London offers many things, bright lights, fashionable shops, fantastic night life, and the fast paced life of a multicultural densely populated urban landscape. Another major draw for the millions of visitors to London each year is the chance to improve their English. But it is expensive, right?
Well it doesn’t have to be! There are many ways students can visit London learn English and leave with perhaps more money than they arrived with!
First and perhaps most obviously it is possible to improve your English while working. It’s not going to be the laid back holiday you dreamed of, but it is going to put cash in your back pocket while hopefully teaching you the local lingo. Try to go for jobs that will force you to speak English, such as being a bar person, a waiter, shop assistant or clerk. In these jobs you will be forced to interact with the general public, speaking with many different accents. Perfect for a crash course in English.
If this sounds too much, perhaps your English needs some TLC first. Try flat sharing with some English speakers, they will be keen to get to know you and chat, and won’t rush you or expect your English to be perfect. You can also learn English in ‘real’ situations, often somewhere like the pub can be perfect for a loose enjoyable chat.
If you do feel that proper English lessons are a must why not go online and suggest a language exchange, their are plenty of English teachers in London, and many of them would love to improve their language skills as well, this sort of exchange can build lasting relationships and help you to assimilate in a country.
So go out there and get talking – you’ll soon sound like one of the locals.