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This weekend saw an area in East London usually used for local football games taken over by some of the biggest names in music as part of Hackney Weekend. 100,000 lucky fans got free tickets to the two-day music festival which was part of the London 2012 Festival and organised by BBC Radio 1. They were treated to performances from Jay-Z, Rihanna and Dizzee Rascal among many others.

A Festival for Locals 

Hackney was chosen as the location after it became clear that many local people felt left out of the Olympics despite it being so close. BBC Radio 1 controller and head of the festival, Ben Cooper, explained:

"Here at Radio 1 and 1Xtra we wanted to make sure that we marked this in a way that would give young people from London and beyond, who might not necessarily be engaged with the Games, a chance to celebrate as part of Festival 2012."

Indeed, the opening act on the main stage on Saturday had a very local feel to it. Leona Lewis who grew up in nearby Islington kicked things off along side the Hackney Empire Community Choir and local rapper Wretch 32:

With the Group Stages complete, the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine have so far been a resounding success. Beautiful football, tactical battles, nervy finishes and unexpected upsets have made for a thrilling fortnight of football. With the competition reaching it's crunch knock-out stages, we look at the four Quarter Finals and see how each team has reached them.

Czech Republic vs Portugal (Thursday 21st June)

The Czech Republic somehow topped their group with a negative goal difference. On a mad last day in Group A, the two favourites (Poland and Russia) both managed to lose and go out of the tournament. Portugal also needed to win their last game, and did so against the Netherlands, securing their qualification from a very tough group.

Portugal will go into this one as favourites, and certainly won't be afraid of playing the Czech Republic after already facing Germany. Both defences can look fragile so there will probably be goals. As ever with Portugal, it really depends on whether Cristiano Ronaldo turns up or not.

Prediction: 3-1 Portugal win

Germany vs Greece (Friday 22nd June)

London is preparing for a truly international summer, as the world's attention begins to turn on the English capital. With a focus on European countries already prominent at Euro 2012, it will soon be time for the rest of world to join in with the Olympics.

This unique and very busy summer in London started with the truly British celebration that was the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Thousands of Union Jack flags were put up around the Capital for the festivities, though they are now rapidly being replaced by flags of the world. Flags are adorning most streets in central London, with Regents Street looking particularly impressive as it prepares to welcome the nations of the world. The photo above is of Conduit Street, which is just off Regents Street and right outside the ForeignStudents.com offices.

A Summer of Sport

London is currently gripped by football fever (it's very contagious) with Euro 2012 building (or should that be breaking?) international relationships. With the group stages almost finished, the tournament is starting to take shape, and England will be hoping to win their final match against Ukraine tonight to take their place in the quarter-finals.

The UK welcomes thousands of international students every year. These students attend colleges and universities here to get a good education, breaking their ties with their homes and leaving loved ones behind.

For some this separation is harder than they ever anticipated. Many have English as a second language and a few can struggle to communicate and make new friends, leaving them home sick and struggling.

Budget

Every student understands the importance of a budget. Many students work part time to supplement their income, but arriving in a foreign country and moving into an empty apartment close to campus can be a nightmare.

With international shipping and removals from John Mason, students are able to bring a piece of home with them on their journey and enjoy comforts of home in their new apartment without breaking the bank and buying new furniture.

When you weigh up the cost of buying new furniture on arrival and the time it takes, bringing pieces from home makes all the sense in the world. This way the student gets a furnished apartment with all the comforts from home, reducing the home sickness and stress and enabling them to concentrate on their degree rather than worrying about furniture.