Castigatoarea Mirunette Language Competition – 2013

Mirunette Language Competition - 2013

Dear Mirunette,

There are so many things that I want to say that I don’t even know what to begin with! First of all, thank you for organizing the competition and giving me the amazing opportunity to go to Oxford. I’ve been dreaming since forever to go to England and it wasn’t until we landed for me to realize that this was actually happening and it wasn’t all in my head. The truth is everything was new for me so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the camp turned out to be thousand times better than whatever I was thinking of.
Since the moment we met at the airport, I felt like these would be the best two weeks of my life. And they did are; I admit I was lucky enough to be part of maybe one of the best groups Mirunette has sent abroad. After a short period of time, we were all feeling like we’d known each other for ages and it was easy for any outsider to notice the special bond. During the camp, we’ve become a family, with plenty of inside jokes and wonderful memories to remind us of the amazing time we’d spent together for a long, long time. And, of course, our family wouldn’t have been completed without our group leaders, or maybe two of the most genuine and the greatest people I’ve ever met. Not once they’ve helped us with whatever problem we had or tried their best to please us all, which was a bit hard, as we were all different and had various opinions and wishes. And even though we sometimes disagreed with their words, at the end of the day we knew they did it for our own good and everyone was happy as always.
But the wide range of friends I’ve made doesn’t stop here; during the period of time I’ve spent in England I’ve tied close friendships with teens from varied countries, such as Slovakia, France, Russia, Portugal and China. They were all different from us, and I could sense this from their way of talking to their actions, but this only made us be closer. This way, I’ve been proofed that, no matter where you come from, we’re all united by the same secret dreams, various pleasures and many other things. I am very proud to say that I’ve build friendship which I’m sure will last for a very long time.
And speaking of friends, I can’t forget some of the most hilarious and greatest friends from England, or the teachers. I was surprised (in a good way, of course!) and happy to see what amazing teachers we had. I was very friendly with all of them, but my all-time favorites will always be the ‘Aussie’ Dave and the Irishman Colm (it’s read ‘Calum’). Along with two other wonderful ladies, Sarah and Elle, they entertained us during what was supposed to be classes. The truth is, they were real classes, but very different from what I’ve experienced back home. Honestly, I was shocked to notice that it was the first time I was really looking forward to going to school! And I had reasons to, as the small group of students and the modern methods of teaching turned every lesson into an hour and a half of fun! The lessons were mainly focused on vocabulary and its usage in speaking, so there were no boring exercises or endless minutes of what we would call ‘typical classes’. Actually, I was thrilled to realize at the end of every week that my English was constantly improving and I was getting more and more fluent in talking. So, I didn’t come home with only lots of new friends, but lots of new information, as well.
If we weren’t all excited about of next class or chatting with someone we hadn’t met before, we were spending our time at the daily activities. Before or after the lunch and the usual lessons, the friendly staff from Oxford had the somehow difficult mission to keep us entertained with lots and lots of activities from every kind – and they did a quite good job, may I add! We found in the well-prepared staff some great people, always ready to help, and some friends I personally still keep in touch with (along with the teachers and other students, of course!). Every day we had something new to do, whether it was a short trip to a new place or activities for both the sports and arts fans. This half of the day was always something everyone would love and, as usual, not once we lost the track of time. After a full day, we would all relax at one of the evening activities. From Mini Olympics and Treasure Hunt to Talent Show and Disco, everybody was surely enjoying themselves, ending another incredible day.
But, unfortunately, the camp came to an end and, about a week ago, we all had to say our goodbyes, ending a wonderful period of our lives, but promising to send each other a message as soon as we get home, in different corners of the world. And, unfortunately, I had to leave behind England, my special country, the group, a bunch of people I’ll never forget, and everything else. Truthfully, since I entered back in my room, I can’t stop remembering with a wide smile on my face all the great things I did back in Oxford.
All in all, the camp in England taught me a lot and gave me some things to think of again. So, thank you again Mirunette for offering me by far the best two weeks in my life!
Best regards,
Gabriela Bianca Gheorghe (castigatoare premiul I – tabara internationala in Anglia)