Bellerbys College Cambridge

• Psychology

Oh, this is the most difficult subject for me. I am glad that we have finally got a stable qualified teacher - Bellatrix from Colombia, but has been working in Cambridge for many, many years. Probably, an important role is played by the fact that I do not perceive psychology as a full-fledged science. We write a lot, and here are our difficulties: your letter and the work as a whole should be grammatically correct, accurate, fit the academic style and - attention! - adhere to the official regulations. That is, in fact, your point of view is of no interest to anyone: you must rely on modern results of research and experiments (as for me, in psychology it is generally an inaccurate indicator), and personal subjective reasoning can significantly reduce your scores. In general, now I understood why many people called psychology one of the most difficult subjects of A-level.

• Mathematics

We started with lessons on constructing graphs, quadratic equations and linear inequalities, now we have moved to the most basic and simple laws of integration and differentiation, the simplest logarithms and the derivative. I'm being scolded for "irrational" methods of solution. Otherwise, the system of equations is recorded, do not use discriminant, but you can use calculators without limit! In general, in England, when studying mathematics, much more attention is paid to the theory: each regularity is explained in the most detailed way, formulas are derived, graphs and drawings are constructed. 

• Economics

The subject, without questions, is complex, but is taught very smoothly, so I'm sure that it is possible to "pull" every student on it. I really like our teacher (although not all share my opinion): he always answers all questions, gives detailed, detailed answers, very clear and objective. It can be difficult to understand Ian because of his emphasis, but I treat this as an additional language practice.

• Informatics

Surprisingly, it has become my favourite subject! It is taught linearly: we started with programming (very simple and non-stressful). I am absolutely delighted with Mr. Lord, our teacher! He graduated from Cambridge, but his appearance is a mixture of insomnia and a severe hangover. At the same time he is very friendly: he will always laugh at a good joke, answer in detail every question - in short, it is a pleasure to work with him.

In general, already from the second week the learning process began to accelerate quickly: the information is more and more, the lessons are becoming more complicated, the homework is getting bigger.

While we were immersed in studies , Came the news that a university fair is being held in London, and turnout is compulsory for us. If you want, you can come with the group, and then stay in London, take a walk and return yourself. I seized the opportunity as I really wanted to walk, rest and take pictures.

On October 8 (Saturday) we plunged into the bus and for an hour and a half reached the capital - the fair was held in one of the hotels. Despite the large number of represented universities - about 50 - I wasn't interested in Cambridge, but there were Manchester and Oxford, which I also considered. By the way, you should know that submitting documents to both Oxford and Cambridge is not the best idea: they track such applications and do not treat them very well. In general, for an hour I got at the exhibition all the information I wanted.

We decided to leave lunch (good food in general is my passion), and decided to go to one of the most popular pizzerias in London - Franco Manca - which was literally half an hour's walk away. The popularity of the institution immediately expressed itself in the queue for the entrance: thank God, we stood only about 15 minutes, and after we were brought an order, we finally forgave this turn. Pizza is just unparalleled! Delicate thin dough, fresh ingredients, thick tomato sauce ... At the same time, a large standard pizza costs only 7 pounds, which is quite inexpensive for London. We even decided to add different meat ingredients, paying 2 pounds.

The remaining hours of Saturday in London we decided to devote to shopping: I needed a coat for a long time, and where to buy it, how not in the capital of England? The process was not easy and took a lot of time. Prices here are either surprisingly democratic, or surprisingly sky-high. 

By God, he was sure that there was no place for such plebeians in his sacred store and was glad to get rid of us so quickly. Coats for me we found literally in the last minute: it fits perfectly, very nice to the touch and the right color. 

After the shops we went home and moved towards the station Kings Cross. At first we went down to the metro, but the price of the ticket was not pleased, and we spent an hour and a half on the road to the station. It was about 8 pm. I will say that for that year, while I was not in England, the tickets went up very noticeably. Earlier we paid 16 pounds in both directions (Cambridge-London and back), now the ticket to one side costs 16.50 pounds. Expensive, but here you can not get there on foot, we did not have a way out.

So, a new school week has begun - a 4 week studying session for new students consists of progress tests that should show your level of knowledge and the first modest successes. So, my achievements:

• Mathematics = A (in general, not bad, but a few stupid mistakes mowed me as much as 20% of the total number of points)
• Informatics = A (here I managed to complete 100% of tasks)
• Economy = B (72%, the rest were much worse)
• Psychology = S. Dislike for this subject added.

I must say that although not all test results pleased, but they clearly showed where I am lagging behind and where it is necessary to deal more persistently, what mistakes I should pay attention - and for that, thanks. The next week was generally flat. After 5 weeks of study, we were waited for half-term - something like a week-long autumn vacation.

What does not concern learning ... my Asian neighbor has moved, and God, how glad I am! I just could not help but smile for a few days! I have already spoken about his intolerant and vile norms of behavior. Well, how can you come to England for serious studying and almost do not know English? His pronunciation and suggestions are a nightmare for any teacher, in order to understand him, one has to be at least a psychic. I tried to help him with the same mathematics, in the evenings I painted graphics for him - but to no avail. If a person at the age of 17 with a completed secondary education does not know how to draw the simplest parabola (the same one as y = x ^ 2), then I pass. Two weeks I live without a neighbor (what a buzz!), And then promised to send a student from Indonesia. I hope it will be better - in principle about Indonesian college students I have quite good memories.

Firstly, very few of Chinese people speak English: no, I understand that more than 2 billion people speak Chinese, but this does not mean that other languages ​​should be ignored? The Chinese are very noisy, sluggish, pile up constantly, laugh and loudly yell at their brethren - in short, uncultured it all.

I can not say that I am disappointed: here are still excellent living conditions, sympathetic and kind people, age-old traditions - but it's not easy to live here who came with a completely different mentality. Perhaps I'm so lonely, because I have not found good friends here yet? Very high prices for just about everything - but for the sake of justice we note that the quality of everything is very high. With my host, Veronica, I now have a great relationship.

Yes, stay far from home is not easy - but this is not the reason to give up the dream that can be realized in England. I miss the house, family, friends, there is not enough person to whom you can say anything at any time ... But from this only you are waiting for the arrival home, when you can hug all your relatives and friends - and then again to go for your dream to Cambridge.

I was met by a man from college: a nameplate, everything is as it should be. Very pleasant, sociable driver and escort. Alas, on the way to Cambridge, we managed to grab a penalty on the famous M25 highway. 100 pounds of penalty for an erroneous strip ... So I found out that in England the laws are really worth honoring, otherwise it's more expensive. By the way, I note that on the day of my arrival the bright sun was shining and it was +26 degrees! Well, where are the promised fogs and rain?

I fell in love with Cambridge from the first sight. Although it is a very small town (it is home to only 120 thousand people), it is incredibly cozy, original, friendly and clean: pensioners are walking, children are frolic, countless students are hurrying ... The whole outskirts of Cambridge is very reminiscent of Little Winding town from Movies about Harry Potter (remember where the Dursleys lived?). The houses are small, low-rise buildings, lots of greenery, including the legendary well-groomed English lawns.

My host family's house is in the Cherry Hinton area. My hostess Veronika: this is a miniature elderly woman with a soft smile and voice, working in regular time at the local hospital as an administrator. Very friendly, pleasant in communication, benevolent. She took me to the student room: I arrived first (another student was expected) and was able to choose a bigger room, in addition, with the best Internet signal - the router is right under my bed. The furnishings are standard (beds, table, chair, wardrobe), but very cozy, and from the window - a beautiful view of the common courtyard, well maintained and quiet.

When it was time for dinner, I appreciated the British punctuality: Veronica warned me that dinner is served at 18:00 and was not late for a minute. To me, exhausted by the trip, the table seemed just a gift of fate: the hostess prepared a pie with mushrooms and chicken, vegetables, potatoes with meat sauce and dessert - yogurt with a generous portion of strawberry jam. Veronica had dinner with me: during the conversation it turned out that she had a birthday on her day of arrival clearly! I did not even have any souvenirs in my suitcase, so I apologized and jumped out to the nearest supermarket for flowers and a postcard. 

On the first day, having met, we went to the post office: I needed to get Biometric Residence Permit, and Haven got the certificate already in college. Biometric Residence Permit is something between the student's card and the visa: it has information about you, terms of validity, working conditions (if possible), etc. The map was fast enough, so the rest of the time was spent for a walk around Cambridge.

We went to the Butch Annie's pub: here, in my humble opinion, there are best burgers in the world, the relaxed atmosphere of the US bar of the 70s, many beer taps on Stand - it's not my part, but it looks impressive. Prices seem high, but for Britain it's quite normal: for a burger of the order of 7-9 pounds, for a full dinner with drinks - 10-20 pounds.

We went to the bookstore: we managed to buy a new book "Harry Potter" in a terrific edition, and then went home - usually the road takes about 25-30 minutes by bus, but during "rush hour" - about an hour.

On the way we went to the Tesco supercenter: it stands very close to our house, which is very convenient - here there are all kinds of products, little things for the house, and even clothes and shoes. Of course, prices are higher than those we are used to, but on the other hand, there are a lot of discounts in the spirit of "take more-pay less": 24 cans of Coke, for example, cost only 7 pounds. Particularly amazed by the assortment: any meat, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, fresh pastries, different delicacies - anything your heart desires. And all this is as fresh, clean, neat and beautifully decomposed, never to find an expired or rotten goods. A fairy tale for housewives and amateurs to cook!

On the 14th we were given the first meeting at the college, and for the introductory period - introduction - it was allotted for three days already. The road to Bellerbys College took about half an hour by bus and 10 minutes on foot: on the first day our host, Veronika, even followed us to the bus stop so that we would not get confused - it was very nice of her.

The college building was built in 1891. 

We were met personally by the director, Nick Waite: a stunningly friendly, constantly smiling person: answered all questions of us and parents (many decided on the first day to accompany their children). There were a wide range of foreign students from all over the world. 

The first day was devoted to the course of team building (team building and development of leadership qualities), filling out medical insurance and listening to general information about the college, rules of conduct and safety. On the second day, we were told in detail about our program - then the most interesting thing began. I entered the A-level course - and they made it clear to us that we are waiting for 2 years of real Spartan tests. So, in brief:

A-level - the program is a two-year one. The first year A1 we will study 4 selected subjects and take exams in May-June. The results of the exam are not so valuable as the results for the second year, but many universities also take them into account, so it will be necessary to try from the very beginning. In addition to the basic subjects, we will prepare a research project (extended project). The project can be performed in any form, from the literary essay to the model of the building, the main thing is that the topics correspond to the area that you plan to study at the university. It's like a semi-exam, adds credits to your diploma.

The second year is A2 - and for successful admission to the university you must pass a good level of at least 3 exams (that is, some items can be deducted from the original list). Also, those who need to pass more exams and IELTS, also prepare for the exam within two years. For each subject, there are 4 lessons per the group and 6 hours of homework are put on a weekly basis, in total it will be necessary to do 50 hours a week.

I can tell about the course itself after the first school week has ended. My group is scientific, AS Science. In the classroom there are about 10 people. Our tutor was Claire, she's also an English teacher. Lessons are conducted in pairs, for an hour and a half hours, but all at school we spend a lot of time - until 15:00, and sometimes until 17:20. 

The first lesson was economics. It took a little time to get used to the pronunciation of our teacher, Ian Hunt, but he explains it really cool. The course itself is similar to my 9-10 grade in the previous school, only the degree of study is more profound. But all the same I want to say thanks to my former school, because on the economy, I immediately felt more confident! The first lessons - in general, practically the repetition of the course of social studies: methodology, the main problems of the economy, types of resources ... Ian tells all in detail, with a bunch of examples, trying to ask every student at least once a couple. It is very convenient that a separate time is allocated at the end of the class (outside the lesson), when the teacher can personally discuss with the student one or another difficult topic - this is called the strange word surgeries, but in general a cool possibility.

After lunch, we had a psychology: we were given a lot of tasks, and if at first I had a certain prejudice about psychology, after the first tasks and lessons (for example, Zimbargo experiment was analyzed) I began to penetrate and be interested in such science.

The third lesson is computer science. Here everything is simple: we write programs on Visual Basic, promised and lecture classes, I will wait.

The fourth is mathematics. I liked the teacher very much: he was so calm, with measured speech, very friendly (well, the last card in general was a card by Bellerbis). Now we pass a parabola and square equations, soon there will be inequalities. 

There are separate classes for preparation of projects - they are conducted by our kind teacher Andre: she is very attentive to each of us, and I am sure that in future she will be It's easy and fun to work with.

I want to talk about the features of the application to the British College - UCAS application form. There are several "parts" here:

• Educational achievements (actual progress)
• Extracurricular activities: mugs, sections, sports and other clubs, etc. Especially this point draws attention to the most elite universities such as Cambridge - they seek to get interesting, versatile students, and not just zauchek. Thank God, in Bellerbys there is a lot of opportunities for pumping this point - from football to debate, clubs and circles a bunch, you can choose for yourself more interesting.
• Estimated results A-level (this item is filled in with the teacher's recommendation, and do not count on indulgence here - all objectively and impartially)
• Results of AS, that is examinations of the first year of study.

In the course of acquaintance (шntroduction), we were also offered to have an account in an English bank, and I gladly took advantage of this opportunity. Firstly, the very phrase "I have an account in an English bank" sounds cool, and secondly, it allows you to transfer money to a card without commission (I have a Santander bank) and buy a local SIM card at a discount: it cost me 17 pounds шnstead of 20.

The third day in the new college was dedicated to city tours. Especially memorable was the memorial complex in memory of the American soldiers, who significantly helped Cambridge during the Second World War.

On Saturday I went to Nelson: in his family that I lived during my first trip to England, and it was necessary to happen that we met with him literally on the first day of my current studying! I stayed with him all evening: we drank tea with a delicious pie, talked about current affairs, told who had what happened in the year. You can not imagine how pleasant it is to think that even in another country there are your friends and people who are not indifferent to you!

Sunday I devoted a walk to Cambridge (this time alone). Autumn here is the most beautiful time: ancient architecture, fallen leaves, cozy streets, cool clean air, a legendary university that is visible far away ... it is unusually beautiful! I also visited Fullborn (a suburb of Cambridge about one and a half kilometers from Cherry Hinton, where I live). Here, the fields and hills, as well as incredibly colorful mills, were remembered, as if from pages of books.

Veronica freely allowed us to cook in her kitchen, and I decided to fire steaks - in Tesco there was a magnificent marble meat. The steak turned out to be the most delicious, but now the smoke, traditional for cooking, caused the fire alarm to work: she squealed so that we all slightly lost the hearing for about 10 minutes.

I also realized that I probably do not like to live with representatives of Asian culture. Their culture is very different from ours and seems alien: beginning from the norms of behavior at the table (champing and so on), the lack of politeness (the words "thank you" and "please" are not accepted at all) and ending with the non-observance of the norms of personal space and time. For example, he decided to chat with his girlfriend on Skype at 9 am, and it's at full volume! 

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