you have another french lesson for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Now, what about the lessons? I suggest you not to go in a summer camp, if you don't know anything about the language! What I am trying to say is that it would be better for you to know some french and go there to PRACTICE what you know and not to learn new things. In my opinion it is really difficult to learn french in french! The lessons are concentrated on the basic tenses in french and not on the vocabulary. It is really important that the lesson included games, films and songs! By this way in the lesson you have fun nad that really helps you to understand french.
LUNCH: The lunch was at 12.30 at the school canteen. The leaders were delivering our food that was:
This was accompanied with a bag, inculding:
After this we had activities, like: walk in Montpellier, shopping, cinema and excursions outsied Montpellier. Because of the hot weather, we were going in other cities and of course in the sea! We usually go at beaches in the Mediterranean sea with the huge waves and many times (especailly in the weekend) we visited other cities (like Avignon, Sete) in order to discover the local civilization.
Later we returned back to the Residence to rest a little bit and at 19.00 we had our DINNER. With the help of our leaders we went either in a restaurant in the mall or in another restaurant in our block. We were eating really tasty food! Of course we didn't pay anyhting for the food, because everything was included in the total price (which was really expensive!!!).
Most times in the evening, we had free time and we could do anyhting we want in the Residence until 23.00. In this case my friends and I were gathering in one's room and we were playing cards, watching movies and even try to cook pasta. On the other hand, the activities that we had in the evening were:
In the weekens we didn't have morning lessons and we went excursions.
I was speechless from the amazing organisation in the camp that I went (LSF Montpellier), the tasty food and of course the variety of nationalities that came this year (from Brazilians to South Africans).
TO BE CONTINUED...
The following program is from the last camp that I was in Montpellier, France:
You wake up at 07.30 in the morning and around 08.00 you have your BREAKFAST, which is:
- either a croissant (without chocolate)
- or a pain au chocolat ( a kind of croissant with chocolate)
Of course we could always drink a hot bevarage (tea, hot chocolate and coffee) and juice.
Afrerwards you have to walk with your group and go in an elementary school for our morning lessons. Each class was consisted by 10-15 students and had a difficulty level in french according your abilities. The first lesson is 1 hour and 30 minutes, then you have a 30 minutes break (all the students are gathered in the school playground and they sing, play international games etc.) and after this you have another french lesson for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Now, what about the lessons? I suggest you not to go in a summer camp, if you don't know anything about the language! What I am trying to say is that it would be better for you to know some french and go there to PRACTICE what you know and not to learn new things. In my opinion it is really difficult to learn french in french! The lessons are concentrated on the basic tenses in french and not on the vocabulary. It is really important that the lesson included games, films and songs! By this way in the lesson you have fun nad that really helps you to understand french.
LUNCH: The lunch was at 12.30 at the school canteen. The leaders were delivering our food that was:
- pizza
- croque monsieur
- kiche
- baguette (ham and butter, ham and cheese or tomatoes and egg)
This was accompanied with a bag, inculding:
- 1 bottle of water
- 1 fruit (either banana or peach)
- 3 biscuits
- fork and knife
- chips
After this we had activities, like: walk in Montpellier, shopping, cinema and excursions outsied Montpellier. Because of the hot weather, we were going in other cities and of course in the sea! We usually go at beaches in the Mediterranean sea with the huge waves and many times (especailly in the weekend) we visited other cities (like Avignon, Sete) in order to discover the local civilization.
Later we returned back to the Residence to rest a little bit and at 19.00 we had our DINNER. With the help of our leaders we went either in a restaurant in the mall or in another restaurant in our block. We were eating really tasty food! Of course we didn't pay anyhting for the food, because everything was included in the total price (which was really expensive!!!).
Most times in the evening, we had free time and we could do anyhting we want in the Residence until 23.00. In this case my friends and I were gathering in one's room and we were playing cards, watching movies and even try to cook pasta. On the other hand, the activities that we had in the evening were:
- once a week bowling
- once a week disco night (going in a club in town for a farewell party)
In the weekens we didn't have morning lessons and we went excursions.
I was speechless from the amazing organisation in the camp that I went (LSF Montpellier), the tasty food and of course the variety of nationalities that came this year (from Brazilians to South Africans).
TO BE CONTINUED...