Tag: Activity
EC-baseball-activity

EC Activity: Baseball Game

Category: Activities, EC San Francisco, San Francisco Activities / Tags: ,

One of our monthly activity at EC San Francisco is to go see a Baseball Game at the AT&T Park Stadium. It is leaded by our center director Ryan, who is a big fan of this sport and of the local team, the Giants! Even if baseball is a popular sport around the world, some of the students do not know anything about it and the rules, as it is mostly popular in countries like the US, Japan and Canada. Therefore, before heading to the game, Ryan likes to give a presentation about Baseball and the San Francisco team to the students. During this time, they can get to know the rules, the Giants team, and ask questions. Go Giants! After the presentation, Ryan and the students go to the AT&T Stadium, which is only 20 minutes walk from the school! Once arrived at the stadium, we usually take pictures, take a tour around the stadium and check out the right field from behind the players enjoying the location. We also take the time to walk around the different stands selling different kinds of food, such garlic fries, hot dogs and drinks. When the game starts, we all sit and enjoy the moment together! The last game EC went to see was between the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres, and our team won. Go Giants! It is always a fun activity to do with the students! If you would like to study and have fun in San Francisco, check out our EC San Francisco English Centre!

Yosemite

Explore Outside San Francisco, Yosemite!

Category: Activities, EC San Francisco, National Park, Northern California / Tags: , , ,

  Since I started to live in San Francisco, I have found much beautiful nature in Northern California. One of the most beautiful views in Northern California is Yosemite National Park which is one of nine National Parks in California State. It takes about three and half hours to get there from San Francisco by car. Every season you go there, you can see different amazing views. Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls whose quantity of water is high in April because of the meltwater.     I went there last week to see winter scenery. There was a gorgeous snowy view, and I could see some big waterfalls. It was difficult to hike on some trails because it had snowed a lot. Even though I choose the Mirror Lake Trail which was one of the easiest trails, I really enjoyed hiking amongst the wonderful nature. There are also many view points to take pictures from the park. One of the most famous view points is called Tunnel View where I could see Half Dome which is famous for rock-climbing.   If you go there in the summer season, you can enjoy camping, hiking and rock-climbing. If you go there in the winter season, you can enjoy winter sports, such as downhill-skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoe. Each season has different activities with nature. In addition, if you are lucky, you might see wild animals, such as deer, coyotes, and racoons. If you want to explore the amazing nature in Northern California, come to San Francisco and let’s explore it! Are you interested in studying in San Francisco? Check out our ESL Courses at EC San Francisco!

English Language School in San Francisco visits Dolby Labs

Category: Uncategorized / Tags: , , , ,

On March 29, 2013 EC Pre-Intermediate and Business Lab students at EC San Francisco, an English Language School in San Francisco, took a field trip to Dolby Labs. The trip was prompted by Matthias, a Business Lab student from Switzerland, whose class project is doing a financial analysis of Dolby Labs. Their teacher, Cyndi Cadua, contacted Dolby by email and was informed they do not give public tours but would make an exception in this case. Roberto Landazuri, Dolby’s Corporate Archivist was kind enough to lead our tour.   The students learned about the building where Dolby’s worldwide headquarters is located near the Potrero Hill neighborhood. The building was built as a canvas factory in 1910, not long after the 1906 earthquake. During Dolby’s seismic retrofit in the 1980s, gravestones were discovered at the site and it is speculated that some of the building’s materials are recycled headstones. In the center of the building is small room, with two foot-thick doors on either end. Back in the early 20th century, the factory employees were paid in cash so a “vault room” was required to store all the money.

Popular Activity: Gifford’s “The Hood!”

Category: Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“The Hood” is one of our newest staff-led activities here at EC San Francisco.  It’s led by Gifford, one of our teachers, and always fills up quickly!  Students join him for an in-depth class that explains the history of different San Francisco neighborhoods.  Fatih Demiraslan, a stellar student ambassador, joined this activity and wrote a description of his experience.  Read about it here!  And don’t forget to sign up for “The Hood” at least once before you leave EC!  In fact, why not do it every week? Hood Walking Anyone who wants to know more than that can be seen should join the walking tour with Gifford.  This week we’ve visited Haight Ashbury Neighborhood where is the center of hippie revolution.  We tried to remember and live the ambiance of “Summer of Love” visiting some of famous musicians’ houses such as John Philipps and Scott McKenzie.  This activity started to begin more popular and regular among EC San Francisco activities.  We can’t wait for the next one.  If Gifford had enough free time, we would want to do it everyday.  However we know that it is not possible so that we should wait for the next week.

Wells Fargo History Museum Visit

Category: Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Recently my Business Communication students and I visited the Wells Fargo Museum.  We started with a Treasure Hunt and then were given a guided tour.  The first picture is of the whole group, including our docent, in front of an authentic Concord stagecoach, which was considered the Cadillac of it’s day.  It cost $270 to ride the stagecoach across the country, roughly $10,000 in today’s money.  The journey was non-stop for 15 days and nights.  They estimate that a passenger spent 20 hours a day seated.  The other 4 hours is all the accumulated time it took between stops to change horses (and drivers), which was done at frequent intervals.  It was considered a safe, fast way to make the journey compared to a 6-month boat ride around South America, a 1-2 month boat ride where you also had to walk across Panama and there might be a long wait for a boat on the other side, a dangerous covered-wagon expedition, 4 months riding on horseback, or 1 year walking. The second picture is taken in a replica stagecoach.  Two people stand outside the replica and rock the stagecoach back and forth to give passengers the feel of riding in a real stagecoach. You’ve got to try it…what a ride! http://www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/museum_sanfrancisco.html

Student Activity: EC San Francisco Welcome Walk

Category: Activities, Local Attractions / Tags: , , , ,

EC San Francisco welcomes new students every Monday. Our intern and Student Ambassadors lead students on a guided tour of the area near the school, and answer questions about the city. The activity is for new students, but all students (new and old) are welcome. It’s a great opportunity to learn the history, streets, stores, restaurants, and attractions in downtown San Francisco, and to meet new friends! To learn more about our free weekly activities, check the EC San Francisco Facebook page. Not a student? Don’t worry. You can find out how to enroll at EC San Francisco on our school website.