1. ENGLAND / 2001 / LANGUAGE STAY MARKÉTA ŠLECHTOVÁ STUDENT FROM FRESHMAN GRADE

2. ENGLISH FAMILY I took part in a ten-day language stay in Hastings on south coast of England. For eight nights I was living at the Deans, a typical British family. The welcome was really nice. Even though Mr. and Mrs. Dean appeared to be real conservative British people, their three descendants were the opposite of them. So that was the first day. For the next days I saw the whole family only twice. Our conversation absolutely got lost and was reduced just to: Good morning, Good night. The only person I made myself understood with wastheir daughter Lizie.

3. ENGLISH HOUSEHOLD Me and another Czech girl were living in a classical urban house with a mini garden. It was a brick house in Victorian style and its exterior didn't correspond to its interior. That is to say, English people are known for being not good at cleaning their households and not good at cooking, which I can confirm. There were tracksuit trousers, biscuits, pieces of paper spread all around. Their meal evoked watery turnip with soya and Mrs. Dean's attempt to make Italian spaghetti was really unavailable.

4. ENGLISH HOUSEHOLD I was most attracted by the portrait of princess Diana in the Deans' living room. English people are proud of their monarchy and especially of their Diana.

5. TIPS FOR TRIPS Concerning England I was lucky to be able to take part in the royal celebrations in honour of the Queen Mother's birthday (the 102-year anniversary). British people wearing their most elegant clothes, ladies with their hats, set off in the streets towards Buckingham Palace.

6. TIPS FOR TRIPS I would certainly recommend to visit Dover - the authentic medieval castle with the second world war subterranean vaults. The next visit could be Brighton - the Royal Pavilion, the beautiful palace of Queen Victoria in Japanese style. You should also go to see the Bodiam Castle (a water castle) and Seven Sisters, the cliffs of suicides.

7. TIPS FOR TRIPS And, of course, besides the mentioned Buckingham Palace there are also the other London sights: Tower of London and Big Ben, Tower Bridge,

8. TIPS FOR TRIPS Trafalgar Square, London Eye and Oxford Street (interesting for ladies). The museum Madame Tussaud´s is a marvelous sight as well. (Unlike the London underground - it was really dirty, stuffy and stinking.)