Language Learning and Immersion programs Worldwide for Teens

    Language skills and inside knowledge about other cultures through immersion are becoming more and more important in the globalized world.

    Accademia Europea di Firenze

    The Accademia Europea di Firenze is one of the main Italian language, culture, and music school in Italy. Our method allows students to learn and practice Italian language through their subjects of greatest interest, whether art, music, or culture.

    Dates: Starts every Monday the year round except on holidays

    Contact: Isabel Berger, Accademia Europea di Firenze, Via Cavour,37.50129

    Website: www.italianlanguageflorence.com

    Spanish Immersion Programs for Teens in Costa Rica & Peru

    Take your Spanish to the next level while experiencing Costa Rica's breathtaking biodiversity (生物多样化) or the cultural tapestry (织棉) of Peru. GLA integrates (使融入) Spanish language learning into many aspects of the program, providing students opportunities to take away more of the culture, and also leave more behind.

    Dates: Summer (June, July, August); spring break

    Contact: Global Leadership Adventures, 10509 San Diego Mission Road, Suite A, San Diego, CA 92108

    Website: www.experiencegla.com

    Homestay French Summer School Program in Cannes, France

    If you are looking to learn French, then there is no better option than a language homestay learning program in France. Live like a local with a French family, learn French and culture, have fun, make new friends, and get a head start on your academic (学院的) /university year !

    Dates: Summer (June, July, August)

    Contact: Passeport pour les langues—French Summer Classes

    Website: www.frenchsummerclasses.com

    Mandarin & Cultural Immersion Programs for Teens in China

    Take your Mandarin to the next level while experiencing China's two worlds: one rural and traditional, the other fast-paced and urban. GLA weaves Chinese cultural immersion with language learning and adventure to provide students with a deeper, more meaningful experience.

Dates: Summer (June, July, August)

    Contact: Global Leadership Adventures, 10509 San Diego Mission Road, Suite A, San Diego, CA 92108

    Website: www.experiencegla.com

    When she moved the covering cloth to look upon his tiny face, she was shocked. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.

    Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be full of heart- breaks for his imperfect appearance.

    He grew up, handsome for his misfortune and popular with his fellow students. He might have been class monitor, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.

    Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, "You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret." The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person turned up. His talents blossomed into genius, and his school and college became a series of success. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.

    One day ,he urged his father, "Who gave so much for me？I must know! I could never do enough for him." "I do not believe you could, " said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet."

The years kept their secret, but the day did come— one of the darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mother's casket (棺材). Slowly, tenderly, the father reached out a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to show that the mother had no outer ears.

    "Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut, " he whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they？"

    Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what can be seen, but in what cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what is done and not known.

    Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let's have a look.

    People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are nervous have ants in their pants. Sometimes, people may get caught with their pants down. They are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say she wears the pants in the family.

    Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can burn a hole in your pocket. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to tighten your belt.

    I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat, which means I instantly spend it.

    Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people.

    My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too serious and never shows his feelings openly. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve.

Dear 17-year-old self,

    When your Laker dream comes true tomorrow, you need to figure out a way to invest in the future of your family. This sounds simple, and you may think it's a no-brainer, but take some time to think on it further.

    I said INVEST.

    I did not say GIVE

    Let me explain.

    Purely giving material things to your siblings（兄弟姐妹） may appear to be right decision. So you buy them a car, a big house, pay, all of their bill. You want them to live a beautiful comfortable life, right？

    But the day will come when you realize that as much as you believed you were doing the right thing, you were actually holding them back.

    You will come to understand that you were taking care of them because it made YOU feel good, it made YOU happy to see them smiling and without a care in the world﹣and that was extremely selfish of you. While you were feeling satisfied with yourself, you were slowly eating away at their own dreams and ambitions. You were adding material things to their lives, but subtracting the most precious gifts of all.

Invest in their future, don't just give.

    Use your success, wealth and influence to put them in the best position to realize their own dreams and find their true purpose. Put them through school, set them up with job interviews and help them become leaders in their own right. Hold them to the same level of hard work and dedication that it took for you to get to where you are now, and where you will eventually go.

    I'm writing you now so that you can begin this process immediately, and so that you don't have to deal with the hurt and struggle of weaning（断绝） them off of the addiction that you facilitated That addiction only leads to anger, hatred and jealousy from everybody involved, including yourself.

    As time goes on, you will see them grow independently and have their own ambitions and their own lives, and your relationship with all of them will be much better as a result.

    Trust me, setting things up right from the beginning will avoid a ton of tears and headache, some of which remains to this day.

Much love

Amsterdam Destination Guide

    Amsterdam is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, famous for its beautiful canals, top art museums, cycling culture and so on. It is the capital and most populous city in the Netherlands and often referred to as the “Venice of the North” because of its expansive system of bridges and canals. Here are some of the key points to remember as you plan your trip to Amsterdam.

    Must-See Attractions

    Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre, which is full of traditional architecture, shopping centers, and coffee shops. You'll also want to check out Amsterdam's Museum Quarter in the South District, which is great for shopping at the Albert Cuyp Market and having a picnic in the Vondel park. The top museums to visit there are the Rijks musuem, the Ann Frank House, and the Van Gogh Museum.

    If You Have Time

    There are several other unique districts in Amsterdam, and you should try to explore as many of them as time allows. The Canal Ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was originally built to attract wealthy home owners and is a center for celebrity spotting and nightlife today. The Plantage area has most of the city's museums, including the Jewish Historical Museum, the Scheepvaart Museum, and the botanical gardens.

    Money Saving Tips

    Unless you really want to see the tulips (郁金香) blooming, avoid booking between mid-March and mid-May. This is when hotel and flight prices rise.

    Look for accommodations in Amsterdam's South District, where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.

    Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.

    Instead of hiring a tour guide, hop on a canal boat. They're inexpensive and will give you a special point of view of the city.

    Check out our homepage to view price comparisons for flights, hotels, and rental cars before you book.

As part of our mission to inspire the next generation of scientists, inventors and engineers, the Science Museum Group (SMG) has launched an exciting new online game—Total Darkness.

Over the last year we have been developing Total Darkness with the aim of creating an experience that can have a positive impact on people's attitudes towards STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), as well as having a focus on self-reflection, rather than asking players to recall specific facts or concepts.

Total Darkness is a digital storytelling experience which encourages young people to recognise how the skills they use every day relate to STEM and can help them develop their confidence in science thinking. The game invites the player to solve a mysterious power cut in their hometown. The game puts players in control, allowing their choices and decisions to guide them through the story.

As the player navigates through the darkened streets of the town, equipped only with a torch, they will face various challenges. Using their curiosity, communication skills and creative problem solving, they will discover new theories about what might have caused the blackout(停电；断电). But with every step their torch fades, and the player must solve the mystery before the battery runs out.

The player's choices and actions throughout the game will score them curiosity, creativity or communication points. At the end, the skills the player has used will be revealed along with their science style, showing how they could put their skills into action in the real world.

Total Darkness is aimed at 8-15 year-olds—an important stage in teens' science development. Research shows that as teens make the step between primary and secondary, many move away from an interest in science as other influences have a stronger pull in their lives.

Total Darkness is a free online game playable on smartphone, tablet and desktop. Play now at totaldarkness.sciencemuseum.org.uk.