50+ Nationalities Already Enrolled for Summer 2017!

At Oxford Royale Summer Schools we pride ourselves on our vibrant international mix.
It’s always great fun to see new students, subjects, and nationalities appearing on our website’s live enrolometer, particularly when a milestone number is reached. This week, we hit 50 nationalities, setting us well on our way to beating 2016’s total of 108 nationalities represented across out summer school programmes – in fact, at time of publication, we’re already at 54 and counting.
One of the best things about attending a summer programme with ORA is the opportunity to make friends from all over the world, and learn more about each other’s cultures and backgrounds. Did you know the following facts about our five newest nations?

Thailand

– Independence is a strong feature of the Thai identity, and the country is known natively as “Prahet Thai”, “Land of the Free”, reflecting that it is the only Southeast Asian country to have never been colonised by Europe.
– The capital – Bangok – is ceremonially known as Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit – a whopping 169 characters!
– Thailand is home to the world’s smallest mammal: Kitti’s hog-nosed bat. It is also known as the “bumblee bat” and is small enough to fit on a human finger!

Hungary

– Hungary is entirely landlocked, and borders seven other countries: Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, and Slovenia.
– Hungarian is famously difficult to master, sharing little or no similarities with other European languages.
– Going to public spas and baths is a common social activity in many cities, particularly for older Hungarians. This may have something to do with the wealth of thermal springs (1,500 to be precise) found across the country.

 

Czech Republic

-There are over 200 castles across the whole country, making it a great holiday destination for history buffs!
– A traditional fertility rite on Easter Monday is now more usually marked by a large-scale water fight across towns and cities, with girls and boys filling up buckets and water pistols to surprise one another. This tradition is echoed in neighbouring countries such as Slovakia (below).
-Skoda, Budweiser Budvar, Pilsner Urquell, and Bata are just four countries founded and headquartered in the Czech Republic.

 

South Africa

-South Africa has not one, not two, but three capital cities: Cape Town is legislative, Pretoria is administrative, and Bloemfontein is judicial.
-In line with its diverse ethnic population, the country has 11 official languages. The most widely-spoken is Zulu, although political affairs are carried out in English. Other languages include Afrikaans, evolved from the vernacular of Dutch colonisers, and Xhosa (famous for its ‘click consonants’).
-Aside from England, South Africa is the only country to have hosted the rugby, cricket, and football world cups (in 1995, 2003, and 2010 respectively).

Slovakia

-Slovaks who lived at the time of Czechoslovakia (disestablished in 1993) are accustomed enough to Czech pronunciation that the two languages are mutually intelligible.
-Bratislava, the Slovakian capital, is the only capital city to border two other countries: Hungary to the south and Austria to the east. In fact, Vienna is only a short train ride away, so the perfect day out if you’re staying in Bratislava (or vice versa)!
– Slovakia boasts 9 spectacular national parks, encompassing lush meadows, glacial lakes, and towering peaks. The High Tatra mountains have long been a magnet for tourists and hikers.

Is your home country not yet represented? Are you interested in joining ORA this summer? Click here to browse all courses➙
image credits: south african landscape; slovakian lake; mae sot; fisherman’s bastion; prague; buffalo; rural slovakia.