Staff at Embassy

A walk back in time

Ray Butler, our Auckland Activities Manager, writes:

Many of us forget how interesting the places that we walk past every day can be, so teachers Ray and Elena put together an "historical tour" of Karangahape Road pointing out buildings and sites of interest to a group of around 20 students.

Auckland is unique in that it has names that are both English and Maori. The Maori name for Auckland, Tamaki Makarau, translates as "the land having a thousand lovers", while Karangahape can mean many things from "shellfish" to "a place of winding human activity". Take your pick!

We called our trip "A walk back in time" so Ray felt the need to adopt a period dress for the occasion, introducing himself and Elena as "Lord and Lady Embassy CES" at the graduation. How many students can say that they got their certificate from a titled hand??

So back to our tour: what used to be on the site of Embassy CES? This postcard from the early 1920s shows a cake shop, a garage and a theatre (the Tivoli) with windows shaped like horseshoes!

Ray happily lead his tour along the length of K' Road drawing stares from the passers-by who were far too informally dressed for a Friday morning.....The fancy walking stick he holds was once used to promote Johnnie Walker whisky and made from his grandmother's walking-stick and an old door-knob. Believe it or not!

The trip concluded with a cup of extremely good coffee at Columbus Cafe where all students with ID get 10% discount. The other cafe shown is Alleluya Cafe (no discount) but with the very affable Peter as "maitre D" and a place that has been a coffee lounge since 1926!

These photos of our trip are kindly supplied by Suad from Saudi Arabia, and show a true cross-section from the Embassy CES "family": Russia, Brazil, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. Thank you Suad!"

Taylors/Embassy CES on ice!

Ray Butler , our Auckland Activities Manager, writes:

"Embassy CES on Ice" could be the title for a film or even a show but it goes to prove that you can find exciting places in Auckland if you look hard enough. Actually you really don't need to look as you are really "spoilt for choice" most of the time.

The trip to Paradice Ice-Skating was a definite favourite with our students and while there were some bruised egos (Ray proved that he really can't skate, Elena proved that she really can...) only one person twisted his knee.

The Taylor's College Skating Team was a truly multi-national affair with members from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Japan, Taiwan, China and Saudi Arabia. We may have even managed to fit in an Omani too!

No one really remembers who won the skating race but it seemed to be a largely South American event.

We are indebted to Henry for these photos that are much better than the ones that Ray took......Henry can be seen giving the "skater's salute" and holding his "car" (i.e. his skateboard!)

Embassy teachers' band concert

On Tuesday 28th August, 46 students went to the Jericho Tavern, north of the city centre, to see the local band Strafe; Kazakhstani superstar Bota and -headlining  - the Embassy CES teachers' band Archie. The band played a cool blend of rock and folk, which really got the crowd up on their feet, and of course Embassy CES students were in the thick of it.

Whilst the students were used to seeing the teachers in the classroom they could scarcely believe that the same people who taught them their past participles were also able to hold a stage so well and keep a crowd enthralled from the first to last song. A truly memorable night was had by everyone who attended and we can't wait until the next time.

Things to do in London

Wendy Brown, Student Services Manager at Embassy CES Oxford, writes:

On July 14th we took a group of Oxford Embassy students to London. 

For many of the students it was their first time in the capital, so we devised a tour: visiting the Tower of London; where some of England’s most infamous criminals have been imprisoned and the home of the crown jewels, before going on a cruise down the Thames past St. Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern to the Houses of Parliament.

A walking tour takes in many of the world renowned sites of central London:  Lunch in St. James’ Park, before trying to spot the Queen at Buckingham Palace or the Prime Minister at 10 Downing St, seeing the changing of the guard at Horse Guard’s Parade and marvelling at the London Eye, the world's tallest observation wheel at 135m high. 

The students are then allowed plenty of free time to explore this diverse and dynamic city or just to go shopping on Oxford Street!

Click to see the pictures bigger. (Left: students in the crowd around the Horseguards; Right: Look at our souvenir hats!)

A close encounter with the Queen of England

Most of us living in England have never met the Queen, so here at Embassy CES head office we were astonished when our intern, Laura Star, came in and showed us some photos from a recent day out in London. Not only had she seen Queen Elizabeth, but she had this close-up image to prove it!

Laura was in London during the annual Trooping the Colour celebrations when the Queen and her faithful horseguards parade through the Mall. Not everyone manages to get so near. It looks to us almost as though the Queen is looking straight at Laura, rather sternly, we have to say! And isn't it interesting to see that she uses a car blanket to stave off the cold, just like other ladies of her generation all across England?

You can read all about Laura's experiences of this, her first trip to England, on Student Club (free registration required). She really used her time here to full effect, taking in many of London's most famous sights. But we have a feeling that the one she will remember the best is that of the Queen fixing her with a beady-eyed stare.

Does Laura's new friend explain how she was able to get so close to the Queen?!

Find out more about Internships with Embassy CES here.

Motat and cats

Raymond Butler, our Auckland Activities Manager, writes:

Last Friday, teachers Elena and Ray (sometimes called the Mum and Dad of GE) took 23 members of their multi-cultural, multi-lingual, pleasantly rowdy "family" to MOTAT. This Museum is well-known to most Aucklanders but was new to most of the students.

MOTAT stands for Museum Of Transport and Technology and is a varied collection of transport, buildings and history reflecting the vibrant past that is both Auckland and New Zealand.

A feature of several of these trips has become the wearing of hats supplied by teacher Ray (where does he get them from?) so you can see a group photo of Rudinei, Jeferson, Mariana and Ray before they went in through the gates (click to see the pictures bigger).

Once inside they were able to see old trains, planes, cars and the technology of yesteryear.  No, we don't make you print your own English text books but it looks as if Mariana would like to try!

Augusto finds that the penalities for not doing his homework are much tougher than in Brasil,

and Elena demonstrates an old-fashioned approach to teaching English.  Embassy CES classrooms are much more modern now as we do not use chalk or blackboards.....

Teacher Ray is talking to two men who really need help with their English particularly if they want to fly that big plane behind them.

Finally, a ride on a tram back to the main gate of MOTAT passing by Auckland's wonderful zoo (with real live Kiwis!), but a visit there will have to wait for another time.

Even the weather (wet, wet and wetter) could not dampen our enthusiasm or determination to enjoy ourselves, speak a lot of English and wear some silly hats....

And in cat news... Raymond introduces Tiggi. You might meet this beautiful tabby too, if you study at Embassy CES Auckland.

Tiggi is one of my teaching aids and appears with regularity in lessons on definite and indefinite articles ("I like cats" "I have a cat. The cat I have is very clever") and a lot of other stuff. I am also without equal in cat cartoon-drawing.

My students get to know a bit about me and end up learning that I love
military history , speak French and love all cats.

My ideal must therefore be a French-speaking army cat...

Cambridge punting and bowling

Amal Ouchikh, Activities manager from Embassy CES Cambridge, sent these photos from a recent student excursion. The students punted on the river and also went bowling. Click to see the photos bigger.

Auckland Maritime Museum

Raymond Butler, our Auckland Activities Manager, writes:

Embassy CES students in Auckland have one of the best harbours in the world at their doorstep! These photos (below) were taken on a visit to our Maritime Museum and included a trip on an old ship. Yes, the water is this blue and the sun is really warm! That island in the background is Rangitoto and on past trips students have climbed right to the top. Will you join them on the next outing?!

Auckland has one of the most amazing harbours you can imagine and here you can see why we call ourselves "The City of Sails" or why Waitemata means "sparkling waters". The water was like blue glass and the sun was warm and gentle. No trick photography or colour filters. Don't you wish you were here?

There isn't a better place to study than Auckland and these photos prove it! An amazing harbour and as much sun, sea and sailing as you can handle!

Click to see bigger!

 

A trip to North Head

Raymond Butler, our Auckland Activities Manager, writes:

Auckland isn't just sea, sun and fun - it is also history!  Although only founded in 1840, it has had some great events to mark its lifetime. Our latest trip sought to find out more about this by visiting North Head, to explore what was once an old Maori village or "pah" and then turned into a fort by the settlers to fight a invasion from ...the Russians!

Well, it was back in the 1880s, so maybe we did tend to be a little more gullible back then. In any event, it was a wonderful ride on a ferry over to the North Shore and a good long walk through tunnels cut out of volcanic rock with the chance to take some silly photos on the way. Notice the students on the beach with "TAYLORS AUCKLAND*" written in the sand. They're from Korea and Brazil, although one is a Japanese Brazilian!

As a footnote, this is actually our early winter but as you sit in sub-zero temperatures wondering where to study English, think of us in our 12-14 degrees centigrade won't you?

Photos - click to see bigger.

Glossary

Note: We have added a few definitions below to help you. If you need more help, why not post a comment below?

ferry  (noun) A boat that carries passengers across a river or water.

fort (noun) A strong building built to defend land from enemies; a small castle.

founded (past participle) From the verb 'to found' - to establish or begin.

gullible (adjective) Easy to fool. A gullible person believes everything.

sought (past form) From the verb 'to seek' - to look for.

Maori (proper noun) The indigenous people of New Zealand.

* Taylors is the sister school of Embassy CES.