Tag: EC English

Goodbye Dani and Molly

Category: Announcements, Testimonial / Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everyone. It’s with heavy hearts that we would like to announce the departure of two amazing members from the EC Boston team: Molly and Dani. Though we are sad to see them go, both will be moving on to great things. Both Molly and Dani are hardworking and exceptional at what they do, and we will miss them! Here are some words from both Molly and Dani: “Hi everyone! I’m Molly and I am the Regional Student Services Coordinator for EC USA. I used to work as a Student Services Coordinator for Boston before I became the regional coordinator, and often help out at the front desk when I’m not traveling to other EC schools. In about a week however, I will be moving on to Los Angeles to take on the position of Student Services Manager! I have loved working in Boston for these last three years, first as host family coordinator, then as accommodations coordinator, after that as Student Services Coordinator and finally as Regional Student Services Coordinator. My favorite part about the Boston school is the great sense of community that students experience while they are here. Our superb teachers and staff help to build that atmosphere, and our long term students sustain it! Thank you for being an amazing environment to work in, I will miss you all, and come visit me in sunny (and warm) Los Angeles! XXOX  -Molly   Dear EC, This is a weird position for me to be in. I’ve gotten used to saying goodbye to my students as they inevitably graduate and leave, often to the other side of the world, but this is the first time in the two and a half years that I’ve been at EC that I have had to say goodbye to you because I’m … Read more

EC Guest Lecture Series – All About Hawaii!

Category: Announcements, Courses, Culture, Lecture Series, School Activities, Travel tuesday / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

by Tiare Niland Where will your English studies take you? As a current EC Boston intern teacher from Hawaii, I’d like to share about my state’s unique culture with you! There will be an upcoming EC Guest Lecture on Wednesday, February 27th 2016 in room 612 during the lunch at 11:50am! It’s free for all to attend and will feature interesting information about food, traditions and fun activities, as well as general trivia. For instance, did you know that Hawaii actually consists of 8 unique islands? Give your mind a vacation from the cold winter weather and learn more about the beautiful and warm Aloha state! As you can see, one of the best things about English is that it is used everywhere in the United States. The knowledge and experience you gain from your time spent in Boston can be taken with you anywhere! EC also has a number of other great schools all over the country to help you meet your learning goals. You can start your exploration today by browsing our English Language Courses in the USA! It will open up a world of possibilities for you.

Why Study at EC Boston?

Category: Culture / Tags: , , , ,

By Tiare Niland Boston, one of America’s oldest and most historic cities, is the perfect place to study English as an international student. That’s because Boston itself is international. People young and old from all over the globe are attracted to Boston for its unique setting and important cultural landmarks. Convenient public transportation and great entertainment are pluses too. Check out the sports, the arts, the music, the food – this old city never feels old! You’ll make memories and friends to last a lifetime. EC is right in the heart of it all in Faneuil Hall Square. Find our more at our premier English school in Boston for International Students.

Interview with an EC Boston student: Natalia Vidal from Chile

Category: Testimonial / Tags: , , , , ,

by Doris Domingo D: Hi Natalia, first of all, thank you for your time to take this interview for our EC Boston Blog. So, let’s start with an easy question: Why did you choose Boston? N: Firstly, I chose Boston because the city has a rich history, and you can find many historical places and monuments. It is a beautiful, clean and fun city. It is the perfect size city: not too big, like New York City and not too small. And secondly, Boston has a very good reputation for their education institutes and culture. It is a city with many students, so much fun! D: What have you learned so far at EC Boston? N: I am learning and improving my English every day. But I think the most important thing is to realize that you can successfully communicate in another language and other people can understand you! D: Do you feel that you are improving your English here at EC Boston? N: I’m very happy, I have only been here at EC Boston for one month and a half and I have moved up two levels, from low intermediate to high intermediate! I hope to continue improving my English every day! D: Oh wow, congratulations! That is great! And what has been your favorite EC Activity so far? N: Definitely, the 2015 Student Christmas Party with ugly sweaters. It was amazing! We had a lot of fun! D: What do you like the most about the school and the lessons? N: I like the location of the school, its perfect! Right in the heart of Boston. The teachers and staff are great. They are always willing to help you. Every day they give you a big smile and encourage you to continue improving your English. D: What do … Read more

Word of the Day “portmanteau”!

Category: Word of the Day / Tags: ,

Written by Jennifer Lacano Today’s word of the day is cheating a little bit. Why, you ask? Well, because the word – portmanteau – describes a category of words, and I’m going to share a few words from this category with you today. First of all, what is a portmanteau? According to Wikipedia, the word comes from the term “portmanteau luggage,” which refers to a trunk or piece of luggage that opens into two parts. (This word in turn came from two French words, porter – to carry, and manteau – coat, though now in French, a portmanteau is a coat rack.) Here’s a picture of portmanteau luggage:  So very Titanic, no? (credit: http://sp.theyoungriderstv.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/safe_image.jpg) So what exactly is a portmanteau word? As the origin of the term implies, it is a word that comes from combining two other words. The resulting word takes some of the form and meaning from each of the originals but has its own meaning. A few examples should help you understand… webinar = web + seminar (a seminar done over the internet) staycation = stay + vacation (a vacation taken without leaving your own town) babymoon = baby + honeymoon (a last vacation before having a baby) frenemy = friend + enemy (someone who acts like a friend but is really a rival/enemy) Brangelina = Brad + Angelina (perhaps the most famous celebrity couple alive right now) As you can see, portmanteaux are often informal or slang terms. However, some have become common words you could find in a dictionary or textbook: smog = smoke + fog (You can also find this over L.A.!) vitamin = vital + amine (necessary nutrients for your survival) telemarketing = telephone + marketing (If you don’t know what this is, consider yourself lucky!) blog = web + log (what … Read more

Travel Tuesday: Crane Beach!

Category: Travel tuesday / Tags: , ,

  Written by Bryn Keating It’s summertime in Boston, which means that many of us, locals and tourists alike, are flocking to the beach to catch the sun and surf. While Bostonians benefit from several T-accessible beaches (including Revere Beach on the blue line – the oldest public beach in America!), there are more picturesque and less crowded beaches a short distance outside the city. And the best news is that one of these seaside gems, Crane Beach, is accessible without a car for the next few weeks! Crane Beach is a protected natural area located in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The beach is over 4 miles long, and the property boasts miles of trails, rare sand dunes, and habitats for many coastal birds. Overlooking Crane Beach is Castle Hill and The Great House, a 59-room mansion built in 1928. While the Crane Estate is worth visiting any time of year, you can get there via public transportation on weekends through Sept. 7th. MBTA Commuter Rail trains to Ipswich leave North Station on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:30 am, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Once in Ipswich, take the Essex Ipswich Explorer bus (blue route) to Crane Beach, and enjoy a day in nature! For more information about traveling to Crane Beach, visit http://ipswichessexexplorer.com/. Get more information on learning English in Boston!

Today’s Word of the Day: get down

Category: Word of the Day / Tags: , ,

Happy Word of the Day Wednesday! Today’s Word of the Day is brought to you by James. get down: /gɛt daʊn/ “Ah, the Word of the Day: my favorite type of EC blog entry. How I love building up my English vocabulary, one word at a time. But wait. . . . Hold it. Slow down. Hang on just a minute there, Teacher James! ‘Get down’? Isn’t that two words, not one? What are you up to? James, are you changing the rules of the Word of the Day?” Dear astute reader, thank you for your interest and concern, but I hope and believe I am sticking to the rules of the Word of the Day and that, in fact, “get down” is a single word. It’s a word that looks like two very simple, familiar words—words so simple and familiar that you probably do not remember a time before you knew them—but in every way that matters, it’s a distinct word, separate in meaning from both “get” and “down.” You probably know many words like this. No matter whether you think of them as phrasal verbs, think of them as multiword verbs, or never think of them at all, you almost certainly run into them all the time. (You’ve come across several of them already in this blog post: “build up,” “hang on,” “run into”—any others?) What are the different ways to use “get down”? Try these on for size: 1. Johnny, what are you doing on top of the table? Get down! 2. My Frisbee is stuck in that spruce tree. How will I ever get it down? 3. The medicine tasted horrible. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to get it down, so I added a spoonful of honey. 4. Talking to her gets me down. … Read more

Welcome Marlayna, our new Student Services Manager!

Category: Announcements / Tags: , , , ,

General background info. I was born in Niceville, FL and after moving around for most of my childhood as a result of having a parent in the Military (airforce brat), I settled in New England at the age of 14. I have lived in Rhode Island and New Hampshire but have been proud to call Boston home for almost 20 years now, not counting the time I spent in Korea and Mexico teaching English. Favorite experience abroad I’ll never forget snorkeling around the Phi Phi Islands of Thailand. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Favorite thing about Boston (place, monument, etc) My favorite thing to do in Boston is to catch a Friday night game at Fenway Park. You’ve got history, fun and friends all in one! Most memorable moment at EC so far I think the most memorable moment for me was my very first graduation ceremony at EC. It was so great to see all the students celebrate their accomplishments. Something quirky/odd/interesting about yourself I have sung a duet with Michael J. Fox, famous for his role in Back to the Future.   Welcome to EC Boston, Marlayna!

Day-Trip Ideas from EC Boston Students

Category: Activities, Student Work / Tags: , , , , , ,

This week I wanted to do something different. So, I decided to go some different places. I had heard about New Hampshire, Rockport and the famous city of Salem. On Saturday, we went to New Hampshire, one of my friends has a car, so, we went with him. It was funny because we don’t know anything about what we can do there. But, when we were arriving to the gas station we saw a tourist information store. So, there we planned our day. Our first activity was Cannon Mountain. It is a cable car. It is awesome because you can find an exciting  ride for all ages. Also, you can see stunning views including New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Canada. We saw the Canada’s flag, it was so exciting for us! After that we went to eat, we eat in an spectacular hotel the name is Omni Mount Washington Resort. This is the most beautiful hotel that I ever see. It is huge, so elegant and familiar. The food was delicious. I hate salmon. It was amazing. Finally, our next stop was The Basin, we saw beautiful waterfalls. This is a perfect place to make a picnic. This is a perfect place to go one weekend because there are many activities to do. It is a perfect place if you want to enjoy the nature! On Sunday, I went with a friend to Rockport and to Salem. These villages are located in north Boston. We took the community rail, it is not expensive, we payed around $20 per person from Boston-  Rockport- Salem – Boston. You should pay attention when you are going to take the train, in our case we took the wrong train. Can you imagine? The worst thing was that I didn’t know until the first stop … Read more

Travel with EC Boston in August!

Category: Announcements, School Activities, Tips / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

  We are excited about our upcoming trips in August! This is the first time EC Boston has offered so many weekend trips in one month. Aren’t you happy to be studying with us this summer? 🙂 Our first trip is August 8-10 to Washington DC and Philedelphia. This trip is offered through ISX and is $289. “Join us on this ‘monumental’ experience into the heart of the nation’s capitol.  This exciting, interactive visit to Washington is informative and fun! From its stunning monuments to its larger-than-life world class museums, to the cafes and college bars, you will see what life is like at and around the White House, Capitol Building, Smithsonian Museums, National Monument, Arlington Cemetery, and much more. Visit Georgetown campus and see what life is like on campus. Get a tour around the Mall and learn about the many museums and history. Optional visits include the Spy Museum, The Newseum, JFK library, and more. Check out the great nightlife in Foggy Bottom, or sample some of the restaurants in Georgetown.” – from their website This weekend trip includes transportation, 2 nights in a hotel, 2 breakfasts, guided city tours, and a group tour guide all weekend. Book by August 6th. Summer is the time to explore and travel while the sun is high and the days are warm. Will you join us on this fabulous trip in August? Leave a comment if you have questions or come see us at the front desk!