South Africa – Language Teaching Centre | LTC

The summer of your life!

LTC Team — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:08:28 +0000

Cape Town is truly a summer paradise, with the most beautiful hikes, tourist attractions, beaches, wine estates, family-friendly adventures, festivals and sport activities.

A few of our favourites:

(Music) Festivals in Cape Town

Kirstenbosch summer concert series
Every year, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens host a series of summer concerts. Everyone is having a good time in the sun and enjoying the music of South African’s most well-known acts. You can even bring you own baskets with food, beers and wine. It is a must do if you are in Cape Town between November and January.
Up the creek
The Rock ‘n Roll festival in Cape Town. Relaxing on an inflatable pool lounger in the sunshine with a cold drink while a band is playing the best Rock ‘n roll music. The festival is held in January every year. There are several stages. There are only 3000 tickets, so you better get yours now for one of the best rock music festivals in town.

Mother City queer project party
For over two decades, the Mother City Queer Project (MCQP) has been painting the town pink… and red,orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet! The theme of the party changes each year – in 2015 it was Candyland – and figuring out what you’re going to wear was half the fun. Well, maybe not half the fun; after all, this is a party that stretches out over eight music areas and offers up over a hundred international DJs, artists and performers. Roughly 9000 partygoers attend each year, so if you don’t get your hands on a ticket, FOMO is inevitable.
Cape Town Minstrel Carnival
The best party in Cape Town happens on the 2^nd of January, also called Tweede Nuwe Jaar.
In a tradition that goes back to the days of slavery. thousands of people go on to the streets of Cape Town’s CBD to celebrate culture and history unique to the Cape. The celebration is locally known as the Kaapse Klopse. If you’re want to watch, find a spot on Darling, Adderley, Wale or Rose streets.
Cape Town international jazz festival
The Cape Town Jazz Fest is one of the world’s biggest jazz festivals. Taking place in March each year, the festival brings some of the greatest local and international jazz acts to different places in the city. It is also the largest music event in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sport Activities:

Surfing in Muizenberg
Surfer’s Corner at Muizenberg is a popular training spot and is only about a 30-minutes’ drive from Cape Town’s city centre. The waves characteristic of this surf spot, are gentle, and ideal under a north-westerly wind direction. If surfing is new to you, pick up a few lessons
Hiking
Whether you’re after a coastal wander, a mountainous hike with spectacular views, or a hike in Cape’s beautiful nature reserves, here are some of the best hiking trails in and around the city.
-Lion’s Head
-Platteklip Gorge
-Kasteelport
-Krom river
-Skeleton Gorge
Quad riding
By far the most exciting thing on 4 wheels, Quad Biking, can be done in Cape Town on the sand dunes and it is a rush like no other. Whether you are riding through the fast stretches or navigating the technical sections, Quadding will knock your socks off!

Do you want to enjoy the summer in Cape Town and improve your English at the same time?
Contact us for more information:

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World Cup Rugby celebrations and summer is in the air in Cape Town

LTC Team — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 17:55:12 +0000

Students studying at LTC this summer will have the added benefit of experiencing “Springbok Fever” in Cape Town. Nothing has ever brought people from different walks of life together like cheering on the Springbok Rugby team.

Foreign students and tourists during this time share the enthusiasm of the “rainbow nation”. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, coined the term to symbolically describe the fusion of South Africa’s diverse ethnicities, cultures, creeds, languages, flora and fauna.

The theme of rugby and sport in general have been incorporated into English lessons at LTC. Teaching focuses on reading, writing, listening and speaking in English and emphasizing competence in writing including the composition of letters, reports and emails. No matter what language you learn at LTC though, you will experience a classroom where the love of the language is nurtured, and the culture of the nation is celebrated.

Currently, the sun is setting later, days are longer and it’s that time of year when everyone is going back to work-even though we really don’t want to. At this time of the year, some city parks and nature reserves stay open a little longer due to the sun going down a bit later in the evening. If you are keen on a run, walk or even just an evening picnic, look into which parks or reserves are open till early evening.

Another favourite sport for locals and tourists alike, is kitesurfing. It is not unusual for students to join their host families in visiting and even joining in some kitesurfing fun at one of Cape Town’s five best kiting spots. In a nutshell, Cape Town is to kiters what Hawaii is to surfers.

In the words of Nelson Mandela:
“Sport has the power to change the world; it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite like little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there only was despair.”

Benefits of a gap year abroad

LTC Team — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 08:19:33 +0000

A gap year is typically a year-long break before or after college/university. During the gap year, a student normally travels or maintains some type of regular work.

Is taking a gap something for you? That depends on your goals and how your gap year plan matches those goals.

There are so much different options for your gap year. You can travel the world, advance your career or find yourself.

Every gap year is different but some benefits that apply to every gap year.

Benefits of every gap year:

Freedom/flexibility
You are finally in control of your own life, you can choose your schedule based on your interests and goals
Independence
A gap year is a chance to be on your own and work on your independence, get to know yourself and step out of your comfort zone

Learning a language
You can take language courses or improve your skills by just speaking a new language every day. Improving your language skills means you enrich your life and expand your career options.
Purpose in life
A gap year is a chance to invest in yourself. Whatever it is you enjoy, a gap year is the chance to chase it with all of your heart.

Reflection
Sometimes you feel like your life goes by so fast and you don’t have time to stop and reflect. Now is the time to figure out what you want.

How to prepare for a year abroad:

Finances, save enough money for your time abroad.
Health preparations such as vaccinations and malaria tablets.
Travel insurance
Documentations like a passport and visas.
Tickets and accommodation.
Spend your last weeks with family and friends.

Safety tips for a gap year abroad

Pack only the essentials.
Prepare and plan ahead before you arrive.
Know where and how to get help.
Don’t go out alone in the dark.
Do research on the water and food standards of the visiting country.
Respect the local culture.
Know the risks of the destination country.

The benefits of a gap year are endless. The right gap year will meet your goals and help you accomplish the benefits you are looking for.

LTC offers gap-year options combining language courses, internships and official exam preparation. Contact us to start your adventure nowhttp://www.languageteachingcentre.com/contact/

A day at Mzoli’s

LTC Team — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 13:43:12 +0000

In the Gugulethu Township, 15 km’s outside Cape Town, South Africa, people have great parties in a restaurant famous for its red meat.

Mzoli’s is a unique place, punctuated by African house music and run by a rather interesting manager. Huge buckets of meat, barbecue sauce and an authentic atmosphere make the whole experience an unforgetable one for the fortunate visitors.

The owner of the place is usually sitting in a corner, on his red sponsored plastic Coca-Cola chair. Mzoli Ncgcawuzele started the business in 1999. One can see many pictures on the walls of Mzol with famous local people. Everybody here knows him seeing that he has made the biggest investment in the history of Gulutethu with this restaurant and he still lives in the same township.

« In every business, we need fondations, ours are the community of the township « , said Sisanda, his daughter, to whom you exchange your cash for huge portions of meat.

The resident DJ is called Master Cash. He comes from Johannesburg and has held the position since 2005. Here, House Music is a religion. « In South Africa, we do that all the time. At Mzoli’s, people eat and dance at the same time, it’s totally normal », said Master Cash.

Cape Town is definitely an electronic city, taken in a huge hype that attracts more and more foreigners. For the party, to have unforgettable experiences and see breathtaking landscapes.

Mzoli’s restaurant has managed to join the list of the coolest things to do in Cape Town.
But tonight, Master Cash is going to bed early as is the customs with South Africans. At the same time, they start the party at noon in a butcher’s shop.

Information : The address is Ny 115, Guguletu, Cape Town, 7751. First clients are foreigners (Mzoli’s open at 11 :30AM), locals arrive at 1 :30PM, after the Mass. You can get to the spot by uber or your own car.As long as you stay in Mzoli’s, you are welcomed and protected. If you want to know more about Townships, you can contact the many local guides.

The best things to do in Cape Town

LTC Team — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 11:08:19 +0000

Cape town is an amazing place in South Africa to enjoy a lot of activities. There is a real cultural and natural beauty. So I would like to advice you about activities, which you cannot miss.

The most beautiful beaches in Cape Town

You have to go to Camps bay, Clifton, Llandudno and Muizenberg. At most of them, you can do surfing, kayaking, swimming, play volleyball, football and tanning.

The most athletic activities in Cape Town

You have to hike Table Mountain and have a drink at the top during the sunset. It is a really good experience even if it is difficult, you will be so proud of yourself and the view is just incredible. You can climb Lion’s head or Devils peak too.

The funniest experience in Cape Town

You can taste pretty good wines in Cape Town. If you are a wine lover, it is possible to taste some of it in Constantia but there are other wine tasting farms in Durbanville and Helderberg. For another experience, you can go to Stenllenbosch or Franschhoek, outside the city. The perfect option is to choose 4 or 5 estates that tickle your fancy and just have fun.

The most relaxing experience in Cape Town

Do you love nature and garden? Kirstenbosch is a beautiful place to walk in nature and have a quiet moment. It is a big and amazing garden with a canopy, waterfalls, and a place for concerts. You can enjoy live shows on Sundays or enjoy an open-air cinema. It’s definitively a place that you can’t miss.

Kirstenbosch

The most amazing experience in Cape Town

If you have enough time to do the Garden Route, it is just a beautiful experience. You leave Cape Town for 3 days and you can discover the beauty of the south coast, you can go to George and experience an amazing tour.You can kayak, hike, swim in waterfalls, do the highest bungee jumping of South Africa, enjoy a Safari and discover an elephant sanctuary.

Obviously, it is just some ideas and there are a lot of other activities to experience in Cape Town. In my opinion, it is the best city ever because you cannot get bored, especially in Summer whether it is day or night.You will always have something to do, so come on and join us in South Africa.

Article written by Julie from France, student and intern in Cape Town.

My Cape Town experience

LTC Team — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 08:30:45 +0000

Let me introduce myself, my name is Barbara, I study in Maastricht in the Netherlands and can call myself very fortunate because I’ve been given the opportunity to do my internship in the most beautiful country in the world, South Africa.

I can’t believe I’ve been in Cape Town for four months now, on one hand ,it seems like I’ve been here a lifetime already but on the other hand, the time has flown by so fast.

South Africa is a vibrant country where multiple cultures, languages,people, religions and unify. Did you know South Africa has eleven official languages?

But like any other country, South Africa has its own manual, because every country has different habits, norms & values. So if you’re planning a trip to South Africa, and more specifically Cape Town and want to get the most out of your stay here, I will share some tips and tricks and tell you a little bit about my experience here.

Before departure

Make sure the following things are arranged before traveling to Cape Town:

Valid passport (of course)
Flight reservations
Credit card
South African phone provider – I used Vodacom myself but most of my friends had CellC
Proof of medical cover valid in South Africa
Apply for Visa (All documents need to be filled in in English and with a black pen)
Applying for a Visa can be time consuming so make sure you start early, you’re dependent on other institutions such as the bank, hospital, police and of course the government. You can contact an immigration lawyer to help you throughout the process.
Always bring a warm sweater or jacket, the saying that Cape Town can have 4 seasons in one day is not a lie.

Accommodation

Home sweet home, wherever you go, a place where you feel happy,comfortable and safe is essential. A nice home where you can unwind after a busy day at the office or an adventurous activity. There are a lot of places to stay in Cape Town, such as hotels, apartments, hostels but the best option I believe would be a host family. A host family will not only provide you with a nice place to live but they can also be your helping hand. Ask your school,mediator or maybe even family and friends for help when finding a nice place to stay.

I personally lived in two neighborhoods in Cape Town, the first month of my stay I stayed in Observatory (aka Obs). Obs is known to be quite a safe place to live, it is a very hipster and vibrant part of Cape Town, located next to Woodstock. It is, however, a bit further away from the city centre. But I really enjoyed the vintage vibe Obs had, some lovely coffee places, café’s and restaurants are located in Obs so it’s definitely worth the visit. The other neighborhood I stayed in was Bo Kaap. Well known for its colorful house sand Muslim community Bo Kaap is a nice place to stay.

Public transport

Make sure that you’ve installed the Uber app (you need a credit card for this) on your phone. Though Cape Town has a lot of option when it comes to public transport, Uber is the safest and most trustworthy one and probably cheaper than taking a taxi too.

All Uber drivers are checked and inspected by Uber. The airport has a few currency exchange offices so make sure to draw some South African Rands.

Another good option is taking the My City Bus, though I don’t have any personal experience taking the bus, I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback about it.

My favs

Now that I’ve given some general information about Cape Town, I would love to share some of my own experiences:

There’s a lot of amazing things to do in Cape Town. Climb Lions Head and visit Wally’s Cave, Table Mountain, watch the sunset on Signal Hill with a bottle of wine and good company, have a stroll along V&A Waterfront and have some lunch at the Food Market there, visit some of the many amazing museums (I loved Zeitz Mocaa and Slave Lodge was impressive and interesting too).

My standard weekend would be as follows, Fridays my friends and I would have some pre-drinks at la Parada Bree street,afterward, we would go to Long street.. Saturday morning, a few friends and I would go to Muizenberg to surf. There are a couple of surf schools where you can rent a suit and board. In the evening we would have a ‘’family braai’’ at our friend’s house and play some board games.Sunday Funday we would start the day at the beach, this was either Camps Bay or Clifton Beach no2. A list of other nice beaches would be:

Platboom
SN. Tidal Pool
Bakoven
Hout Bay
Llandudno
Maiden’s cove
Soetwater, Kommetjie
Buffels Bay

Food, food and more food.

Before I came to Cape Town I wasn’t aware of the amazing food they have here. Besides gaining experience and knowledge, I’ve also gained some weight being here in South Africa, because the food is just scrumptious (it might have been the wine as well). I’ll first give you a list of my best lunch spots:

Dunes – Hout Bay
Truth Coffee – 36 Buitenkant St Cape Town
Folk – 7 Bree St. Cape Town
Kleinsky’s Delicatessen (best bagels in town!) – 95 Regent Rd or 32 Parliament St.
Giulio’s- Cornerstone House, 16 Loop St.
Haas Collective – 19 Buitenkant St.
Clarke’s – 133 Bree St.
Jason Bakery – 185 Bree St.
Smak – 22 Bree St.
Kauai – Multiple locations

There are a lot more lunch spots, so these are just a few. There is however one I would like to mention in particular, ”Die Strand Loper’’if you are a fish lover just like me this place is heaven. Die Strand loper is a very low key spot (kind of makes you feel like you’re in a pirate movie)where you get 10 delicious meals and its BYOB (bring your own booze). Die Strand loper is an hour and a half drive from Cape Town,but it is most definitely worth your time. You will just have to experience this amazing spot for yourself (it is advised to make a reservation in advance, just visit their website).

Now let’s continue with a few great restaurants for dinner, I have to be honest with you, this list consists of both affordable and a bit more expensive restaurant:

Mzoli’s – is a Butcher, ‘Braai’-restaurant in Gugulethu, one of Cape Town’s Townships
Mama Africa – 178 Long Street (typical African food)
JC – 18 De Villiers Rd, Zonnebloem
Tiger’s Milk – Multiple locations
Mantra – 43 Victoria Rd, Camps Bay
The Bungalow – 3 Victoria Rd, Camps Bay
Jerry’s Burger Bar – 123 Lower Main Rd. Observatory
Oishi Sushi – Online or via Uber Eats
Asoka -68 Kloof St, Gardens
Kloof Street House – 30 Kloof St, Gardens
Your’s Truly – 73 Kloof St.
Today & Tomorrow – 71 Kloof St.
Villa 47 – 47 Bree St.
Beluga – 70 Prestwich St.
Three Wise Monkeys – La Rhone Building, 77 Regent Rd.
Love Thy Neighbour – 110 Bree St.

Always something to do

South Africa provides so many amazing activities and opportunities to make your time abroad the best ever. Near the end of September my friends and I went on a road trip to Hermanus, and this I highly recommend. We stayed there for two nights and went kayaking with whales (if you want to go kayaking in Cape Town go to Atlantic Outlook). Being in such close proximity to such a majestic animal feels unreal.

The drive to Hermanus is already a breath-taking experience itself.

Saturdays are not for sleeping in but for waking up early so you can visit one of many green markets. Visit the Old Biscuit Mill market for the best food and souvenir shopping or go and take a look at Oranjezicht market near Waterfront to do some healthy groceries or try some of the fresh food from one of the booths.

If you’re in the mood for some tranquility and nature, visit the Kirstenbosch Garden, this beautiful park is filled with exotic birds and plants and is the perfect place to have a nice and peaceful day out of the house.

The Company Gardens is also perfect for a peaceful stroll to escape the busy city life.

If you’re a love a good glass or bottle of wine just like me, visit either Franschhoek or Stellenbosch, and enjoy one of the many wine tastings while drowning in the stunning scenery around you.

My favourite was the Zandvliet Wine Estate because my family and I were allowed to blend our own wine and it had a lot of sentimental value to us.

If you’re planning to stay in South Africa for a longer period the Garden Route is of course something you cannot miss!

I honestly don’t think I have enough writing space to tell you about all the amazing places and experiences here in South Africa. This country is extraordinary.

All the things I’ve experienced here in South Africa have honestly changed me as a person. Learning about different cultures and habits, seeing the harmony between various religions. I’ve come to realize I’m not very musically talented and don’t have any rhythm compared to African people. The kindness people show each other and of course the wildlife and breath-taking nature. The proximity of stunning beaches and mountains. I would like to thank everyone who made this experience one to never forget, I’ve learned to really appreciate the small things in life and to take nothing for granted, to be kind to everyone around you and to help wherever you can. To appreciate nature and everything it’s given us.

Shark Cage Diving in Cape Town

LTC Team — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 09:29:59 +0000

About

The ultimate adventure for many is travelling through South Africa, thanks to the unbridled, beautiful nature, the plush accommodation and the diverse wildlife. In fact, it is very hard to get around to everything you want to do in South Africa and Cape Town! That’s why there are trips organised which allow you to enjoy a lot of things in one day. Combination adventure tours include shark cage diving, whale watching, skydiving, and much more.

Shark cage diving in Cape Town

There are various trips organised to go shark cage diving in Cape Town, from one day trips to three day tours. When going on a trip, a professional team will take you to prime shark locations around Cape Town. A very well-known region to go shark cage diving is Gansbaai, located two hours from Cape Town and known as the Great White capital of the world. You can go cage diving, whale watching, and visit the Marine Big Five: penguins, dolphins, whales, seals, and of course, the Great White Shark!

The Great White Shark

The Great White Shark has a fearsome reputation, but it isn’t as dangerous as people think. Scientific research has proven that they are not the mindless killing machines they are perceived to be, but are actually selective hunters. Great White Sharks are responsible for about 10 attacks on humans every year, with almost none of these attacks fatal. According to National Geographic, it is believed that Great Whites perform test bites, to help them identify objects. Humans are normally not on their menu in favour of seals and other small mammals. These sharks can grow up to 7 metres and weigh up to over 2,300 kilos. They can also dive to over 250 meters deep and can swim at a top speed of 50 km/h.

Things to do in Cape Town

Socialise with the penguins at Boulders Beach
Witness the beauty of the view at the Table Mountain summit or a quick hike up Lion’s Head
Visit the historic prison where Mandela was held at Robben Island
Visit the big game at Aquila Game Reserve outside of the city.