Human Rights and Wrongs

I heart the British Council

I have a new favourite working spot in Warsaw: The British Council English Language Resource Centre, or (as I like to call it) the BC library.

After being made all too aware of the lack of resources available to Polish civil society, the BC library is a haven of free internet access on modern pcs and well stocked shelves holding books, teaching materials and dvds.

For an English girl whose only access to television is via a choice of 8 Polish channels, on which even the English-language films have a monotonous, unemotional Pole's voice masking the ends of sentences, their collection is a treasure trove waiting to be explored.

As I'm a poor volunteer English teacher, I have free membership for six months and I plan to make full use of that membership. As a teacher, I can borrow 4 times the number of items for double the length of time of standard or associate members. That's a very welcome early Christmas present.

As if this wasn't enough, there's a cafe right next to the library, with a big tv in the corner showing 'bbc world'. There are English language magazines and newspapers, sofas and hot chocolate. Actually, I think I may spend more time in the cafe than the library, but still.

Since moving to Warsaw I've tried to immerse myself in Polish culture, really I have. For eight months I've been hearing and learning Polish, eating Polish food, speaking to Polish people; I think I deserve a bit of English indulgence!

posted by Becca @ 1:24 pm