We love hearing about our students' experiences studying English in Wimbledon! Charlotte's Proficiency level class have written a series of blogs about their favourite things about studying English in London. In this series, students will write about watching the 2018 World Cup in Wimbledon, going to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and what to expect when living in a homestay! Our next student, Kelly Ma, has written about what to pack if you're coming to London in Summer!

A lot of people saying that weather in London is unpleasant which is humid and rainy, well, I could tell you that this is not the really the picture.

1) Hat, sunglasses, swim suit

Mr Sun is very active and naughty during summer, he comes out to play and goes home at 10pm.  UV is stronger than in Asia as London is at the higher latitude.  Hat and sunglasses can protect your eyes on the one hand, and make you more fashionable on the other hand.  Try to bring something simple for easy mix and match.  Swimming pools are quite easily accessible, or perhaps you would like to go the beach to enjoy and cool down a bit for yourself, so don’t forget your sunblock and swim suit.

 
Sunglasses are a must-have during summer!

2) Comfortable shoes, sunblock

Sightseeing hot spots, museums and historical heritages are all around London, so comfortable shoes are very important.  No flip flops and high heels please since a lot of walking is involved and these will hurt your feet.  Try to bring 1 to 2 pair fashionable sneaker for your schooling, excursion or easy shopping; if you would like to go to gym, a pair of cross-trainer is absolutely needed; for ladies, perhaps you can bring a pair of lace-up if you’re planning to go to a formal restaurant.  Sunblock is a necessity so that skin won’t be burnt especially when you are in the outdoor area.

3) Cardigan or long sleeves

Temperature differences can be as large as 10°C between daytime and morning/night during the summer.  A thin and light cardigan/long sleeve can keep you from cold when you are going home late after the excursion, pubbing, a musical show, or nice dinner with friends.

4) Fan

Tubes and trains are crowded as a city like London. And oops... it sometimes happen that there is a... slightly delay... due signal problem or whatever reason. There was a rule in UK that animals are not allowed to be transported in the environment exceeding 35°C, well, while human can be, even if it is 39°C! Even if this is not case, a fan can make your day during the hot summer.

The London Underground can get very hot during the summer months!

5) Umbrella

Em... I think umbrella is not that necessary but if everybody, even your host family suggested you to bring, why not?!

 
It wouldn't be summer in London without a few rainy days...

Kelly Ma from Hong Kong, enjoys travelling, cultural exchange, continuous learning and life.