Scenic walks in Oxford

The weather is just glorious at the moment so it is a perfect time to get out and about.  Oxfordshire is blessed with some spectacularly picturesque scenery. One of the great things about Oxford is that within 15 minutes walk of the centre of town, you can find yourself trailing into the heart of England’s green and pleasant countryside. Check out one of these fabulous walking locations to make the most of a dry weekend:

Within 20 minutes of the centre of town:
Christchurch Meadows 
Port Meadow
Shotover

And a little further afield:
Blenheim Palace grounds
The Cotswolds

If you are in Oxford and have a free day, then click on the image below to see some great country walking routes:

And why not listen to this song while you are planning your route: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7KsemZGIc

The Red Letter Box

Britain's iconic red letter boxes - 'the red heart of the British streetscape' (BBC News Magazine)

One of the UK's rarest postboxes celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. But what is the future for this red emblem of the British streetscape?  Will the red postbox sadly follow the same fate as the red phone box?  And now that the privatisation of the Royal Mail has taken place, are other colours set to replace the familiar red?

The first pillar boxes were erected at St Helier in Jersey in 1852, at the recommendation of novelist Anthony Trollope - who was an employee of the General Post Office at the time. The first boxes were erected in Britain a year later.

Designs varied but in 1859 an improved cylindrical design was adopted for standard use nationwide. A Liverpool postmaster decided to rebel, and after a waging a long battle with London, the Liverpool Special letter box - with its increased capacity and chunkily cast crown on top - was born.

Andrew Young, chairman of the Letter Box Study Group, views that in a deregulated system, there could be a decline in numbers of the traditional form of the red boxes.

"There is a question over who would become responsible for the heritage," says Young. "It would take a campaign to determine who had liability."

This would be a great shame as the Traditional letter box has many fans.  For many communities, they are a reassuring presence - a cheerful, red splash that has stood out on British streets for a more than a century and a half.

Jonathan Glancey, writer and author of Pillar Boxes, sees them as miniature works of architecture, as a "glorious piece of public design", both functional and aesthetic, that has stood the test of time.

"Postboxes - like the old telephone boxes - are symbolic of democratic order and high standards. Whether you lived in Toxteth or Mayfair, there was the same standards for public design."

Lets hope the red boxes will remain.  But what are your views?  What colour would you be happy to see replace the traditional and vibrant red?

The full article can be read here.

If you have enjoyed reading about the red letter box, why not stay on red theme and read our article about The Big Red British Telephone Box

What is the biggest Oxford College?

Kit Villiers, one of OISE Oxford's most experienced teachers and a specialist in legal English tuition, offers his opinion on the question: What is the biggest Oxford College?

As they potter off to see the Cathedral and the 'Harry Potter' Hall, tourists are told that Christ Church is the biggest college in the university, but the reality isn't quite so straightforward. Christ Church with its royal history, Eton and government connections may be in some sense the grandest, but it is not even the richest college. If one equates money with size, Christ Church is pipped by St John's, whose landholdings throughout the UK are massive, and which once owned almost all of North Oxford. (Christ Church is second on this measure).

How about physical size? This is very difficult to measure: should it include only the area covered by the original city centre buildings? Buildings for the accommodation of undergraduates (and increasingly graduates) are sprouting up all over the city, e.g. Hertford by the Thames and Lincoln near the 'Bear'. One wouldn't normally consider these modern buildings as part of a college, and certainly no tourists can or would bother to gain access to them. Perhaps the area should be contiguous: here Magdalen scores well as it claims to stretch a mile back from the High St. But a lot of this is gardens, deer parks, etc., and it seems odd to count this in the size of a college. Christ Church Meadow is contiguous but hardly part of the college. On the other hand it would be difficult to exclude all bits of green: New College for example has buildings beyond its lovely gardens, which are surely part of the college.

On the basis of core size (i.e.that clearly for college use, as opposed to commercial use such as Corpus's Old Bank Building, and contiguous) frankly I'm not sure which is the biggest in area, but I would suspect it might be St John's, which seems to be expanding ever northwards along St Giles after swallowing up the Lamb and Flag, and creating a new quad. The new quad would seem to put St John's up there also if we rate by numbers of quads, although Wadham has quite a few too.

As to number of students, this also is subject to fluctuation and to a lot of unverifiable boasting too. Does one count only undergraduates? Since postgraduates now number almost half the student population and are increasingly accommodated in college, this measure would seem to be a little outdated. The boasters are often a trifle vague as to whom they are actually counting. Having said this, Teddy Hall packs an awful lot of students into a small area, and recently I heard that St Catherine's now claims to be the biggest college by student numbers. Meanwhile St John's thinks it's the biggest, having allegedly passed Christ Church a few years back.

And the final answer? Kellogg, of course: even though it has no undergraduates and no sportsground, and most students live out, this college along the Banbury Road now has more students than any other.

Where do the British ginger roots come from?

What do Prince Harry, Nicole Kidman, Rupert Grint and Geri Halliwell all have in common? No, they don’t all have royal roots…they have ginger ones! Many international students are fascinated by the abundance of red hair when they come Britain and it is true that, especially amongst the Scots, gingerness is at its most prevalent here. Whilst only about 1 – 2 % of the world’s population has red hair, a whopping 13% of Scots are ginger, closely followed by Ireland with 10%. Traditionally there has been a bizarre prejudice against redheads in Britain but more recently it has become a more desirable feature with many people choosing to dye their hair red. But why are there so many more ginger people in Scotland? A recent study by researchers at the ScotlandsDNA project shows that a much higher proportion of people in Scotland carry the ‘ginger gene’ and Mr Moffat, their Managing Director, believes the origins of the gene may be an adaptation to Scotland's poor weather.

Mr Moffat explains: "I think it's to do with sunshine - we all need vitamin D from sunshine - but Scotland is cloudy, we have an Atlantic climate and we need light skin to get as much vitamin D from the Sun as possible."

Click on the image below to read more!

What are the world's most spoken languages, and which are the hardest to learn?

'The world's most widely spoken languages by number of native speakers and as a second language, according to figures from UNESCO (The United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), are: Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Bengali, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, German and French.

The ease or difficulty of learning another language can depend on your mother tongue. In general, the closer the second language is to the learner's native tongue and culture in terms of vocabulary, sounds or sentence structure, the easier acquisition will be.

So, a Polish speaker will find it easier to learn another Slavic language like Czech than an Asian language such as Japanese, while linguistic similarities mean that a Japanese speaker would find it easier to learn Mandarin Chinese than Polish.

Dutch is said to be the easiest language for native English speakers to pick up, while research shows that for those native English speakers who already know another language, the five most difficult languages to get your head around are Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Korean.'[1]

Do you speak English as a second language? If so, what do you think is the most difficult part of learning English? Please leave your comments below.

Top Tips from OISE Oxford's legendary tutor, Stephen Smith

We asked OISE Oxford’s longest serving tutor, Stephen Smith, for his top 10 tips for learners of English and these were his recommendations:

- Choose to stay with a host family. It may be a little less comfortable than a hotel, but it will give you a chance to practise your spoken English.

- If you have a television in your room, watch the news every day. (Newsreaders speak particularly clearly.) Alternatively, watch with your host family, or on your computer. (International news is, of course, easier to understand than the details of British politics).

- Don’t panic if you do not understand much at first, and don’t try to understand every word. English-speakers stress the key words in a sentence and tend to swallow the others. (Ask your teacher about weak forms and elision.) Listen for words you recognise, and gradually you will understand more and more.

- If you have one-to-one lessons, show your teacher(s) the type of emails, reports, etc. that you have to write, and explain what type of presentations, phone calls, etc. you need to make, so that you can practise these specific skills.

- Keep a notebook to note down new vocabulary and expressions. Note the pronunciation of new words. (It is easy to learn the International Phonetic Alphabet – fortunately, as English spelling is so unpredictable.) For single words, it may be enough to write down a literal translation, but for anything more complex than “engine” or “invoice” it is a good idea to write a sentence or sentences illustrating its use(s).

- Learn collocations – words which go naturally together – and common functional expressions – for requesting, thanking, asking for clarification, agreeing, disagreeing, etc. (including those you may need in your professional life). These are far more important than what some people call “idiom” – i.e. rarely used expressions such as “It’s raining cats and dogs” or proverbs such as “look before your leap.”

- A very common type of idiom in English is the phrasal verb (get on with, look forward to, make up, etc.) As these can be confusing, the student should aim at a passive knowledge of these (after the meaning will be clear in context), plus an active use of the most common ones.

- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The important thing is to communicate. Most students find that they gain confidence in speaking after a few days, and are able in this way to activate their passive knowledge of the language.

- If you are held back by points of uncertainty about grammar, for example, ask your teacher(s) to explain them. Frequently, things which have been a mystery for decades can become clear in twenty minutes. Of course, there is a difference between understanding the correct form and always using it, but practice makes perfect.

- Naturally, constant revision is important, both during the course (with the help of homework exercises) and when students return home. Re-read notes, and take every opportunity to speak, read and listen to English. “Use it or lose it”, as they say. Even twenty minutes a day is vastly better.



Stephen Smith
OISE Oxford

Grab Some Grub in Oxford

Oxford is a lively city with many pubs, bars and restaurants to keep all the locals, students and tourists entertained. Sometimes when you're visiting a city for a short period of time, it's hard to know where to go. Of course, there are online reviews and guide books to point you in the right direction, but wouldn't it be nice to hear what the locals have to say? With this in mind, the OISE Oxford team have chosen three restaurants that they would recommend to all of Oxford’s beloved visitors.

Quod Brasserie

The Quod is conveniently located a very short stroll from OISE Oxford, along the High Street.  It is a popular meeting spot for lunch, afternoon tea, evening dinner and drinks.  It has a friendly, relaxed feel with attentive, smiley staff and the service is quick.  Thee menu choices are varied, though rather limited for vegetarians.  The scones for afternoon tea are just delicious and are a great British treat!  There is a terrace area to the back of the restaurant which is perfect for summer lunches, however as it is heated it can be a year round option for hardy diners!  


Pizzeria Verde

Trattoria Verde is a family-owned Italian restaurant on the Cowley Road situated in East Oxford. They serve excellent food and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I would recommend the Pasta Frutti di Mare (pasta with shell fish), not to mention the delicious selection of thin based pizzas on offer! There are also many other restaurants with cuisine from around the world, including Greek, Morrocan, Indian, Thai and Chinese. While this area of Oxford is not known for being the most historical or traditional, it is very multi cultural, has a lot of character and is home to the majority of Oxford's student population.


Jamie’s Italian

Jamie’s Italian, located in the restaurant hotspot of George St, is a relatively recent addition to Oxford’s food scene. Nevertheless its popularity is evident from the queues of people who can often be seen waiting for a table and its buzzing atmosphere. It is certainly a trendy place to eat with its industrial modern interior, graffitied brick walls and basement dining area. The menu, too, steers away from the traditional Italian staples, experimenting with fresh, new, seasonal dishes and wacky names. It is a little on the pricey side but there is a good choice, friendly service and in my view, it is worth paying a bit extra for the experience.

We are in “taint week”

Britain is currently in  “taint week”.  The in between bit between Christmas and New Year has been nicknamed by some the “taint week” – because t’ain’t one thing nor the other.

A typical week is on hold, with many British people enjoying a festive holiday.  For those who have returned back to work all is very quiet, with the majority of e-mails being sent receiving an 'out of office reply'.  It is a time to relax and enjoy the change in pace.  'This is a national deep breath, a communal duvet day, and a guilty pleasure that unites us all, whatever our religion. Unless, of course, you’re a shop assistant'.

A traditional activity/chore to complete between Christmas and the New Year is the 'thank you' letter, which has to include not only the initial 'thank you' for whatever Christmas gift, but also a thoughtful (and therefore rather difficult) paragraph which would make the reader feel valued.  Often, this letter writing task can be helped with a festive glass of sherry!

It is also a time for the brave and hardy swimmer to prepare for the New Year's dip.  Every year, thousands of Britons and people across the world take the plunge into coastal waters, rivers and lakes and in the case of the UK very icy waters.  Good luck to all who are going to take the plunge, don't forget your towel and maybe a hot water bottle...

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/christmas/9767609/The-week-that-unites-us-all-inone-long-deep-breath.html

Cycling to OISE

As it gets colder and darker cycling around can become increasingly an unattractive option to get around town.  Read Kit's blog post on his biking thoughts:

Recently I have fallen off my bike on black ice, had to walk up to the main road pushing the bike through snow, and got thoroughly wet from cycling through sleet and rain.... so why do I carry on coming to work on my not so trusty steed?  Well, read on....

My route is from Summertown, so I have the great advantage that it's pretty straight, and more importantly, dead flat. It's mostly along the Banbury Road. There is a kind of a cycle lane most of the way, but you have to take care when this lane suddenly gets wider as this means you are sharing with buses, and the buses have got more numerous and wider over the years. They also swoop in front of you to access their all-too-frequent bus stops. But actually if you allow a couple more minutes for the trip, you can avoid the Banbury Road and its ghastly buses altogether. There is a cycle track all the way to the University Parks from north of the Summertown shops, and then you can reach the High St through the relatively quiet science area. Speaking of Summertown though prompts me to add a note of caution: when they redid the shopping area a couple of years ago, the Council clearly forgot about bikes. When we complained, they didn't change the new layout and instead simply painted large cycle signs in the main carriageway. This means you can have great fun quite legally holding up all the traffic in the Banbury Road by cycling sedately along the middle of the road. As everybody always overtakes me anyway (despite the average age of North Oxford cyclists being seemingly about 89) I get more than my share of angry hoots whenever I try this.

There are other advantages for me too. Although there are lots of buses, by cycling I avoid a 5 minute walk to the bus stop, and another walk from Magdalen St to OISE.  I park my bike in the Covered Market, so it's pretty safe, and dry and right by the school. It's also convenient for use in the lunch hour; it's a bit far to take a sandwich in the Parks on a summer's day on foot, but using the bike I can park at the Keble gate and get in a spot of cricket too.

In short I can thoroughly recommend cycling to OISE. We've had students here for just a week who've really enjoyed the experience, hiring a bike from a city-centre bikeshop, or borrowing one from a host family.  OK, so we don't have cycle lanes like much of continental Europe, and unless you're from Japan, Thailand or Indonesia you've got to adjust to pedalling on the other side of the road. I suppose you also lose the chance of honing your conversational skills in negotiating your bus pass with the bus driver, but all of these drawbacks are minor compared with the joys of the independence of cycling. Just think - if you've got a bike you can use it at weekends too. Woodstock and Blenheim Palace, for instance, are close enough to get to even for an amateur cyclist.

Finally though you should remember that in the UK cyclists have to obey the traffic laws. You have to stop at red lights (although some of them seem pretty pointless, e.g. the lights between the Broad and George St), have bike lights at night, and not cycle along pavements; it's a good idea to wear a crash helmet too. 

Enjoy your cycling, and get fit too!

Author: Kit Villiers (OISE Oxford's specialist legal tutor)

Is it OK to lie to your children?

Even the most respectable parents have done it. When faced with a stroppy child who refuses to cooperate, nothing seems to work so effectively as a little white lie. Whether it’s threatening to leave them behind or dob them in to Father Christmas, a recent study of families in the United States and China has revealed that the overwhelming majority of parents lie to their children as a tactic to change their behaviour. But are we setting a good example?

According to a survey of 3000 parents commissioned by The Baby Website, the top 10 lies we tell our children are:

1. Father Christmas only comes to good little children (84%) 
2. Father Christmas only visits children who go to sleep (81%) 
3. Sitting too close to the TV makes your eyes go square (60%) 
4. Spinach makes you strong (48%) 
5. If you cross your eyes, the wind will change and they'll stay there (39%) 
6. An apple tree will grown in their tummies if they eat apple pips (27%) 
7. If children play with their privates too much, they will drop off (25%) 
8. The ice cream van only plays music to let children know it has run out of ice cream (22%) 
9. Eating crusts will put hair on your chest (22%) 
10.The police arrest children who swear (20%)

Whilst I am sure that most of us would not claim to have been permanently scarred by our parents’ fibs, the study, published in the International Journal of Psychology, raises the longer-term issue of the impact on families of such opportunistic approaches to the truth. It suggests it could influence family relationships as children get older and raises "important moral questions for parents about when, if ever, parental lying is justified". Are we simply teaching our children how to lie?

Sources: www.bbc.co.uk/news/education and www.dailymail.co.uk

Will the Americans soon be speaking British English?

Ginger, sell-by date, go missing and chat up are all 'Britishisms' that are increasingly being used in conversation by the Americans. While some argue that for non-British people to use these terms sounds completely absurd, there are a growing number of American citizens that are embracing this trend. Click on the graph below to see more examples of these 'Britishisms'.




'Kory Stamper, Associate Editor for Merriam-Webster, whose dictionaries are used by many American publishers and news organisations, agrees that more and more British words are entering the American vocabulary.

She sees this as clearly tied to the publication in the US of the first Harry Potter book. Dozens of words and phrases were changed for the American market, but ginger slipped through, as did snog (meaning "to kiss amorously") - though that has not proved so popular.

We are not seeing a radical change to the American language, says Jesse Sheidlower, American editor at large of the Oxford English Dictionary - rather a "very small, but noticeable" trend.

Bill Kretzschmar, professor of English at the University of Georgia, makes a similar point - that while the spike in use of some British terms may look dramatic, it is often because they are rising from a very low base. Most are used "very infrequently", he says.

And it is not so much the masses who use these terms, says Geoffrey Nunberg, as the educated elite. Journalists and other media types, like advertising agencies, are the worst offenders, in his view'

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19670686

Trip To The Pantomime?

For those of you who do not know what a pantomime is, it's a form of theatrical spectacle common in England during the Christmas season, generally adapted from a fairy tale and including stock character types who perform songs and dances, tell jokes, etc.  It is often referred to by the abbreviation 'panto'. Some of the more popular pantos include Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin, Dick Whittington and His Cat, Peter Pan and Cinderella.

If you haven't yet been to an English pantomime, it's definitely worth a go! The audience is primarily made up of families with young children, but the entertainment is for all ages. Typically they involve a lot of audience interaction and include frequent calls of "He's behind you!", "Oh, yes it is!" and "Oh, no it isn't!". The audience is always encouraged to boo the villain and "awww" the poor victims.

A healthy selection of pantos will be churned out across the UK this Christmas. The most popular place to see one in Oxford is at the Oxford Playhouse, and this year they will be showing Robin Hood. If you are interested and would like to find out more, click on the image below to be redirected to the website of the Oxford Playhouse.

Warming Beverages for the Weekend

As we get deeper into winter, it is natural to turn to warming drinks for comfort and cheer.  At this time of year the great British pub starts serving a super selection of warm drinks for the discerning punter.  My winter favourites include mulled wine, hot spiced cider and eggnog.  

Indeed, at the weekend to embrace the cold weather and as an offering to a Thanksgiving celebration I decided to make eggnog.  The result was rather mixed...  

Eggnog is a popular drink throughout the United States and Canada, and is usually associated with winter celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. 

The origins and the ingredients used to make the original eggnog drink are debated. Eggnog may have originated in East Anglia; or it may have simply developed from a medieval European beverage made with hot milk. The ‘nog’ part of its name may stem from the word noggin, a Middle English term for a small, carved wooden mug used to serve alcohol.  The British drink was also called an Egg Flip.  It was during the 18th century when the drink crossed the Atlantic to North America.

I somewhat followed a combination of two recipes.  It consisted of milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, brandy, rum, nutmeg and also many lumps – which were not included in the original ingredient list.  The lumps I thought added extra texture, but sadly were not to everyone’s taste.  For future attempts I will consider using a sieve.

This weekend I would recommend to all readers to make a warming beverage as the temperature is set to plummet.  Here is a very handy list provided by BBC Food.  At OISE Oxford, we look forward to hearing the results.

Have your Cake and Eat it!

Whilst British cakes may not have the world-renowned reputation of the French patisserie, they are nonetheless a delightful, and I would say essential, addition to the British diet. Not long ago we did a feature on the afternoon tea and no afternoon tea is complete without a good slice of cake to accompany a steaming cup of tea. As a huge cake fan myself (and I really would be huge if I ate all of the cakes in this blog post), I feel it is my duty to share the very best of British cakes with you so that you too can experience the pleasure of these delicious delicacies. Here are some of our favourites:

The Bakewell Tart (voted by Sam, our Client Manager)

I had the pleasure of visiting the birthplace of this specialty whilst visiting the quaint Derbyshire town of Bakewell, not far from my university in Sheffield. Mr Kipling put icing and a cherry on top of this shortcrust pastry treat, but the Bakewell pudding (a puff pastry and almond paste delicacy) is thought to have been made as a mistake by the cook of Derbyshire landlady Mrs Greaves who misunderstood her instructions.


The Scone (voted by Will, former Sales Executive)


A traditional choice, the humble scone is a must-try for anyone educating themselves in English specialties  Traditionally served topped with jam and clotted cream, the scone is of a bread-like consistency and originates from Scotland. Simple but tasty.



The Eccles Cake (my choice)

This lesser known treat is ram packed with flaky, buttery pastry and currants and can sometimes be topped with demerara sugar. It is named after the English town of Eccles in Manchester.





You may also like to try:- Victoria Sponge, Battenburg, Lemon Drizzle, a Chelsea bun, a Welsh cake or a Fondant Fancy.

Dig in!

Remember, Remember…

Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

If the British bonfire night traditions leave you stumped then hopefully this well-known 17th century rhyme will give you some clue as to what all the fuss is about.

On this night in 1605, Guy Fawkes and his cronies famously tried and failed to blow up the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder, putting the life of King James I in peril. As a result of this treason he was sentenced to the cruelest form of execution – being hung, drawn and quartered, and people commemorate the failed Gunpowder plot to this day.

The rather gruesome tradition of burning effigies of Guy Fawkes is gradually dying out but not so the fireworks displays and bonfires which will be taking place all over the country this week. So if you happen to be in Oxford this Saturday, why not join in the festivities and head down to South Parks where yet another spectacular fireworks display will be lighting up the Oxford skies? Gates open at 5pm.

'Take the biscuit'

OISE Oxford has a prime position in Oxford – nestled within the historic Covered Market. Our students have the opportunity to explore a whole host of unique shops and cafes, a particular favourite of ours being “Ben’s Cookies”. Crisp on the outside with delightfully soft and chewy middles, their cookies are a must-try for any peckish OISE student.

“Ben’s Cookies” have been making cookies since 1983.  The original store is in Oxford’s Covered Market where they still bake cookies every day. “Ben’s” was founded by Helge Rubinstein, author of The Chocolate Book and many other publications and an ardent chocoholic.

The cookies are sold by weight and can be bought individually or packaged in bags, boxes and tins, each bearing the logo created by Quentin Blake, the well known artist and first ever children’s laureate.  They make great Christmas presents for chocolate fans!

Ben’s Cookies currently has ten stores in the UK and a selection worldwide, which is perfect for certain students returning home.  On a recent visit to South Korea I met an OISE Oxford alumnus who said his favourite thing about Seoul was the “Ben’s Cookie” store in Gangnam!

How to be British

What are some typically British characteristics that make us who we are?

Telegraph:
'Talking and direct eye contact are banned on British public transport.The only acceptable activities are reading, listening to music and playing games on your smartphone. If you attempt to converse with someone on public transport in Britain, it will be interpreted as a request for money.'

Guardian:
'Ask a British person for a date, and they are more likely to hand you a dried fruit. British people do not date. They pull. This rather more ­violent verb conveys the more chaotic ­approach to romance than you might have known in your home country. The British method of coupling is as follows: go to a party, get extremely drunk, drunkenly kiss someone you have been making eyes at for some time but obviously never spoke to ­because you were sober then, go home with them, move in with them the next day, marry them.'

BBC:
'As any self-respecting Brit will tell you, there is not a lot that a cup of tea can't fix. Rough day at work? Put the kettle on. Broken heart? Pour yourself a cuppa. Alien invasion? You'll be ready for an apocalypse as soon as you've had your brew. But it's not all so straightforward. Choosing how to take your tea is a deceptively complex task - it's almost a political statement. Black with lemon immediately identifies you as a frequenter of Sloane Square, daaaaahling. Lots of milk and more than three sugars? You must be a builder - we'll assume you want a fry up on the side. If you take your char(coal) with minimal milk and maximum brewtime, we'll know you were born and bred up north, pet. Even new-fangled inventions such as camomile, peppermint and dandelion tea have their place in society (among new age hippies). The British relationship with tea is so important that employers have traditionally allowed their staff tea breaks to enjoy some alone time with their beverage of choice. We even have a mealtime named after it. So you see, tea is more than a drink to us Brits - it's a way of life. Phew, I'm feeling rather emotional after that - now, where's my mug?'




How would you describe a typical British person?

Mind your P’s and Queues

Whether it’s waiting at the bus stop, a shop counter or a public toilet, no visitor to Britain could fail to notice this much-loved British habit in action. The ability to form an orderly line is a must for anyone who aspires to live harmoniously among the Brits.

Lest you wish to seriously rile your fellow queuers, queuing etiquette must be observed at all times. Woe betide anyone who commits the heinous crime of queue-jumping or pushing in.

According to researchers at The Telegraph, we Brits spend 6 months of our life queuing. After discussing the weather, a fascination with queuing is our second most popular national trait. But why the obsession?

It is thought that this habit dates back to the days of rationing in the long years during and after the war, when queuing effectively meant the difference between an empty plate and a plate filled with the delights of powdered egg and leaden bread.

So next time you’re in a queue, swallow your frustration and while away the minutes contemplating the cultural heritage of this most British of traits.

Life After OISE Oxford

As I approach the final 3 hours of my time at OISE Oxford, life over the last year and a half goes whizzing before my eyes. From the Monday morning 8:40am presentations, to Friday's farewell drinks and nibbles, from summer punting, to the legendary historical pub crawls.

Things I will miss:

1. Colleagues
I will miss them all, the teachers and the admin staff on floor C. I will be reading this blog on a regular basis to keep up with what is going on. Weather articles from Sam, food related blog posts from Jo and of course Kit's predominantly Oxford related posts. 

2. Students
They are great. Not only as people but as English language learners. I have seen students that when they first arrive can hardly string more than three words together, and then to hear them confidently chatting away after only a few weeks is amazing.

I will be off to run a pub in the centre of Oxford called the Duke's Cut. According to Google maps, it is 8 minutes walk from OISE Oxford. There's a lovely terraced area looking on to the canal, great home made food, and we will also be showing live national/international football along with other sports. It would be great to see you there.

Goodbye and good luck all!

Will

The cost of living in the UK

Is the UK is a very expensive place to visit? Of course, there are many ways to splash the cash if that's what you want to do, but compared with most European countries, I would argue that it is really not that bad.

Today the BBC released 7 questions on the cost of living, ranging from the average cost of staple foods to the price of a pint of beer. Some of our international readers might find it particularly interesting. Click on the image below to read more: