W: How did you get through this?
M: First, I joined an English club to improve my English. Then I participated in various kinds of activities to make more friends. I also learned more about the culture and customs here from my host family.
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M: Mum, you know my former classmate Serina?
W: You mean the girl who has moved to another city with her parents?
M: Yes, she has come back and will stay here for one week. She is going to have a birth-day party at seven this Saturday. Can I go to her party? It’s a special occasion and it will be a good opportunity to see many of my old friends. Maria and Tom will also be there.
W: Oh, all right. Bill, you can go, but you’d better be back by 10:30.
M: Thanks, Mum. I was also thinking ... can I go to the cinema with Serina on Sunday? The film starts at about half past six in the evening.
W: What about your grandparents? We promised to visit them on Sunday afternoon.
M: Oh. Then can I go to the cinema in the morning and visit my grandparents later?
W: OK, but don’t forget the time. We will set out at 2:00. Text10
Europe’s busy seasons are in summer and winter. Crowding is the main problem in the warmest months of June, July and particularly August, so you’d better not go in the busy months. In some countries, such as France and Italy, many shops and restaurants close in August while locals take their own holidays, meaning that some cities can feel rather dead. December is always busy in Paris, Prague and any Austrian or German city with a golden Christmas market. Easter is another busy time. You can find bargains by visiting traditionally \in winter, but be aware that public transport might be less frequent. In some northern locations such as Scotland, Sweden, Iceland and Norway, it might not run at all because of heavy snow and ice. For all the above reasons, by far the best months to travel to Europe are May, September and October. Apart from transport costs, you may need about 50 to 80 euros a day to get by in Western Europe. This might be less in smaller towns and in Mediterranean Europe. Eastern Europe is the cheapest region, costing a daily total of 30 to 40 euros; although Ukraine and Russia can be slightly more expensive, about 40 to 50 euros a day. Sweden, Iceland and Norway are slightly dearer than Western Europe.
