Life at Bellerbys College

The 2010 London and New Year Experience

Posted By Bushra

Asalam-o-alikum fellows!  Life is simply full of astonishing surprises which turn into unforgettable experiences and memories that engrave in our brains. Recently, I visited London with my siblings for a very obvious reason and that is New Year Eve. The way London celebrates the New Year is difficult to explain and simply out of one's imagination boundries. 

My New Year's Eve Experience

New Year is the time when everyone in the world forgets the past and welcomes the upcoming year in which everyone plans and wishes to do well.  This is the major event of year which is celebrated in every corner of the world.  I have also celebrated many of the new year experiences but this was the first time that I celebrated the upcoming year in the United Kingdom and in one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world, the great London.

Every year in England people gather to celebrate New Year.  Although it is also celebrated nationwide, most of all it is celebrated by the great London Eye venue, near the beautiful view of River Thames. The clear sky, the shining stars and crystal reflection of the river and the beautiful crowd from different nation decent upon a single place to welcome the New Year and make it a glory. People gather to see the great fireworks in order to show the love and affection for the up coming time.

   

On this big day I went with my friends and family to celebrate this great night and share my experience with everyone - the glittering London Eye, the shining River Thames, beautiful Parliament House, the big clock and, of course, people enjoying, dancing, counting every single second of the time to welcome the New Year. I was standing few yards away from the great London Eye and, believe me, the view was breathtaking, this kind of sight I had never before seen in my life.

   

I waited anxiously for the time to past by but it seemed that everything had stopped and was waiting for 2010 to come, even the time, even the great clock, even the wind, and over 200,000 people just staring at the beautiful scene. I saw many students who were at the centre of the spectacular New Year celebrations in London.

  

This all was also being covered by the great news channels like the BBC. Soon an announcement was made that we have 10 minutes left until 12pm and a huge roar came up from the group of youngsters and elder.  Soon a countdown began from ten to one and everyone shouted to greet 2010 ‘Happy New Year!’ and the fireworks started.

The display lasted for about 8 minutes and the sky was as bright as sun.  Soon afterwards, the first blessing of the New Year came - it started to snow!  This made the view even more remarkable and memorable.

    
 

Bushra is studying Law Foundation at Bellerbys College Oxford.

Exams and Christmas in Oxford!

Posted by Bushra

Asalam-o-alikum and sorry fellows.....,but what to do, friends???  I was so happy and excited that I literally forgot to share my emotions with my buddies out there, that how I felt to be done with my first term exam on the 5th of December 2009..... How I felt, knowing that ahead, no studies for a month, can u imagine ???   A month absolutely without academic pressures and constraints....... Knowing that the term break was to be full of outstanding events such as; Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year.... and I will be able to enjoy and celebrate all of them not only with myself but also with my family members, who enhanced my celebrations a thousand times by coming to UK from Pakistan, and to let you know, just for me!

Hey, don't get me wrong fellows when I say, NO MORE STUDIES....... It happens that many people take it negatively and create false impressions regarding studies, let me tell you what I meant, "when anything starts, and become consistent for a sufficient amount of time, is challenging, there are three groups of people connected to this statement.  Firstly, those who do not even dare to accept the challenge keeping in mind the fear of defeat, secondly, those who convince their hearts to accept, but lose, comparetively better, and finally those who bravely and confidently accept, keep working for it, never give up and ultimately win it and that's what I did by getting over my term exams successfully.  My heart yelled, YES, I DID IT, I WON, I WON THE CHALLENGE......but this did not happen so easily :P

The clock was ticking at the last minute, it was the Politics exam, I was writing the last word, my mind was full of energies, enjoyment, plans and much more that resulted in a very annoying moment which was the development of friction between my pen and paper to an extent which made me feel that I will never be able to finish it!  But I knew that I had accepted a challenge not to lose, but to win it, so I did it, and went straight up from 1b ( the exam room) where my teacher was.  Unfortunately he was engaged with an other class, even though I could not wait, I put my face against the window to just let him know that I DID IT..... as soon as he looked at the window , he understood and in no time and came out of the class to greet me, WELL DONE BUSHRA........ I cannot explain how satisfying those two words were for me!

Hmmm...... now was the time to plan and sequence what was bubbling into my mind.  First I decided to explore Oxford which I had tried to do since I started my term but due to my schedule, it seemed to be very difficult to spare time for recreation.  But it was highly unfair to explore and view the historic,old, beautiful and architectural buildings, parks, colleges, sites and lots more in only one day, because the very next day I had to go to Luton where my family was gathering and I wanted to see each and every site of Oxford.  So, I postponed this plan until I get the opportunity to view this beautiful and fasinating city.  So, in order not to waste the day I called my friends to celebrate the end of term and we planed to go to a pub named Copper, a small but lovely one.

     
  
It felt great to see so many people with only one feeling at that time, that is, ENJOYMENT.  No matter in what way they do it, some show it in a funny way, others do it soberly, many just do nothing except gossips, chit chats, looking around and observing others, relax as well as rock with the beat of music and I guess me and my friends fall in the third category, because that was the first time I, as a Muslim, stepped into a pub and tell you wha, it was great.  It was a totally new and wonderful experience for me.

The very next morning, as planed, my brother came to take me to Luton.  I was happy and highly excited that I am going to see my family.  It takes around 50 minutes from Oxford to Luton but it felt like the time has stopped.  Those 50 minutes were like never ending, I diverted my attention to the journey which was full of beautiful scenery and finally, there I was, in Luton.

Bushra is studying Law Foundation at Bellerbys Oxford.

Half-Term Break in Paris

Posted by Maggie

Friday

5AM, London

My friend Elena and I dragged our luggage to the Eurostar departure hall at St. Pancras station with much enthusiasm.  In this wee hour, there were already numerous people at the station, waiting to board the train from London to Paris.  Some were older men and women who looked tired; some were younger children with their parents, running around with excitement; some were students traveling on their own and some were friends, traveling together to the city of love.

The train left the station at 5.25am, right on time.  Elena and I decided to watch "Paris, Je T'aime" but we fell asleep 20 minutes into the movie.  When we woke up to the voice of the captain, speaking both in French and English, we found ourselves staring at the fields of Paris.  As the train came to a halt at Gare du Nord, we jumped up and out onto the platform.  We couldn't believe we were in Paris!

 

8.30AM, Paris

It was a rather gloomy morning but that did not dampen our mood.  We grabbed a cab and went to check in at our hotel, Novotel in Gare du Lyon.  But our room wasn't ready yet so we left our luggage at the hotel and took the metro to Rivoli to visit the Louvre.

Before we went in, we ate some baguette and drank some cafe au lait at Cafe Marly - a cafe situated in front of the Louvre.  We laughed at the synonym between French pigeons and French men (how they're both extremely gorgeous and greedy) while enjoyed the great sight of the Louvre.  After visiting the Louvre, which house many great art pieces and crafts including Mona Lisa, we went back to the hotel to take a shower.  By the way, it was free admission for us because we're students!  How awesome is that?

4PM, Paris

I took an hour long nap before we went out again.  We were starving again so I brought Elena to my favorite restaurant in the world - Allard.  It is a French-cuisine restaurant located close to St. Michel metro station where the entrance is situated right in front of the kitchen.  Its cosy and homely feel appeals to most visitors and don't even get me started on the food.

First, we ordered escargots (snails) with garlic sauce. Then we had some duck foie gras with bread.  For our main course, we shared the boeuf au carrotes - beef with carrots stew.  We gobbled up everything and washed everything down with a very fine bottle of wine.  To top it off, we nibbled on some tarte tatin - apple puree tart.

We left Allard with much satisfaction and proceeded to walk to Champs Elysee - the main street in Paris with branded stores, bars and restaurants.  It's close to the Arc du Triomphe where Napoleon marched his victorious soldiers.

On our way there, we sang and danced on Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris and met lots of people on the street.  We were invited to a million parties but an hour later, we found ourselves listening to a Mediterranean band on a bridge.  Many teenagers and youngsters lounged about on the bridge with their guitars and beer.

It's a lovely atmosphere.  Some guys started asking us to dance with them so we just let go of our inhibitions and started dancing!  We had an amazing time, with this awesome buzz in our heads even after we left the bridge and continued to trek to Champs Elysee

One thing that I absolutely adore is the fact that Sephora is open till 1am.  We did some late night cosmetics/skin care shopping and then went to Monte Cristo Cafe for some late night tea and shisha.  This is when something totally crazy happened: I met a friend from Harvard Summer School just randomly on the street!  I mean, what are the chances?!  We talked to each other for a while and he was on his way to meet his friends, so we parted ways.  It was a shock.  A good shock.  On this fall night in Paris, my memories of Harvard Summer School resurfaced and took hold of me.  I miss that place.

 

Saturday

11AM, Paris

We woke up, fresh-faced and ready for another day of adventure.  After grabbing a quick lunch at a cafe outside of our hotel slash the Gare du Lyon train station called Les Deux Savoiles, (mouth-watering club sandwiches!) I wanted to show Elena my favorite hang out spot in Paris - St Germain des Pres.  There were American performers on the street right outside of the metro and we chilled there for a bit before heading to the Catacombs to meet some of my friends.  It's Halloween!

When we arrived at the metro close to the Catacombs, my Parisian friends told me that it was closed due to vandalism!  So instead, we went shopping around Centre Pompidou.  We made some trips to the tabaq.  They are shops that sell cigarettes, lottery tickets and beer.  We wanted to track down some vanilla-flavoured pink cigarettes that you can only get in Paris.

5PM, Paris

It was time to replenish our systems.  Everybody chipped in 5 Euros and we bought buckets and buckets of KFC fried chicken! (The irony)  We brought those chickens back to one of my friends' flat in the 16th arrondissement and stayed there for a couple of hours.  Elena and I decided to return to our hotel so we bid our goodbyes and thanks and left.

By the time we reached our hotel, Elena was tired and told me she wanted to sleep but I still had an enormous amount of energy so I went back to Champs Elysee and saw a French movie without any subtitles!  I understood parts of it, like how the dad had an affair with his son's teacher and when they were about to elope, the dad returned to his family.  Hmm. Interesting.  I wonder what's the moral lesson behind the story.

     

Still feeling restless, I wandered the streets of Paris, spotting 10 million different kinds of costumes.  Some people started speaking to me in French, and I actually understood what they were saying thanks to my weekly French lessons taken at Bellerbys!   I communicated with cab drivers, shop keepers, waiters and strangers.  Of course, it's just basic French but at least when the cab driver asked me if it was "froid?" (French for "cold?"), I said "oui, tres froid!" (French for "yes, very cold!")

For some late night snacks on my way back to the hotel, I bought myself some banana and chocolate crepes!  So delicious.  Makes me crave for some now, yum.

Sunday

Noon, Paris

Sitting in the Volkswagen taxi, Elena and I felt unwilling to leave Paris. It's such a beautiful city, filled with lots of beautiful people and things.  But school awaited us on Monday and the most important thing now is to get into good universities.  So we boarded the Eurostar train and we were homebound... 

Lessons learned dans Paris:

1. Do all your errands from Mon-Sat because nothing operates on Sunday.
2. Don't apologize on the metro, it's simply unnecessary.  It's the metro, you're bound to bump into people!
3. Wear flat shoes at all times.
4. Just be yourself, don't take things too seriously and you'll have fun!  The French may be blunt but are actually very nice people.
5. Start all conversations with bonjour/bonsoir.
6. Give money to street performers.
7. Expect people to flirt with you (and enjoy it!) 
8. Expect nothing.

Have an amazing day!

Maggie studies A Levels at Bellerbys College London.

At Last....... Me And My Dream Place!!!!!

Posted By Bushra

"Asalam-o-alikum" everybody, I can not express how excited I am to be a blogger for Bellerbys, as I am going to experience this designation for the first time and look forward to enjoy it.  Oh... see I proved my excitement as I forgot to mention the meaning of my two introductory words, never mind, it happens.  Well, these two connecting words belong to Arabic language which means, Peace Be Upon You.  I, as a Muslim and all the other people of the same religion greet each other in the same way.  To simplify, it's to say hello in a different language.

So, as soon as was appointed a student blogger, I immediately started stretching my imagination boundaries on a canvas which included political issues, latest technologies, current affairs, controversial aspects, etcetera etcetera.....then suddenly I turned off my think tank and switched on my common sense.  Within no time a fundamental question popped up on to my mind which was, how about INTRODUCING MYSELF IN THE FIRST PLACE??????

I laughed at myself and eventually got embarrassed as well, I hope that you could very well imagine why?  Sometimes, when you are gifted with something which you never expected and you don't even want to think of losing it, you start putting too much effort into it without realizing that even fewer could do, ignore something which you believe to be least important and that in fact turns out to be the heart of the matter. So, lesson learnt is that it's good to keep your eyes on the prize, but you surely won't get it if you would not keep in mind losing it as well...

Anyways, lets get started...  I am Bushra Malik, from the country of Pakistan, city of Karachi and province of Sindh.  I did my matriculation from Pioneers Cadet Academy, Hyderabad, Pakistan and scored 87%. I passed my intermidiate exams from Bahria College Karsaz, Karachi, Pakistan and achieved 76%.

 
 
Following this, I entered into my professional life as a medical student.  I was doing great in my academics but there was something I realised that was not perfect, something unsatisfactory and something was pinching me inside that this is not was I wanted to do or what I wanted to get into, that this is not what I was destined for...  With this in view I kept on thinking until I finally reached the pin point and got the answer.

As for my opinion and experience, Observation, Thinking, Analysis and finally Conclusion, are the four key aspects, if not part of an individual’s mental capabilities and are not exercised in the current era, which is extremely complex, competitive and unpredictable, then he or she will never be able to taste the original flavour of life they had been living, will be unfortunate in understanding the bits of it, will always remain in the grip of confusion and unsatisfaction.

    
 
To simplify, they would never get to know what they want from life, what is it, which seems to be unsuitable, unjustified and unacceptable according to them, how could it be ramified and lastly, what is the utmost that one can do in order to resolve highly obscure issues, justify the unjust and over all, put wrong things right and make right things perfect.  Therefore, organiszation, self factuallisation, broad vision, team work, analysing and thinking about a matter beyond facts have become mandatory in order to live as an acceptable member of a society.

The crux of the matter is that, according to the inspiration I got from these undeniable facts as well as two of the shining stars of my country, first, Barrister Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Founder Of Pakistan) and Barrister Choudry Aitizaz Ahsan, who commands respect and a well known Law professional internationally, I can, beyond any reasonable doubts, mention that, Law is the only profession which could show a silver lining in the clouds, which provides the opportunity to become commandant of the above mentioned skills and which could give me a chance to show my existence and make my life meaningful.

 
 

Besides my keen interest in learning pure law, I would also like to engage myself in social and legal structures that underpin our society, in other words, Communication and Culture, as I consider them the essential founding elements of any successful society.  As we know that the developing countries struggle to create robust economies and higher standards of living, it is clear that the Rule of Law is essential to this effort.

Countries such as Poland, which have concentrated on maintaining strong legal institutions and demonstrated more economic and political stability, are more successful than those who have ignored the vital Rule of Law in building and maintaining the society, unfortunately, my own country, Pakistan.  Hence, I would like to clarify my interest by providing a good theoretical and research base that Law and Society programme is the best link provider between the two.

   
 

During this programme, I would be able to gain an excellent exposure to political, legal and social concepts, laws and statutes, public advocacy documents, public debates about socio-legal issues, statistical and legal research studies and finally, court and tribunal decisions.

A part from the academic view of my life, I see my capabilities being drawn on a much bigger canvas.  I understand that besides being passionate academically, one should value the entertainments blessed in life in order to keep exploring what he or she is treasured with.  Keeping this in view, I will fail in my obligations to myself if I do not make a mention what kind of a blend I am made of.

Nothing gives me more pleasure in this life than helping creatures and facing challenges.  Three small memorable incidents in my life will suffice.  One, I instantly jumped and saved the life of a small child, who slipped out of the hands of his mother into the deep waters of a swimming pool.

Two, during the excursion trip to the snow-bound Northern areas of Pakistan, while I was accompanying my father who was serving in Pakistan Army as Colonel, we observed a poor boy, fourteen years old, burnt to third degree due to busting of an oil stove.  My father asked me to carry him back to the Combine Military Hospital approximately 150 km away from the sight of incident.  I felt so proud once when that child came running out of the hospital and welcomed me when I went to see him after six months of safely dropping him into the hospital.

Thre, during my vacation holidays in 2007, I got a chance to visit Austria Vienna, the only thing which appeared to be most sensational to me was jumping from a tower 502 m high, known as bungee jump, and I did it. However, as far as my routine life is concerned, I like cooking, listening to soft music, reading, sporting and gym.

To conclude, a person blended of all above in my shape, made it to Bellerbys College Oxford to attain knowledge of protecting the innocent and holding responsible those who does wrongs to humanity “The Law” from age old institutions of Great Britain and be a productive and useful  member of global human society.

Say Hello To New Bellerbys Oxford Blogger, Bushra!

We are delighted to have signed up a new student blogger to represent Bellerbys College Oxford.

Say hello to Bushra Malik from Karachi, Pakistan. 

Bushra joined us this September to study Law Foundation at Bellerbys Oxford.  She also hopes to go on to study the subject at university.

Bushra hasn't quite decided which university she'd like to study at but has her eye on Warwick, Oxford Brookes, Exeter and Sussex at the moment.

Outside of the classroom, her hobbies include reading (novels, newspapers and magazines), taking part in sports and going to the gym.

Visit the blog again soon to read her first post about settling in to life studying Law Foundation at Bellerby Oxford.

Gigs & Concerts in Londontown

Posted by Maggie

One of the many fabulous reasons for living in London is the fact that there are countless concerts and gigs happening right in the middle of this city every single passing day.

1. Coldplay

Since I'm an Oxfam Outreach volunteer, I managed to score myself a free ticket to Coldplay earlier this term. The concert was held in Wembley Arena and we were in the standing area which was roofless. There were a vast amount of concert-goers, filling in all the seats and ground area. I was squeezed somewhere in the middle of the standing area with my fellow Oxfam volunteers. Chris Martin walked onto the stage, grabbed the microphone and started addressing the audience. Roars of applause went up into the air! I vividly remember when they played "Fix You", it was POURING rain and everybody got wet! Then, Chris said, "Hello, London in the rain!".  I'm not sure what it was, perhaps it was the combination of both the ethereal sound and the spirit of the audience, but I experienced a moment of epiphany standing amongst the crowd that night.  My pores were open and gasping for air.  The music flowed through the crowd and it felt so damn good. 

They played their classic songs like "Yellow", "Sparks" and "Viva La Vida", then some of their new songs. All in all, it was an amazing concert, mostly owing to Chris Martin's charisma on stage and the rain coming down on the perfect time.

Rating: 4/5

2. Beyonce

In June, I went to Beyonce's "I Am..." concert at the O2 with some friends from college.  While waiting for her to go on stage, we bought some beer and waited eagerly.  Suddenly, the lights dimmed and the music started blaring through the speakers and we saw Beyonce stormed onto the stage! 

She looked absolutely stunning that night.  There were at least 10 different costumes that she changed into that night, all designed by Thierry Muggler, a world-renowned designer.  She performed all the older hits that made her Beyonce including "Crazy In Love" and "Naughty Girl".  In addition, her new singles such as "Halo", "If I Were A Boy" and "Single Ladies" were greatly enjoyed by us on that night too.

The stage, the light and sound effects, the hot back-up dancers, her outrageously gorgeous costumes, Beyonce herself, (and maybe the beer) contributed to this unforgettable performance at O2 on that June night.  My friends and I were dancing and shaking our bootays all night.  We had such a blast.  Definitely recommended!  (And I can't believe I saw Beyonce in real life!)

Note: It's quite a feminist show.  She kept saying, "To all my ladies out there..." without acknowledging the male audience!

Rating: 4.5/5

3. Kaiser Chiefs

Hails from Leeds, this British band put on quite a good show at Wembley Arena earlier this year.  To be honest, I wasn't that big of a Kaiser Chiefs fan prior to the gig.  I only went along because I was volunteering for Oxfam and it's free entrance so I thought, why not?  

We sat very close to the stage but next to the blaring speakers.  However, I didn't mind it so much after a while, as I found myself swaying to the beat of their songs and actually liking them a lot!  Their music is super catchy and on my way home, a bunch of teenagers were still singing their songs on the Jubilee line.  Thank God, I got off at Canada Water and not Stratford.

Rating: 3/5

4. Ben Harper & Relentless 7

A relatively small gig held at the Forum, Ben Harper and his gang wowed us all.  I first heard about Ben in Canada and he's huge on the west coast.  His apparent laid-back style (dreadlocks) and pure talent convinced me to attend his concert in London.  My friend and I got tickets to the standing area and we stood quite close to the stage.  I saw him clearly (even though I had to dodge left and right to see him as this very tall man stood in front of me) and his music was absolutely fantastic.  We rocked to tracks that were bluesy, american folksy and just good ol rock!  Ben likes to mix interesting sounds in his music so it's always interesting to listen to his stuff. Not to mention, his lyrics often resemble some sort of pun.  For example, 

"I'm not sure what worries me more.

The fact that I'm talking to a wall

Or that the wall keeps answering me"

All in all, the gig was satisfying and we went home with huge grins on our faces, repeating his songs after songs.

Rating: 3.5/5

5. Nouvelle Vague

A recent gig that I went to was Nouvelle Vague at the Roundhouse in Camden.  It is a French band that plays mostly renditions of older songs with a bossa nova style.  I was lucky to be able to stand right in front of the stage.  I could see everything perfectly.

The band's lead singer, a sassy blond girl, put on a rather crazy (in a good way) show!  She splattered water all over the audience and many people got hit (including me - my hair was wet!)  But the music was wonderful!  We were all singing, screaming, and dancing. 

Melanie Pain opened the show for them and she is in fact, an ex member of Nouvelle Vague.  She has a unique voice and that captivated the audience at the beginning when she had nothing but her voice and a guitar.  Later on in the show, she joined the band and sang with them.

I adored the "Frenchness" of the performance (they spoke French at some point) and the energy they exuded.  I had a good time and would definitely want to see them again in the future.

Rating: 4/5

Lastly, to anyone who's reading this post, may your mind always be open, your heart always be full, and your life always be filled with wonder and adventure.

Love,

Maggie

Wrapping Up September, Welcoming October

Posted by Maggie

As the last trace of summer breeze disappear, autumn wind dawns on us.  School is in session and students are busy assessing questions.  New kids keep showing up everywhere, in French and Spanish lessons after school; debating society; Student's Union meetings and various social activities.  I'm quite impressed with their keen participation in school.  Most of them are exploring London on the weekends and some, even on weekdays!  I can't help but feel a wave of nostalgia cascade over me now...  I still remember my first year here at Bellerbys London.  I was so excited and everything was fresh.  New friends, new environment, new teachers, new culture.  How I long for those days.

But to be honest, I'm much more content with myself this year.  I've found peace in so many aspects of my life.  School life, personal life and even my domestic life (my room).  I actually enjoy studying this year (no joke!) and I have more time put aside to study.

Firstly, I only have three A2 subjects instead of four like last year.  Secondly, I'm not too preoccupied with wanting to visit every single attraction in London which by the way, is one of the best thing about London cause there are just so many amazing places to visit!  I'm so grateful that I live in this magnificent city - a world capital, where diversity prospers.

In regard to my personal life, I'm now enjoying the bliss of having a closely knitted group of friends unlike the beginning of first year, where everyone experimented with different cliques.  Lastly, I live in L block now so my room is bigger!  Which is always a bonus.  I really appreciate the extra legroom while I do my homework.

So what have I done over the past two weeks?  Apart from going to school, I got a hair cut and dyed my hair!  Nothing dramatic though so don't get excited.  My friend and I went to Sanrizz, a famous salon chain in London.  We went to both Grovesnor House and Covent Garden salons cause they didn't have anyone who could do rebonding for my friend - a permanent hair straightening process - at Covent Garden.  So while I waited for five hours for my friend, I went out for a stroll around the Mayfair area.  I think I fell a little bit more in love with London.  The streets are just gorgeous, and the people are so stylish! 

Not to mention, while my friends and I worked out at our gym in Canary Wharf, we noticed Jamie Oliver's new restaurant called Jamie's Italian!  Without a doubt, we went there afterwards to reward ourselves with our hard work at the gym earlier.

We ordered four plates of pasta - two plates of sausage pappardelle (TO DIE FOR!), a plate of Carbonara and a plate of Bolognese.  We also shared a plate of salad with yoghurt.  Then, another friend of mine came and ordered Lamb Lollipops (ANOTHER DISH TO DIE FOR!) which were basically lamb shanks.  The only thing is, the portions of the dishes were slightly smaller than the usual portion we get served here in London.  But considering how affordable it was, (the bill came up to a total of 80 pounds including tax for the four of us) we were willing to overlook that fact.

Anyway, if we're still hungry, we could always order dessert which we did!  We had a tiramisu, a cup of latte, an orange tart and vanilla ice-cream with espresso!  On top of that, we ordered three glasses of bellinis and a glass of cranberry juice!  So I'd say 80 pounds is a pretty good bargain for us students who would like to dine out at a relaxed and hip setting with very yummy food.

Well, it's almost 1 am now.  I should be getting to bed.  Economics class awaits me tomorrow at 9.30 am. Good night!

Love,

Maggie

The New Beginning

Posted by Ksenia

In all those posts that I wrote during the holiday I mentioned lots of great things which made this summer special (I firmly believe that every summer is special in its own way) – trips to Tunisia and Ukraine, searching for a flat in London, friends, family, some free time for my hobbies (finally!) - but one thing was absent from this blog and at the same time always on my mind – the 20th of August, The Day of Release of A-Level Results, The Big Day that was the aim of all the lessons, practicals, homework and tests, revising till complete exhaustion and endless patience of our teachers.

I did not want to talk or think and even would not dear to write about it.  On the 19th one of my friends wrote that whatever will happen the next day we will face it with dignity and regard it as destiny.  There was nothing we could do; and I was absolutely agree with her.

When I saw in my mail box a letter with a title “Congratulations from Imperial College!” the first thing I felt was an enormous relief: I’ve done it, it’s over, I do not have to worry about it any longer.  Then it was a feeling of absolute happiness and I just had to share it with someone – I run towards my mum crying out loud: “I got in! I got in!” and gave her a very strong hug.  Then I ran back to my computer to see the actual results on the Edexcel website and check UCAS – I could not believe that my dream has come true until I saw the official confirmation.  (Ksenia achieved an amazing six A Levels at grade A!)

Once I’ve check those two out I went straight to Facebook and Vkontakte to put “Hurrah!!!!” in my status and see how everybody else did.  My happiness was not fully complete till I realized that all my friends got in where they wanted to.  For the rest of the day we were all sending and receiving congratulations, speaking with friends and relatives over the phone and sharing our happiness with those who were next to us.  It was a great day and it was really worth the waiting.

The next big thing was to get the Visa and it's not as easy as it may seem.  I needed to receive an original Visa letter from university and the transcript of my results from Bellerbys.  At first I was just waiting patiently trying to familiarize myself with the thought (a very pleasant one) that I am a new Imperial College student.  But then I started getting a bit worried.  The visa letter should had been sent to Brighton and then sent to me by DHL but a week had passed and still did not receive anything.  Nevertheless one thing was comforting me – I knew that in my college there are people who care about me and my documents and will always be there if I need help and advice.

Here I want to thank again Ms Paula Pocock who helped me enormously in this situation – she was replying straightaway to my endless letters, answering my questions and sending me by email, post or DHL every single thing that I asked for.  While Paula was away Mr. Corcut himself (an extra busy person as I have already said) did everything to help me as well.  And after a few calls to Imperial and one more week of waiting I received all the documents and applied for my visa.

Two weeks and one day latter (seemed to be the same for all my friends who were doing their applications in Russia) I could go to the Embassy to collect my passport.  When I was flipping over its pages it felt a little bit like when I was opening my mail box on the 20th of August.  When I saw the Visa it seemed to me the most beautiful piece of art I have ever seen in my life.  Then everything was really over and the new life was about to start.

Now I just have to pack my stuff and catch a plane to London.  So how do I feel?  I guess that a line from one of the famous songs by Garbage would describe it better then my own words: “I feel ready and yet unprepared…”  So now it’s time to say goodbye to this blog.  But do not think that you will get rid of me that easily!  Nothing can tear me and Bellerbys College apart (I hope everybody understands that it’s a joke or maybe I got too used to English humour eventually?) so I will continue writing in the Life after Bellerbys College blog.

Hope that you will be following my adventures in the Greater London and wherever else in the world and I will try my best to make them fun to read!  Once again I want to congratulate all the Bellerbys graduates who got into the universities of their dreams and wish all the present and future students of our college to do the same thing.  Good luck everyone and let’s have a great year!

Hitting The Restart Button - Back To College After A Summer in America

Posted by Maggie

I hope you haven't missed me too much.  I've just recently returned to London and I've never been this busy, ever, in my life.  College applications, writing personal statement, reading ahead for classes, running around getting all the necessities needed for a new school year, settling into a new room, catching up with old friends, meeting new students, trying to attend extracurricular activities, completing homework assigned, going to the gym, lending a hand at Oxfam outreach events, and planning my 18th birthday trip to Paris - enough to keep me fully occupied, if not, completely overwhelmed.

This is the time to hit the restart button.  September, when summer comes to an end, and fall takes over.  But before we hit the restart button, launching a whole new year, full of obstacles, opportunities, joys, challenges, and ups and downs, let's rewind time and I'll tell you more about my summer in America.

*

After I left London in June, I spent a week in New York City, discovering and taking advantages of what the city has to offer.  One of the nicest things about Manhattan is the fact that it is a walking city, like London for the most part.  The moment I touched down, I bought an unlimited travel pass that could be used for subway, overground, trains and buses for a week at $25 only! 

   

Not to mention, New York's subway does not sleep, like the city.  It runs 24 hours a day.  The first few days in the Big Apple, I walked around Times Square, Garment District, Upper West Side, 5th Avenue and Midtown; visiting the American Museum of Natural History, going to psychics, meeting random people in Starbucks, getting an American number, tracking down places with free Wi-Fi, sitting on the steps of New York Public Library devouring hamburgers and pretzels, participating in the walking tours of both Columbia University and NYU, bumping into the film set where Robert Pattinson was filming, watching films at Bryant Park Summer Film Festival and fell absolutely in love with NYC somewhere between the lines.

It seemed apparent that people simply meet new people on every corner of the city.  You could be a friend of the stranger who's lining up in front of you at CVS.  Everyone was open to new experiences and they were very helpful to the tourists, contrary to popular beliefs.  New Yorkers are not bitchy.  At least not in the summer.

   

For the second half of the week, I based myself in Greenwich Village, Union Square, Lower East Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, Wall Street and even Staten Island!  Yes, I took the free ferry ride to Staten Island after visiting Ground Zero.  It felt so strange, imagining planes crashing into the buildings that used to be right next to where I was standing.  I wonder how different this part of Manhattan might have looked today if 9/11 never happened.  Anyway, out of goodwill, I bought a magazine about the history of 9/11 on site whose profits will then go into the construction of new buildings around the area.

   

I saw the Statue of Liberty on my ferry ride to Staten Island.  I tried to envisage the immigrants moving into the Land of Freedom some 200 years ago, crossing the same path I crossed.  They were so brave, leaving everything behind at home, and travelled across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, just so they could have a better life or in the earlier cases, in search of religious freedom.   

On the last day of my trip to New York, I further explored 5th Avenue.  I booked myself a hair appointment at the John Barrett Salon on the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodman.  After leaving the salon feeling fabulous, I proceeded to the shopping floors and did some market research aka window shopping.  Well, not exactly. I tried some stuff on.  And bought some harmless things.  Hey, I'm only a girl!

   

I had a wonderful time in the city.  I'm considering living in Manhattan in the future.  The city is so amazing that they named it twice - New York, New York - I love you.  And I will be back for you.

After bidding the city goodbye reluctantly, I hopped on the Greyhound and I was Harvard-bound.  Yes, I was heading to Harvard to do a summer session there.  I was in the Secondary School Program (SSP) and took two courses - Journalism and Intro to Capital Markets and Investments. 

If anyone of you is thinking of signing up for Harvard Summer School, then I would highly recommend you to do so, because I had one of the best summers of my life there.  Seriously.  The university campus is situated in a nice spiffy little town called Cambridge.  It is about 15 minutes tube ride away from downtown Boston.  Cambridge has everything one needs.  Boutiques, Aldo, bookstores, kebab shops, J.P Licks (ice cream!), Starbucks, and Urban Outfitters!  Oh, I fell madly in love with Urban Outfitters.  They have these lovely Polaroid cameras, pillows, notebooks, shoes, and decorative objects for one's room!

 

   

The first couple of weeks at Harvard, I was trying to get to know different people.  The Summer School invited an array of multinational students from all around the globe.  One of my closest friends there this summer hails from Kenya and couple others from Hawaii, Greece, Brazil, Long Island, Singapore, Colorado, Nigeria, Spain, New Jersey, Paris, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico City and believe it or not, London!  In fact, one of the most bizarre incidents occurred to me there.  I actually met this Brazilian guy who went to Embassy London (Bellerbys partner college for students who want to study English) the same time I was attending Bellerbys at Harvard!  I mean, what are the chances?!  This is indeed a small world.

Now moving onto the classes... I enjoyed Journalism very much.  I loved doing all the assignments and going around town, writing and reporting stories.  I think I learned a lot about journalism this summer - the rapidly diminishing industry which has been replaced by internet blogs; the amount of work needed to write an effective story; the different types of writing like features, sports, reviews or just straight news reporting.  Did you know that obituaries are sometimes written before the regarding subjects even died?  How morbid eh?  For my obit assignment, I killed Karl Lagerfeld.  But hey, at least I got an A for killing him!  (Sorry, Karl.  In truth, I really admire your work with the Chanel House.  You're cool)

  

As for Intro to Capital Markets and Investments, I was mostly struggling (if not bored) to understand the mathematics aspects of the course - portfolios variance, alphas, betas, correlation, standard deviation etc.  Apart from that, I was intrigued by the social aspects of the course.  Learning about the stock markets, why they crash, bubbles, bonds etc.  I liked the intuition more than the actual mathematical side of investing.  Nevertheless, it was a very intensive and interesting course and I'm glad to have taken it this summer.  I got a preview of the investing world, and it looked pretty damn good to me.  (I do realize the irony, but hey, according to Warren Buffett, "Fear when there's greed, and be greedy when there's fear.")

Outside of the classrooms, we did tons of fun stuff too.  My friends and I went to Cape Cod and met gay couples, swam with seals and got tanned.  Then, we celebrated Fourth of July by the riverbanks and watched fireworks all night, then got lost in Boston as we didn't want to take the subway, knowing how crazy the crowds can get.  On top of that, we crossed two states and arrived in Maine on a Sunday morning, hitting the Kittery outlet malls, and visiting Ogunquit - which was a tiny seaside town. 

  

We also went crazy shopping on Newbury Street, finding a J Crew sister company called Madewell where the cutest boyfriend jeans can be found.  And what about the nights where we simply danced till we dropped?  The late night trips to Au Bon Pain for cinnamon rolls and orange juice?  The random excursions to Boston?  The time we spent at the Science Center, trying to convince the security man to let us check out the astronomy tower?  That one time where I almost died doing Bikram Yoga with a Norwegian friend? (where the room is heated while you do extreme exercises)  The days where we just lounged about on the lawn in front of our hall?  Jason Mraz's concert?  Trip to Andover, running after trains and passing by the hysterical fans of the Jonas Brothers?  Watching movies due to last minute impulses?  Ferry rides around Boston, visiting the historical sites and evidences the Pilgrims left when they first arrived at Plymouth Rock?  Going to my first Red Sox (baseball) game at Fenway, America's most beloved ball park?  Making fools out of ourselves (pole dancing) on the subway trains?  The good times were countless. 

Meanwhile, our Harvard dorms were huge - and we shared rooms with either one or a couple of room mates.  The bathroom was communal which meant that we had to share it.  (Something that I'm not too fond of - phew, thank God they've got ensuite bathrooms here at Bellerbys residence).

  

Our proctors were Harvard undergraduates and they were extremely nice.  We had study breaks once in a while and played games.  We had our meals at the Annenberg Hall, and I frequented the Starbucks on Church Road as well as this Italian restaurant called Uno where karaoke nights were held on Mondays.  I admit, my friends and I partied quite a bit this summer at Harvard.  But isn't that what you do during the summer?  Have some fun, let your hair down and who knows who you'll meet?  Maybe a Brazilian guy who went to the same school as you that you never knew; maybe an insanely hilarious guy from T&T (Trinidad and Tobago) who says "liming" instead of "hang out"; maybe a room mate who was named by the King of Thailand that you occasionally go to IHOP with; maybe a girl from upstate New York who has the same dreams as you.

The possibilities are infinite.  If anything, I believe the most important lesson that I've learnt this summer is to expect the unexpected.  Go with the flow.  Laugh.  Dance.  Sing.  Love.  And lastly, live.

Facebook - Connecting People! (part two)

Posted by Ksenia

In one of my posts I have already mentioned how important is Facebook in the life of young people and the only thing I can add is that this importance becomes more and more significant – at least for me.  At first all the endless applications, silly quizzes, requests, flowers, kisses, hugs or whatever from people I have never seen before really irritated me.  But while the number of my friends - English-speakers was growing I realized that Facebook is really doing a great job.  It made possible for me to meet people who otherwise could never become my friends and, the most important; it gave me a chance to help some of them.

Answering a few simple questions was the best I could do for those who contacted me but seemed to be a good way to make them a bit more calm and confident about themselves and their future arrival to the UK.  It is a hard decision to make – to come and study in another country where you do not know anybody and leave your friends and family behind.  But at the same time it’s a big step up – a chance to get the top-quality education, meet new people and become more or less independent.  So I hope that I have helped a few people to make the right choice. 

On the 9th of September a new term started at Bellerbys Brighton.  Dozens (if not hundreds!) of new students will be joining ELPP, GCSE, A-level, Foundation programs.  One of them is Zuzka, a girl from the Czech Republic who I have introduced to you in one of my previous posts.  Before her arrival she asked me a few good (as usual) questions which some of you might find interesting if you are thinking to come to Bellerbys.

Zuzka
Well I wanted to ask you about bank accounts in England.  Because I think I will need a bank account over there.  I read that Bellerbys helps students with registering with a UK bank.  Do you have any idea about which bank do they register students with?  Because I would like to have a bank which is like close to school so I could easily access it to get some cash.  Is there any need of my parents signing some documents since I am not 18?  Ha-ha, I know, too many questions, but that is just what I am ... ;)  But anyway thanks a lot for all of your help :)))

Me
Banks are easy.  College prepare a letter for you (just go and ask in Student Services) and arrange an appointment.  You will need some kind of permission from your parents but it’s very informal- nothing to worry about - and can be done as soon as they will tell you what they need (I guess it was something like an e-mail in my case).  The easiest one to go for is Natwest.  It has an office very close to school (in the shopping center) and has a very easy to manage accounts designed especially for people like us (I recommend you sign up for on-line banking as soon as you get your account, then you do not need to go to the bank at all).  They will talk you through everything - but it’s really very easy).

Zuzka
Hey Ksenia:)  Thanks a lot for your answer - do I get it right that there's no need of thinking about the account now and it's enough to solve it in the UK?  And does Natwest have some ATM near school to get to some cash without paying additional fees?

Me
Sure that you do not have to think about it now - anyway international students do not get many options.  If you decide to go with Natwest they will open for you two accounts - Reserve (the one on which all the money from your parents will be) and Step (for everyday use).  This system is very useful - though you get two cards you can only use one of them - the one from step account - and even if it gets lost or stolen you still can use the rest of the money – it makes you absolutely calm about your card when you are going out, for example.  That is why online banking is great - you can transfer money from Reserve account on Step in seconds.  Of course all of that is absolutely free.  They will explain it to you again when you will come to open the account.  The closest ATM is at Brighton station (1 min away).  As most of ATM’s in the UK it’s free to use.

Zuzka
I'm quite surprised about the ATM being for free; in my country most ATM’s charge some small fee from your account if you use it... :)  Thanks a lot for your information :)  Do most Bellerbys students have the Natwest account or it varies?  The system of two cards looks truly useful, I feel like that would suit me well :)

Me
Most of them have Natwest because it is the one suggested by Bellerbys.  You can also have Lloyds or some others but I have no idea about it :)

Zuzka
Haha thank you for your advice :)  Surprisingly, I have more questions (you know, only ten days remain and I still feel like I don’t know what I am going to do)....  Well, in regards to my question...  It might sound stupid but I’m interested in Biology and Chemistry exams.  I mean, there are practical ones, aren't there?  Could you please tell me how does a practical exam in Biology and Chemistry look?  It's just that I'm still thinking about taking subjects from both humanities and sciences and practicals are really something I'd be worried about - I have never done anything really similar.

Me
I perfectly understand that you are worried even though I know that you have absolutely nothing to be worried about.  Well, now the practical exams will be a bit different to what I have been doing because the syllabus (the exact list of what we had to know) might have changed and the college has changed the examining boards as well.  But I can give you a rough idea - for Chemistry it is not at all difficult and is real fun - you are given a few unknown substances and instructions of what to do with them and at the end you have to tell what is the substance which is always quite obvious.

Then you will either have to do a titration (mix a base and an acid together to find the point at which is mixture is neutral by the change of colour of indictor paper -it is a way of finding a concentration of acid/base) or an experiment connected with temperature - either to measure the temperature change in a reaction and find out how much heat was released, or to find melting/boiling point of a substance.  You will practice all those things for the whole year so you will be absolutely perfect when the exam time comes.  For biology we have not actually done the practical exam - we have done a coursework (you have to plan and do the experiment) and a written alternative to practical (when the experiment was already done for you and you will have to analyze the data).  So I do not actually know what you are going to do.

But anyway most students have not done any practicals before coming to Bellerbys and it is never a problem - everything is made easy and explained very carefully and of course practice makes perfect!

I think you really should take some science subjects – it’s very interesting and respected by universities.  Of course it’s not the easiest thing to study but so rewarding!

Zuzka
Hey)))) Thanks a looooooot for your answer:)  I still don't know if I’ll take science - do you think Mr Corcut would advise me about it during the interview?  And, yeah, surprisingly, that's another one of my annoying questions) what is this interview like?  Should I somehow prepare for it?  Oh my God only 5 more days, I am totally excited, though nervous anyway ;)

Me
Oh, you know that you are always welcome!  First thing – interview are NOTHING to worry about.  I won’t even call it an interview – rather an appointment to discuss you future studies in Bellerbys.  Mr. Corcut (as you already know the head of A-levels) will just ask you a few obvious questions – what are you interested in, what are you approximate plans for the future, which subjects you are planning to take.  It is not to assess you in anyway – it’s to help Mr. Corcut to understand how he can help you.  The only thing you can do to prepare is to try and think of what YOU personally want to do.

You should understand that Mr. Corcut is a very experienced man, he knows lots of facts about universities and he will probably advise you to take “serious’ subjects like Math and Sciences, Economic, English Literature or History – the ones that are the most respected by the top places and he will probably be right.  But it’s your life, your future and your decision.  I can tell you that doing an A-level subject that you do not like only because the universities do is quite wrong (unless of course you change your mind when you will start studying it) – it will be hard and boring for you and you will be unlikely to achieve very high results.

Personally I have chosen Sciences because of one simple reason – I love it, and I hope you will be able to decide in the same way.  Good luck and remember that one of the greatest experiences is about to start!!!! 

And to finish off this post one more question from Ange Chandra, Indonesia who is also thinking to join Bellerbys College.

Ange Chandra
What do you think of ELPP?  Do you think it's important for international students to take that course?  Did you, yourself, take ELP course the first time you joined Bellerbys?

Me
Well, when I first came to Bellerbys my level of English was really poor.  So I urgently needed some help and took a 3-week course.  It was real fun and helped me a lot with my communication skills in English and raised my IELTS score by a few points) I do not think that you particularly need it - in terms of English.  As far as I understand your level is quite advanced and will improve anyway during your studies in Bellerbys.

In the first term you will have preparation for IELTS together with your other lessons so you could take the exam to get the grade required for the university (usually 7- 7.5)  But on the other hand it’s a great opportunity to see the college in advance and meet people.  So it’s really up to you - what you want)

This is all from me for now. I would like to thank Zuzka again for her huge contribution for this post and wish her all the best in future!  I guess you will hear from me quite soon and I will update you on the exam results and the university entry.  Good luck everyone with their studies in the new term and take the most of your time in Bellerbys College!!!

This Is Not A Goodbye... But A See Ya Soon!!!!

Posted by Linh

Windy... cold... lonely... and strange...

On the 1st of January, I put my 1st steps on a far-away country, wondering where I would go, what the new school was like, would people treat me well, or I would be thrown in a strange or racism environment? (lol, i know that sounds a little bit pathetic, but well, at that moment, in order to refill the emptiness of inexperience, I put an experience of imagination :D )

Later, I met a member of staff from Bellerbys College who had to throw away his first day of new year to pick up an unknown girl instead of staying at home, enjoying a celebration with his family or friends.  And instead of being such a stranger or feeling angry of my appearance, he seemed to be very nice, asking me about the flight, how I felt.

Then I met Ishy - the host mother of my new home, who had to wake up at 5 a.m to wait for a stranger to come.  She smiled at her and gave the new girl not only her first UK breakfast but also a cozy feeling that mad her feel protected as if there had not been any 20 hour flight at all.  

....

Eight months have already passed so quickly, and here I am, in the farewell party, saying goodbye to people I have gotten along so far...

Thank you Jackie, as we often say to you, YOU ARE THE BEST MANAGER WE'VE EVER MET.  No matter how many students there are, no matter how many works you have to do, somehow, you always manage to talk to each of us, help us on every step of getting to a suitable university.

From advising us how to write personal statement, how to fill in the UCAS track process until finishing choosing firm and insurance choices, you have shown us how much you care about each student here.  Awww, we are gonna miss you so much.  I wish you would always be like you are now, a super-cute and devoted manager!!!!

Thank you all teachers in Bellerbys, especially Susannah - our English teacher, Hassan - our Accounting teacher, Peter - our CIT teacher, Phillip - our Mathematics teacher, Rachel, Hilal, Ross, Linda, Sam - our Economics and Business teachers.  Haha, I'm sorry if I miss anybody or write your name wrongly. (Yeah!  Naughty student, I know, lol)

Through your lessons, I have learnt many, many new and interesting things which then help me to realise that I was not wrong when choosing Bellerbys Oxford and choosing this course.  I hope that your health and your career would always get better and would be an inspired motivation for you to get on!  And I also hope that your future students would be as good as ME (haha)!!!

Well, first it was really hard for me to write this final post!  I wrote and deleted, and then wrote again and deleted... haha, it's even harder than my first post!

I still have a lot to say to many people, such as staffs in Bellerbys - who have been really nice and helpful; my classmates and other students in different courses I have known; people living in Oxford I have luckily had a chance to meet, to talk and to share my feelings when I was happy or sad; a boy smiling at me on the bus; a stranger I have not even known her name who tried to comfort me when suddenly see me being depressed...

Life in Oxford, life in Bellerbys has taught me so much that I could never ever forget.  And now flying back to my country, I know I have more confidence, more to be proud of myself when facing my parents and my friends, because I know that I have had such precious experiences for my own!

I will come back to England soon to go to Aston University in Birmingham.  So THIS IS NOT A GOODBYE BUT A SEE YA SOON!!! :D

But for this moment, happy summer holiday! ^^