Culture Fridays
Category

  • Magnolia Park Walking Tour

    It was a beautiful day to be outside, and the ESL School at NYFA students in Los Angeles took to the streets. Students and teachers set out on a walking tour through the Magnolia Park area to get a street-level view of Burbank’s rich mural scene. In addition to the colorful murals, students saw many thrift stores, unique boutiques & shops, and local museums.

    “My favorite mural was the Statue of Liberty calling for people to spread love and save the Earth,” said Rui Li, a student from China.

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    Vocabulary Builder

    1) Murala form of artwork that consists of painting directly onto a wall or ceiling

    2) Thrift storea store that sells secondhand items

    3) Secondhandhaving had a previous owner; not new

    4) Uniqueunlike anything else

    5) Boutiquea small store selling fashionable clothes or accessories

      

    December 13, 2022 • Culture Fridays, Exploring the City • Views: 220

  • A Friday at the High Line

    The High Line is a stunning park that is 30 feet above street level located in bustling lower Manhattan. There are restaurants, galleries, and magnificent views, but its star attraction is the 1.45 mile walk way that stretches from 34th street all the way to 14th street.

    a friday at the high line - nyc

    The ESL School at NYFA (ESN) students made their way there early Friday morning, meeting first at the Vessel.  “It was different than I imagined from the photos. I was excited that we can have conversation exercises near all the great sceneries,” says Pedro Ozimica, a first year student from Chile.

    a friday at the high line - nyc

    After enjoying their morning coffee, the students workshopped their screenplays. The ESN students workshopped their screenplays to make sure that their scripts are tight and ready for the production phase of their short films later in the session.

    Later in the afternoon, the students participated in a mini scavenger hunt, an activity to practice their conversational skills. They must first find the locations posted on Flip, a video discussion and sharing app, and then they create a short video, speaking about the significance of the locations.

    a friday at the high line - nyc

    “It was so refreshing to be outside of the classroom and see a different side of the city,” says Yeva Sevriukova, an aspiring actress from Ukraine.

    All in all, the students will never forget their experience at the High Line in NYC.

    Vocabulary Words

    Stunning (adj) – extremely extraordinary

    Bustling (adj) – full of activity

    Magnificent (adj) – impressive

    Workshop (v) – an intensive group discussion to explore aspects of production before staging.

    Scavenger Hunt (n) – a game in which a group must collect a number of miscellaneous items.

    December 9, 2022 • Culture Fridays, Exploring the City • Views: 168

  • LA + NYC: Fun Things to Do in August!

    Summer is a magical season filled with outdoor movie screenings, music, and beach-going. Eventually though, all good things must come to an end. The month of August signals the approaching end of summer — students return to school, vacations come to an end, and the days shorten even further.

    Don’t worry! There’s still plenty of time to enjoy fun, outdoor activities. Check out our calendars and get out there and make some more summer memories!

    • Check out LA’s August calendar here.
    • NYC’s calendar can be found here.

    FUN FACT: The Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles is the home of the LA Philharmonic when they aren’t playing at their summer home, the Hollywood Bowl. When the Walt Disney Concert Hall was built, the steel walls reflected a lot of sunlight. As a result, the nearby sidewalks were a scorching 140 degrees Fahrenheit!

    Want to read more about the Disney Concert Hall? Check out this ESN blog post.

     

    August 1, 2018 • Culture Fridays, Exploring the City, Monthly Event Calendars • Views: 1310

  • May is National Meditation Month


    Meditation is done around the world to clear minds and calm inner emotions. ESN-LA students recently took a break from their books and joined a NYFA meditation class. Learning to cook, getting around your new city, and learning a language can be a bit stressful. Let’s see how ESN-LA students learned to ease the stress and make daily life even more enjoyable.

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    May 29, 2018 • Culture Fridays • Views: 1016

  • Celebrating Culture: Cinco de Mayo!

    New York City and Los Angeles are very proud of their cultural diversity. The Los Angeles campus recently celebrated Cinco de Mayo, which is a celebration of the Mexican Army’s improbable victory over the French in the city of Puebla, Mexico (1862). See what The ESL School did to mark this special day!

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    May 10, 2018 • Culture Fridays • Views: 1189

  • The ESL School at NYFA celebrates National Bike Month

    Throughout history, many inventions have transformed society’s values and norms. One humble mode of transportation has done more than you might think. This month we celebrate the bicycle.

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    June 1, 2017 • Culture Fridays • Views: 1324

  • Film Fridays: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

    Most students have probably considered playing hooky at some point. While we don’t condone it, we definitely understand the need to sneak in a midweek break on occasion. Who better to school you on the perfect way to spend your day off than the cult idol and master of schemes, Ferris Bueller?

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    May 23, 2017 • Culture Fridays, Language Tips • Views: 1268

  • Star Wars Day

    May the Fourth be with you! The ESL School at NYFA had fun with Star Wars Day on May 4, also known as “Star Wars” day. Each campus celebrated this special holiday in their own unique way, coming up with creative and educational activities to commemorate the day.

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    May 19, 2017 • Culture Fridays • Views: 1297

  • Film Fridays at The ESL School at NYFA

    Watching movies is a wonderful way to explore the English language. The ESL School at NYFA has introduced Film Fridays to bring students together to watch and discuss a wide variety of films. The first series of films in Los Angeles is Teachers’ Favorites. Students can learn a little more about their instructors through their choice of film.  Continue Reading

    May 8, 2017 • Culture Fridays • Views: 1415

  • ESL Students Visit The Autry Museum of the West

    On a recent field trip, The ESL School at NYFA Los Angeles students were reminded that local history goes much further than the streets of Hollywood. At the Autry Museum of the West, students were able to visit an old Western saloon, view film memorabilia and historic firearms, and also star in their own personal Western! There were vests, hats, and other prop clothes for them to wear. When they were ready, they pressed a button on the saddle that cued the classic upbeat horse-riding tune Rossini’s “William Tell Overture Final.” Waving a cowboy hat in the air, the students pretended they were riding through the Wild West.

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    April 29, 2017 • Culture Fridays, Exploring the City • Views: 1287