On Monday, it was Dan this week who took around twenty students, old and new, to the pub. It's funny how free drinks really bring people together!! The number of people for the rest of the week was slightly lower… Favourite drink this week? Lager (this may correspond to "blond beer" in other countries, but here blond beer means "white beer"). Conversations ranged from Football (especially our "great" SGI United Team… hum-hum), accents; Apparently the general opinion is that the Japanese accent (when speaking English) is very difficult to understand. Well, to defend them, their language just doesn't use the same sounds! And it is very hard work to change the way you speak! Anyway, the social programme also came up in the conversations, and there was some good feedback! Students are enjoying it, which is good! 
Moving on in the week, on Wednesday it was Sonia who took over, and not Amy – who hurt her hand fighting with Dan, nothing serious! The group went to the British Library and visited the exhibitions there. The British Library works like a normal library and therefore it isn't possible to visit the main part of it (you would need a membership card) but there are some special exhibitions displaying maps from the year 1300, the Magna Carta (an early "bill of rights"), some original Shakespeare works (the first printed editions) and Sultan Baybar's Qu'ran (Koran), produced between 1304-1306 AD (704-705 in the Muslim calendar). Sonia told me the group was very impressed with the dispays and really enjoyed the visit. Finally onto Thursday: SGI United versus Capita DBH 10-13 Yes, another defeat… "An Encouraging Defeat,"said SGI team captain Gavin as I questionned him over coffee this morning,"that stands us in good stead for the next game." Meaning: SGI will have its revenge! On the winners' side, Capita team captain Steve commented: "We enjoyed the game. SGI came back well, at 9-9 it was tight, but a couple of quick goals took the wind out of their sails. Good game." Here's an English phrase for you to look up or ask your teacher about: "take the wind out of their sails" And it's another week gone, soon the days will be over by 3.30pm London will be dark, but we'll still be entertaining our lovely students at the end of the day! Next week: Drinks, Victoria and Albert Museum for some inspiring design, and Camden Market for more originality…
10 New Year’s Resolutions for Learning English
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