We’ve compiled a ‘must-see/do’ list of things to do while you’re in Auckland (but do note that these are just a few things – there are just so many options available):

Go for a harbour cruise on the Hauraki Harbour and soak up views of the City of Sails from the water. There are more yachts per capita in Auckland than in any other city in the world! One in three households in Auckland owns a boat.

If you’re brave, go for a bungy jump from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, OR jump off the Sky Tower! Did you know that the Sky Tower has 1267 steps from street level to the Sky Deck? It would take an average person 29 minutes to climb to the top if they walked at 4km/hr, but we prefer to take the elevators.

Scale one of the central volcanoes for a great (and free) view of Auckland! There are over 50 volcanoes in Auckland’s volcanic field … One of our most famous ones is Mt Eden and is only a 10 minute bus ride from the city centre. Maori used the dormant volcanoes to build their pa sites, favoured for their height and ability to see your enemies coming!

Visit Waiheke Island, a 35 minute ferry ride from Downtown Auckland, and sample some of our great wines! It’s the second largest island in the Hauraki Gulf, behind Great Barrier Island, and has some fabulous vineyards and olives!

Visiting the black sand beaches of the west coast of Auckland is an absolute must – the sand is black due to a mix of volcanic sand (from several volcanic explosions), and magnetic iron oxide ash. The beaches are rugged and have big surf – make sure you take your jandals if the sun is out, because the sand is hot hot hot, and take care in the surf – always swim between the flags to make sure you don’t get into trouble!!

When in New Zealand you must sample some of our unique food items: hokey pokey ice-cream, pineapple lumps, pavlova (it’s kiwi, even though the Australians claim it ), fish and chips on the beach (kiwi style), tim tam and toffee pop biscuits, paua, just to name a few! Don’t forget to try our lamb and seafood … NZ has fresh and very high quality food!

No trip to Auckland is complete without a ferry ride to Rangitoto Island (and then climbing to the top, of course!) – it is one of our most famous landmarks, and is the second newest piece of land on the planet, and is only around 550 years old. It rose up after a series of eruptions, and is made up of lava, volcanic rock, and native flora and fauna. The island still has lava tubes, which are tubes left behind after liquid lava has passed through, some of which visitors can explore (take a torch!).

Although there is so much more, we thought we would just give you a little taster! If you would like more information about LSI Auckland click here. You can also access more information about LSI Auckland and the city via our blog!  Not only is there a bunch of things to do in and around Auckland, you can also discover the rest of beautiful New Zealand in your weekends – we look forward to welcoming you to Auckland, New Zealand!

]]> http://www.lsi.edu/blog/index.php/2013/06/best-language-learning-destinations-lsi-auckland/feed/ 0 http://www.lsi.edu/blog/index.php/2013/06/what-our-students-have-to-say-about-us/ http://www.lsi.edu/blog/index.php/2013/06/what-our-students-have-to-say-about-us/#comments Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:19:30 +0000 Sallie http://www.lsi.edu/blog/?p=963 Here’s a testimonial from one of our students who studied at LSI Toronto , Helen Wrona from Germany – Helen took a 4 week Intensive 30 programme with TOEFL exam preparation – thank you for your testimonial Helen!

“My parents and I decided very spontaneously to book an English course 4 days before I flew to Toronto and it was incredible how everything worked out.  I got my host family within two days and it was the perfect host family, which gave me everything I needed.  I needed a preparation for the TOEFL iBT.  LSI offered a TOEFL course that I could join one day after I arrived.  LSI offered everything I needed and was the best choice I could make.  The teachers are very friendly, open minded, and attentive and solve every problem of their students.  The teacher’s attitude transfers to their student’s mood and creates a very comfortable atmosphere.  Students integrate and find new friends from all over the world, very quickly. 

With all the activities LSI offers I had the possibility to get to know Toronto and its most beautiful places, for example, Toronto Island, the Distillery historic district, Woodbine beach, and a lot of inexpensive and very special restaurants.  It is possible to experience a lot of memorable and affordable trips, like a trip to Niagara Falls and French Canadian cities.

Thanks to my teachers, especially my perfect, organized TOEFL teacher.  We learned the best tips for the test and at the same time had a lot of fun. Thanks also to Jazmin and Linda who helped me a lot.  I will never forget my spontaneous trip to Toronto and will highly recommend LSI to everyone because it made my trip memorable.  I hope LSI Toronto will continue like this, so that many students from all over the world can have similar positive experiences.”

Here is a photo of Helen (on the left) with Jazmin, our Assistant Director!

LSI Paris is located on beautiful rue St Honoré, amongst the boutique shops such as Cartier and Gucci, and only a few minutes’ walk from the Louvre Museum. We are not surprised they decided to film in our neighbourhood! We’d be delighted to have you visit LSI Paris and study French in our very special corner of Paris. Please contact us for more information.

Jesus David Ordóñez: How long have you been studying English? Why did you want to study English?

Martin Dumont:  I started learning English at primary school in France. However, when I got my baccalauriat, my level of English was not high enough to be accepted on the training for fighter pilots in the French Army. Surprisingly, you need to have a high level of English in the French Army. So I decided to go on an educational trip to London so that I could soak up the foreign language and culture and cut myself away from the French language completely.

JDO: Why did you choose LSI Hampstead to improve your English?

MD:  Some friends of mine recommended LSI to me. Then I just had to choose the type of exam I wanted to do at the end of my studies so that I could leave London with a sense of achievement.

JDO: How was your time in LSI London Hampstead?

MD:  It was splendid. First of all, I was surprised at the attention the staff gave all of us, and the fact that they were always available. I think this was a really good way to meet new people who are exactly in the same boat as me, and we could help each other on the way to our goals.

JDO: Would you recomend LSI London Hampstead?

MD:  Just do it! It’s an amazing experience.

If you like sports, come out and watch the Blue Jays play baseball.  http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com

…Or play some soccer with our school team.

Go on a 4-hour boat cruise party on Lake Ontario with a great view of the Toronto city skyline from the Harbour. …

 http://www.tnttours.ca/tours-and-events/boat-cruise

Enjoy Toronto’s parks and beaches…

Or experience a one-day trek through the beautiful natural lakes and forests of Algonquin Park, north of Toronto.  This trip includes a short wilderness hike, a canoe lesson, and a visit to the Algonquin Visitors’ Centre. Bring your camera…you may see a moose!

Take a boat trip in Niagara Falls, just a short trip from Toronto.  Even though you’ll be very close to the Falls, your blue raincoat will keep you nice and dry!

Visit one of Toronto’s world class art galleries and museums…

We also have all the great Fall and Winter activities to look forward to! In Fall, the trees turn brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow, and in winter you can go skating or skiing.

]]> http://www.lsi.edu/blog/index.php/2013/05/language-learning-destination-photos-from-lsi-toronto/feed/ 0 http://www.lsi.edu/blog/index.php/2013/04/amazing-student-photos-from-sea-world-san-diego/ http://www.lsi.edu/blog/index.php/2013/04/amazing-student-photos-from-sea-world-san-diego/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:11:03 +0000 Sallie http://www.lsi.edu/blog/?p=947 On Saturday April 20^th LSI teacher Alvin Alvorol and a group of LSI students spent a wonderful day at the always fun Sea World San Diego.  A wonderful young student and budding photographer Yannick Struempler took these amazing photographs.

Sea World is just one of the amazing and fun attractions San Diego offers.  For more animals you can visit the San Diego Zoo or hit the one of many beaches within easy reach of LSI San Diego.

To find out more about learning English in California’s loveliest location, visit our website or email us at info-san@lsi.edu .

All photos courtesy of Yannick Struempler.

“Mistakes are an excellent opportunity to learn,” and, “It’s not the destination that matters, but rather the journey that gets you there.”

If you’re interested in learning more about LSI Brisbane, please click here.

ABOUT BRISBANE

Brisbane city is a modern and diverse subtropical metropolis. The city is large enough to be exciting but not too large that it becomes unfriendly. From shopping in Queen Street Mall to partying til late in Fortitude Valley or relaxing and eating out in the beautiful South Bank Parklands, Brisbane has something for everyone.

There is also Chinatown for that extra cultural hit or if you’d like an elevated and picture-perfect view of the city, you really should take a short drive to the top of Mt Coot-tha and just absorb the surroundings. If you enjoy warm weather, year round, Brisbane is the destination for you!

Please contact LSI Brisbane if you would like further information – bri@lsi.edu .

LSI BRISBANE TRIVIA

Q: Which was the smallest pencil that LSI Brisbane has ever seen?

1. The General English pencil* forged with the sweat of a regular student?
2. The TOEFL pencil* ferociously sharpened to double ends during a grueling 4-hour TOEFL test?

A: 1. Our trusty single-ended, locally forged General English pencil (congratulations, Jin Ho, you retain the title). It is worth noting that the outsider pencil, while not the smallest, still represents the quickest reduction in pencil size per minute used.

Q: What is the aboriginal name for Brisbane?

A: Mian-Jin meaning “Place shaped as a spike”.

Q: What is the modern name for Brisbane?

A: BrisVegas meaning “Place that looks nothing like Las Vegas” (ironic)

Q: How long is it estimated that people have inhabited Brisbane?

A: Roughly 40,000 years (The Jagera and Turrbal Aboriginal clans had lived around the Brisbane river for a considerable time period before European settlers arrived, but the exact length is hard to pin down.)

Q: Who is Brisbane named after?

A: The Governor of New South Wales in 1823, Thomas Brisbane.

Although this isn’t in Australia …..

Here’s something cool as well – the world’s largest panoramic shot of London! http://btlondon2012.co.uk/pano.html

Spring is just around the corner, and we are all eagerly awaiting the return of the good weather. Some flowers are already out and the Pavilion gardens are already looking very beautiful.

This Easter weekend just passed was the start of the tourist season in Brighton, so all of the attractions are now opening – the pier, the Brighton wheel, the Volks railway, and the city is starting to get ready for the famous Brighton Festival starting at the end of April.

In the school, we have just finished a fantastic photography competition. The best three were judged by student votes and by a professional Photographer and show some fantastic scenes of Brighton:

1st place

2nd place

3rd place

These top three photos will be framed and mounted and put on display in the school for all students to enjoy.

Don’t forget that LSI Brighton is also now a Cambridge CBT exam centre for online exams! You can now book an exam preparation course with us and take the exam here too for the full LSI experience from beginning to end.

If you are thinking of coming to join us at LSI Brighton, please get in contact if you have any questions on bri@lsi.edu.

Congratulations to everyone who’s been involved in making LSI the best-looking school in town! Here are a few photos of our new look:

Computer Room

 

Student Lounge

Graffiti Wall

This January, 70 young learners joined us here in San Diego.  During the mornings they got to interact with students from all over the world while improving their English.  In the afternoons they enjoyed activities such as the world famous San Diego zoo, visiting FIVE different San Diego beaches, shopping at the bargain hunters’ dream, Las Americas Outlet Mall, and travelled to Disneyland, Six Flags Adventure Park, Palm Springs, and a tour of Los Angeles during the weekend.

We also love working with the wonderful agency group leaders who work so hard to make sure their students have the best experience.  Claudio and Leila, pictured above, from International Schools in Brazil spent four weeks with us this year.  It was Claudio’s fourth January returning with students!  He is definitely part of the LSI family.  We look forward to seeing both of them in 2014!