Words of wisdom from ELC students

As Los Angeles is a city of diversity and creativity like no other, it makes sense that Valentine’s Day at ELC, Los Angeles is anything but typical! Students were in for a surprise when our own personal Cupid greeted each class with announcements to inform the students of the Valentine’s Day activities. Cupid was dressed to the nines in a sublime white toga, his hair adorned with golden laurels, and let’s not forget the bow and arrow. 

Cupid must have been handy with that bow, as, at break, a great deal of students lined up to write a love note and buy a flower for their valentine. Sarah, a student from Switzerland said, “I liked that we could buy roses for other students or even teachers. In Switzerland we don’t get to do that at school, so, it’s nice to be able to do that.” 

Not only were students were encouraged to purchase flowers for a special Valentine, they were thrilled as Cupid hand-delivered the flowers to each room. After they were finished blushing and sniffing their flowers, students left for the student lounge, where the activities continued.

The student lounge had been transformed into a space for activities and excitement. Those who were on the shy side participated in a rousing game of human bingo. In this game of conversation, students had to find peers with particular interests or talents, such as, the talent of rolling their tongue, having a crush on someone at ELC, or being in love… with In & Out Burger (a California specialty) in order to mark a spot on their bingo board. These students whizzed around the lounge, chatting and gunning for a prize by finding peers who matched a description on their board.

Yazeed, a student from Saudi Arabia, had never experienced an American Valentine’s Day before. He told us, “It was such a nice day. My favorite was the human bingo because it was the first time for me. It let me talk to a lot of different people. I love that.”

In another great game, inspired by the famous Sweetheart candies, students were blindfolded and then led by a team-member’s voice, using only English, through an obstacle course of cardboard hearts. The hearts were inscribed with signature Sweetheart sayings, such as “Be Mine” or “Call Me.” The winners of the games basked in their Valentine’s Day glory as they mingled with new friends.

By the end of the day, ELC, Los Angeles students had enjoyed an array of activities and treats. The students were able to go home with new stories for their friends and family about what might have been their first, but definitely was their most eclectic Valentine’s Day celebration.

Article contributed by Alyssa Balken (ELC teacher)

ELC is excited to announce the opening of a new school in the beautiful and sunny Santa Barbara! We interviewed the first student booked at ELC Santa Barbara to learn about his experience so far.

Name: Daniel
Age: 21
From: Seengen, Switzerland
Job back home: Landscaper

What brought you to ELC?
I was on a road trip with my friends. I decided to stay to learn English, so my agency told me about the ELC.

What has been your experience at ELC?
I like the ELC. The building is very nice—so are the classrooms. I have a good teacher. She helps me understand grammar. The classes are very good for me. I’m learning a lot.  My classmates are from many countries, so we can practice English together. My classmates and I get along and have fun together.

Do you like Santa Barbara?
Yes, I like Santa Barbara. It is beautiful. There’s a touch of Spain here. There is a lot to do here. There are so many things to do and a lot of restaurants to try. I love that the school is by the ocean and by State Street.

What have you done so far in Santa Barbara?
I have met many new people on State Street. I like going out with my classmates and doing different things in downtown Santa Barbara. I also like going to different restaurants and trying different kinds of food. My classmate and I went to In-N-Out Burger, and I really liked it.

How do you like your homestay?
I like my homestay very much. My homestay mom is very nice. She drove me around the first day I was in Santa Barbara to show me what is in the area. The home is close to the school, so taking the bus is very easy.

To learn more about ELC Santa Barbara, please visit the ELC website and see the school video on YouTube!

Students were asked to weigh in on their favorite places in Boston and we got quite a variety of responses, ranging from the greatest places to eat to the best places to study and everything in between.

Ran from China told us that her favorite place in Boston is definitely Copley Square. As someone who loves to shop, Ran mentioned that from Copley you have access to Newbury Street, Copley Center, even the Prudential Center. She also said that there are lots of restaurants there, including Atlantic Fish Co., which is famous for its seafood. Finally she added that in Copley you can visit the Boston Public Library, “the most beautiful and comfortable place to study in Boston.”

Two of the Venezuelan students chimed in as well and told us the places that have stood out to them in Boston thus far. For Angel, he loves ice skating on Frog Pond. He says that although he came here not knowing how to skate at all, it has been a fun thing to learn with other people and a great way to laugh and make friends. Alejandro told us about his love for Tasty Burger, explaining that he loves the place because you can smell it from hundreds of meters away. He also noted that “eating Tasty Burger is like having heaven in your mouth.” Sounds like something that no student should miss!

Sultan from Saudi Arabia said that his favorite places include the Boston Common as well as Sweetwater Tavern. He loves the Common because it’s where he gets to practice soccer, his favorite sport, in the summer and Sweetwater because it’s a perfect place for students and staff to hang out after school.

Marc from Switzerland claims that his favorite area in Boston is the South End, where he is currently living. He says that the special architecture mixed in with the typical brick buildings as well as the small cafes and restaurants that you find there make it a unique place.

Junmo from Korea added that for him the best place to hang out in Boston is Harvard University. His reasoning was that there are any talented and intelligent people in the area and students like him have the opportunity to attend lectures and classes about history or current events. He recognizes that Boston has a lot of famous universities and colleges but that Harvard is the best place to hang out and meet people as well as a great spot to enjoy restaurants and delicious food.