TANUKI HOUSE: UK HOMESTAY

Location

You will stay for five to ten nights in Tanuki House, a typical British home in Birmingham, central England. The house is located in a pleasant suburban neighbourhood, very close to local shops and bus routes, and about 10km from Birmingham city centre and 13km from Birmingham International Airport. (Pickups from the airport and city centre can be arranged free of charge.) World-famous visitor attractions Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick Castle are each approximately 40 minutes' drive away.

There are several direct flights daily from both Narita and Kansai International airports to Heathrow airport, west of London. From Heathrow there are approximately 16 National Express buses per day direct to Birmingham International Airport (2-2½ hours) and Birmingham city centre (2½-3 hours).

Although London has many attractions, it's not the place to go if you want to see the real Britain. Birmingham is a good place to visit; it's easily accessible, more typically "British" than London, and considerably cheaper too. Although it has the reputation of being an industrial city, the city centre is well worth a visit for its museums, shopping and nightlife. It is also home to several theatres and the renowned City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)... and the surrounding area has a lot to offer too.

No visit to Britain is complete without a pub lunch, and no visit to Birmingham is complete without experiencing the "balti" cuisine created by the city's South Asian community, so we will eat out at least twice. Apart from these restaurant meals, most of the catering will be organised on a group basis, with everyone taking part in the preparation and clearing up. This is all part of the cultural education, giving you a chance to learn about everyday British cuisine! Special dietary requirements can be accommodated, if advance notice is given. Even if you discover after arriving that there are some foods you can't eat, we'll make sure you don't starve!

As well as your English lessons, we will have a visit each day to a local event or place of interest, giving you the chance to put the English you've learned into practice. Possibilities include Stratford, Warwick Castle, Cadbury World (chocolate factory), Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter and museums, the Cotswolds, National Trust properties, the Black Country Museum, Solihull, Kenilworth Castle, theatre or orchestra performances, country walks, and so on. Because of the small group size, in most cases pre-booking will not be necessary and so our plans will be flexible.