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“I’ve learnt a lot of things while I was in IH Cape Town. It was fun and I had a great time with my friends and teachers and you guys. I’m really happy to stay here and study in this school. Thank you very much.” – Ricky (South Korea)
Summer Experiences for English Language Students in Cape Town.
With summer just around the corner, Cape Town’s schedule is looking busy with the festivals and summer activities that have been organised to celebrate the clear skies and warm temperatures. Cape Town is at its finest during the hot days of summer; with locals and tourists alike flocking to enjoy its beaches, mountains, beautiful attractions, and simply be out and about in the sun. This is the best time of year to be one of the many English language students in Cape Town; with long hot summer days for you to study and relax in, you’ll be living the high life.
With so many events and activities to choose from, foreign language students are often confused as to how to spend the long days. Here’s what to look forward to this summer in Cape Town:
- Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts – the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens are a “must see” for every tourist visiting Cape Town. If you’re acquainted with their astounding beauty, you can imagine just how beautiful a summer evening concert in the gardens could be. Call your friends, pack a picnic and enjoy the beauty of Cape Town and local music whilst the sun sinks behind the mountains at the end of a long summer day.
- Groot Constantia Wine Tasting – The Cape is world famous for its stunning wine routes and incredible wines. Groot Constantia is arguably the most beautiful vineyard in the Southern Suburbs however as it offers guests astounding views of the Constantia valley and the beautiful mountains which cradle it. Visit the Groot Constantia vineyards on a hot summer day and enjoy these highly praised wines for yourself.
- Muizenburg to Kalk Bay walk – this walk is one of the best kept secrets held by Cape Town locals; we’re sure English language students in Cape Town will love it. Catch the sun rise over the distant mountains of the bay and take a one mile stroll to the quaint fishing town of Kalk Bay. Enjoy breakfast in one of the bistros or cafes here before making your way slowly back to Muizenburg where you can surf or suntan whilst enjoying the beach’s summer festivities.
- Music festivals: The areas surrounding the Cape are alive with music festivals in the summer months. Embark on a short road trip with your closest friends and new acquaintances from your English Language School to one of these fun and interesting events. Pack your camping gear and cooler boxes, and get ready to listen to the best of the local music and comedy whilst staying in a beautiful setting.
- Boulders Beach: This is just one of the many beautiful beaches in Cape Town which finds fame for reasons other than its beauty; this beach has its very own penguin colony. Here, foreign language students can lounge on the beach and cool down in the Indian Ocean, sharing the water and sand with the African Penguins. The many boulders scattered on the beach offer privacy to all visitors while the many walk ways and information boards offer interesting facts about the Penguin colony and the history of the beach.
- The Dragon Boat Festival: This is just one of the many festivities that can be enjoyed at the V&A Waterfront every summer. Cheer on local and international rowing teams while they race in traditional dragon boats. This is a vibrant and jovial way of spending a summer day in Cape Town and will show you just another side of Cape Town’s culture.
Being an English language student in Cape Town is a truly amazing opportunity, especially during summer when the city comes to life with exciting activities and events. I H Cape Town is an English Language school where students are encouraged to make the most of the city whilst learning the English language. By learning English in Cape Town, foreign language students can complete their studies under the shadow of the iconic Table Mountain, while sun tanning on beautiful beaches and enjoying the culture of the city.
Upcoming Events For Students in Cape Town
If you’re a foreign language student visiting or perhaps studying in Cape Town you’re in luck, as the summer months approach the list of activities in the beautiful Mother City grows exponentially and the cosmopolitan welcoming Capetonians are always willing to include visitor in their revelry. From wine tasting to music festivals and beaches to Namaqualand flowers, Cape Town and the areas surrounding have nearly everything any active and eager to socialise student could want. The only difficulty with so many great events going on is finding a way to fit them all into your social calendar along with all the work that being a foreign language student at a Cape Town English school brings you.
If you’re in need of a good giggle then head on over to the Baxter Theatre for nearly the entire month of September the Nando’s Comedy Festival will be running. No one does funny like Nando’s so you can be sure you will be experiencing some of the best talent South Africa has to offer. If you’re attending an English language school in Cape Town this is a great way to get to grips with the local culture and nuances of the language.
If you want a little taste of home then the first ever Cape Town Oktoberfest is for you. The event is being held this year at the South African Brewery in Newlands. To be held on the last weekend of September the event promises to incorporate all the characteristics and events that make the real thing such fun. Tickets are available online and can be bought for either the whole weekend or just one day. You can be sure that Cape Town hospitality will be out in style, if you’re a foreign language student pining for a taste of Europe mixed with Cape Town weather then find yourself at the SAB headquarters on the 29th of September.
The Labia in Gardens will be hosting the shnit! – International Short Film Festival from the 5th to the 9th of October, this concept is one of the fastest growing film festivals in Europe and shows once again Cape Town’s cosmopolitan nature and dedication to remaining on the international stage as far as the arts, both fringe and mainstream, are concerned. Cape Town truly is the ideal place to be attending an English language school as a foreign language student.
Nothing says Cape Town quite like the comical penguin and on the 8th of October Simons Town will be celebrating this curious little creature. There will be many different activities for all age group taking place and is a great way to show your support for an organisation that is doing great work.
What to look for when choosing an English language school
English is without a doubt the most widely spoken language on the planet, while beaten by Mandarin in terms of numbers of speakers, English is more widely used in science, politics and business. The official language of air traffic control, it is clear that although constantly changing English is a useful tool and here to stay. People all over the world are enrolling for English courses eager to learn English to improve their chances of gaining employment, or to make communication on their travels easier. In South East Asia where a significant portion of the population relies on the tourism industry for employment, being able to speak English is the key to getting a good job.
Due to the popularity of learning English there are a significant number of English language schools opening up in major cities around the world attracting hundreds of foreign students that want to learn the language in an environment that will allow them to practice on a daily basis. Moving to cities such as Cape Town, London or New York provides this opportunity in a unique setting, where the cosmopolitan nature of the city encourages interaction with foreign cultures while at the same time creating a comfortable environment where the learner doesn’t feel isolated from the rest of the population.
It can be a fun adventure and one that should be undertaken by those with the means to do so, it can however be fraught with difficulty and many fall victim to scams and confidence tricksters. There are a few basic things to remember and look out for when choosing an English language school. English is a complicated language that is constantly changing so it is important that you remember no matter how good an English language school is or how many English courses you attend you will be learning this rich language for the rest of your life.
You need to decide how you plan on using your English courses. Are you doing it to get a job? If so what does the job entail? Is it a position that will require you to understand a lot of jargon? Perhaps you only need it for conversational purposes, if you’re planning a trip abroad or are involved in a relationship with a first language English speaker. Do you need written or just spoken English skills? Decide for yourself how good you think your English skills are and then approach someone objective and ask them for an honest opinion, an English course that launches straight into the complexities of English grammar will be of very little use to you if you have only a tenuous grasp on the spoken language.
It would be a complete waste of your time and money if you were to attend English courses and then walk out only to never practice the skills you have learnt. Your grasp on English like all languages will become weaker if it is not practised, so when choosing an English School ensure they offer an off campus opportunity for you to practice. Whether through structured online courses or a more social approach such as organising outings with fellow English speakers or accommodation in an English speaking household.
Cape Town Pride 2011
Gay Cape Town is pulling out all the stops at the annual Cape Town Pride
The annual Cape Town Pride Festival is a celebration of our wonderful diversity, and also creates awareness around issues impacting on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities locally and throughout Africa.
Before the main Cape Town Pride parade 2011 at Cape Town Stadium there are tons more events and parties to attend throughout Cape Town.
24 Feb: The Pride Film Premiere sponsored by Pink Tongue & Out In Africa
25 Feb: Red Party presented by Gaydar.co.za
26 Feb: Pride Pool Party brought to you by P2INK and OUT Africa Magazine and Mr & Ms Cape Town Pride Pageant brought to you by OUT Africa Magazine
27 Feb: Pride @ Mzoli’s by StaffSOS
28 Feb: Cape Town Pride Divas @ On Broadway
1 March: Interfaith Service
2 March: Sunset Beach Picnic, The Book Fair, Butch or Transman? Boygirl or transgender? Boi or Boy? by Gender DynamiX and African Gender Institute
3 March: Shame and Prejudice, by Gender DynamiX and African Gender Institute and The Pink Ball
4 March: Get ready for the Pride Parade
5 March: Pride Parade
6 March: Pride Celebration Service
The Cape Town Pride Parade held on the 5th of March is an event you don’t want to miss:
To outdo the sizzling summer heat, the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Capetonians in their entirety are set to take to the Mother City’s streets in bodies beautiful, outfits to-die-for and very ready to make a statement. The vibe will be friendly and diverse, celebrating queer uniqueness while pumping some energy in the streets with vuvuzela’s, whistles and ripping DJ’s.
This year’s theme is “Love Our Diversity” which will be displayed on the participants, motorcycles, vehicles and the decorated floats that will be set to delight the crowds.
The parade aims to have a major impact this year .It will kick off at 11:00 up Beach Road, near the Cape Town Stadium and will head back through Sea Point’s Main Road, before ending back at the prestigious Cape Town Stadium.
For all the information on each of the events please visit www.capetownpride.org
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For all annual festivals events happening throughout Cape Town and surrounds in 2011, be sure to check out our Events Section.
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Date: 24 Feb 2011 – 06 Mar 2011
Time: 11:00 until late
Venue: Various
Location: Cape Town City | Cape Town
Price: Various
Phone: +27 (0)21 801 4801
Email info@capetownpride.co.za
Cape Town; the destination of choice for people looking for English language courses
With Table Mountain reaching up to the African sky above and the sea stretched out before you an English school in Cape Town is a destination with lots to offer people looking to learn English. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places in the world at which you can practice and learn English. Cape Town is a world famous holiday destination which makes it a great place for somebody looking to further their English language skills. With a large collection of English schools offering language courses combined with the beautiful setting it is unsurprising that foreign students are flocking to Cape Town to improve their English.
The last decade has seen an influx of immigrants from Northern Africa pushed from their home countries by violence and lured by the popular myth that the streets of South Africa are paved with gold. These immigrants are mostly French speaking and require, in order to integrate better into society and to find work, an English school. Cape Town unfortunately experienced, with the arrival of these immigrants, an explosion in less than scrupulous “English schools” in Cape Town that offered students the chance to learn English in Cape Town with no certification and often very little real teaching experience. That is why it is important that when you look for an English school in Cape Town you ensure that it is a member of EduSA [Education South Africa]and if possible certification by an International Organisation .This will ensure that you will not only receive quality English language instruction but also a certificate recognised internationally when you have finished your English language course. Should you wish to become a TEFL teacher , again it is imperative that you enrol for an internationally accredited course like CELTA , which is certified by the University of Cambridge.
The cosmopolitan nature of Cape Town allows students from all over the world to comfortably integrate into South African culture and make friends, especially when attending an English school. Cape Town has a diverse population which means that visitors whether long term or short term never feel like outsiders for long. Spend an hour during the day at one of the many cafes in the CBD and you will find yourself exposed to languages and cultures that range from Xhosa to German. A popular destination for both South Africans and foreigners Cape Town should be a serious consideration for anyone planning a change of scenery, whether it is to look for work or learn English in Cape Town.
There is a large choice of accommodation available and most visitors are able to find something that suits their budget, one thing you can be sure of is that almost anywhere in Cape Town that you choose to stay, you will have views of the mountain or the sea if you’re lucky you’ll have both. This natural setting makes Cape Town a stunning place at which to study, speak to any student and they’ll tell you about the calming effect that the proximity of this natural beauty can have at stressful times, such as when studying for exams. English school Cape Town is the ideal place to learn a strange language and experience a new culture.
