EF Stories: Anna from Germany at EF Eastbourne

Before I even heard about EF Language Travel, I knew one thing: if I were to fly to an English-speaking country, it should be England! After all, where else can you experience life and culture that is so classically British, if not in the heart of Great Britain?

It all started with my choice of Eastbourne as the destination for my trip: the small town with around 100,000 inhabitants is located right on the coast of the English Channel and is part of East Sussex County. However, before I could explore this town, I first went to Bexhill-on-Sea, which was about 14.5 miles away. I initially chose a host family, which could be located further from Eastbourne. However, the distance was compensated by the location of the small Bexhill, as its beach is adorned with parks and feels much more homely due to its small population and the surrounding rural area. Furthermore, not only Bexhill but also the Eastbourne area, in general, exudes the typical British small-town style: you mainly find brick houses, and the streets are adorned with countless small shops that you wouldn't find in Germany due to our large shopping centers or Amazon. As if in protest against capitalism, Britons prefer to buy everything individually in specially designated small shops – which, incidentally, also allows for a variety of stores.

Regarding the host family, I must express some dissatisfaction: although the host parents were extremely nice, there were significant hygiene issues that prompted me to switch to the Residence after one week. The Residence, apart from hygiene, offered many other advantages: the "Residence" is a kind of hotel in Eastbourne provided by EF for participants aged 18 and older. It is brand new and located about 30 meters away from the train station (the center of Eastbourne) and about 2 to 5 minutes from the EF Language School.

Even though I only enjoyed the hospitality of the host family for one week, I still learned a lot about British culture that I probably wouldn't have learned otherwise – such as eating habits or some idiomatic expressions that I likely wouldn't have learned at the language school. Whether Residence or host family: both have their advantages, and I kindly ask not to generalize my experiences, as I have heard from EF students who had extremely positive experiences with their host families.

Back to the first days: upon arriving in Bexhill, I initially settled in and familiarized myself with the town, especially with the train schedule, which would determine the next 7 days for me. A nice feature of all English train stations is the free newspapers, which make the 20-minute journey more bearable. Moreover, it helps improve your English immensely. Upon arriving in Eastbourne, it took me between 5 and 10 minutes to walk from the train station to the small but beautifully renovated school. My roommates had shown me the way (a Taiwanese and a Spaniard), but I had to manage the first school day without their help because initially, you are called to wait and register in a lounge on comfortable sofas, where you enjoy the cultural diversity of other students.

Every student sitting there is in the same boat as you, so it's easy to engage in small talk. Whether you want it or not: you quickly find a group with which you feel connected and entertained – regardless of age or origin.

In my opinion, this is the best part of the entire language trip: you are more or less forced to interact with people from various countries (for example, I was housed with a Japanese, a Taiwanese, a Spaniard, and an Arab before I moved to the Residence). This allows you to learn a lot about other cultures, different perspectives (e.g., on global issues), and even dispel outdated stereotypes. For example, if you believe that all Arabs are wealthy, Islamic, and misogynistic, you probably have never interacted with them. Only through contact with other people can you understand their perspectives and form a well-grounded opinion. Suddenly, the purpose of the Arab government system became clear to me, and why some Russians sympathize with Putin. I realized that no opinion can be entirely objective, and through such an exchange, racism and prejudices practically have no chance in my life anymore.

Everyone must form their own opinion about the learning material and the school system at the EF school. In my opinion, the best way to learn English is by immersing yourself in the language, watching movies in English, and reading and speaking as much English as possible. You won't learn English solely through school – that's not its job. But it can help you, because if you really want to learn this language with its complicated pronunciation and slang, you have to make an effort yourself.

There are a lot of other things I could talk about, such as sightseeing, the leisure program, or the lessons, but that would exceed the scope, and besides, everyone makes their own experience with it.

If someone has actually read this far, I wish them a wonderful time in England (if they intend to go there), and I apologize for the long report.

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