TESTIMONIALS

 

Daily Mail Newspaper - 3 September 2008

French reveal the secret of success: English


For generations the French have fiercely guarded their language against the 'horreurs anglais.' However, on 2 September 2008, France's Education Minister admitted for the first time that the secret to success is speaking better English. Xavier Darcos claimed poor English is now a 'handicap' because all international business is conducted in the language, and said French schools would offer extra lessons during holidays. He also admitted that, because of globalisation, very few people outside France will be able to speak French in the future.

Dear Mr and Mrs Sower,

Letter written to Valentina Fantini at British European Centre, Milan

'Volevo ringraziarla per la professionalita'e la gentilezza dimostrata. Andrea e Davide sono rimasti entusiasti della loro esperienza in UK.
Trovo che l'inserimento nel lavoro in una situazione protetta, lontano ma non troppo da altri Italiani sia veramente una buona soluzione. In questo modo hanno dovuto arrangiarsi da soli ma non si sono sentiti troppo soli perche' sapevano che nel fine settimana si sarebbero incontrati.

Grazie ancora'

From parents of Andrea Calabro, aged 17, from Padova who spent two weeks in Shrewsbury undertaking work experience in July/August 2008

Just a week now since we left Shrewsbury and it remains a very good memory. I was very pleased to see your country. I now understand why my son, Gregory, is such a fan of Shrewsbury and Shropshire - its people are friendly and welcoming. It was a pleasure to meet the host families where he stayed. Thank you very much.

Mother of Gregory Laforge aged 19 who undertook work experience in Shropshire for six weeks in 2007 and six weeks in 2008. August 2008

Thank you for your letter. We are very proud you confirmed that our son, Guillem did a very good job in his work placement. We are also very satisfied by the level of English he has reached. We are very grateful to his host family, the staff at his work placement in the leisure centre and of course, your organisation for arranging everything for Guillem. Our son really enjoyed his stay and meeting so many people.

Parents of Giullem Navarro Franquesa (age 17) - Unpaid work experience 19 July to 2 August 2008

We would like to thank you for your selection of Eve's host family and place of work. Eve was really delighted by her stay. Mrs Farelli was extremely caring with Eve and Eve really appreciated this. She spent a lot of fun time but also found a lot of occasions to talk with her on many and various subjects. The team at the castle (work placement) was also very kind, friendly and helpful. I know Eve is very energetic and adaptable but she found that the team were wanting to integrate her in the daily activities at the castle.

Eve has made terrific improvements in her English speaking and we are particularly glad that she said the most important lesson she got was to be no longer inhibited because of her fear of making mistakes.

Eve said she will look forward to coming again to the UK with Youth Exchange Service. We will see next year if we can send Eve over for another stay.

Again, thank you and best regards.

Philippe and Beatrice Gravagna - France
Parents of Eve Gravagna, aged 18
Unpaid Work experience placement 7 July to 2 August 2008

I have just received the certificate confirming my work placement in Welshpool and I would like to thank you for all the things you've done for me. I really enjoyed my work experience. All the members of staff were very friendly.

I would also like to say that the family was exceptional, very friendly and always ready to help. I spent a really nice time in Welshpool and I would be very happy to come back again.
Jessica Martin aged 20 - France - July 2008

 

I would like to thank you very much for my work experience at the tennis and leisure centre. I really enjoyed it and I believe that it was great for my English and also for my personal experience. Both host families who have welcomed me were very nice and kind with me. I hope and I really wish that I will be able to repeat that work experience again, probably next summer. Best regards and thank you again.
Stanislas de Villoutreys aged 17 - France - July 2008

I had a good journey home and I am in my house now with my family. I am very happy to have travelled to your country. I have really enjoyed my visit. I think I had a very good family they were lovely. This experience has been very beneficial for me. I will come back next summer. Goodbye and thank you very much for everything.
N.B I am showing my family the 350 photos of my travels in England.
Christelle Carrasco aged 16 - France - Work experience in a Shrewsbury primary school - July 2008

Thank you again for all your brilliant work in advance and while we were with you. We hope we can be back next year.
R. Wetzel German Teacher visiting with 90 school children
Berlin Germany - July 2008

Valentin was very happy about this experience. He made a lot of friends at Idsall College - we are very happy about that. The host family was very friendly with him. Thanks for all.
Claire Mercier - mother of Valentin aged 14
France - July 2008

Once again, I would like to thank you for the quality of your work. Our students came back and they are all so pleased and satisfied with their experiences. We had a meeting in school today to see how their work experience went which was good on the whole - they were so pleased with their host families.
Anne Nitsch English Teacher - France - 24 June 2008

Ines aged 14 attended British state school in Market Drayton, north Shropshire for two weeks and was hosted by a family with two daughters who attend the school.

Ines was very pleased with her stay. She has improved her English. Her host family was very kind. Thank you for welcoming her in your home too.
Isabelle Desruelles - Nice - France - 2 May 2008

Sybille, aged 17, was here for a month during March and April 2008 undertaking work experience here in Shrewsbury.
The below testimonial describes the experience she had.

Dear Mr and Mrs Sower,

Thank you very much for taking care of Sybille and particularly for having invited Sybille and Wauthier in a very pleasant restaurant where they were very happy to meet again .

She arrived in Paris full of memories and this experience will help her to know the adult professional environment which is an experience very difficult in France, as training for young adults is not all developed as it should.
Her family was very kind with her and Sybille felt really very well with them.

As before she spent so little time in the kitchen she will now find more pleasure to help cooking and find pleasure in doing it!!!

I hope your season is promising with all your future trainees.
Edith de Saint Louvent, France. April 2008

Thank you for organising the work placements for our students with such enthusiasm and accuracy. Our students seemed to be really happy when meeting them, both concerning the work aswell as the families you had chosen. Thankyou Peter for taking the effort of showing us the different work places of our students and the sights of Shrewsbury and surrounding area.

I hope I will be able to go on another trip to Shropshire with some more students and I am looking forward to working together with you and to meeting you again.
Mag E. V-F - Vienna Business School, Vienna, Austria.
March 2008

Nous avons receptionne Anouck samedi soir a l'aeroport de Nice, en pleine forme et ravie de son sejour en Angleterre.

Elle a passe un sejour tes agreable, et a eu l'impression de faire de reels progres dans votre langue. La famille hotesse etait tres sympathique, plus particulierement la dame qui l'a emmenee fair les magasins des le samedi apres midi, ce qu'elle a bien apprecie. Ils ont ete particulierement gentils avec elle, et lui ont offert le restaurant par 2 fois. Nous tenons donc a les remercier pour leur accueil chaleureux.

Son travail egalement lui a plu car cela lui a permis de rencontrer beaucoup de monde.
Once encore un fois merci a vous tous pour votre accueil.
Bien sur Anouck projette de revenir l'an prochain en novembre ou fevrier.
Je n'hesiterai pas a louer vos services a mes amis et connaissances afin qu'ils vous confient leur enfants.
Cordialement
Catherine A - Nice, France

 

Read about Aylin one of the students from Vienna.