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13th Mar Linking ideas and agreeing and disagreeing

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13th Feb: revision of vocabulary and speaking practice on the topic of the environment, damage, protecting it, etc. (speaking practice)

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13th Feb: revision of vocabulary and speaking practice on the topic of the environment, damage, protecting it, etc. (speaking practice)

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Ordering Food in Italy (10 Things You Must Know)

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Massive winter storm in the US and Canada

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Russia chaos today..!! Kamchatka is buried in unprecedented snow

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2nd Jan: if you have time, please listen to ideas at 18:35 and 21:10

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2nd Jan: if you have time, please listen to ideas at 18:35 and 21:10

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If you want 2026 to be the best year of your life, please watch this video…

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29th Dec: New Year celebrations around the world

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29th Dec: New Year celebrations around the world

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How different cultures celebrate the New Year

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Language from class conversations 22nd Dec

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22nd Dec: top ten Christmas traditions around the world

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22nd Dec: top ten Christmas traditions around the world

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Top 10 Most Incredible Christmas Celebrations Around the World

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15th Dec: a very interesting article about Italian cuisine, esp the first part about the historic past as opposed to the current image

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15th Dec: a very interesting article about Italian cuisine, esp the first part about the historic past as opposed to the current image

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The myth of traditional Italian cuisine has seduced the world. The truth is very different | Alberto Grandi

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The comforting tourist-brochure idea of what Italian food looks like obscures a story shaped by hunger, migration and innovation, says Alberto Grandi, author and professor of food history

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Body movements in idioms and phrasal verbs

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Energizing Chair Yoga for Seniors & Beginners // 25 minute Dynamic Flow

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Language from class conversations 14th Nov

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For 10th Nov: please revise vocabulary to talk about dogs - so some of the words we used in today's class

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For 10th Nov: please revise vocabulary to talk about dogs - so some of the words we used in today's class

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31st Oct: if you have time, please have a look at this article

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31st Oct: if you have time, please have a look at this article

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Why Innsbruck makes the perfect winter base

Innsbruck offers lots of options for a winter holiday. I found it's a place where you don't have to hurtle down ski slopes or dance like crazy at après-ski parties. In fact I was amazed when I took the 20-minute cable car from the city centre up 2,000 metres to an area where locals were sitting in deckchairs on the snow reading books and sipping hot chocolate in the strong Tirolean sunshine. You can ski to your heart's content on slopes just half an hour from the famous Imperial Palace in the city centre. The city authorities provide some guided free walks and winter activities, including a cross-country skiing taster if you have a Welcome Card provided by your hotel. Then again, you can just sit and sample strong Austrian coffee or Gerschtnsuppe (soup with barley, smoked meat and vegetables) at riverside cafes and pubs.
Gina

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Ski and hit the beach in one day in Andalucía

The Sierra Nevada range is just 17 miles south of Granada in Andalucía, making the beautiful city a viable place to stay if visiting these high mountains. For skiers the resort village of Pradollano is at 2,100 metres, from which cable cars and chairlifts reach up close to the 3,000-metre summits. It's a fantastic ski resort, Europe's most southerly, but is still very much under most people's radar. There are 112km of pistes and 134 slopes, most of which are well above 2,000 metres so snow is fairly reliable. This year it's opening on 29 November with ski passes from €38. It's little more than an hour's drive to Motril and the Mediterranean. You really can ski in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon.
Stephen McCann

Peaks of the Balkans, Albania and Montenegro

Last year I enjoyed a brilliant winter trip in the Albanian Alps and in Montenegro. Highlights included the walk to and from the spectacular Grunas waterfall in Theth national park in Albania, and the hike to 1,970-metre Hrid lake in Montenegro's Prokletije national park. We skied and walked a section of the 120-mile Peaks of the Balkans trail and spent some time in the lively town of Plav, which included a folk song and karaoke night with some locals where I taught one group a version of Last Christmas to great applause.
Nick

The Alps in infrared, Austria

We stayed at the lodge Jagdhaus (€220 a night, sleeps up to 6) at Furx in western Austria. This wonderful place has a sauna, an infrared chamber and an external hot tub from which to enjoy special views towards the Alps. There are any amount of scenic walks on your doorstep and, 100 metres below, there is the Peterhof restaurant with remarkably low prices for such a high standard of cuisine.
Kevin Hill

Twinkling lights in Poland's Tatra mountains

I first discovered the Tatra mountains on a day trip from Kraków some years ago and returned for a mountain break last February, staying in Zakopane, which is a great base for skiers and anyone who enjoys winter mountain activities. It's affordable (my chalet for a week was just €400) and has lovely traditional wooden and stone houses, cafes and cheap restaurants serving tasty Polish stews and filled pierogis, which kept us warm throughout. We hired snow shoes to explore the foothills by day and at dusk the twinkling lights of the mountain villages came on, adding to the wonderful scene of lakes, mountains and forests. We also enjoyed sleigh rides and husky-driven carriages through the silent forests to magical ice mazes.
Yasmin

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The amazing light of Eryri, north Wales

Our favourite winter break is at Llanberis in Eryri national park (Snowdonia). It's peaceful, dramatic, and full of charm without Alpine crowds. We love the cozy log fires, hikes up the mountain passing waterfalls and the choice of yurts and eco-lodges to stay in. It's particularly stunning in cold weather when kissed with snow or frost. The amazing light on the Llyn Padarn recreates a mirror in a breathtaking landscape dominated by Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). A special treat is the authentic Welsh community of makers and local craftspeople. Music, food and friendliness make this a more delightful experience than going abroad.
David Innes-Wilkin

Adrenaline-fuelled days in Austria

Kreischberg in the state of Styria is a medium-sized resort with log cabins and a James Bond-style restaurant in which to dine in style. We stayed at the base of the mountain in the Ferienpark cabins; each with log burners to cosy up beside. When it comes to skiing, take the long telecabin up the Kreischberg and explore blues, reds and blacks. For the best slopes head to Rosenkranzhöhe, where there are sweeping reds and blacks with expansive views over the Alps. After an adrenaline-fuelled morning, and for the best restaurant views, head to the Eagle, styled like a Bond villain's lair.
Mark

Winning tip: Ice age roots in Sweden

There are mountain areas in Sweden where some of the oldest living things in Europe survive. When the ice retreated from Scandinavia 9,000 years ago, various isolated elevated areas were left frozen, and the root systems of ice age trees live on. Sonfjället national park in the empty Härjedalen region of central west Sweden is one such area, where the spruce Old Rasmus, grown from 9,500-year-old roots, can be found. The park is also known for its high density of bears. I return to the mountains in summer, autumn or winter. I find them incredibly peaceful; you can experience absolute silence and often you can gaze at the northern lights.
Lars

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'You don't have to hurtle down slopes or dance like crazy at après parties': readers' favourite winter mountain holidays in Europe

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The Alps, Spain's Sierra Nevada and the national parks of Sweden and Albania feature among our readers' treasured winter mountain breaks

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How to cope with long winter nights and seasonal depression | BBC News

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Scream Club on Primrose Hill in London (UK) 13/Oct/2025

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On a cold Monday afternoon in Hyde Park, London, a small group of people gather by the Huntress fountain chatting softly among themselves. Nothing about the group would seem unusual to passing dog walkers and runners - until they huddle together and one starts a countdown.

On three, a collective scream cuts through the park. The outburst lasts only a few seconds before giving way to laughter. They were only meant to do it once, but end up screaming again - louder, the second time.

This is London Scream Club, one of several gatherings across the UK where people meet to scream into the open air as a form of release. A TikTok video of a public group scream in Minneapolis, US, went viral, inspiring offshoots in Chicago and now cities including London and Birmingham. Participants follow a few simple rules: "Hydrate, respect your body's limits and if you feel dizzy, pause," explains 23-year-old Shania Barnes.

'It's nice to be able to release your energy together,' said Shania Barnes (centre, with white scarf). Photograph: Jill Mead/The Guardian

For many, it's not just about the noise but connection, community and finding new ways to cope with stress.

"It's important to connect with others," says Barnes, a culinary management student who also runs a micro-bakery. "In a city like London, people are constantly stressed. It's nice to be able to release your energy together. It's not only a scream club, but also a social club."

Barnes says she started the group to "release pent-up energy" from the "stresses of work, life and being a girl".

"This time last year, I would've never done something like this," she says. "Being lonely, struggling to make friends - I felt it all, once upon a time. I might still feel that way, but I wanted to make new friends."

What began as a viral trend has quickly evolved into a new kind of "third space" that some in the group say they have been searching for: a setting that doesn't revolve around alcohol or spending money. "We need more social clubs," Barnes says. "There aren't many places for young people to go to meet others without spending money or feeling pressured to drink. People really need that."

'Nobody's judging you,' said Maliha Hussain, 21. Photograph: Jill Mead/The Guardian

For others, the scream club is an experiment in vulnerability. Ikhlas, 20, a politics student, says she came along after seeing the trend on TikTok. "I realised I've never screamed at a loud volume in my whole life, so I wanted to see how that would feel - is it tension-relieving?" she says. "A few years ago, I would've never imagined I'd come by myself to a park and scream with strangers."

She found the experience unexpectedly freeing. "It helps with social anxiety," she says. "It's fun, but you also go home feeling refreshed because you've met and spoken to new people. That in itself is a kind of therapy."

Maliha Hussain, 21, a master's student, also discovered the club through social media. "I've been stressed a lot recently - my eye keeps twitching," she laughs. "I can't really scream at home, my parents would be confused. But here, everyone's in the same boat. Nobody's judging you."

Hussain believes the trend reflects the difficulty many young people face in accessing mental health support. "It's really hard to see a therapist in the UK. NHS waiting lists are long, and private therapy is expensive," she says. "Coming here and having some sort of stress relief, even if you're not talking about your problems, works for people."

Shania's mother, Raswella Warburton, 55, came along to support her daughter but also ended up joining the group scream. "People of an older age might think screaming is quite silly, or only for young or unwell people," she says. "But I actually felt a kind of unburdening."

Ottilie Nye, 25, left, and Sarah Craig, 26, right, 'come together to let it all out'. Photograph: Jill Mead/The Guardian

For best friends Ottilie Nye and Sarah Craig, 25 and 26, the experience was as cathartic as it was fun. "I never scream," Sarah says. "I was nervous at first because I didn't know how people would react, but it was actually quite liberating. It felt fun to scream with strangers, everyone's going through their own things, but we come together to let it all out."

Ottilie, a drama workshop leader and sex educator, says scream clubs have resonated with young people for "so many reasons": "The state of the world, all of the horrific things that are happening - sometimes it can feel hopeless and we're conditioned to think we're not allowed to feel that."

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'A kind of therapy': scream club brings Londoners together to 'let it all out'

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Viral trend sees (mostly) young people meet to 'release pent-up energy' and relieve stress in fun, social setting

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For 20th Oct: make a list of 10-12 irregular verbs and learn all three forms; bring your list to class, please

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For 20th Oct: make a list of 10-12 irregular verbs and learn all three forms; bring your list to class, please

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I'm Much Happier Living In Copenhagen Than In The U.S. - Look Inside My Home | Unlocked

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Why Finland And Denmark Are Happier Than The U.S.

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Language from class conversations 19th Sep

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Language from class conversations 30th Jun

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A glass ceiling - or a broken ladder?- BBC News

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13th Jun: revision and consolidation of vocabulary and grammar - talking about changes and financial independence of women

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13th Jun: revision and consolidation of vocabulary and grammar - talking about changes and financial independence of women

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Language from class conversations 30th May

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Language from class conversations 23rd May

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16th May: read the first person's account and listen to the recording, please

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16th May: read the first person's account and listen to the recording, please

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The disaster preppers who were proven right: ‘We lived in the car for five days’

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Three people tell stories of when stockpiling in case of natural disasters and precarious employment paid off

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Energy analyst: 'Grid resilience' requires 'efficiency' and a 'distributive' energy supply | DW News

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Language from class conversations 5th May

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Language from class conversations 25th Apr

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I've always been adventurous. That's why, in 2013, I set myself a goal to travel to every country in the world. I grew up in Louisiana, and my family went on road trips across the US. When I was 13, I visited relatives in Texas and we went to a town in Mexico. It was so different from what I'd known.

When I was a student, I didn't travel a lot. But in my late 20s, I started working in revenue and merchandise for American Airlines and could get free flights if there were empty seats. Once, there were flights from Dallas to Caracas in Venezuela, so I went by myself to go scuba diving on some remote islands.

My first big trips were to Vietnam and India. I remember arriving in Hanoi and seeing all the motorbikes whizzing by. I had a bucket list of places to visit, including Easter Island and the Great Wall of China. Seeing things built by ancient civilisations reminds you how small you are in the world.

After 12 years at the airline, I joined a technology company, and travelled a lot for the job. In 2012, I counted the number of countries I'd been to. I'd clocked up about 90, so I decided to try to hit 100 - which I did the next year. At that point, I made it my goal to go to all of the 193 UN member states.

I've learned that people want the same things: home, family, love and security - and that you don't need as much as you think to be happy

There have been many highlights. In 2017, I did an Everest base camp trail and a helicopter tour, so I got to see the peak. It made me tear up. In Svalbard, a group of islands off Norway, I saw a total solar eclipse, which was surreal: everything goes dark. I met a matriarchal tribe in the Bijagós Islands in Guinea-Bissau. The women were really outgoing and the men reserved.

At times, I worried I wouldn't be able to get to every country. Entering North Korea - it is possible to go if you're on a guided tour - my friend and I had a problem. You're not allowed to take in any movies that feature the country. I got through security, but my friend had the movie Salt on his laptop - and Angelina Jolie plays a spy imprisoned in North Korea. He was detained. After a few hours, they let him go, but kept his laptop. We were on edge that whole trip. I've had to negotiate geopolitics: I managed to go to Syria in 2019, during the small window when Americans could get visas.

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People have often told me that solo travel can be dangerous for women, but I've mostly felt safe. There have been a few times when I've felt uncomfortable, but I've learned to be aware of my surroundings and plan transport in advance.

In the US, we don't get much time off work, but I used all of mine to travel. Being able to go abroad on business helped, too. I've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to do this - maybe $500,000 (£385,000) or more. Since I started my journey, there's been a lot more awareness of the environmental impact of travel. It helped that many of my journeys used empty seats on planes, or were for business. Now I don't work full-time, I prefer slow travel and take fewer flights.

In June 2019, I quit my job to take a year-long sabbatical to travel. In March 2020, the pandemic meant I had to go home, which was then Texas. I had only four countries left to visit: Cape Verde, Nigeria, Namibia and Mozambique.

Visiting every country in the world has made me more comfortable with being uncomfortable

Eventually, places started opening up again. Namibia was first - I spent two weeks there. It's a magical place: I went to the giant sand dunes and watched cheetahs up close at Etosha national park. In December 2020, I visited Mozambique, the last country on my list. There, I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. It was the culmination of more than 20 years of travel. I was on my own, but I FaceTimed my friend and celebrated with a glass of wine.

This experience has taught me there's a lot I don't know about the world. I've learned that even though we all have different cultures, religions and lifestyles, people want the same things: home, family, love and security. I've also learned that you don't need as much as you think to be happy. In 2022, I moved from the US to Lisbon, where people are less focused on consumption.

Visiting every country in the world has made me more comfortable with being uncomfortable, whether that's travelling, personal challenges, or moving to a new country. I still love being adventurous - and I've learned I can push myself more than I think.

As told to Isabelle Aron

Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@theguardian.com

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Experience: I've been to every country in the world

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There have been many highlights. In a group of islands off Norway, I saw a total solar eclipse, which was surreal

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4th Apr and slides 3 onwards for 7th Apr

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4th Apr and slides 3 onwards for 7th Apr

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31st Mar: consolidation of vocabulary, small talk, conversations about food, friendships, work

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31st Mar: consolidation of vocabulary, small talk, conversations about food, friendships, work

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Language from class conversations 14th Mar

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10th Mar - Introduction to Digital Nomads

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10th Mar - Introduction to Digital Nomads

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For 14th Mar; examples of jobs; what kind of person would thrive in this lifestyle; other pros or cons not mentioned in the listening; 

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For 14th Mar; examples of jobs; what kind of person would thrive in this lifestyle; other pros or cons not mentioned in the listening; 

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Working online and traveling the world - digital nomads | DW Documentary

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I'm 17 and since August 2022 I have been living on trains. I grew up in a village in the north of Germany. I enjoyed travelling to Scandinavia with my parents and going on nature tours, and was also interested in computer programming. I taught myself how to program during the pandemic and decided that was what I wanted to do for my job.

After graduating from secondary school in summer 2022, I was set to start an apprenticeship as a software developer. Unfortunately, it was cancelled a few weeks before it was due to begin. I needed a new plan at short notice.

I had seen a TV report a few weeks earlier about someone who lived on a train. I could not get the thought out of my head. I loved the idea of having the freedom to travel anywhere in Germany every day. A few days later, I bought my first BahnCard 100, which offers unlimited travel on Germany's national train network - the junior pass cost €2,664 (£2,290) back then. On 8 August, I set off and boarded the first train.

My family were very sceptical at that point. They were worried I wouldn't be able to get enough sleep at night, that I would be alone and that it could be dangerous. They were still sceptical for the first few months, when hardly anything worked out. I would get tired and stressed from planning it all, and struggle to sleep, so I often returned home to my parents. But now I have it figured out, they're really supportive. I have so many new experiences; life is extremely varied and every day is different.

I have the freedom to decide where I go every day, and can visit my friends who live all over Germany. They also travel on the trains a lot - while they don't live on them like me, we often arrange to travel together or to meet up. I actually have much more contact with friends than ever before, and also have interesting conversations with other travellers on the train. I feel anything but lonely.

I've done this for more than a year now. When my first BahnCard was going to expire, I upgraded my pass to first class, which costs €5,888 for someone under 27 like me. This also lets me eat all the food I want in the Deutsche Bahn guest lounges at train stations - stuff like croissants, muesli, wraps, focaccia, soup or cake.

My typical day involves arriving into a city between 6am and 8am on an overnight InterCity Express train. I'll go to the railway company's guest loungeand eat breakfast. I'll then have a quick wash in the bathroom, or go to the local swimming pool to shower.

Afterwards, I look at the day's train departures and choose a destination. Even though I live on trains, I spend a lot of time exploring the outdoors. During the day, I might go hiking in the mountains, visit a city or go to the beach on the Baltic Sea. It depends on the weather. I love hiking in the Alps, especially in summer, and exploring new cities. I particularly like being in Berlin. The city is full of variety and there's always something going on.

At some point, I will pick my night train and go to the station. Then I'll eat dinner in the Deutsche Bahn lounge and wait for the train which swings me across Germany while I sleep.

I'm a software developer at an IT startup and work about 10 hours a week. The great thing about my job is that I can choose my own working hours. It's not a problem if I don't work for a day or two. I use my time travelling on the train to work, so the job fits quite well with my lifestyle.

Living on the train means I have to do without some things that I used to take for granted. I don't have privacy. I have also had to reduce my possessions so that everything I own fits into a 30-litre backpack. But the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

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All in all, taking into account general living expenses, my lifestyle on trains costs less than €10,000 a year. That sounds like a lot at first, but it's very cheap compared with the costs of renting an apartment.

The original plan was to do this for only a year, but I have enjoyed it so much, I've decided to keep doing it. At the moment, there's no end in sight.

As told to Daniel Dylan Wray

Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@theguardian.com

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I pick my night train and wait for it to swing me across Germany as I sleep

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The 4 Stages of Adaptation [Culture Shock]

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Language from class conversations 7th Feb

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The Reason We Find Dogs So Cute | The Science of Cute

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Language from class conversations 3rd Feb

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27th Jan: listening about Lisa and that difficult situation at work

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27th Jan: listening about Lisa and that difficult situation at work

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22nd Jan: Unit 20, English Vocabulary Organiser

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22nd Jan: Unit 20, English Vocabulary Organiser

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The Knowledge: Worlds Toughest Taxi Test

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Language from class conversations 13th Jan

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A LONDONER Explains How to Speak COCKNEY (London accent)

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‘What have we here?’: how asking yourself a simple question can transform the way you think about your life

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Forget generic self-help advice and focus instead on the unique set of hang-ups, character traits and personal circumstances that stop you living your best life