A wish to travel to Egypt

The Reading & Writing Class recently practiced words that show contrast or surprise (EVEN THOUGH, ALTHOUGH, DESPITE, IN SPITE OF, HOWEVER, BUT, YET) and wrote a paragraph or two about a favorite activity, place, thing, et al, using these words.

Here's Isabelle Dao's paragraph about her desire to visit Egypt someday.

I love traveling around the world. In the future, I want to visit Egypt. Three days ago, I met a classmate who told me that going to Egypt now is dangerous. HOWEVER, I strongly desire to go there. Egypt is the cradle of knowledge, and I need to learn more about this civilization. EVEN THOUGH I learned the stories of this civilization at school and from books, I would like to go to Egypt, myself, with a person who knows this country very well--for example, with an Egyptian guide. EVEN THOUGH this trip will cost a lot of money, I will go to Egypt because it's a dream that I have had for several years now.

My plans and my hopes for Nepal

This article is written by Isabelle Dao, who is currently taking our Reading and Writing class at our Midtown branch. This is titled My plans and my hopes for Nepal and in it, Isabelle talks about her upcoming journey to the highest mountain in the world. This is originally posted on Isabelle's own blog Nepal From Another Viewpoint.

My plans and my hopes for my trip to Nepal:

My name is Isabelle DAO, and I've always wanted to meditate on the "roof ot the world', and this next spring I am going to Nepal. This journey is not just a simple hiking trip around Nepal but also a hiking trip within myself.  This explains the title of this blog.

Itinerary:

This journey is planned for the 20th of April 2013 for 3 weeks. The first step is our arrival at KATMANDOU. We will stay two days in a guest house managed by Mathieu RICHARD. Mathieu RICHARD is a Buddhist Monk (of French origin), photographer, and author, who graduated in Cellular Genetics and has studied with the Tibetan "Grand Masters" of Buddist Meditation. He is particularly interested in the relation between science and Buddhism. He researches the long term effects of mental discipline on the human mind at the Universities of Madison (WI), Princeton, Berkley in the United States and in Switzerland.
After our stay with Mathieu Ricard, my group and I will go to the base of Mount Everest to the East of Katmandou at about 3800 meters of altitude. This is in the Buddhist region of SOLUKHUMBU, in the Sherpa Country, which was once the high spiritual and retreat center of Nepal.

Trekking and Activities:
In the morning, we will go hiking for 3 hours and in the afternoon, we will practice the fundamental techniques of Buddhist meditation, concentration and inner vision. Different techniques will be taught including Yoga, Qi Gong, relaxation, silent walking, isolation, ayurvedic massages and discussions.

The Aim of this Trip:

The goal is physical and spiritual well-being, a return to our basic qualities and to rediscover our senses.

The Teaching: 
The teaching will be conducted by a Nepalese Lama Guide. We will take our time to listen, observe and live the experience and our encounter, as we breath in nature and breath out life. As in my own field of Sophrology, we will strive "to be aware of what we are actually living". Sophrology is the science of conciseness and the value of existence. It is a technique consisting of a set of physical and mental exercises for reducing stress and promoting well-being. 

Feeling comfortable with the energy & the spirit of ambition in NYC

by Vanessa Rueda

Vanessa (third from left) at Bryant Park in Midtown with friends from NYLC 

Today is a special day. I arrived in New York 3 years ago today. It's been a while since I move here from Colombia, and I could write a book about it, but I definitely want to mention one thing that I really love about all my experiences in this city.

On so many occasions, days, parties, business meetings, I've witnessed the rhythm of the city, from personal experiences, professional ones, tourists, friends, everything. Everyone seems obsessed with the energy of New York and of course with the opportunities found here. What I really liked about being an outsider first was being able to see this city as a big chance for success and a powerful force. Later, when you really belong here and become a real New Yorker, you understand why everybody proudly mentions all about what they do or have done in the past or even what they will do to achieve prestige or success.

I've noticed every minute of this crazy, funny and tough city as it talks about this sense of achievement. It's like a mirror or like a fragrance; you always feel it. Even in the most fragile and tough minutes, you can smell an avid aroma.

In the beginning, I didn't like this at all. I remember being in a huge party, maybe it was my first big party. I was anxious because so many people asked me the same questions: so you came to study? What do you do for a living? So you are an artist? What kind of art do you do? What are your plans?

I still remember this and felt the pressure then, but the difference is I'm different now, and I get it. These questions (even if sometimes the people who ask are too focused on themselves to listen) push you to find your own answers, to find a way in this city, to actually find yourself and to finally be able to answer these questions.

So now I'm the one who asks. I understand the aim of asking and answering. It takes so long to feel comfortable answering the same questions, but at the same time, without them, I wouldn't have felt the motivation to achieve so many skills and goals not just professionally but also personally, making tons of things, learning from all these brilliant, kind, fearful people who work hard and stay humble.

I believe that curiosity and being a fulfilled human being are both key to being a good artist.


Vanessa is a fine artist and custom jewelry designer. She has her own line of jewelry. She is also the Arts Projects Coordinator at Sunday Morning NY. She's preparing to take the TOEFL in order to apply to a Master of Fine Arts program. She wrote this on September 25, 2012, the third anniversary of her first day in New York.

AN INTERN IN NEW YORK - 6

This is my last week in New York so, it’s about time to look back and evaluate this intense experience sadly coming to an end.
 

Samuel Johnson once said: “…when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” I think this is true for New York too. I lived in London for a while, but New York makes you feel way more the fact that you are in a place where anything could happen. People from all over the world meet here because they feel they can realize their dreams in a city that has so many things to offer. This was true for me too… Having loved ballet since I was I child, I fulfilled one of my dreams last week when I attended the New York City Ballet Fall Gala at Lincoln Center. I was in heaven...
 

 

Unluckily during the night I heard some noises in my room and the following morning I found out a mouse nibbled my roommate’s bread. This is an example of what it is like living in New York: one moment you are as happy as you have hardly ever been and all of a sudden something bad or disgusting happens (anyway, I have a new room now!!). In the Big Apple you have to get used to living with mice, cockroaches and mad people in the streets that every now and then shock you. In the morning you read the newspaper and much as you find a bunch of adverts of exciting things going on, you discover that horrible things happened near the place where you live or work or like spending time. But Samuel Johnson was right, that’s life and we all have to accept it and prevent bad news to let us down. New York isn’t for sure an easy city to live in, but it helps you test and improve your ability to adapt to and accept different situations life brings on.

There are so many things I will miss when I will be back in Italy… first of all the food!! Although New Yorkers try to eat healthy, junk food is everywhere for the joy of visitors like me who can eat pancakes, French toasts, hamburgers, fries, doughnuts... If you stay here for a short time you really should try everything at least once as I am still trying to do… it’s difficult though because there are too many restaurants offering food from all over the world. As I wrote in one of my previous posts, I will miss the freedom of being who you really are since nobody judges you. The thing I will miss the most is for sure the possibility of choosing a different activity or a place to visit every day, and while doing that having the electrifying awareness I am finally part of the world so far I only had the chance to observe from my couch, far away at home.

In conclusion, I can’t forget giving you my feedback about NYLC: this is a great school with great teachers and a staff that really cares about students. I am not writing that because I have to, but because I have observed several courses during my internship and I find they all are really interesting. Teachers constantly involve students and the communicative approach they use is effective. New York language Center doesn’t focus only on grammar, writing, listening and speaking skills, they also offer courses that give you keys to understand the American slang, help you learn phrasal verbs (such a difficult part of the English language) or give you the chance to discuss current issues. For those who like writing there is also a course called Explore New York: each week you visit a neighborhood and you write about your experience in class. And do not forget the activities you can take part to every week!! New York Language Center is the best choice to learn English and experience the most fascinating and contradictory city in the world.

Elisa

 

AN INTERN IN NEW YORK – 5

After 6 weeks in New York I felt the need to take a break from the chaos, that’s why I decided to visit Philadelphia last Sunday… New York Language Center helps its students organize trips to Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston and Niagara Falls so, even though I still have plenty of things to do in New York, I was tempted to see how the US look like outside the Big Apple.

I recommend you to plan a trip in one of those cities. You usually go by bus, so you have the chance to have a quick look at real America… without skyscrapers and a lot of fast foods and malls. The thing that hit me the most in Philadelphia was the quiet, the fact that you could walk on empty pavements and the absence of a constant traffic noise. I almost forgot how relaxing it is to walk without fighting to clear your own space in the crowd and without rushing because there are thousands of things going on at the same time.

Philly (this is the nickname inhabitants have given to their city) is the perfect place to go if you like history – or Rocky Balboa J. The main places to visit are: the Liberty Bell - a symbol of American Independence, the Independence Hall - the location where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were adopted. Do not forget The Philadelphia Museum of Art, known mostly because of the role it played in the Rocky films. I am sure everybody remembers Rocky’s character running up the front stairs… If you don’t feel like visiting the Museum you could also enjoy a walk in a lovely park right behind the museum or along the river.

Once I was back in New York I was ready again to take up the delirious and yet lush rhythm the city imposes on you, at least for the last two weeks I will be here...

Elisa

AN INTERN IN NEW YORK - 4

One of the best things of living in a city like New York is that most of the times a simple walk turns out to be an exciting experience… 2 weeks ago for example I happened to be in Columbus Circle after dinner and I saw President Obama’s car surrounded by hundreds of policemen on motorbikes and trucks! So far I had seen those kind of things just on TV!! Again, a few days ago I went out because I craved pizza and I found myself by chance in front of the café where one of my favourite films – “You’ve got mail” - was shot!! I ended up eating a sandwich and a waffle at Café Lalo (201 West 83rd St.) but it was even better than the pizza I craved, as it was completely unforeseen.

I never get bored while walking in New York, not only because there are planes writing sentences in the sky, stunning sunsets, people dancing in parks or on piers, fashion shows (last week in fact began the fashion week) etc. Looking at people in the streets turns out to be an interesting pastime here... Sometimes I am shocked, sometimes amused or fascinated by the people who crowd New York City streets and by their activities. They are creative (maybe some of them are just crazy?!), they seem to follow their instinct, and for sure they are not afraid of what people might think about them. This is the reason why, in my opinion, the Big Apple is the place where everyone wants to be, the place where new trends are launched, where artists feel free to express and feed their genius and normal people feel free to just express themselves. There are no limitations here, at times this is positive, at times there are obviously downsides. To understand better what I am trying to say check out http://humansofnewyork.tumblr.com/.

Eventually my advice is: if you don’t feel like planning your day or your week, just go out for a walk and wait… something extraordinary, weird or unexpected will happen!!!

Elisa

AN INTERN IN NEW YORK - 3

In New York the more you do, the more you would do and the excitement of doing and seeing spots you have always heard about becomes “addicting”. As the time goes by you also begin feeling like visiting places that are a bit less famous but still worth a visit.

For example, last week I had dinner on the Highline, an old railroad turned into a fascinating park. I bought food at the Chelsea Market, which is right under the beginning of the High Line (14^th street – in the Meatpacking District) and then I had a relaxing walk among buildings and on New York City streets. On the Highline you get a really interesting perspective since you don’t see the skyline from the Hudson or on top of buildings, as new comers usually do (in fact as you may have read I did that 2 weeks ago), but you are right in the middle of the city. You can enjoy beautiful views in tranquility; you feel the city without being in the middle of the traffic and of the crowd, which was exactly what I needed. I recommend a visit (the NYLC organized one a couple of weeks ago) especially to those who are interested in architecture.

 

Thanks to the NYLC I found out that last Friday night there were fireworks in Coney Island, so I decided to go since I am mad about fireworks! It was a great activity because I had the chance to see a place which is not close to Manhattan (it takes an hour to get there by subway) and above all I saw the ocean for the very first time!! The atmosphere was enchanting: there was a full moon reflecting its white light on the ocean competing with the kaleidoscopic lights of the amusement park, that’s why the show actually began while waiting for the fireworks. I also had a hot dog at Nathan’s famous – I am not the hot dog kind of person but I have to admit that this one is really good and deserves its reputation. Amusement parks always put me in a good mood as they awaken the child in you. The Coney Island amusement park also gave me a sense of how Coney Island used to be at the beginning of the 20^th century, because of old attractions such as the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel.  It had been a great way to spend my Friday night!

Elisa

AN INTERN IN NEW YORK - 2

It’s Monday morning and I am a bit tired… not because last weekend I did crazy things, but because in New York the weekend lasts the whole week and it never ends. I have done so many things since I came here 3 weeks ago and I still have plenty of things to do!! In New York also on Mondays you can choose among hundreds of activities (for example last Monday NYLC invited students to see a free movie in Bryant Park) so, if you really want to make the most of your experience, you basically never rest!!

 As I told you in my previous post I went on the Copacabana Cruise last Thursday. I highly  recommend it!!! Even though I love dancing I don’t usually go to clubs and I was afraid that staying 3 hours on a ferry with loud music and people dancing would have been too much… On the contrary the rhythm was pounding and all the people on the boat had so much fun. The best thing is that from the cruise the view of New York is breathtaking!!!!! The cruise gives you the possibility to see Manhattan from the west to the east side, including of course Downtown and the Statue of Liberty. You leave at dusk - in my opinion the best  part of the day as New York becomes magical - and before you know the night has come, all the buildings are lit, and you are dancing under the Brooklyn Bridge while staring at the renowned New York City skyline.

I have to admit that the view of Manhattan on top of the Empire State Building was less exciting. The problem is that being one of the most celebrated symbols of the Big Apple, it is always crowded and you have to “fight” to be able to see the panorama. You just have to be patient… because once you make it you have the capital of the world at your feet!! The Empire State Building (which is one of the activities the NYLC always promotes) should definitely be on your must do list. In case you need to be reminded, on top of the Empire State Building you really sense you are in one of the most incredible places on earth!!!!

 

 

Elisa

News from NYLC Jackson Heights!

Would you like to improve your English writing?

Do you need to improve your writing skills to get into college?

Do you need to improve your writing in order to get a better job?

Do you need to improve your writing to write to your child’s school or teacher?

Do you need to write emails and messages to supervisors, co-workers, and clients?

Introducing NYLC’s new evening course:

Writing Essentials

Starts: August 27th, 2012

Schedule: Mon-Thurs 6-8pm

Course Length: Six Weeks

Cost: $210

*no class on Monday, September 3rd

This course reviews fundamental English skills needed for proper spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, and writing. We will review and practice the following:

· Differences in writing a text, an email, a formal letter, a report, and an essay

· Cover letters and resumes

· Complex and compound sentence structures

· Using punctuation clearly and correctly (commas, semi-colons, etc)

· Writing and responding to casual emails and texts

· Writing and responding to professional emails and letters

· Paragraph structure (topic and supporting sentences)

· Essay structure  (thesis statement, introduction, support, conclusion)

· Different types of essays

· Common spelling and vocabulary mistakes and tricks to remember how to avoid them

· Achieving appropriate writing style and tone for different writing tasks

Plus, students will have the possibility of having their writing published on the NYLC Student Writing Blog!

The class is open to anybody who would like to improve their English writing.

For more information, please contact info@nylanguagecenter.com or call (718) 476-7600.

AN INTERN IN NEW YORK

Hi everyone,

my name is Elisa. I’m Italian, I graduated last year in Languages and Literatures and last week I began my internship at New York language Center in New York.

When I first got here I didn’t know whether I was more daunted or excited. This confusion in my mind was of course due in part to jet lag, but I now realize there was a deeper reason why I felt that way: New York, the city I have always dreamt of was right in front of me but it wasn’t as I imagined it to be. When you see it in movies, pictures or read about it, you just perceive its glamorous side; the noise, the traffic, the streets packed with people are factors which increase its charm. When you finally experience New York for real, all the symbols of the city, such as Time Square (which is close to the Midtown location of the NYLC!!), become overwhelming places where at first you can hardly walk or think because of the crowd and the noise. The book I am reading (“A house in New York”written by Adam Gopnik) helped me to realize how dense New York City can be, for a New Yorker too. So, once I understood that feeling overwhelmed is something you cannot probably avoid in this city, even though you are American, I little by little surrendered and the excitement got the upper hand.

Walking in the streets of New York City is dense and vertiginous because you feel you have so many possibilities here… New York language Center helps students understand that, and it did help me. Not only when you first arrive at the school is everyone kind and tries to make you feel at ease, but they also show you how many things you will have the chance to do while you stay in New York. In fact, every week they organize many interesting activities after the lessons. This is, I think, the best way to make friends, practice your English and familiarize with the Big Apple.

Next week I will tell you something more about the activities I have taken part in… I have tickets for the Copacabana Cruise and the Empire State Building. Can’t wait!!!!

How you can have a good time in New York City

 Thursday, August 16, 2012

How you can have a good time in New York City! By Sonia

You have so many things to do in New York City.

In fact, if you want to eat something, you can go to Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. They make the best pizza in New York. (Under the Brooklyn Bridge, 1 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, and subway ‘stop: High Street). Then, you can walk along the river in Brooklyn Bridge Park and admire the wonderful view.

If you fancy a drink, you can go to one of several rooftops in New York. There are 230 fifth, Hudson Terrace,  Gansevoort Park, Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel, Salon de Ning at the Peninsula, Sky Room, Empire Hotel… There is a good atmosphere, good sound and amazing view.

For foodies, they can go to Magnolia Bakery. The famed banana pudding and their cheesecakes and cup cakes are quite memorable. Their desserts captured the attention of a worldwide audience after being featured on the hit TV show Sex and the City or in popular movies such as The Devil Wears Prada…

For partiers, the choice may seem difficult at first, between the evenings at Bobo’s East Village, the trendy nightlife of Meat Packing (Tenjune) or Chelsea. It is the lair of night clubs most famous in New York. You will find them on Club Row on 27th Street such as Marquee and Bungalow 8. It is known for the celebrities that you meet most weekday evenings on 27th Street.

Finally you can even go to Broadway shows and see famous show such Mama Mia, Chicago or the Lion King…

Visiting a Brooklyn art exhibit

by Marina Milone

I went to an interesting exhibition in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Friday night, July 20. Philipp Rabovsky, a teacher at NYLC and about ten other artists were showing their paintings in their house.

Philipp in rougher times

The title of the exhibition was Sweet Fuckups and Happy Accidents. All the paintings talked about accidents in different ways. The most impressive painting was Philipp's because it showed his face when he had an accident in Budapest. The painting represented his face completely destroyed with one eye dark and closed, and he had scars with blood all over his face. When I asked him about his self portrait, he told me the story.

He was in Budapest to learn Hungarian, which he can now speak fluently, and one night, he got drunk. He was walking on the street and suddenly bumped into a group of guys who screamed at him. He instinctively gave them the finger and immediately the gang started to beat him quite violently. He had a tooth broken and suffered some internal hemorrhaging, so now when he drinks he gets a huge headache. When it happened, a friend of his took some pictures and then he was able to make the self-portrait. Now he is ok, and I think the painting is great!

Most of the other paintings talked about accidents during the process of painting. There were two curators of the exhibition. It was interesting to see a show in a real Brooklyn house, and the fact that anyone could enter the house and enjoy the exhibit was quite amazing. Actually, the door was open to everybody.  I was also thrilled that I could see an artistic lifestyle in Brooklyn.

the venue

the exhibition

Marina, who is studying journalism, is taking the TOEFL class at NYLC. She will soon take the TOEFL and travel around the U.S. before heading back to Italy. Thanks, Marina, for checking out the exhibit and for showing us Philipp's artistic side.

Fixiiies- A Business Proposal: by Stéphanie Marin

For the past few years, we’ve seen a thriving number of bicyclists. The price of the gas hasn't been higher. People are more concerned about the environment as well as their health. Those reasons make riding a bike seems to be a good idea. Therefore, I decided to start a bike shop, specializing ed in fixed-gear bikes. I called it: Fixiiies.

In our bike shop, we are going to build fixed-gear bikes by reusing old frames from bicycles that people aren't using anymore. We’ll find them at flea markets, ads on Craiglist, gifts from customers, abandoned bikes and so on. It’s a good idea because it’s quite cheap to produce. With a fixie, you don’t need a lot of pieces. Furthermore, you can sell it for a good price because of supply and ing demand. Everybody wants a fixie. It’s trendy, it’s environmentally harmless oriented and, for many, it's a fashion accessory object. The main goal of our company is , of course, to make money. It’s a business after all ! But why not create a business that can help a little towards the conservation of our natural resources. Those bikes were going to be trash anyway. We reuse them and then sell them to people that won’t use their car. It’s wonderful !

We have to consider that there are plenty of bike shops here. We must have competitive prices. Also, we are going to use social networks to make our shop trendy, . Perharps by having some contests, promotions, free events etc.

Our shop is geared toward a young market. People in their twenties or thirties and students will be our main customers, but and anyone who wants a fixed-gear bike is welcome! We’ll be located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn because it’s cheaper than in Williamsburg. The best spot would be close to a bike lane. Besides, since we should be near a lot of bikers, there will be a coffee shop and a bar in the front of our shop and a terrace as well! Then people will stop by to have a drink, take a look at our amazing bikes, tell a friend, post a picture on Twitter … This place is also a good way to reuse the other pieces of old bikes such as turn a wheel into a table, gears and chains as decoration and so on. Finally, I think that starting a bike shop is a good idea but I know that we’ll have to be smart if we want to avoid a deficit or even worse, bankruptcy. However, I anticipate a good response from the customers.

How to Find a Date: by Maria

Today there are so many single women in New York who are beautiful, interesting and funny. But, unfortunately , all of them spend lonely evenings at home. So, I would like so share some information and establish steps that will help to find a good date.

The first step is searching  for the right place to meet a guy. And, according to Cosmo magazine, there are several specific places to find a perfect match. It can be a gym or, what is much better, a boxing class. Seeing a person exercising will help to get to know his personality and , of course, to see his body. Also, you can go to the pharmacy or supermarket on Sunday afternoon - these places are filled with single guys. Finally, you can visit  a nice lounge, preferably near the financial district, so you end up with rich guy. 

After deciding on a place , the next step is to prepare yourself for the meeting. Your clothes should be trendy, stylish, and appropriate for the occasion: do not wear a gown to the pharmacy or gym clothes to the lounge. But your hair and make-up must be  perfect; and don’t forget about friendly-charming smile. 

The last thing to remember is to start a small talk first. Choose a guy you like and improvise: it can be anything, even advice on the best dog food.

In conclusion, if you follow this step , you won’t spend this evening alone. And don’t forget to tell me about your experience. Good luck, ladies:)