A half-day excursion to Windsor

Windsor Castle

Today, we had lessons in the morning and in the afternoon, we visited Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and it's still the Official Residence of The Queen. It has a history of almost 1000 years. 

During the visit, everybody had a task to accomplish - the picture trail quiz. We were assigned to find different places in the Castle and we found the task very challenging. Most of us failed to find all the spots within 2 hours. Anyway, this Castle is really magnificent. By the Castle, we also walked along Thames River. You see a lot of swans in the pictures. They're all lovely.

For more photos, please visit our Album.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102314781462190811853/July312012Windsor

Our visit to Bristol - by Olivia, Hilda, Ceci, and Cindy

Hi there~ (from left to right: Phoebe, Olivia, Hilda, Ceci and Cindy)

... We went to SS Great Britain today and it's a ship museum. We found the history about the ship there and the most funny part was role playing. We put on their costumes and we became nobles! I had so much fun ... by Olivia

...   After we arrived, we went to the Clifton Suspension Bridge first. It was really cold and windy. But the Bridge is beautiful and the view there is magnificent. I enjoyed it very much. Then, we had lunch. After that, we went to the SS Great Britain. We found it quite boring at first but we suddenly found a room with many special costumes. We did cosplay and had a fun time there. Then we gathered up and went back to Reading ... by Hilda

... Today, we went to Bristol for sightseeing. We went there by bus which was provided by Abbey School. During the bus ride, I thought it was quite boring because from Reading to Bristol, it needed about two hours. When we arrived in Bristol, I felt very cold because the temperature was only 12-19'C. The first place that we went was Clifton Suspension Bridge, which was designed by the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunei. I thought it was very beautiful so I took a lot of photos there with my friends ... by Ceci

... After that, we visited the SS Great Britain. It is one of the most important historic ships in the world. It showed us a lot about the ships' history. At last, we found a special room which displayed some traditional clothing items. Visitors can put on these dresses to take photos. I took some photos too. I think this is the most memorable thing of this excursion ... by Cindy

Going to Bristol - by Phoebe Tsui

Hi, my dear friend. See me, I'm standing in the front with my hoodie on. It's so cold!

SS Great Britain is an awesome museum and the Suspension Bridge is also gorgeous!

We had a visit to Clifton Suspension Bridge and Brunel’s SS Great Britain today. When we arrived at Clifton Suspension Bridge, it was very cold, but I really enjoyed the feeling going out on a cold day! Standing on the Bridge, we enjoyed the beautiful view, the big blue sky and the white clouds, I really enjoyed the weather!

Then, we went to SS Great Britain that is a new museum in Bristol. There are two museums, one is inside the ship and the other one is under the ship. There is some water beneath the ship. Then, I went inside the ship and the amazing part was, when I got closer to the models and I could smell them, like when I saw the model that is vomiting and I could smell it. Though it was disgusting, it was indeed quite amazing! I have never been to a museum like that and the experience was so unforgettable. Also, we could see some actors role playing the captains, the crew and the ancient nobles. I had taken some photos with them.

Everything in the ship really helps reflect the situation of the ship in 1864. I always thought of Titanic, it is really awesome.

If I could, I would like to visit more museums in the UK, because they have a lot different things to tell. I think I have learnt quite a lot by visiting these museums.

Another full day excursion - Bristol

We had another excursion today!

The excursion included a visit to the SS Great Britain. We stepped back in time after boarding the Brunel's SS Great Britain. We discovered the true stories behind the world's first great ocean liner. The most exciting past was the visit to Clifton Suspension Bridge!

For more photos, please visit our Album.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102314781462190811853/July292012Bristol

Here comes our mini-Olympic

When everyone is so looking forward to the opening ceremony of London Olympic, we had our own mini-Olympic at Abbey School this afternoon!

Which team is going to win?

For more photos, please visit our Album.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102314781462190811853/July282012MiniOlympic

Tired and hot - by Grace Kwok

Hi, I'm Grace, the one on the right hand side :D, sitting next to me is Bobo~

Very very tired and very very hot!!! This was the only feeling I had after the unforgettable trip to London!

It took about one hour to London from Abbey School. The first stop is the Natural History Museum and there's a big dinosaur. It is the biggest dinosaur in the world. This Museum is different from the ones we have in Hong Kong. It's big and there are a lot of exhibits. The next stop is Covent Garden. It is a market full of cheap things like handmade accessories and paintings. The most amazing thing was the street performers. They were juggling balls, playing music and singing! All of them were amazing. Unfortunately when they finished the performance, they would ask for money. Me? I didn't give them any money. Hehe.

After that, a 'horrible' thing happened. We met our guide and we went around London ON FOOT for 2 hours. ON FOOT! This was so hard for us. Although the guide showed us a lot of famous landmarks and buildings, we felt tired and hot. We couldn't concentrate in what she's saying very well. 

Since it's so hot and tiring, on the way back Reading, a lot of us were sleeping, on a bus without air-conditioning!!!

My first full day excursion - by Bobo Fok

Yesterday, we went to London. The weather was sunny and hot. We got on the double decker and went to the Natural History Museum.

On the way to the museum, some of us were sleeping and some were talking with one another. After about half an hour, we arrived at the Museum.

When we entered the Museum, we could see six statues next to the escalator. We walked around in the galleries which tell us about volcanoes, earthquakes, dinosaurs and birds. Then, we got on the bus again and went to Covent Garden for lunch. Some classmates and I had our lunch in the open area in the entrance. After lunch, we went to the shopping mall and we bought some souvenirs. We watched some people performing in the mall too.

After that, we met the Blue Badge Guide whose name was Susan. We walked to Big Ben and walked through St. James Park to get to Buckingham Palace. Most of us had taken a lot of photos.

Finally, we got on the bus again and went to Reading. I think I have learnt some history about the Royal Family and I like the architecture in England.

To prepare for our mini-Olympic

The opening ceremony of London Olympic is held tonight and all eyes are on it. At Abbey School, we have our own Olympics too and we have been doing a lot of preparation work for it.

We are drawing our team tee shirts with our teacher, Emily.

For more photos, please visit the Charming Holidays Album.

http://www.charming-online.com/htm/StudyTourPhoto2012/cfm/Login1.cfm

Username: MP001

PW: zaY9k7YA

A trip to London - by Sylvia Chan

We went to London today! I was so excited!

The weather was hellish hot. We were on the coach at 9.30am. On the way, some of us were playing games and some of us were chatting. Some were sleeping of course. For me, I was looking at the beautiful views. There were many trees and the grass was so green. The houses were very beautiful too. Maybe it's a bit boring for some people, I found it very beautiful and lovely.

The first stop was the Natural History Museum. There were many different themes such as 'The Power Within' and 'Earth Today and Tomorrow' in the exhibition. The most interesting display is the dinosaurs. There were a lot of dinosaur skeleton displays and some of them looked really real. I love it.

After that, we went to Covent Garden. In Covent Garden, there were a lot of shops and a lot of people were doing shopping. We had lunch there. The things sold there are cheap and we bought some souvenirs too.

We met the Blue Badge Guide after lunch. Our tour guide Susan introduced us the history of the buildings and we visited many famous landmarks and buildings such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square. We took some pictures of the Palace and the statue of Queen Victoria. The Palace is beautiful.

We finished our tour at Buckingham Palace. It was a wonderful excursion though I felt very tired. I believe I will visit London again.

I was so excited - by Sandy Kwok

For this UK tour, I was so excited about it. This is my first time to visit a foreign country.

After the flight, I actually felt very tired, but still very excited. I was thinking all about how my host family was like. In my mind, I thought their house should be big and there should also be a garden in front of the house.

In the morning, we met our host family and we introduced ourselves. Our host family are all very nice and passionate. After taking some rest, we played some sports with them. The weather was cool and sunny. That's great. I believe we can really relax ourselves here. I also think my host mom is a nice person, whenever we have problems, she explains to us patiently. I am lucky to have her as my host mom.

I love the children in the family. They are active and funny. They always have a big smile on their face. I feel so comfortable staying with this host and I am so looking forward to the school days that come ahead.

Our first excursion - LONDON

Remember we said that we brought beautiful weather to Reading? Yes, we did. We also brought the HEAT. It's almost 30'C yesterday, but you know what, it felt like 40'C when sitting on a double decker bus without air-conditioning. The bus ride was about 2 hours each and we felt like sitting in an oven. By the time we got back Reading, we were all tired and exhausted.

In the morning, we went to The Natural History Museum and then in the afternoon, we first stopped at Covent Garden for lunch and some souvenir shopping. Then, we joined a guided tour to walk around Central London. We saw many famous landmarks and buildings such as Westminster, Big Ben, House of Parliament and Trafalgar Square. Due to the opening of Olympics on Friday, a lot of roads were closed and there were a lot of soldiers on duty. We even took photos with them!

The photo was taken in front of the Westminster Cathedral. For more photos, visit our album.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102314781462190811853/July262012London

My very first experience - by Macy Lam

Hello from Reading!

This is my first time flying to a foreign country by plane. After a long flight of 12 hours, we arrived at Heathrow and we went to Abbey School to meet our host family.

When I saw my host family, they were not British. I was surprised to find out that they were Islam. Anyway, I realised that they are very nice. For this trip, I have to leave my parents for two weeks and I have to live on my own. I believe I will have a lot of good time with them!

On the first day to Abbey School, we had a simple test and had some conversation with the teachers so that they knew our English level and they used the result to assign us to different groups. We have the lessons with students from other countries such as Spain, Turkey and Russia. In the afternoon, we visited the Town Centre and we saw a lot of different buildings.

We started having lessons on the second day. To prepare for the mini-Olympics on Friday, we designed our own team T-shirts and we also had to think about our team country.

After a few days in Reading, I felt so grateful. It has been a great trip and I am so looking forward to visiting London tomorrow and having a disco night on Thursday. I do hope this trip is going to be a great one and I will enjoy a lot. 

I love this trip - by Victor Ng

On 21st of July, we gathered at the airport for our UK trip. We got on the plane at about 23.25 and we arrived at London at about 5:35 the next day.

On the first day, I was still a little scared and i didn't talk to the host mom a lot. But I felt she's very nice.

On the second day, we started having lessons. We took a test and I thought it's quite difficult. When we went back home, we had a nice meal - cream chicken pasta. That was really yummy and I loved it very much. After that, my host mom drove us to the Thames River. It was very beautiful and there were many swans and ducks in the river. I took many pictures there.

On the third day, we designed our country flags for the school mini-Olympics. We had fun! And that night, we even had dessert for dinner. 

I love this trip a lot!

My time in Reading - by Kevin Hung

This is my first time to England. I have been to Thailand and Korea before but this time, it is totally different. I have to leave my home, go on a tour without my parents and try to live on my own! I was excited when I saw a big airplane at the airport and I knew that our tour was going to begin. After a flight of 12 hours, we arrived at Heathrow and we are in England! Although I was tired as I only had 4-hour sleep on the plane, I was still excited. England is the place I love the most.

There are four students in my host family, including two students from other countries. The host has a big house with a big garden. My host mom is very nice and she cooks very well. I think I am lucky to stay with her. This is my very first experience that I would like to share with everybody.

See, my host mom is walking with me along Thames River.

Lesson time

Today, the students started having lessons. They have classmates from countries such as Turkey, Russia, and Spain. To prepare for the mini-Olympics on Thursday, they invented their own team country and designed team T-shirts. They were having a lot of fun.

For more photos, please visit the Charming Holidays Album.

http://www.charming-online.com/htm/StudyTourPhoto2012/cfm/Login1.cfm

Username: MP001

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After such a long flight ...

After such a long flight flying from Hong Kong to Heathrow, we are now in Reading. Hooray!

You might not believe it, we brought beautiful weather to Reading! The teachers here said they had an awful week as it was cold and wet last week. Yesterday when we arrived, it was warm and clear. You can see the sunshine in the picture.

Today, the students were having tests, tests and tests and then we went to discover Reading.

For more photos, please go to: https://picasaweb.google.com/102314781462190811853/July242012

Charming Holidays album

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Life with your host family

Be prepared to change our frame of mind ...

1. Communication

• greet people with a handshake
• when you meet your host family, offer them your hand to shake
• ask your host family members how you should address them, initially you should address them as Mr and Mrs (plus their family name)
• tell your host family how to address you too (Chinese names are not easy for them!)
• talk with them and learn their culture
• tell them about your life in Hong Kong, your school life, your family, or your hobbies

2. Differences

• UK families have no maids
• please try to offer help around the house - e.g. clear the table after a meal
• keep your room tidy - e.g. make your bed in the morning
• if you break anything by accident, you must tell your family. Don't hide it!

3. Consideration

• if you wake up early in the morning, try not to wake up everyone of the house as well
• if you go to sleep later, avoid making any noise
• always ask permission

4. Bathroom

• leave the bathroom clean and tidy

5. Laundry

• ask your family what you should do with your washing
• do not expect the clothes back the next day

6. Internet

• your host family may have a computer
• you must always ask permission before you use it

7. Food

• make the most of this opportunity to try everything you are offered
• British families usually have one main course for dinner or maybe a dessert
• you will be given sandwiches for lunch
• if you do not quite like the fillings, let your family know politely
• if you get hungry between meal times, you should also tell your family

8. Table manners

• you usually eat with a knife and a fork
• if you have unwanted food, put it to the side of the plate, BUT not on the table
• don't spit unwanted food out of your mouth

Pre-departure Information

The Flight
- The average flight time from Hong Kong to London is 12 hours.
- You might have books, magazines or crosswords to do during the flight so that you don't get bored.
- Don't make a lot of noise as it might disturb other passengers.
- Try to get as much sleep as possible.
- You should set your watch to UK time as soon as you get on the flight. This helps your body adjust to the time difference.

The Time
- The UK is 7 hours behind Hong Kong - refer to the watch on the right hand side!

Jet Lag
- Avoid jet lag by eating all your meals when your host family does. Also, try to sleep at the same time as your host family.

Electricity
- The voltage is the same!

Area Codes
- To call Hong Kong from the UK, dial 00 852 and then the telephone number.

General rules for students

RULES FOR THE STUDENTS

1.  ENGLISH ONLY!! From the time that we leave the airport in Hong Kong until we return, you must speak English only. There are consequences for those who break this rule. It is very RUDE to speak another language as your teachers and host family do not understand.

2.  You MUST listen to everything you are told to do and you MUST obey. This means your HK teachers, your UK teachers and your host parents. This is a safety issue and there is “zero” tolerance for those who disobey.

3.  Remember the 3R’s – Respect others; Respect the property (School and host family home); Respect yourself. Be courteous - 'Please' and 'Thank you' are always expected.

4.  Be PUNCTUAL. Make sure you come to all activities on time.

5.  You MUST fully participate in everything that we do.

6.  You MUST try your best at everything you do.

7.  You SHOULD work on your leadership skills and be helpful and look for ways to assist others.

 It is all about ATTITUDE. Make sure you have positive attitude towards everything we do. Learn to appreciate.

Flight Details

Departure:
Date: 21 July 2012 (SAT)
Time: 20:15
Meeting point: Zone E at Terminal One of Hong Kong International Airport

Flight no: VS201
Departure time: 23:25
Arrival time: 22 July - 05:25 (HK time: 12:35)

Return:
Date: 4 Aug 2012 (SAT)
Flight no: VS200
Departure time: 22:30
Arrival time: 5 Aug - 17:50 (HK time)