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Culture
The UK has been at the forefront of youth culture since the heyday of the Beatles and Rolling Stones in the 1960s.
It has a rich literary heritage encompassing the works of English writers such as William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, Scot Robert Burns, Welshman Dylan Thomas and Northern Irishman Seamus Heaney." BBC
Follow the link below to continue reading about United Kingdom in general.
Smartaupairs is dedicated in offering the best service for both host families and au pairs.
Upon arrival to the UK host family, each au pair receives the newly improved welcome pack in a handy, re-useable folder.
Explore Britain as an au pair
This areas is designed to prepare for the 'Britain Experience' as an au pair. Please feel free to send us articles or websites to add to this that can help other au pairs.
ProjectBritain.com is written by school children, so it is easy to read!
BBC news as the main news channel in Britain, look here for the latest topics.
Weather government site about a favourite British topic, the weather!
Weather info for children the weather written in simple English, can also be used to learn about the weather with the children in your host family.
Visit Britain - be a Brit Different has some British people talking about their daily life and their region.
The British Council answers the question: Has the UK become a nation of shopaholics? and many more educational articles about learning English and life in Britain.
Focus on religion is a Government website about religions in Britain.
ProjectBritain.com is part of the the extremely popular Woodlands Junior School's British Life and Culture website. It is all written by school children and contains fascinating facts and information about England, Scotland and Wales (Britain), in a way that is easy to read and to understand for people of all ages and cultures.
Here is an extract from Project Britain:
What do children do during their free time?
Playing Sport
Children enjoy playing and watching sports such as football, cricket, tennis and netball.
Clubs
Many children belong to clubs such as Cub Scouts, Brownies, Boys Brigade, St Johns Ambulance, Judo, Karate, dance and Youth Clubs.
Other popular activities include watching television, playing computer games, cycling and skateboarding.
Sightseeing
Families enjoy going sightseeing at the weekends and during the school holidays. There are many stately homes, museums, beaches and beautiful parts of the countryside to visit.
and one more.......
Five Days in the Life of Teenager during a School Holiday
Day One
I've had an OK day today. I got up at 12 midday, ate cookie crisp for breakfast. Mum went out to Tescos during the afternoon. I wasn't on my own for too long though. Mum only bought food for lunch.
I checked my mobile phone during lunch - one of my friends texted me early in the morning and I'd only just noticed it! I sent back a reply and apologised for not replying sooner.
After lunch I sat around watching telly and finishing my English / History / German / Science homework.
Had dinner at about 6:30, I had a microwave able pizza and crinkle chips. I went upstairs, finished off my English homework, I listened to Avril Lavigne and Dido for a while, came back downstairs at about 7:15, came onto the internet. Watched Emmerdale, then Coronation Street and am now watching Eastenders.
Tesco is a supermarket
Telly is slang for television
Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Eastenders are all Soap Operas (TV)
Day Two
I woke up at 10:45, Mum and I went into town. Afterwards, we phoned mum's mate and her daughter (my mate) to ask if we could come round afterwards, as we hadn't seen each other for months!
We stayed at our friends house for an hour and a half - during that time me and my mate browsed the internet Afterwards we went to Tescos to get dinner - microwave Indian meal for three (mum, dad, me).
Day Three
I woke up at 10pm ish, I think. Mum and I went back into Maidstone today, as we needed to get the Sunday Roast stuff for, well, Sunday. We also bought fish and chips for lunch and I bought some new funky crayola spider pens. We popped into to Sainsburys on our way back home.
Ever since then, I have been surfing the internet, eating dinner (sausages,mash,beans) and watching a bit of TV.
Day Four
Mum went to work today, I did some more homework and in the afternoon I surfed the internet. Mum left me out lunch before she went. I also prayed at about 2pm.
Now watching channel FIVE.
I'm afraid that's all I've done today
Day Five
I woke up at 2pm, and so did my mum. We went to Tesco at 3:30pm - where mum kept meeting her friends, and we chatted for 2 hours! When we got home, it was already time for dinner(sausage, egg and chips). Afterwards, I did more homework until 2am - and I'm not joking!
and here is an intersting article for musical au pairs from the BBC website;
Is music the key to academic gains?
Are you an "ambitious parent" keen to try any new ideas to benefit your child's educational development and future success?
We have heard of brain training computer games giving young minds a cerebral workout with impressive results, improving their maths and concentration skills in the classroom.
But what about encouraging your child to learn a musical instrument to help stimulate their creative processes and possibly boost their school performance?
And this if from the post on Be a Brit Different - written by Hayley about
England's North Country
The region at a glance: England's North Country encompasses unbelievable diversity: there are vibrant cities like Manchester and Liverpool, the breathtaking Lake District, endless historical sites in York and Chester, and it doesn't stop there.
Where is it? England's North Country encompasses four distinct regions: North East England, Yorkshire, England's Northwest and the Isle of Man. The major cities of England's North Country, Manchester and Liverpool, are each about two hours from London by train.
Hungry? Yorkshire pudding is a national institution. The region is full of gastropubs, which specialize in high quality food, a step above the more basic "pub grub".
Famous for: being the birthplace of the Beatles, locations for movies such as Harry Potter, the Lake District of Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter, the largest gothic cathedral in Northern England—York Minster, soccer matches in Manchester and Liverpool, the opportunity to visit Holy Island in Northumberland, accessible over a causeway on foot or by car at low tide only.
Explore Britain
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