Retrospective view

Another summer time spent in the language camp has come to its end. I'm looking back remembering only good things.

George, Napoleon, Sandra, Karl

London, Windsor, Queenswood

Annis, Tunde, other AOs

Transformers, Ice Age, Harry Potter

Thorpe park, disco, We Will Rock You

Pro Tennis, Assembly, Funny get-togethers in the common room

Burns class, Russians, Angie

When I first came, I realized it wasn't exactly the thing I wanted to spend a month in. However, some time has passed, and I now understand how badly I'm going to miss everything about Queenswood.
My teachers, who taught me and who I'm grateful to, managed to give me lots of new information and knowledge.

My friends, who are some of the best friends ever, made my life exciting and versatile.

AO's, who always were there when I needed them, are really nice people to talk to and to spend time with in the activities.

Thanks to all of them.

16th century life

Speaking about 16th century means mentioning The Tudor dynasty, which ruled for about a century. This family came to power after the Wars of Roses. To my mind, the most respectful ruler of the Tudor family is Elizabeth the First, who is sometimes called the Virgin Queen. Although she was declared illegitimate, she finally came to the throne with the support of her trusted adviser William Cecil. Elizabeth's reign is known as the Elizabethan era, famous above all for the flourishing of English drama (Shakespear and Marlowe), and ships furrowing the seas (Drake).
So, I imagine myself living in the golden age of the English history, the climax of the English Renaissance. I hope I could witness the blooming of English poetry and literature on the whole.
However, life was difficult at that times. I couldn't have taken shower every time I needed it, after a hard day or some trainig in the gym(what am I speaking about, gym during Tudor times?), for example. I know that Britain was a rural state, as almost 90 % of the population lived there. Honestly, I'd better live in a city, although it was supposed to be in dramatically insanitary conditions.
/A few years ago I made a trip to some European countries, including Italy, France and Begium. I did a lot of excursions there, whereby I got to know lots about Medieval times. It was disgusting. No sewerage systems, no showers./
During the Elizabethan era, men and women wore very high collars, fashioned after Spanish couture. Men wore their hair short, while women combed their long hair upwards where it was fixed with a frame. Queen Elizabeth was a guiding inspiration in fashion during this era. Women strove to imitate her curly red hair, using different recipes for bleaching. If I had lived at that times, I would have tried to do the same haircuts, as Elizabeth had.
What's about the clothes, I would have had lots of chemises, bodices, skirts and hats (coif).

Art

Old Battersea Bridge, Whistler

Tate Modern is not particularly my kind of things. I can't get the point in all these modern stuff, except for some pieces. However, impressionism is what I've always admired. The greatest collection is in The National Gallery in Scotland. In general, for me Scotland was, stays and always will be on the first place amongst "art-spots". In 2008 there was an exhibition called "Impressionism & Scotland". I was lucky to observe it.

The exhibition gave the opportunity to see over 100 masterpieces by many of the greatest names (Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, etc.). World-class art by the French Impressionists and the Scots they inspired.

Color is my day-long obsession, joy and tortment.

Monet

Into the Future

Coffee, croissant, The Times,

BBC, traffic, business,

Appointments, Nobu, own collection of arts,
Jet-sets, Belini , flights,
High heels, Scotland, spa

Idol

It's difficuly to choose an idol nowadays, as the moral principles vary dramatically in different countries and amongst different societies.

A few months ago I read a book called "American Psycho".

Actually, it's a psychological thriller. However, this book is also a satirical novel.

The story is told in the first person by fictitious serial killer and Manhattan businessman Patrick Bateman.

When Patrick first appears, he is a successful Manhattan executive. He is well-educated, wealthy, unusually popular with women, abreast of cultural trends, belongs to a well-to-do family, has a high-paying job and lives in a chic apartment. Bateman passes for a refined, intelligent, thoughtful young man. Yet, contrary to his persona, he tortures and murders victims.

I don't justify violence. However, I find his persona really attractive.

"American Psycho is a beautifully controlled, careful, important novel. . . . The novelist's function is to keep a running tag on the progress of the culture; and he's done it brilliantly. . . . A seminal book."Fay Weldon, Washington Post

Rock'n'Rolla

I'm a constant admirer of Guy Ritchie's works.

"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" is a must-see film of all the times, as it's a witty and suspecful piece of Guy Ritchie's work.

"Rock'n'Rolla" is a new hit of one of the greatest English filmmakers.
You'll definitely become interested if I tell you Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Tom Wilkinson are playing the main characters in this film.

"Rock'nRolla" was filmed in London. Actually, it's about London.

There is a crime boss, his second in command, a Russian billionaire, one witty accountant, a band of thieves, a heroin-addicted rock star. They are all connected to each other in some way. As always Guy Ritchie doesn't focuse on one character. So, the film is very many-sided.

People are leaving tomorrow. You've got used to them, so there is a feeling of great loss.

However, nothing can last as long as you want it, and some new people are coming.

Bon voyage!

Windsor

A short break destination in South East England combining 1,000 years of history, contemporary shopping and fine dining with leisure activities and events.

Windsor Castle is the oldest castle I've ever seen, as it dates back to the time of William The Conqueror.

It's terrific.

The magnificent State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough.

Among the highlights of a visit to Windsor is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most famous dolls' house in the world.

There I managed to buy a present for my mum. She collects milk jars of different patterns, colours and authors, so I got a milk jar, which is an exact imitation of the one used by the Royal Family.

Britain

There are always streotypes about different cultures. Some of them are ridiculous misconceptions, but the ones about GB appear to be true...

ENGLISH TEA

Not everyone does drink tea here as there are plenty of coffee shops and Starbucks to go around too because of the influence of Europe.

The tea-break is to England as what a trip to the water-cooler is to America, a part of the culture and considered an 'institution'.

PERSONALITY

They are reserved and determined.

"Men wearing bowler hats, a pin striped suit, a newspaper under the arm and carrying a long unopen umbrella."
Bowler hats are very rarely seen in England today. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen one being worn apart from in the movies!

THINGS THAT COME TO YOUR MIND

Beer, honesty, Bulldog-type, Royal Family, Cricket

Burns' links

http://mervequeenswood.blogspot.com/
http://pascalequeenswood.blogspot.com/
http://barbara-queenswood.blogspot.com/
http://qmaurice.blogspot.com/?zx=ed2c59004e7e0caf
http://albyqueenswood.blogspot.com/
http://albertogatqueenswood.blogspot.com/?zx=7b5ce37e890dc2a3
http://lambertqueenswood.blogspot.com/

weekends

Sat, 11. Sund, 12.
These two days were tiring, although they were full of excitement.
On Saturday we went to London to do some shopping. Oxford Street was overcrowded. It was difficult to walk around there, but anyway we managed. Back to Queenswood, disco was about to start, and we were exhausted. Actually, the music wasn't encouraging. A few songs were OK.
On Sunday some of us went to the Thorpe Park. Exciting, a bit frightening and, of course, enjoyable.

London excursion

Walking excursion was quite entertaining. Big Ben, the Buckingham Palace, the house of the Prime Minister. Lots to see and to learn, actually.
I took advantage of going to the British Museum and fulfilled the dream of my life to see the Rosetta Stone. I heard a lot about it during attending extra curriculam classes of world history in Moscow.
What's more, the British Museum itself is a fascinating place. In 2003 it celebrated its 250's anniversary. So, probably, it's the only museum in the world that has such long varying history (apart from Louvre and Hermitage). Honestly, I got lost in it and, of course, didn't manange to hit all the must-see spots.
Back to Queenswood, the only thing I could think about was how soon I would fall asleep.

to begin with

So, I've been here for 3 days now. It's difficult to say whether this school is what I've expected.
My room is cosy, perhaps. Although I can reach with hands both walls of it standing in the middle, the room is fine. It's totally unlike my place in Moscow where the room is 3 or 4 times bigger than that.
Weather is the only thing that is total disappointment. It's deteriorating every day. We were taught that stereotypes ara always misconceiptions, but bad English weather is a stable stereotype which is true.