Students

Chapter 1: Hello, London!

Meet the Characters:

Leo (Leonardo), 20, from Italy. He loves books, coffee, and is always a little lost. He is enthusiastic.

Maya, 21, from Japan. She is quiet, observant, and always has her sketchbook. She likes art and history.

Omar, 22, from Egypt. He is funny, friendly, and knows all the best cheap places to eat.

Chloe, 19, from London. She lives near the university and is the "local expert" for her new friends.

It is a cold, grey September morning. Leo looks out of the window of his new room. His room is small. There is a bed, a desk, a chair, and a big window. Outside, he can see red buses and many people with umbrellas. This is London. This is his new home.

"Breathe, Leo," he says to himself. He is nervous but excited.

There is a knock on the door. Knock, knock, knock.

Leo opens the door. A young man with a big smile is there.

"Hello! I am your neighbour. My name is Omar. Welcome to Atlas House!" Omar says. His voice is warm and loud.

"Hi, I'm Leo. From Italy," Leo says and shakes Omar's hand.

"Excellent! I am from Egypt. Are you hungry? I am going to the cafeteria. The food is not perfect, but it's cheap."

Leo is happy. A friend! "Yes, I am very hungry."

In the cafeteria, they see a girl sitting alone. She is drawing in a notebook.

"Can we sit here?" Omar asks.

The girl looks up and smiles shyly. "Yes, of course. I am Maya."

"I'm Leo, and this is Omar."

"I am from Japan," Maya says. "I like drawing the buildings here. They are very old and beautiful."

"First day of classes tomorrow," Omar says. "English Literature and British Culture. I hope it's interesting."

"Me too," says Leo. "And I hope my English is good enough."

A voice next to them says, "Your English is great! Don't worry."

They turn. A girl with red hair and a bright blue raincoat is holding a tray. "This place is full. Can I join you? I'm Chloe."

They all say "yes" together. Chloe sits down.

"So, you are all new here?" she asks. "I'm from North London. I can be your guide. For example, this cafeteria food… it's bad. But I know a great fish and chips shop near here."

"Fish and chips?" asks Maya.

"Traditional British food!" Chloe explains. "Fried fish with fried potatoes. It's delicious. We can go there tonight."

Leo, Maya, and Omar look at each other and smile. This is a good idea.

That evening, the four new friends walk through the streets of London. It is raining a little, but the city is bright with lights. They see the big, famous clock – Big Ben. They cross the wide River Thames.

"Wow," Leo says. "It's like a postcard!"

Chloe takes them to a small, warm shop. The smell is amazing. They get their fish and chips in paper boxes.

"This is incredible!" says Omar with a full mouth.

They eat and talk. They talk about their studies, their families, and their dreams.

"I want to see the places from my books," says Leo. "221B Baker Street, where Sherlock Holmes lived."

"I want to draw all the museums," says Maya.

"I want to understand British humour!" laughs Omar.

Chloe smiles. "You will. And we will help each other."

They walk back to Atlas House. Their dormitory is a tall, old building. It is not beautiful, but it is full of life. They can hear music and voices from different windows.

"Tomorrow, our first class," Maya says. "Room 101, at 9 AM."

"Don't be late!" says Chloe. "The professor is very serious."

In his small room, Leo opens his notebook. He writes: "Day 1 in London. I have three friends: Omar from Egypt, Maya from Japan, and Chloe from London. We ate fish and chips. It was delicious. London is big, noisy, and wonderful. I am happy. And… a little scared. Tomorrow is the first class. I must not be late."

He looks out of the window at the London lights. The adventure is just beginning.

Chapter 2: First Day, First Class

The alarm on Leo’s phone rang loudly. It was 7:30 AM. Dark and rainy again. For a moment, he didn’t know where he was. Then he remembered: London. University. First day.

He got dressed quickly. Blue jeans, a sweater, and a warm jacket. "The London uniform," he thought.

In the hallway, he saw Omar. Omar was wearing bright yellow trousers and looked very awake.

"Good morning, Leo! Ready for the lecture?" Omar asked.

"I think so. Is Maya ready?" Leo said.

They knocked on Maya's door. She opened it. She was ready, with her backpack and a big notebook. "I couldn't sleep. I was too excited," she said.

Chloe was waiting for them in the common room downstairs. "The punctual students! Excellent. Follow me."

They walked to the main university building. It was big, old, and looked like a castle. Students everywhere. They spoke many different languages. Leo heard French, Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish. It was amazing.

"Room 101 is here," Chloe said. They went inside.

The room was big, with many seats. They sat near the front. The professor came in. She was a tall woman with grey hair and glasses. She looked very intelligent.

"Good morning. I am Professor Evans. Welcome to 'Introduction to British Literature and Culture'. This is your first step," she said. Her voice was clear and calm.

She started the lecture. She talked about very old stories – about kings, queens, and knights. Leo tried to write everything down. Some words were difficult.

"…and these medieval tales are the foundation of our modern stories," Professor Evans said. Leo saw that Maya was drawing a knight in her notebook. Omar listened carefully. Chloe already knew some answers.

"Your first assignment," the professor said. "I want you to explore London. Not as tourists, but as students. Visit one place from our literature. For example, the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's plays were performed. Or the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Write a short report about it. One page. Due next week."

Leo felt excited. An adventure for homework! He looked at his friends. They smiled. This was a good idea.

After class, they went to the university café.

"So, where do we go?" Omar asked. "So many places!"

"The Globe Theatre is very famous," Maya said.

"But it's cold and rainy for a theatre," Leo said. "Maybe a museum is better."

"I have an idea," Chloe said. "Let's go to the British Museum. It's free, it's warm, and it's full of stories. You can see real things from the old tales."

They all agreed. The British Museum was perfect.

That afternoon, they took the Tube – the London Underground. The station was busy and noisy. Leo bought a ticket with his new Oyster card.

"The Tube map is like a spider's web," Omar said, looking at the colourful lines.

They got on the Piccadilly Line. The train was fast and loud. In ten minutes, they were at the British Museum.

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