Meet Laurence

For the blog this week we're interviewing one of our students, Laurence Curty. Laurence comes from Switzerland and has been at The London School of English for the past few weeks. I sat down for a coffee and a chinwag with her last week to see how everything was going.

Hello Laurence, how are you today?

I’m great thanks!  It’s Friday and I have a lot of plans for the weekend.

How long have you been here at the London School of English?

I’ve been here for 11 weeks in total.  First of all, I did 5 weeks of Intensive General English which was a good place to start taking English classes because you meet a lot of students from all over the world and Alex (the Lounge Manager at Westcroft Square) is very funny.  I miss him already!  At the moment I’m in the middle of 6 weeks of individual lessons preparing me for the IELTS exam, which I’m taking on 28^th August.

And how are your lessons going?

Great!  It’s very intensive and I have learnt a lot.  I like the school and the teachers and there is a great mix of students.  Everything is well-organised and if you have any questions the staff support you and find a solution quickly.

Where are you staying?

I’m staying in school accommodation.  The room is very clean and comfortable and the building is very close to the school and the tube.  In just 15 minutes I can be in central London.  There are lots of small shops nearby as well as a huge shopping centre.

What have you enjoyed most about being in London?

Well, as the saying goes “If you’re tired of London, you’re tired of life!” This city never sleeps and there is a huge amount of culture on offer: musicals, concerts, theatre, ballet and so on.  Additionally, most of the museums and galleries, and all of the parks, are free of charge.

Is there anything you miss about Switzerland?

I really miss the chocolate!  Also, I miss the peace and quiet and the nature.  London is a very noisy place, and this took me some time to get used to.

What advice would you give to anyone who is interested in coming to London to study English?

If you get the opportunity, you should stay for at least two months because if you really want to improve your English then it’s important to spend as much time as possible in London.  Furthermore, you have to enjoy the cultural experiences that London offers you!

Glossary

• chinwag - (n.) informal expression for an informal conversation or chat

By Andy