Yuriko Takada's London Trip

I had many experiences both good and bad. My first impression of London was that it was crowded and had terrible traffic like Tokyo. London is a very international city. Many immigrants live in London. I thought it was interesting that they spoke their native languages to each other. I saw Italians, Saudi Arabians, and Spaniards in my neighborhood.

The weather was almost always cloudy and cold. On especially cold days the temperature was about 2 degrees. The biggest difficulty I had was about accommodations. My first apartment was horrible. It was dirty cold and uncomfortable. I had to share the toilet and shower with 10 other people who lived on my floor. I didn't want to stay there even one night, but I had to live there for one week until I could find a new apartment. I felt gloomy. The next apartment was clean comfortable and safe. I liked it, but the rent was very expensive. It cost 175 pounds per week (about \20,000 per week) I stayed there for 10 weeks.

My favorite things about London were it's old buildings and double-decker buses. Most buildings in London were very old. They are very beautiful. I like riding double-decker buses more than subways. Buses were cheaper than subways also. I liked old buses better than new ones. Because on old buses you get on the bus from the rear door and when you get off you must pull the string to get the bus to stop.

I am a big fan of the Beatles. So I had to go to Liverpool to see where the Beatles started. Liverpool is a big port city about 3 hours by train from London. The Mersey river runs through Liverpool. I like Japanese port cities, but Liverpool is totally different. The port was quiet and very big. I went to a Beatles museum and went on the "Magical Mystery Tour" bus tour to the birthplace of the Beatles. I took many pictures, and bought many souvenirs.

I was surprised that my English school's students were about %50 Japanese. When I began studying at the school I took a placement test to decide the proper class level for me. There are 7 class levels from A-G with A being the lowest. I started in class B. By the end of my studies there I had advanced to level D. I thought the classes were interesting, but D class was difficult for me.

My classmates came from many different countries. The best friend I made at the school was with a Brazilian woman named Dalba. Her husband is Japanese and she speaks Japanese very well. I became friends with a Russian woman named Olga. She returned to Russia before I finished my studies.

My teachers were very friendly. My favorite teacher was Julie. She had a good sense of humor.

Studying in London was a good experience. I would love to visit there again if I have the opportunity.

For more info on the school Yuri attended click here to visit Frances King School of English's homepage.

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