Everyday English for Living Abroad
This course gives you the practical English that daily life abroad actually requires: looking for an apartment, asking about rent and bills, talking to a landlord, reporting problems, opening a bank account, asking about cards and payments, buying a SIM card, dealing with internet and phone support, understanding bills, making a doctor's appointment, describing symptoms, the pharmacy, buying medicine safely, sending a package, and tracking a delivery. You shadow these real exchanges so that housing, banking, healthcare, and admin tasks stop being stressful and start being routine.
Shadowing lessons
a2Looking for an Apartment — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for looking for an apartment — “I'm looking for an apartment to rent.”, “Is this apartment still available?”. Speak along to find the right apartment.
b1Asking About Rent and Bills — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for asking about rent and bills — “How much is the monthly rent?”, “Are utilities included in the rent?”. Speak along to understand rent and bills clearly.
a2Talking to a Landlord — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for talking to a landlord — “I'm interested in renting this apartment.”, “Can I move in next month?”. Speak along to deal with a landlord confidently.
b1Reporting Problems in the Apartment — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for reporting problems in the apartment — “The sink is leaking.”, “The heater is not working.”. Speak along to report a problem and get it fixed.
a2Opening a Bank Account — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for opening a bank account — “I'd like to open a bank account.”, “What documents do I need?”. Speak along to open a bank account.
b1Using English at the Bank — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for using the bank — “I'd like to deposit some money.”, “I need to withdraw cash.”. Speak along to handle everyday banking in English.
a2Asking About Cards and Payments — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for asking about cards and payments — “Can I apply for a debit card?”, “Can I use this card overseas?”. Speak along to manage cards and payments.
b1Buying a SIM Card — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for buying a SIM card — “I'd like to buy a SIM card.”, “What plans do you have?”. Speak along to choose and set up a SIM card.
a2Talking to Internet and Phone Support — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for calling internet and phone support — “My internet is not working.”, “The connection keeps dropping.”. Speak along to get a connection problem fixed.
b1Understanding Phone Bills — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for understanding your phone bill — “Can you explain this bill to me?”, “Why is the amount higher this month?”. Speak along to understand and lower your bill.
a2Making a Doctor's Appointment — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for making a doctor's appointment — “I'd like to make an appointment.”, “Do you have any openings today?”. Speak along to book a doctor's appointment.
b1Describing Symptoms Clearly — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for describing your symptoms — “I have a headache.”, “I've been coughing for two days.”. Speak along to describe symptoms accurately.
a2At the Pharmacy — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for buying medicine at the pharmacy — “I need something for a cold.”, “Do you have medicine for a cough?”. Speak along to buy the right medicine.
b1Buying Medicine Safely — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for buying medicine safely — “Is this medicine safe for children?”, “Will this make me sleepy?”. Speak along to take medicine safely.
a2Sending a Package — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for sending a package — “I'd like to send this package.”, “How much does shipping cost?”. Speak along to send a package abroad.
b1Tracking a Delivery — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for tracking a delivery — “I'm checking the status of my package.”, “My package hasn't arrived yet.”. Speak along to track a delayed delivery.
a2Handling Returns and Refunds — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for handling returns and refunds — “I'd like to return this item.”, “I received the wrong item.”. Speak along to return an item and get a refund.
b1Talking to Customer Service — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for talking to customer service — “I need help with my order.”, “I'm calling about a recent charge.”. Speak along to resolve an issue with customer service.
a2At a Government Office — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for dealing with a government office — “I'm here to ask about my documents.”, “Which counter should I use?”. Speak along to navigate a government office.
b1Filling Out Forms in English — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for filling out forms — “Can you help me fill out this form?”, “What should I write in this section?”. Speak along to fill out forms correctly.
a2Asking for Official Information — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for asking for official information — “I need some official information.”. Speak along to get official information you can trust.
b1Getting Help with Daily Problems — English Shadowing Practice
Shadow real English for getting help with daily problems — “Excuse me, can you help me?”. Speak along to ask for help with daily problems.
How to practice for real life abroad
Prioritize the sections you face first when you move — usually housing and banking — and shadow those until they feel automatic.
Practice describing problems clearly: a broken appliance, a symptom, a billing question. Being specific in English is what gets things fixed.
Shadow the phone-support dialogues carefully; speaking clearly without visual cues is one of the hardest everyday skills.
Re-run the healthcare and pharmacy sections until you can describe symptoms calmly, since those moments are time-sensitive.
Learning goals
- Handle housing tasks — renting, bills, landlords, and repairs — in English.
- Manage banking, cards, SIM cards, and phone or internet support.
- Make appointments and describe symptoms clearly for healthcare.
- Send and track packages and resolve everyday admin in English.
About this practice
The course covers 22 real-life situations that come with settling into a new country.
It targets the practical, high-stakes conversations that textbooks usually skip.
Practice tips
- 1Shadow the exact phrases for describing a problem — specificity is what solves it.
- 2Rehearse phone-support lines out loud without looking at the text.
- 3Keep the healthcare section handy and re-practice it before you need it.
Frequently asked questions
Who is this course for?
Anyone living in or moving to an English-speaking environment who needs to handle housing, banking, healthcare, and daily admin in English.
Does it cover talking to a landlord and the bank?
Yes — renting, rent and bills, landlords, repairs, opening an account, cards, and payments are all included.
How does shadowing help here?
It builds automatic recall, so in a real appointment or support call the right English comes out without hesitation.
Build your own shadowing course
Turn any text, audio, video, or supported link into sentence-by-sentence English shadowing practice.
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