Student stories have been flooding in to Oxford Royale Academy. Thank you to all those who have replied. Here are three more articles written by Zaid from the Junior English Programme, Raksha from the Young Prodigies Programme and Archana from the New Perspectives Programme. Enjoy!

"I stayed at St. Stephen’s House. I liked everything there; the staff were nice and helpful. I was in the Junior English Program. The classes were fun and the teachers were very nice.

Every day there was different activity like punting, shopping, visiting castles, palaces, and going to parks. And we learned a lot of new games like baseball.

I liked this experience a lot, it was so international. I made many new friends from all over the world: Lebanon, India, Hong Kong, China, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Egypt ,Indonesia. We had a wonderful time together.

It was my first camp to go, and I liked it a lot. I think I will go next year. I encourage you to go and live this special experience."

Zaid (Junior English Programme, 2010)

"You might wonder what parents search for as the summer holidays approach – camps. This is how my parents found and registered me with the Oxford Royale Academy for two weeks at St Stephen’s house.

Being away from home for the first time made me feel very nervous. On the 18^th of July, I left to Oxford with my sister who was staying at St Peter’s College.

We were picked up by a member of staff who accompanied us to our respective dwellings. As soon as I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by the program director and some counsellors. I was shown to my room and soon after, two girls, who had already been there for two weeks, made me feel at home. I settled in very quickly with everyone’s help.

In the evening, we had a welcome drink and this was a great opportunity to meet all the other 50 children from all around the world.

From the next day, we had a very organized schedule with lessons in the morning and activities, workshops and excursions in the afternoon. The lessons were fun, interesting and the teachers were very helpful. I learnt about Shakespeare, the periodic table and volcanoes. We even acted out Macbeth.

As for the afternoons, we visited many interesting places like Hampton Court Palace, Blenheim Palace and Broughton Castle. All these places are historical and really beautiful.

We also participated in workshops at Magdalen College, such as drumming and real tennis. However, what I liked the most were the Graduation Party and the Talent Show.

Overall, I really enjoyed this camp, as it taught me to be more independent in many ways. I would suggest it to anybody who wants to experience a perfect summer camp and that too, in the beautiful city of Oxford."

Raksha (Young Prodigies, 2010)

"Summer 2010 has been, in many ways, unforgettable, the primary reason for this being the two weeks I spent with the Oxford Royale Academy. I had an absolutely incredible time.

The academic courses that I had chosen were Mathematics and Economics and Management. The lessons were really interesting. I had never done any economics before and when I came back home, I realized that my interest for this subject had developed and I began to regularly read financial articles. The teachers were helpful, patient and always available.

Aside from the academics, we had a variety of activities which we could take part in and choose from every evening. We could play sports, see Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet or learn to dance the salsa. Excursions to cultural places in several parts of England were organized. Hampton Court Palace gave us an insight of Henry XIII’s lifestyle and the Roman Baths showed us the splendor of the architecture during the Roman era. The botanical gardens of Oxford were very relaxing and the sheer size of Stonehenge was extremely impressive. They even arranged a thoroughly enriching trip to London, which included a guided tour of Shakespeare’s Globe and a visit to the Tower of London.

Cultural activities were not the only ones to fill our timetable. Entertainments such as a Silent Disco, a Karaoke Night and a Fancy Dress Party were in the agenda and they took place in various venues. This gave us the opportunity to spend time in several colleges and institutes, such as Magdelen College, St Catherine’s College and St Peter’s College, where I was staying.

All these programs make you appreciate Oxford’s architectural grandeur. It is absolutely magnificent. Every road, every college and every building is unique and beautiful carvings adorn each façade. It is a lovely city to be in.

Last but not least, you are never on your own. The people you meet at the academy are amazing. The counsellors are friendly and reliable. They keep you safe and they give you a hand whenever you need it. Teenagers from all over the world come to this camp. I met students from France, the Philippines, China, Greece, Slovenia and America. This complete and utter mix of cultures, lifestyles, habits, languages and points of view brings so much life to the camp. A few hours after your arrival, you feel completely at home. I can safely say that the majority of people who have participated in this camp have made friends that they will have contact with for the rest of their lives.

There is never a boring moment with the Oxford Royale Academy. It is a perfect mixture of study and fun. I am already looking forward to my 2011 summer at St Catherine’s College."

Archana (New Perspectives, 2010)