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Will you be Wearing Team GB?
The Olympic flame was lit in ancient Olympia, Greece last night and it feels so long ago since the announcement of the successful bidding city for the 2012 Olympic Games.
So the London Olympics are nearing ever so closely; the athletes are prepared, the stadiums are built and the wait is nearly over. The excitement and anticipation has grown and the World is ready to get behind their nations. But will you be representing your Olympic team by wearing their official merchandise?
The leading designer for Team GB’s kits was Heather Mills, ex-wife to The Beatles’ legend, Sir Paul McCartney. They teamed up with Adidas to design the kits and the design has been praised by many British Olympic & Paralympic athletes.
Most kits can be bought by the general public so that they can represent their nation for any event. There have also been vast amounts of ‘official merchandise’ produced by Adidas that are being sold in general/sports stores across the UK.
But will you be sporting any official Team GB merchandise? There was some dispute over the pricing of the Team GB football kit, as its recommended retail price is £52. Some would say that’s pretty steep for a replica footy shirt, but others have argued that it’s ‘a great gift for the football mad or the Team GB supporter and a unique souvenir of the London 2012 Games’.
So will you be putting your hand in your pocket to get behind your nation? ..Or just get behind the TV screen? Perhaps there’ll be a post-Olympics sale that will give you a chance to get those souvenirs a little cheaper..
(Source: Daily Mail)
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Is There Ever a Right Time to Move House?
Moving home is definitely one of the most stressful points in life. Not only is there a lot to think about, but it is an expensive time and there are a lot of people to be relied upon. So is there ever a good time to move house?
Be ready to talk
One of the things to be aware of when you are planning your house move is that you will need to be able to answer the phone and deal with written correspondence, such as signing documents and responding to emails. If you have just started a new job that has strict guidelines about whether or not you can answer personal phone calls or emails during working hours, this could be tricky for you when it comes to getting organised.
Is there anyone else that can answer emails and phone calls for you? Is there the opportunity to liaise with your solicitor or estate agent outside of normal office hours? If not, then perhaps it would be better to wait until you have settled in to your new job before asking your employer if there is any flexibility in the rules to accommodate your need to organise your house move efficiently.
Think about before and after
Most people avoid moving around Christmas time for a very good reason. It is very difficult to enjoy cooking Christmas dinner or entertaining family and friends at home if all of your crockery and cutlery is packed away with the Christmas decorations. Try to avoid planning your move around big occasions, as these can be stressful enough times already, without adding extra complications.
Ask your friends and family for advice and help
You may be pleasantly surprised when you speak to family and friends about how much they are willing to help. Some people will be pleased to help you pack away the china in exchange for a take away pizza, and it’s a nice opportunity to have a catch up and reminisce too. If any of your friends are particularly active they’ll probably be more than happy to help you with heavy lifting on moving day and be glad of the exercise. This could save you money on a removals company too, which if you spent a lot of money on solicitors and estate agents fees you will be very relieved!
Choose your agents wisely
When it comes to the sales, marketing and legal side of moving home you’ll find the process a lot less stressful if you choose carefully which professionals are involved in the process. If you choose to sell your home online you will be able to keep a close eye on your estate agents and also be able to deal with them remotely rather than having to visit the high street offices all of the time.
Being prepared is the key to a stress free move, and no matter when you decide to make your move your organisation will surely pay off.
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Brighton’s Cool Bed and Breakfast Scene
Brighton is such a trendy city in the UK that it is becoming over crowded because so many people are moving there to live, and plenty of tourists come to stay each year. Thanks to Brighton’s popularity, the tourism industry there is booming in the summer and there are plenty of large hotels on the seafront. Brighton is also home to lots of trendy B&B and guest houses, created by people with an entrepreneurial spirit that love to look after others and have a keen interest in interior design.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianlloyd/240699985/in/photostream/
As Brighton is a very arty and cultural town, all of the boutique hotels and guest houses seem to have been influenced by this and their décor reflects this arty, creative and flamboyant nature in the city. It’s not unusual to come across themed rooms, which are either a tribute to a person or a place or based on a book or film. It’s also not unusual to see beautiful regency furniture painted in bright colours – this is Brighton’s cheeky way of celebrating the predominantly Regency architecture in the town. The friendly side of Brighton and the share and share a like mentality is also shown in the guest houses as there are often art exhibitions in collaboration with local artists and sculptors.
Image source: href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/83712832@N00/2465893943
There are hundreds of places to go to experience a bed and breakfast Brighton hotel, and some are better than others. Generally the quirkier the name, the quirkier the establishment, but also, quirky owners tend to take a lot of pride in presentation and customer service so you can be guaranteed a good night’s sleep and a pleasant stay. There are even places to find a dog friendly hotel Brighton welcomes visitors of all breeds.
Most boutique hotels are in fantastic seaside properties very close to the beach, or in the centre of everything that’s happening in Brighton. One area that is a particularly popular location for guest houses is Kemp Town. Kemp Town has the highest concentration of pubs and bars in Brighton, and is the heart of the gay scene. It is also a great place to find quaint little tea shops, flea markets and antiques stores so the mix of visitors flocking to Kemp Town is very diverse.
Apart from Kemp Town, the Brighton & Hove border is also a popular place to stay as it is where most of the shops and attractions are, and where the better stretches of beach can be found along with the Hove Lawns, a large green area in front of the promenade that is popular for sports and picnics.
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Teaching English: careers under the spotlight
The teaching appeal
Despite growing unemployment and an unsettled future ahead, becoming a TEFL teacher is still hugely popular. Perhaps it is the chance to escape from the sobriety of reality that encourages so many people to follow this career path. But it’s not just a cop out. TEFL teachers have to work hard and spend much of their free time preparing lessons for the classroom, marking students’ work and acclimatising themselves to foreign surroundings.
Sound like a lot of hard work? Well, yes, it is, but many would argue that the rewards vastly outweigh the pitfalls. You get to live and work in a foreign country, often one that you have specifically chosen to visit. You make diverse contacts and experience a new culture. And you gain invaluable skills that can be used in your future career.
Get qualifiedIf you are a training teacher England is a highly recommended place to get your TEFL or CELTA qualification. Many schools and colleges offer intensive 4-week courses or evening classes so that you can fit studying around your job. Language specific colleges such as The Bristol Language School also offer courses such as The Teaching Knowledge Test, a Cambridge ESOL test that can be studied through distance learning. Established institutions will also have a web of contacts across the world – a good place to start looking for a job.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnddave/4648263595/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Employment prospects
There is a big wide world out there and many places to visit. However, English language teaching abroad tends to focus on one popular area at a time. The jobs get filled in that place and everything’s hunky dory for a few years until saturation occurs and the jobs move on to the next place. At the moment Poland and other eastern European countries have high demand for TEFL teachers. China is also a teaching hotspot.
For those who want to stay in the UK there are many places to look for teaching jobs. Foreign students choose to learn English UK wide and there are often multiple schools in each town or city. Although you may be employed as a freelancer this will give you the freedom to work for more than one school. And once you’ve perfected your lesson plans you can re-use what works.
After working for a few years abroad and gaining vital experience there are many paths your teaching career could take. Mainstream education is a popular route and involves further training. The British Council sometimes has Teacher Training and Coordinator posts for people with in depth knowledge in their field and of particular geographical areas. Other areas might include project management for international companies or branching out on your own as a freelance teacher.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rzganoza/4221672125/sizes/m/in/photostream/
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The Big British Breakfast
Have a heavy night at the weekend? Did you wake up looking for the painkillers? Like a lot of Brits waking up on a Saturday or Sunday morning, you are not alone. For a lot of people who are cautious of what they eat, the thought of a fried breakfast would make them feel sick. But (you may be shocked), it turns out a fried breakfast actually does some good for your body after a few too many drinks!
As your salt and sugar levels are low from excessive alcohol, a ‘full-English’ breakfast can do wonders to kick start your body into action. Studies also suggest that “if you ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast it would promote carbohydrate utilisation throughout the rest of the day, whereas if you have a fat-rich breakfast, you (can) transfer your energy utilisation between carbohydrate and fat.”
So- What’s in it?
To any stranger of a ‘fry-up’, this image could be quite off-putting. But don’t fear, it makes you feel much better!
What you can find in this typical breakfast:
- Sausage (also black pudding)
- Bacon
- Egg (fried/scrambled)
- Tomatoes (baked beans, fried, tinned)
- Mushrooms
- Bread (toasted/fried)
- Hash Browns
These are the most common ingredients to a fry-up. You can mix it up a bit, and you obviously don’t need all of these at one time- depending on your appetite, of course!
Many households have their hobs at the ready to cook a nice fry-up for friends and family, but there are loads of café’s that serve delicious breakfasts that will cater to your fragile needs in the weekend mornings.
I wouldn’t recommend a fry-up every morning, as that would be a one-way ticket to a heart attack. But don’t be afraid to give it a go next time you wake up needing a good kick-start your day and help get rid of that hangover! -
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World. Actually: A Little About Hove, Actually
Great article about Brighton and Hove (East Sussex) UK!
Hove is situated on the sometimes sunny South Coast of England. In the year 2000, to celebrate the Millenium, Hove was partnered up with Brighton to create the official title of “The City of Brighton & Hove” It is interesting that this name is one of very few of its kind in the UK; a compromise…
(Source: hovepeople.co.uk)
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Land down in Camden Town
I recently visited Camden Town, home to jazz singer Amy Winehouse, in North-West London and absolutely loved the place. Camden is renowned for its creative flair, its markets and music scene. As you walk through the place, you’ll find plenty of colourful buildings, pubs, bars, tattoo shops and stalls.
Camden Markets
Also referred to as ‘Camden Lock’, it’s the fourth-most popular visitor attraction in London, attracting approximately 100,000 people each weekend. There’s a large mixture of temporary and fixed stalls, selling things such as food, clothing and crafts. There are fewer stalls nowadays, due to the increase local supermarkets. But the markets are still rammed with visitors. The markets include:- Camden Lock Market
- Historic Stables Market
- Camden Lock Village
- Buck Street Market
- Electric Ballroom
- Inverness Street Market
Music
If you’re into your music and enjoy live gigs, this is the place for you. There won’t be an evening out in Camden where there isn’t a great gig to go to. The best venue’s for a good gig would tend to be these:- Devonshire Arms
- Electric Ballroom
- Hawley Arms Pub
- KOKO
- The World’s End
So if you decide to take a trip to this exciting town, you won’t be disappointed. There’s always something happening!
Likes
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London, England
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Holborn street scene (by Lars Plougmann)
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Blagaj, Bosnia and Herzegovina (by David THIBAULT)
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I’ve Been Chasing Dreams All My Life.
