EF Stories: Sarah from Germany at EF Brighton

Living with a Host Family

A challenging question that initially no one could take off my shoulders. Should I spend my three months in Brighton in the residence or with a host family? Both options have their pros and cons...

To combine both experiences, I spent six weeks with a host family and booked three weeks in the residence. Since I'm a family person, I wanted to stay a bit longer with the host family. I also wanted to build even closer friendships and experience the shared living atmosphere.

I ended up with a wonderful host family, and I'm overjoyed and grateful for it. I stayed with a single mother and her young son. During my time in Brighton, I truly became a part of their family. We went on many outings together, and thanks to my host family, I got to know the South Coast of England even better.

Both of them were very relaxed when it came to living together, and you just felt comfortable around them. They completely accepted it when I wanted some alone time in my room.

Since I enjoyed it so much and had built a really good relationship with the family, I decided not to move to the residence for the last three weeks. Instead, I stayed with my host family for the entire duration of my stay abroad.

We're already planning a reunion next summer. So, you can see that living with a host family can be truly wonderful, and I recommend everyone to have this experience at least once.

Structure of the School System in Brighton

Unlike classes in Germany, in the EF school in Brighton, English is spoken exclusively. I learned a lot about the English language or English-speaking countries through grammar exercises, reading and writing tasks, language exercises, business English, and paraphrasing.

For individualized instruction, students are divided into different classes with people who are at a similar language level. So, you don't have to worry about ending up in a class that's too difficult or too easy. And even if that should happen, there are plenty of staff members in Brighton who will gladly assist you with changing courses.

To be placed in the various levels, you take an online placement test before your departure.

Furthermore, the classes are divided according to the different types of courses. In the main course, everyday English is primarily practiced and spoken. Then there are the intensive classes, where learning is a bit more intense, and more complex grammar is taught. The exam preparation class prepares students for exams such as the Cambridge Certificate or the TOEFL.

So, you can see that there's a suitable course for everyone, and all preferences can be accommodated. Additionally, it's a significant advantage that you can change your course at any time if it doesn't meet your expectations.

Royal Weekend

On the weekend, EF organized trips to Windsor and Hampton to visit the famous castles of Great Britain. On Saturday, we took a bus trip to Windsor with a large group of students. We had some free time initially and could explore the beautiful town of Windsor. Afterwards, we were allowed to visit the castle from the inside. Thanks to an audio guide, we could gather a lot of additional information.

The day was perfectly organized, and we had a lot of fun. During the trip, we learned a lot about the castle and England's history.

On Sunday, we took a train with a much smaller group to Hampton to visit the Court Palace.

Hampton is a rather quiet place, and we decided to go straight to the castle. The castle was so huge and had so much to offer that we spent the whole day there. The Hampton Court Palace was also gigantic and left a lasting impression on us.

These two days were beautiful and will stay with me forever. Brighton is definitely worth a visit, and if you're looking for more inspiration, be sure to check out the Instagram account @efusa!"