Memories of St Giles

Lea Fluckiger studied at St Giles London Central in 2013-2014. Below she reflects on her time at St Giles and the impact it had.

“Two years ago I had the chance to leave my small home town in Switzerland. I left everything I knew in order to spend 6 months learning English with St Giles in London.

I now see this experience as an amazing opportunity for me, but I have to admit, at the beginning it was hard for me: on the one hand I was trying to cope with the rhythm of this gigantic city, and on the other hand I had to speak in English ALL the time… it wasn’t easy!

Fortunately, I was with a wonderful host family who took really good care of me. Even 2 years after I left, we are still in touch and I come back to London to visit them every now and then.

Furthermore, taking the General English course at St Giles London Central helped me a lot: I had amazing teachers and I met a lot of new people who were students at St. Giles as well. Then, after 3 months, I began an exam course so that I could get ready to pass the Cambridge Advanced Exam (CAE).  Again, my teachers were great: they were motivating and energetic, which stimulated me even more to succeed in gaining the CAE.

I passed my CAE and returned to Switzerland with more confidence. I am studying at university for a degree in History of Art. 2 years later I am still friends with students I met at St Giles!

Overall, I learnt quite a lot about myself during these six months in London with St Giles. Being away from my family, my friends, my home and everything familiar that I knew helped me to gain independence and confidence. That’s why I highly recommend that people take the opportunity to go abroad on your own in order to learn another language.

It was the best decision I made!”

Find out more about learning English in London and studying for a Cambridge English CAE exam.