From the 16th to the 23rd of May 2025, our class went on a language trip to Exeter, England, organized by IPC and Mrs. Simpson Parker. We stayed with host families, which really helped us improve our English skills. We got the chance to explore the culture, nature, and everyday life there. It was a week full of unforgettable memories, new experiences (trying slim chicken and taco bell), and good vibes all around.

Jin

The school trip to Exeter was a super fun experience! My favorite day was the one where we visited Sidmouth Beach and got to see the island side of England. The weather was in our favour: perfect sunshine and a mild breeze, which, as everyone knows, can’t be taken for granted in England. Buskers everywhere, and one of them will remain in my memory forever. It was a particularly magical moment, we had finally walked to where we could see the beach, there was wind in our hair and in the background there was the soft melodical strums of an electric guitar playing. It was weirdly emotional, beautiful and I felt a hint of nostalgia at the same time. I enjoyed that day very much!

Saba

Our host family really gave us the opportunity to enhance our English vocabulary, but also to get a glimpse of the English culture and how the people live in Exeter. By sitting down with our host parents in the evening, it helped us speak more quickly and spontaneously while avoiding mistakes. While speaking English almost all the time, we covered many topics, ranging from every day life to what we want to become in the future, enabling us to learn specific vocabulary. Because of our trip to Exeter, we managed to improve our pronunciation by talking to locals like cashiers, tour guides and strangers. Coming home in the evening, we got a taste of the typical British cuisine, like fish and chips, whipped cream and the famous British tea.

Emilia P.

We had a lovely time in Exeter. Our family was really warm-hearted. They taught us a lot about the English culture, for instance what they eat or English slang words. A magical moment was when we were in Tintagel. The view from the cliffs above the sea was breathtaking. Our tour guide told us that many people believe this was the home of King Arthur. I learned a lot of new things about the legend. After we reached the statue of King Arthur at the top of the cliffs, we went down to the sea.

It was a wonderful trip during which I learned a lot about history and also had plenty of time with my friends.

Lena W.

In Exeter, I experienced for the first time that I truly enjoy going to school. I especially remember Michael, my teacher. Not only was he very friendly and funny, but he also sometimes tried to speak German, which made the lessons even more enjoyable. He was also very understanding when we were tired or didn’t know something. The lessons weren‘t like normal school lessons.We played fun games to improve our English. Also, we had to interview people on the street.

Lena R.

There is a big difference in the social behaviour of the people in Exeter and Vienna. Exeter is quite small compared to Vienna and you can really tell, that the people in Exeter are far more relaxed and communicative. My friends and I once chatted with a stranger about life in Exeter and its people in general. On the first day I observed, that whenever people enter or get off the bus, they thank the bus driver with a „cheers“. I have never experienced this in Vienna and on the following days I used the word „cheers“ more often to thank people and wish them a good day. Another common aspect in Exeter is that if you bump into strangers unintentionally, they will probably be the first to say sorry. To be honest, I was really irritated the first time this happened to me, because it was actually me bumping into another person. I really adapted the behaviour and now feel like I was born in Exeter 😊

Daniel

One of the most wonderful trips I’ve ever taken was to Tintagel, a beautiful village on the UK coast. In addition to the stunning blue sea, this place has a historic story, the legend of King Arthur. When you’re in Tintagel, you should definitely bring enough memory for plenty of photos, because you don’t see a place like this very often. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can go into the cave and swim in the sea.

Fabio

The host family was very friendly and caring. We all watched ESC together, and it was so unusual because we were speaking English with the family and also watching ESC in English. I spoke a lot of English, and it was always great that when I had to explain something, they didn’t laugh at me but genuinely tried to understand me. That took away my fear of speaking English spontaneously. I thought the time was fantastic and wish everyone who will also go to England a very fun time.

Emilia D.

One of the highlights of attending the language school was definitely getting to know the teachers. They weren’t just “normal teachers” they were locals with a lot of personality, and an interesting accent.Talking with them was always a pleasure, not just because of how much we could learn from them, but also because of how friendly they were. The conversations were authentic and always kept flowing which improved our English a lot. Being able to talk with new people helped us speak more spontaneously. It didn’t feel like a typical school experience, of course we had some assignments to do, but those were always easy to handle. Looking back, the conversations we had with the teachers were some of the best parts of the language classes and I will definitely remember getting to talk to the teachers.

Nisa

Exeter was one of my best experiences. I had so much fun, especially the day we visited Sidmouth. We could walk around on our own and explore everything. It was a sunny day and we spent time on the beach. And it was a great opportunity to speak with locals. It was a different vibe to speak to people who only speak English. But I must say it was hard to get used to the fact that cars are driving on the left side and not on the right and that you have to look to the right first to cross the road. I don’t know how many times I didn’t see a car coming because I was not looking in the right direction. But overall I was really happy and had a great time.

Asya