Guess Who?

Congratulations!

Waiting for our names to be called

Professional camera angles

(Audio disabled)

Eek! I've got something in my eye!

Where's my fan club?

Here it is!

Wii R apart!

Huh! Take that!

Listening to our latest podcast...

Can't you hear what I'm saying - that's THREE planes on my runway!!!

Baby Face big guy says 'I didn't do it!'

Swine flu precautionary measures - wear a ball on your nose!

Host family gardens

Now is the time of year that English gardens are looking at their best. British people take a lot of pride in their gardens, and many people spend many hours cultivating plants and mowing lawns. Here are some photos from one student's host family's garden. Such beautiful colour!

PANSA present dear Anna with flowers

In a lovely gesture at the farewell ceremony, dear Anna was presented with a lovely bouquet of yellow roses to compliment her outfit. Thank you to our most recent air traffic control group from Poland. It was very sweet of you! ("I felt emotional" - Zoe, ed.)

Go Team Saudi!!!

Over the summer months, we are having regular social programme sessions at a nearby sports centre. Students interested in working out by themselves, can use the gym privately between the hours of 5.30pm -10.30pm at a cost of 4 pounds per session. Alternatively...

...instead of gruelling pumping iron all alone...

...take some of the weight off your shoulders, and...

...you can join in with us to play football (a.k.a. soccer)...

(The Saudi students have been in indomitable form so far)

...or squash.

(Again, the Saudis are on top form in this game)

(Stanislav, you're being thrashed!! - But nice try!)

Long-term students say farewell

Anais and Saleh - goodbye!!


Yuki and Ekaterina - goodbye!!

My new life in Huddersfield

(Painting of Huddersfield in the times of the Industrial Revolution in Northern England by L.S. Lowry)

My name is Abdullah Alshuaibi, I am from Saudi Arabia. The first day for me in Bristol was 7/2/2009 and I have seen my second family in OISE - all staff have had a good experience to adapt all students with them. After 1 month the teachers gave me the confidence to do the IELTS exam and first, I got 5, then I got 5.5. Again, I would like to say thank you to them.

I have met many students, and I still keep in touch with them from many countries. I studied in OISE till 21/6/2009 and then started with a new experience in Huddersfield University. I have started the Pre-sessional course, and I will study for an Msc in Financial Services in September. However, I did not hesitate to choose for the many subjects available. I selected Finance in order to I knew what is important about it in the future, also I have had experience when I was Banker.

I miss many things in Bristol and I hope to go back to visit my best school as soon as possible.

Image credit: http://www.modernbritishartists.co.uk/lowry_huddersfield.htm

My first impression

My first impression

By Emilie Dupiech


When I arrived in the OISE school, one week ago, my first impression was very good. Indeed, the staff was hospitable because it explained all and helped if there was a problem.

The teachers were nice and professional. They helped us when we had need and afforded us a lot of solutions to improve our English quickly.

In the school, we can find several methods to learn the English language: books, tapes, exercises, DVSs….

As Bristol is students’ city, there are a lot of activities and beautiful monuments.

For example, the City Museum has some good art, the Clifton Bridge and this park has nice and quiet. If you wanted to relax, you could go to the zoo where the animals are very funny!

On the other hand, if you want to go out and discover the night life, you can find a lot of pubs and disco. The ambience is very interesting because the all students, English and foreign ones, go to this place and speak a lot together.

I think that you would enjoy here!

Image credit: Z. Smith

OISE Students' Shopping Habits

Has the trend changed? Is the credit crunch affecting what you buy? What is the difference between OISE students' shopping habits in 2009 and 2005, as was written by former student, Fahed Alzeer?

I interviewed six students in my class about their shopping habits. Most of them go shopping two or three times a week.

They like many different kinds of shops, four people said boutiques and clothes shops are their favourite places although two people said supermarkets and markets.

Some people have more money to spend than others. For example, they spend their money on clothes, food and perfume. All of them spend money on sweets each week but some of them spend money on clothes.

Finally, most people prefer to shop in department stores because they can find a lot of things there. Not many people prefer to shop in a market because the quality there is not very good and sometimes it’s very bad, although two people think a market is best for fresh fruit and flowers.

Fahed Alzeer, December 2005

Bristol Balloon Fiesta

Don't forget that if you are in Bristol this August, you can witness the fabulous hot air balloon festival. This used to feature the world's largest balloon ascent (It's somewhat scaled down in recent years). These photographs of a previous festival at Ashton Court were taken by Hiroshi. You can witness a morning ascent and an evening ascent as well as a night time glow and visit lots of stalls and activities.

Not sure what they have in common, but...

Craig's meeting with the honourable Mr Einstein:

SS Great Britain

A recent trip to the S.S. (= Steam Ship) Great Britain, a ship with an incredible history.

Memoirs of ASECNA

Remember our beloved ASECNA students who braved the cooler weather of Bristol and enjoyed such delights as going to visit Concorde...

Which is the Best Way to learn!

Which is the Best Way to learn!

Nowadays a lot of people think that using a computer is the best way to learn.
Adults and children can t live without their computers and they spend many hours every day in front of the screen.

Personally, I prefer a more traditional way to learn.

In fact I think that asking a teacher is more useful than using a computer because if you don t understand, the teacher can explain the same concept many times using different words end he (or she) can also give you some useful examples .

Teachers are very important especially if you are learning a foreign language. In fact I think that the best way to practise a language is speaking to a mother tongue teacher, who can correct your grammar mistakes while you are talking and can also give you some useful advice about your pronunciation.

Another way to learn which must be taken in consideration is to learn in a group.
In my opinion, studying with other people is useful because it s less boring than studying alone and it also gives you the possibility to compare your doubts with the others obviously.
Sometimes it s necessary to study on your own, especially if you have to learn something by heart, because if you are alone you have a grenter capacity of concentration.
Another important thing about learning is the necessary of giving some pratical demonstrations.
For example if you have to learn how a machine works, studying a lot of theory is almost unuseful.

The most important thing is seeing the machine and its parts and trying to use it on your own.

Ms Imberciadori, July 2009

Writing about my town, Leon (Spain)

Writing about my town, Leon (Spain)

For me, Leon is one of the most beautiful cities of Spain. Its Gothic cathedral, with its incomparable stain glass windows, is unmistakeable and the most impressive of Spain because of its huge dimensions and beauty.

My town is very lovely to live in , because it’s not big but not small neither. The people of Leon, called ‘cazurros’, are very friendly and if you have a problem don’t hesitate to ask them about it. I’m absolutely sure they will help you.

At the momenbt, I am not living there because I am living and studying in Madrid, but when I go to Leon I really appreciate how lovely it is, as you realise that it’s a very nice city where you can live without the stress of the capital.

I think the most typical thing to do in my town, apart from visiting its cathedral and museums, is to visit the old town, which is called ‘Barrio Hiumedo’, where you can taste all our traditional food products, like blood pudding or cured meat.

If I had to compare my town with any other city of Spain, maybe I would say that it’s very similar to Salamanca, another historical and overcrowded tourist city. In fact, it’s very close to Leon in the same province.

By Antonio Prieto Tenorio, August 2008

Image credit: http://www.uwgb.edu

Contemporary Art? by Vittorio Giovine

Contemporary Art?

It might seem surprising how different kinds of people, from assorted backgrounds and enthusiastic about very diverse forms of art, agree on the point that, at the beginning of the last century, art reached its ultimate peak, after which, an inexorable decline began.

Not everybody shares this view, of course. Some argue that art was at its best in other past ages and, even more people, think that still nowadays authentic masterpieces are produced. Thus, the question arises, with music and cinema being examples which are considered accessible forms of art, is it possible to compare modern electronic dance music to the old jazz bands or the new wave of Asian/Oriental cinema to the Italian or French productions between the 50s to the early 70s?

The last century was, in fact, a truly revolutionary one. In USA African drums met classical music and instruments to create jazz. In Paris Debussy, influenced by a concert of Bali musicians, gave birth to contemporary music, and cinema was just a new thing, a brand new instrument that art made as own soon. Those were unique conditions that started the melting-pot process that led to the world we have nowadays. Today creating‘art’ is easier. Information, inspiration, and just ‘art’ itself are much more accessible, the consequences might be an inevitable lack of ‘intensity’ or, in other words, buzz of excitement.

In these days we are overwhelmed with art but, perhaps, making an effort to understand art in the past, its context and the past itself, may led us to appreciate more a modern production even without labelling it a masterpiece.

By Vittorio Giovine, August 2008

Image credit: Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art, http://www.e-architect.co.uk

Social Programme This Summer!

For those of you in the school this week, don't forget our exciting social programme. This week's social programme schedule is:

Monday 20th July 2009 - PIRATE PETE'S TOUR OF BRISTOL - See pictures from the ever-popular tour we held previously. Pirate Pete has lots of fascinating tales about Bristol's historical past as a sea-trading port.

Tuesday 21st July 2009 - 2 events!!!!

i - 5-A-SIDE FOOTBALL AND SQUASH - At Bristol Grammar School Sports Centre - make sure you bring suitable footwear, as the squash courts do not permit black-soled shoes. All equipment provided at the Centre.

ii - PICNIC AND KITE FLYING - On Brandon Hill, a scenic hillside spot with great views over Bristol.

Thursday 23rd July 2009 - SPORTS ON THE DOWNS - You can choose from a range of activities, including cricket, football, baseball, frisbee, badminton, or... just sitting down and talking to friends after a hard day at school.

Sign up now before you miss the opportunity forever...

Good news!

OISE Bristol is resurrecting it's blog!

(Can you spot the error here? Tip: When using punctuation, it's and its need to be studied carefully. It's = it is/it has. Its = possessive, eg the blog OF it.)

Ice Skating, July 2008

Have a look at this video of the students ice skating in the summer!

The ice rink is only a one-minute walk from the school.

Ahmad's Anniversary

With this post we would like to celebrate Ahmad's full year at our school.

He has always been a positive student - always smiling, very hard-working, very supportive of his fellow-students, always polite - with a great sense of humour.

We've really loved having you at the school Hamoodi!