a rule of thumb
A helpful, accurate guide which is based on practice not on theory.
Valentina writes about Broadstairs
BROADSTAIRS
This charming Victorian town is in the south-east of England in the county of Kent (sometimes called ‘the garden of England’), and it’s 80 miles from London. The town is not too big and the city centre is near the main beach, Viking Bay. There are also other beautiful beaches with golden sand such as Botany Bay, Joss Bay, Louisa Bay and Stone Bay. 
Here there are a lot of shops, cafes and restaurants all around the world, including Chinese, Turkish, Mexican, and Italian.
There is also a little train station, with 2 platforms, where you can take a train to London and the nearby towns. Here, the train, in my opinion, is the best way to travel because it is cheaper and faster than the car or the coach.
The town is known for its sandy beaches, which attract a lot of tourists every year, and some of its buildings such as Charles Dickens’ house, in which he wrote his novel ‘David Copperfield’.
In the town centre there are also, in certain periods, some festivals, like the Water Gala, in which there are rides and the ferris wheel and people playing water games and sandcastles competition, or the Folk Week. In this last event there are a lot of people playing an instrument or dancing in the city centre streets. This is a very particular event and I liked it.
There was a very inclusive atmosphere: all people together with no difference. There were also some stands that sold typical food and objects like clothes, garlands of flowers, handmade objects such as ceramic pots or bracelets, plaques written to beautify the house or the garden but also food such as fresh fruit, crepes and donuts.
During the summer there are also fireworks.You can see them near Viking Bay four times: once a week for three weeks (18th, 25th July and 1st August) and finally on the 22nd of August. Before the fireworks you can dance or listen to live music in the square near the beach.
Lisa-Marie from Germany
Who ever believes that Broadstairs is a contemplative sleepy seaside town is far from correct. Especially in the summer months, students from all over the world bustle up and down the streets of Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday destination – in the morning half-asleep on the way to college, during the break at lunchtime in a hurry to the food-to-go shelves in the supermarket or to the picturesque beach, and after a substantial dinner with their host-families they go straight to “The Dolphin” or another quaint English pub. One of the most well-regarded language schools is Hilderstone College – centrally located, just follow your nose from the beach – which is, in my eyes, mainly based on its outstanding teachers. Probably the most charming part is the inner garden, but even more important is the spiritual content of this school. I experienced Hilderstone as an intellectual place where stunning ideas arise, teachers appear to have a never-ending passion for their job, students behave open-mindedly and share each other’s ingenious ideas while having enriching conversations. Teaching thrives on variety, constant encouragement and motivation by the teacher, continuous gain in knowledge, self-confidence and language skills. In addition, recreational activities are also offered in the afternoon such as challenging sports afternoons, amusing folk dance lessons, trips to vibrant and historic cities and places like London and Dover. To top it off, accommodation is provided by caring, responsible and welcoming host families who make you comfortable during your enjoyable and instructive journey.
September 2018
Miori from Japan
I’m Miori. I’m from Japan. I’ve been here for 2 weeks.
I’m having fun studying English at Hilderstone College. I’m always disappointed by my English skill, but I wouldn’t have this experience in Japan. So, I have to keep studying English everyday!
Also, my dream was to study in England, so I’m really happy to be here! I can’t see views like this in Japan. I like walking around my house. Everything is different for me.
What’s more, you can go to Canterbury from Broadstairs by train. It takes about 30 minutes. You can see the beautiful city and Canterbury Cathedral. Now, it is being repaired on the outside, but inside is really beautiful! I like European countries, because I can see many churches like this.
This Saturday, I’m going to go to London to see “Les Misérables”. It was also my dream to see this show in London! A lot of my dreams have come true in England.
September 2018
Chiara’s update: week 6
Hi! I am Chiara. This is my sixth week here and I am having a great experience.
With Hilderstone College I have been on some excursions, and I really enjoyed those. Two weeks ago I went to Leeds Castle, a beautiful building with a big and lovely garden. Here there is a wide variety of birds, like ducks and swans. Valentina and I went to the maze of the Castle and we also saw the falconry display.
Last week Valentina and I went to Canterbury, where we went shopping and visited the beautiful and historic city. There we saw Canterbury Cathedral, which is the most important cathedral in Britain. We visited also St Augustine’s Abbey and Eastbridge Hospital (medieval pilgrim’s hospital)
I spend a lot of time with the host family: I play a lot with the kids, we watch movies together (e. g. Harry Potter) and we cook together. With my host family I can also improve my English.
Recently there have been two festivals in Broadstairs: the Water Gala and Folk Week. Every Wednesday night there were also fireworks and they were very beautiful. There were a lot of people in Broadstairs and there were markets, music and dancers in the streets.
NEW: Hilderstone College promotional videos
We are delighted to announce the launch of two brand new Hilderstone College promotional videos (90-second montage and 3-minute video with student interviews and comments). The videos were filmed in Broadstairs this summer with the participation of staff and students. We hope you like them and welcome your comments!
See the shorter, ‘montage’ video here.
For the full-length version, click on the link: : https://youtu.be/d6xDQjI6tOU
QUIZ OF THE WEEK commencing 13th August 2018: Prepositions
What is the correct preposition for each gap?
1) If you’re walking _____ the post office on your way to work, could you buy me some stamps?
2) He got ____ the bus in the High Street and bought a return ticket.
3) I broke my arm falling _____ my horse.
4) I’ve worked at this company _____ 5 years.
5) Where were you ________ 9 am and 3 pm yesterday?
6) We flew _____ the mountains on our way to Switzerland.
7) I’m not very good ____ maths.
8) ___ average, men still earn more than women.
Check the answers at the bottom of the page.
QUIZ OF THE WEEK commencing 6th August 2018: Correcting mistakes.
Can you correct the mistakes in these sentences?
1) ‘Oh no! I’ve forgotten my lunch money!’
‘Don’t worry – I’m going to lend you some.’
2) It rains really heavily at the moment.
3) I lived here for five years now.
4) This house built in the 18th century.
5) The price of the course depends of how many weeks you
stay.
6) Who did write ‘Pride and Prejudice’?
7) The man which you saw is my uncle.
8) When I was young, I must go to bed at 9 pm.
9) I do a lot of mistakes in my homework.
10) I’m not used to have dinner so early. It’s really strange!
Check the answers at the bottom of the page.
QUIZ OF THE WEEK commencing 30th July 2018: Negative prefixes
Can you add the correct prefix to these adjectives/verbs?
Examples: DISagree UNimportant INcomplete
1) _____conscious
2) _____mature
3) _____popular
4) _____reliable
5) _____respect
6) _____sense
7) _____loyal
8) _____decisive
9) _____polite
10) _____logical
Answers below.
Phrase of the Week: 20th August 2018
‘by and large’
In general; when everything is considered.
