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Dancing, singing, amazing cultural performances and ethnic cuisine marked the Year of the Dog at the annual EF Academy New York Lunar New Year celebration. Students and faculty were ‘wowed’ by the amazing show put on by students from China, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The show began with greetings from Headmaster Dr. Brian Mahoney and the student directors of the show, Ai-Ling Hsiao and Minh Ngoc Dam. Dr. Mahoney remarked that many of the traits brought forth by the year of the dog, including honestly, loyalty and reliability – are traits that represent the students and culture of EF Academy, with students coming to our campus from over 70 countries around the world.
This year’s performance began with a new student leadership format. For the first time, three directors worked together to bring the festival together. Zeren Han, Ai-Ling Hsiao and Minh Ngoc Dam were eager to take on the leadership position and were very pleased with how well the group worked together. Ms. Hsiao planned and directed the performance while Mr. Dam worked to ensure the backstage was running smoothly. Ms. Han planned the party with excellent cultural cuisine which follows the show each year. The Lunar New Year is the most significant holiday in many Asian cultures. The students take great pride in their work to put it together each year. Close to 100 students contributed to the show, including artwork on the walls and around the school building, managing the house, working backstage, preparing the food, and contributing to the performances by each country.
At the last moment of the show, all performers come together on stage together to thank the crowd and celebrate the great performance. For Zeren, this is her favorite part of the show. It shows the pride and importance of the holiday for all involved. “It’s a precious opportunity to share our culture with others at the school and have them understand it.” While Minh enjoyed performing and the heat of the spotlight in past years, this year he found he greatly enjoyed planning the logistics of the show backstage. All three directors commented about how happy they were the countries performing were able to come together to put on a great performance without any conflicts. They also appreciate the support from the administration, advisors, and theatre department.
EF Academy celebrates the Lunar New Year each year with a show directed and performed by our diverse student body. After the performance, students are treated to Bubble Tea and plenty of ethnic cuisine from the region to celebrate the holiday. The Lunar New Year show is advised by Dr. Huong Tran, IB Vietnamese Literature teacher and Biao Cai, IB Chinese Literature teacher.

Dancing, singing, amazing cultural performances and ethnic cuisine marked the Year of the Dog at the annual EF Academy New York Lunar New Year celebration.

Lunar New Year: Year of the Dog celebration - EF Academy Blog

Lunar New Year: Year of the Dog celebration ‹ EF Academy Blog

Lunar New Year: Year of the Dog celebration

Lunar new year year dog celebration

Here at EF Academy HQ in Zurich, we have team members from all over the world. This week, we’ve put Rebekah from the UK and Sara from the US head-to-head to discuss the culture of their respective countries. On today’s list, we’re discussing food, language, holidays, music, and education.
<h3>Food</h3>
Rebekah: Obviously the full English breakfast is quite a big deal in the UK – sausages, fried egg, bacon, beans, hash browns and black pudding (I’ll leave you to google that last one…). Other well-known highlights include fish and chips, tea and cake and a Sunday roast beef dinner. Lesser known are delicacies such as toad in the hole, which is sausages in yorkshire pudding batter, and stargazy pie, which is topped with pastry and fish heads which gaze upwards*.
*<a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/stargazy-pie-english-sardine-pie">Stargazy Pie</a>
Sara: There are all kinds of incredible foods that we love in the US! Home of key lime pie, fajitas, and L.A. fav chicken and waffles. Not to mention a plethora of tasty junk foods like Cheez-Its and Pop Tarts. I’ve heard we also have a pretty good candy game with Reese’s and M&M’s in just about every flavor you can imagine. But most of all – tacos!
<h3>Language and grammar</h3>
Rebekah: In England, you’d head out for a walk in your trainers, slip on a jumper if it’s cold, and if you want a pudding, you could have a good old fashioned slice of Victoria sponge cake. Other than some different words, we’ve also got a few different spellings – we kept the U in colour and where you might use a Z in America, you would probably use an S in England (example: realised vs. realized). We also have a whole accent named after the Queen: The Queen’s English.
Sara: In the US, we head out for a walk in our sneakers. If it’s cold outside, we put on a sweater. And if we want a sweet dessert, we might reach for a cookie and when we discuss eating a pudding, we’re probably thinking about the <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/44699/chocolate-cornstarch-pudding/">instant Jello kind</a>. American English also has an interesting reputation for our spelling choices. For some odd reason, we dropped the U’s on words like “color” and “humor” but love to use Z’s (maybe we think it looks cool)!
<h3>Holidays</h3>
Rebekah: I’m not sure we can rival America’s Groundhog Day (which sounds bizarre but very fun) but we do have some unique holiday traditions in England. The day after Christmas is ‘Boxing Day’ which dates back to the 1830s where post-men and errand-boys were gifted a Christmas-box to thank them for their service. More recently, Boxing Day is celebrated with family and often marked with a country or coastal walk. We also celebrate the Queen’s birthday and royal weddings.
Sara: In the US, we have loads of holidays that are somewhat bizarre. One such example is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_Day">Groundhog Day</a>, where a small rodent pops his head out of the ground to help predict the weather. Everyone wears top hats, it gets pretty fancy and in some areas, it’s a huge part of the culture. North Americans also love Thanksgiving – a day where family and friends come together to talk about everything we’re thankful for and eat way too much of our favorite comfort foods.
<h3>Music</h3>
Rebekah: Home to The Beatles, Elton John, Amy Winehouse and The Spice Girls – the best-selling female pop group of all time – The UK has always had a thriving music scene. While in recent times, much of British music has been influenced by American popular culture, there are still some genres that are British through and through. Each of the four countries of the UK have their own distinctive folk music traditions. The Irish have their fiddles, the Scottish love a ballad, the English enjoy music with a medieval feel and the Welsh favour male voice choirs. The folk genre in the UK remains popular, and has experienced revivals in the 19th, 20th and 21st century.
Sara: A number of brilliant artists and genres have called the US home over the years. Some of the genres the US can boast include rock and roll, rhythm and blues (R&B), and country. With one of America’s most credited genres being jazz, which has its roots in New Orleans, Louisiana. This gave way to popular artists like Louis Armstrong, Elvis Presley, James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston and more contemporary artists like Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and Meghan Trainor.
<h3>Education</h3>
Rebekah: In the UK, children must attend Primary School from age 5 – 11 and Secondary School from 11 – 16. After the age of 16, further education is optional. Students between the ages of 16 – 18 can choose to attend Sixth Form where they will study A-Levels or IB in preparation for university. Or they might choose to attend a college and begin learning a profession. The UK is also home to the top two universities in the world: the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. It’s also a great believer in the boarding school tradition with around five hundred boarding schools spread out across the UK.
Sara: The US school system starts with Primary School, where students must attend from the age of 5. Around 12, students move on to Middle School where they study for a couple of years as a sort of cultural transition between Primary School and High School. At 14, students begin attending High School and usually graduate by the age of 18. Students can enter college or university upon graduation from high school and they can also choose from a variety of trade schools. The US is home several of the top universities in the world including Harvard, Stanford, Massachusets Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
 
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Wondering which location would be right for your studies? Learn more about studying in the UK or US for high school with EF Academy.

This week, we’ve put Rebekah from the UK and Sara from the US head to head to discuss the culture of their respective countries.

UK and US: culture comparison - EF Academy Blog

UK and US: culture comparison ‹ EF Academy Blog

UK and US: culture comparison

Us uk culture

Six university teams recently competed for the Hult Prize, awarded by former United States President Bill Clinton. IBY1 students Dongpeng Li of China and Hai Vu Tien of Vietnam were guests at the dinner celebrating the announcement of the Hult Prize in New York City last week. The two students enjoyed a three course dinner on Tuesday September 20th at the Sheraton New York City Downtown Hotel.
The two EF students spent the evening interacting with high-powered and very successful individuals from around the world. Dongpeng Li was excited to meet so many interesting individuals – “It was also a great pleasure to talk to some successful people in the dinner. For example, Jake and I had a great conversation with a mark analyst from General Motor (GM), which is currently one of the biggest car companies in the US.”
The highlight for both students was the award presentation by the former President. Clinton presented the Hult Prize of $1 million to the winning team. Hai Vu Tien was impressed, “Bill Clinton’s small appearance also contributed to the whole conference’s attitude and enthusiasm, it shows that the contestants’ work took a lot of effort and needs to be respected even more.”
According to Mr. Tien: “The CGI event helps inspire lots of people to take actions to global issues while helping themselves earn profit. Every year, there is a topic that the contestants focus on and they use their creative minds to come up with projects they themselves carry out to serve their community or to take part in eliminating a global issue.” This year’s topic tackled the issue of urban poverty. The teams came up with different ideas to help resolve this issue and also make a profit. CGI combines the creative minds of global citizens and business owners together to come up with a profitable and humane method to bring a better future to those who need our help. “In my opinion, it was a very inspiring and interesting dinner to attend.”
A $1 million prize of start-up capital awarded by the Clinton Global Initiative, part of the Clinton Foundation, to a team of university students with the best idea for “Doubling the Incomes of the Urban Poor.” Prior to the award, each of the six finalist teams presented their idea. Dongpeng noted, “To be honest, I was impressed by all those presentations because they presented different perspectives on solving the same problem. These presentations demonstrated many fantastic ideas which I had never thought of in the past. For example, one of my favorite presentations among the five was to use fingerprints as a form of identification instead of the traditional form of ID.”
The Hult Prize Foundation is a start-up accelerator for budding young social entrepreneurs emerging from the world’s universities. Named as one of the top five ideas changing the world by President Bill Clinton and TIME Magazine, the annual competition for the Hult Prize aims to create and launch the most compelling social business ideas—start-up enterprises that tackle grave issues faced by billions of people. Winners receive USD1 Million in seed capital, as well as mentorship and advice from the international business community.
The 2016 winner, as Clinton put it, “is a really clever idea.” Magic Bus Ticketing is, in essence, an app. It’s simple and based on text messaging, and it’s trying to streamline a byzantine informal minibus system that 70 percent of Africans use for daily transportation, Clinton said. “The transportation system is plagued with inefficiency,” Clinton said as he awarded the prize. “Soon, some big wag will be calling this the Uber of buses.”
For Dongpeng and Hai Vu, this experience got them thinking about solving problems through social entrepreneurship. Perhaps they will receive the Hult Prize some day in the not-too-distant future.

Six university teams recently competed for the Hult Prize, awarded by former United States President Bill Clinton.

Two EF students attend Hult Prize Award Dinner - EF Academy Blog

Two EF students attend Hult Prize Award Dinner ‹ EF Academy Blog

Two EF students attend Hult Prize Award Dinner

Two ef students attend hult prize award dinner

In the spirit of International Education Week (Nov. 14-18), we’re posting articles that highlight how high school students can feel empowered by engaging in an international education. This post is part of a short series that will be published this week.
Studying abroad is among the best ways to explore a new culture, see a new part of the world and open your mind – there is no doubt that by immersing yourself in a foreign environment, you are required to step outside your comfort zone and grow. Eventually you become accustomed to this once-foreign environment. It soon begins to feel natural, and this tends to foster feelings of empowerment and pride.
Students who have studied abroad for any part of their high school or university education have described experiencing “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/jun/04/students-post-year-abroad-blues">the post-year abroad blues</a>” – a type of backwards culture shock when they return home. But what happens when the culture shock subsides? Do they feel they can open the minds of the peers and countrymen who haven’t studied abroad just by sharing their own experiences? Do they continue to feel empowered at home?
We spoke to Salvador Garcia Santos Rivera, a 2014 EF Academy Oxford graduate from Mexico, and Denise Lichthardt, a 2016 EF Academy Torbay graduate from Germany. Both alumni returned to their home countries for university after earning their IB Diplomas in the UK.
Denise is studying Physics at the University of Erlangen. When describing her time abroad, she says that at first she didn’t want to go, but in the end she didn’t want to leave.
“It was quite different than what I was used to in Germany, the school was smaller and everything was in English, which I had to get used to at first. I enjoyed meeting so many new people from around the world and hearing about their experiences in their countries,” she says.
Salvador has the same appreciation for his international experience and says that what really made him want to study abroad was the opportunity to gain a different view of the world and experience different cultures, while receiving a good education.
“The reason why I stayed a second year to complete my IB program was because of the academic experience. The teachers really pushed me forward,” he says. “Since I’ve graduated, I really miss Oxford, my friends, my teachers and the international experience.”
What the two EF Academy grads have in common despite coming from different parts of the world and graduating two years apart is that they truly believe their open-mindedness is an asset and that their international experiences distinguish them from their classmates at university.
Salvador has taken the IB Learner Profile to heart and it guides him in Mexico City where he is currently leading a political movement while earning a degree in Law at Pan-American University. He and his fellow movement leaders intend to make changes and proposals to amend the constitution of Mexico City.
“There are a lot of IB students involved and we are all trying to make improvements. We are trying to do something new for the city because it deserves it. The bad things that have happened – we have to leave them behind and create something new that is adapted to our current views,” he explains. “I think the IB helps create people who can do anything without any limits.”
While Salvador’s university is quite international – he says about 50% of students have studied abroad and the university is engaged in exchange programs with schools in the U.S. – he still misses the internationalism of EF Academy.
Denise is experiencing something similar but she is in an environment that is predominantly German.
“I’m hoping to meet people from other countries at university,” she says. “I found that I feel more comfortable around people from other countries, probably because that is what I am used to. I feel like it’s more narrow-minded here because most people just finished high school and haven’t experienced something special in their lives.”
This feeling of being different is important to Salvador and Denise and it shapes how they feel in their environments and their home countries. They’ve taken their experiences abroad back home with them and are now using the skills they developed and the knowledge they gained to drive the actions they take.
“My plan was to stay in the UK and attend the London School of Economics, but when it was time to make the decision, I chose to move back [to Mexico] because I knew there were going to be a lot of changes and if I wasn’t going to be part of that, I wasn’t going to contribute to my country,” Salvador says. “The decision helped me be an agent of change. To be an active person is to help.”
Salvador’s and Denise’s stories are ones of success and highlight one of the most impressive parts of what can happen after seeing the world – the ability to influence change by using an open mind. Salvador, empowered by what he has seen and learned, is the heart and motor of a movement in the city he comes from. And eventually, after more time in this somewhat new environment, Denise will likely bond with students who are just as open-minded and international as she is, enriching the culture of her school.
Though many students who study abroad in high school stay abroad for university, there is certainly something to be said for those who return home and bring communities together by applying what they learned and empowering others by sharing their experiences.
 
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EF Academy International Boarding Schools opens a world of opportunities for high school students by providing them with a superior education abroad, thorough preparation for university and a future that knows no borders.

Studying abroad is among the best ways to explore a new culture, see a new part of the world and open your mind.

Bringing home an open mind - EF Academy Blog

Bringing home an open mind ‹ EF Academy Blog

Bringing home an open mind

Bringing home open mind

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My name is Vita and I am in my first year of the IB program at EF Academy Torbay. I am from Norway and speak Norwegian, French and English, and right now I’m learning Spanish. I like to sing and act, and I am known for regularly wearing cat ears on normal days. Oh, and today I’m a blog writer.
Last Friday, EF Academy Torbay hosted an alumni event where current students got to meet former students and ask them questions about university life, their time at EF Academy and their secret survival tips.
Some alumni had traveled far, one all the way from Edinburgh – that’s a 10-hour journey! However, we were also joined by a student from Bristol University who decided at the last minute to hop on the train down to Torbay. Conversation ranged from midnight library studying to the curse of being a procrastinator to the perks of “Fresher’s Week.” In other words, there was plenty of information for students to take in. Coming from actual university students, we got a genuine and fresh perspective from people who have gone through the same things as us, in the same place, around the same people. Afterwards, we ate pancakes (yum!), took pictures and asked any questions that had not yet been answered.
We had a fun and informative afternoon, and I personally found it to be a successful event, especially because I was reunited with friends I hadn’t seen in a long time.
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EF Academy Torbay hosted an alumni event where current students got to meet former students and ask them questions about university life.

EF Academy grads share survival tips with Torbay students - EF Academy Blog

EF Academy grads share survival tips with Torbay students ‹ EF Academy Blog

EF Academy grads share survival tips with Torbay students

Ef academy grads share survival tips torbay students

Culminating months of preparation, EF Academy’s Model United Nations team attended two university conferences this month at Princeton University and Fairfield University. EF Academy’s team took home several honors from the events including the President of the MUN team, who won a “Best Delegate” award and IB Y2 student Eliot Tikhomirov who won “Outstanding Delegate” on their committees. Adetoun Adeyemi, also IB Y2, won “Honorable Delegate” at both conferences. The students were accompanied by Birgitte Jensen, IB Language A, College Writing Teacher and MUN Faculty Advisor.
The President of the MUN team commented,“The EF MUN team had a great start to our season with our three wins at Fairfield. The conference allowed us to get back in the swing of things. Delegates were finally able to put their debating and negotiating skills into action. Fairfield was a great success and a sign for more great things to come”.
Model United Nations conferences look to simulate the challenges our world leaders face in the present day. Each delegate takes on a role as a leader of one of the nations represented in the United Nations. At the Fairfield University conference, Ms. Adeyemi represented King Abdullah of Jordan. The students were tasked with solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and representing the views of their role.  Ms. Adeyemi had to balance the interests of Jordan and support of the Palestinian community with the country’s need to work closely with its neighbor, Israel.
At Princeton University, Ms. Adeyemi represented the Democratic Republic of Congo and the African Union. The group worked together to try and combat Boko Haram and worked to increase women empowerment in the region. At the end of each conference, the group had to conclude with a resolution paper to be voted on by the full assembly.
Ms. Adeyemi reflected on the experience as a great opportunity to learn how the United Nations functions and increased her awareness of international issues faced by world leaders each day. The students who attended worked with students from all over the region to try and come up with solutions to these persistent problems.
Reflection from Adetoun Adeyemi, IBY2:
“Fairfield University was my first ever Model United Nations experience and it was an exhilarating experience that I enjoyed thoroughly. Model United Nations is quite an intense experience I was on the Isreali-Palestine committee, so the tensions were high between supporters of both parties. At first I felt quite overwhelmed; a lot of the people there were very experienced. But a while into the conference I began to feel more confident and I raised my placard up to speak. I did my best in raising issues that over delegates might have overlooked with the support of my fellow EF Academy delegates in my committee. Eventually I emerged Honorable Delegate in my committee with my chair even citing that I was his favorite delegate. I had to admit I was pleasantly surprised and elated at the same time. Our collective performance as a team is quite impressive and the EF Academy Model United Nations club is out to excel!”

EF Academy’s Model United Nations team attended two conferences at Princeton University and Fairfield University and the team took home several honors.

Model United Nations wins awards - EF Academy Blog

Model United Nations wins awards ‹ EF Academy Blog

Model United Nations wins awards

Model united nations wins awards princeton fairfield university conferences

Sabina Chokusheva, from Kazakhstan, graduated from EF Academy Torbay as class of 2014. She is currently studying Business and specializing in Finance and Accounting at New York University (NYU). Learn more about our featured alum:
How did you hear about EF Academy and why did you choose to go to EF Academy?
I had no plan on studying abroad until I got to know about the Founder’s Scholarship through an educational fair in Kazakhstan. When I won the scholarship, I thought, “Why not?” I wanted to meet new people and get to know a new country. I chose the Torbay campus because it is a small community and I heard from a friend who was studying there that the teachers were really good.
What university did you go to afterwards? What did you study?
I am currently studying business, specializing in Finance and Accounting, at New York University (NYU). I also applied to UK universities and was accepted to Manchester, Loughborough and Lancaster. However, I always wanted to go to the U.S. and thus applied to New York University (NYU). I already knew then that I wanted to work in finance and more specifically in investment banking because there are so many opportunities in that industry. As long as you work hard, you can make it there. Since New York is the financial center of the U.S., it was clear to me that studying at NYU was my first choice. As they say, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere!
The application required for an American university was very different, but I got a lot of support from our guidance counselors, specifically Wyn Morgan and Mandy Meek, in Torbay. I will never forget the night that I received my acceptance to NYU.  It was midnight and I was so happy that I was literally jumping up and down with joy.
Tips for current students that want to study what you study?
Start you research early: Look into which universities you like and potentially even which companies you would like to work for in the future.
Pay attention to your studies: Take the opportunity to study different things that interest you. Be open to new things and make sure to broaden your horizons.
Get to know people: No matter where you end up, it is important to get to know people. Connections and, most importantly, friends are very good to have.
Do you keep in touch with your EF Academy classmates?
Definitely – I still keep contact with quite a few. Due to the time differences, we mainly talk over social media but I spoke even more with them during the summer.
What’s your favorite memory from EF Academy?
The school trips were a lot of fun because we got to know the UK and have a good time with our friends. I remember one trip that we took to Alton Towers and we stayed at a hotel all together – it was great fun.  Also, graduation was a special day because I guess that was when I realized that it was almost over.
What do you miss the most?
I mainly miss the group of people at Torbay; it was so easy to connect with everyone.
What is one thing that you learned from EF Academy that you found valuable for university? For work life? For your personal life?
For me, the most valuable thing I learned was to be open-minded. For many of us students, EF Academy was the first time we left our home and got to know other cultures. We really learned to understand other people and accept our differences. Sometimes we would agree with each other and sometimes we wouldn’t but in the end, we all learned to respect each other’s differences.
What tips would you give to current students?
Just learn: Not only in terms of academics, but also in terms of broadening your knowledge and horizons. For me, I learned how to network with people. This has proven to be invaluable at university.
Relax but manage your time: I know that it sometimes can get very stressful but do remember that there will be much more to come in life. However, time management is important to learn in order to get all of your assignments done on time – but never forget to eat and sleep.
Get to know yourself:  Knowing yourself is the first step to building your own life and career, so take the chance and learn who you are by trying out new things. For example, I learned that I really like business and languages by trying out many different subjects. I made many friends and through that I came to understand which type of people I like.
Any last words?
For any student who is at EF Academy or who is planning to go there, I promise that you will have a great experience. Make sure to learn as much as you can and make friends for a lifetime.
Also, I do find that our EF Academy alumni network is very valuable, including the cross-campus one. For example, during the Hult Challenge almost three years ago in London, I met a Russian girl, whose name also happens to be Sabina (oh well), who studied at EF Academy New York at that time.  We kept in touch and guess what; we are both studying in New York City now and are still friends.
Lastly, I would like to express thanks to all the teachers for sharing this wonderful time with me.
Short questions:
Name: Sabina Chokusheva
Age: 20
Nationality: Kazakh
How many languages do you speak? Four: Kazakh, English, French and Russian
EF Academy campus: Torbay
Graduation year: 2014
Program: IB (Business and Management, English Language and Literature, Economics, Mathematics, Environmental Systems and Societies, and French)
Residence or host family: Host family (shout out to Ana and Steve!)
Favorite subject: Economics because I have always liked analysis and logic. I also knew that I wanted to study it going forward and it has proven to be very helpful during my university studies.
Favorite teacher: Andy Scott, I think. Overall, I had really nice teachers and still keep in touch with many of them.
Favorite club/society: For me, it was definitely fitness class that we had every week. It was a very good way to both bond with my peers and exercise. I also enjoyed the cooking club with an Italian chef. My specialty was Italian meatballs.
Which is the next country you want to visit?  I would like to go to France to practice my French and to any country honestly, just to visit my EF Academy friends.
Who to interview next:
Caroline Imelda
Shouts outs to:
<ul>
<li>Dilnoza Yusufova, Stephany Aymerich, Dan Nguyen, Rubik Grigoryan</li>
<li>All the Kazakhstani students</li>
<li>Debbie Chatterton – previous IB coordinator and now Headmaster of Torbay – congratulations, Torbay!</li>
<li>My IB group – the wonderful people who I spent two years with</li>
</ul>

Sabina Chokusheva, from Kazakhstan, graduated from EF Academy Torbay in 2014. She is currently studying Business at New York University (NYU).

Advice from alumni: Sabina Chokusheva - EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Sabina Chokusheva ‹ EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Sabina Chokusheva

Advice alumni sabina chokusheva

Carina Minami from Brazil and Japan was the Student Council President at EF Academy New York and successfully completed the IB Diploma program and graduated in 2014. To continue to explore new parts of the world, she ventured across the pond where she started studying Economics at the University of Surrey in the UK. After realizing that her passion was in the field of international relations, she switched to King’s College in London where she is now majoring in International Relations. Read more about our alumna below:
How did you hear of EF Academy and why did you choose to attend?
I went to an international school in my hometown of Sao Paolo. At that time, my parents were moving from Brazil to Japan so we started looking into a boarding school. EF Academy was one of the schools that we were researching and in the end, we decided that it was the best option for me. Looking back now, I think I just felt that I needed a change and to experience new things.
EF Academy is a special place for me because I grew up there and it helped me become the person that I am today. I experienced some of my best moments there and also some of my worst. The thing about EF Academy is that it forces you to mature, it isn’t always glamorous. However, I learned many things there for example how to be alone and what real friendship is.
What university did you go to afterwards? What did you study and why?
I applied to both U.S. and UK universities after EF Academy. In the end, I chose to go to the UK because I felt that I wanted to go somewhere different and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to move around. Thus, I chose to study Economics at the University of Surrey. However, I wasn’t happy with my course there so I decided to switch after one year. I don’t regret the year there and it really helped me to realize that it was okay to make a mistake and not know what to do. This was a valuable lesson for me because in high school, I was always a perfectionist and I didn’t like making mistakes even though I now understand that is how one grows.
Now, I am studying International Relations at King’s College London and I love it. International relations are something that I always found interesting since I love traveling and understanding the world. However, I think I was too occupied with doing what I was supposed to do that I forgot what I wanted to do although international relations of course was a good option all along.
What were the differences you noticed between applying to universities in the UK and the U.S.?
In a nutshell, applying to university in the UK is so much easier because there is one system where the applications go through called UCAS! Also, you only need one essay and one reference and that’s it. In the U.S., we had so write so many supplementary essays and also take the SAT.
What is your dream going forward?
I don’t have a fixed dream but I am sure that it will involve me graduating from university. I feel that my dream is to do something that I like and I hope that it will include traveling. It could be going into consulting or diplomacy – I am open and willing to try different things now.
What tips do you have for current students who want to study what you study?
My main tip would be to be vocal about your opinions and open to discussing them. Critically thinking and articulating your ideas is very important for international relations so it is good to be opinionated. Moreover, stay updated on the world and what is going on. It is important because you will become more cultural and open-minded. Lastly, surround yourselves with great people who are equally opinionated and intelligent because you can then learn from each other if you ask the right questions.
Do you keep in touch with your EF Academy classmates?
I constantly keep in touch with some of my closest friends. We all grew up during our high school years at EF Academy and I think we all really cherish those two years. I wasn’t ready for it but I do miss it a lot. However, now everyone is spread out in the world and even though we all try our best to keep in touch it is not always easy. At the same time, I don’t think we need to see each other all the time because once we meet I think everything will feel the same.
What’s your favorite memory from EF Academy?
I really liked going to Nicaragua with the school during one of my spring breaks. There were 13 of us from EF Academy and we built houses for the local community. It was an amazing and very surreal experience. We were so used to being in a bubble with international students where everyone is privileged. It was good for us all to take a step back and appreciate what we had. Otherwise, it was all the small everyday things. For example, I really liked brunches on Sundays and sitting on the lawn in front of the school building during the spring.
What is one thing that you learned from EF Academy that you found valuable for university? For work life? For your personal life?
I think I would highlight the independence part. During my time at EF Academy, I learned how to make decisions and deal with things on my own. I also learned how to interact with people from all over the world and sometimes understanding concepts that were hard.
I also learned what real friendship is and that it is okay to not be loved by everyone. I understood the importance of surrounding yourself with people that want the best for you. Looking back, it wasn’t always easy to learn but it was an invaluable lesson.
What final tips would you give to current students?
I think one of my most important tips to current students would be that: it is okay to be not okay and sad – it is an inevitable part of the experience. It is normal to not know what to do, as it is really easy to get caught up in what you think you should do and what you have to do to go to university. I studied Economics because I thought that was what I was supposed to do instead of thinking through what I actually wanted. At the end of the day, it was time wasted for me so my advice would be to not get too caught up with what you think you are supposed to do.
Take it all in – There are a lot of assignment and exams. However, you should sometimes take time to cherish the moments and people around you.
Be happy with yourself – I felt that my self-worth was measured by my achievements e.g. grades and which university. It took some time for me to realize that I am not equivalent to what I did. Thus, take a step back and only focus on doing your best.
Who are the most successful alumni that you know of?
Aase-Kathrin from Norway – She is the type of person that will make you think as she is very complex with many layers. She is the type of person that I needed at EF Academy; she was my rock.
Felipe Mindermann from Germany
Matheus Gimenez – We studied together and I admire him because he struggled two years to find his passion and he now found it. He is starting Fashion Design next year.
Any advice to fellow alumni at universities or who are starting their careers?
Make sure to run your own race.  As long as you move forward there, you are okay. I do things that I like to do but I don’t know what my passion is and I think that is alright. Just do what you want to do and don’t do things because you think you should do them.  Don’t compare yourself to your colleagues, there are always going to be people that are better than you. However, your combination will always be unique and that will make you stand out. I’m sharing this advice with you, but it’s something I’m still learning myself.
Short questions:
Name: Carina Minami
Age: 19
Nationality: Brazilian and Japanese
What languages do you speak? Portuguese, Japanese, English, Spanish
EF Academy campus: New York
Graduation year: 2014
Program: IB
Residence or host family: Residence
Favorite subject: Economics because of the teacher but I also really liked English and looking back, I learned the most in that subject.
Favorite teacher:
Mr. Barnes: Economics teacher and Student Council teacher
Ms. Othman: The teacher who supported me when I broke down before the exams and told me that everything would be okay.
Favorite club / society: For me, it was the Student Council. I was the President of the Student Council during my last year and it helped me a lot to grow as a person. We were eight people running the Student Council and it was a good companionship. I never had that much responsibility before and I found it very fulfilling. For example, we founded the Leukemia Awareness Week after our Portuguese teacher was diagnosed with Leukemia. That was the first time that I decided to take action and we starting raising money. Also, I really enjoyed the varsity soccer and basketball teams – at first we were just a group of girls who didn’t know each other and we weren’t very good but we still had so much fun!
Shouts outs to:
Everyone that made my experience valuable: teachers and friends!
Teachers for being parent figures

Carina Minami from Brazil and Japan was at EF Academy New York and successfully completed the IB Diploma program and graduated in 2014.

Advice from alumni: Carina Minami - EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Carina Minami ‹ EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Carina Minami

Advice alumni carina minami

This post was written by Synnove “Sunny” Tonnesen from Norway, a senior at EF Academy New York and 2016 EF Academy Olympics participant.  
Throughout the last days of our Spring Break, we were all truly excited to greet the students from EF Academy Torbay who were going to participate in the inter-campus sports competition at our school in New York. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were all determined to give them the best experience possible.
We started off at JFK airport where any symptoms of jetlag were eased by a proper New York welcome. Songs like “Empire State of Mind” and “New York City” filled the bus all the way through Manhattan to Thornwood, and eventually, to EF Academy. After a quick tour of the campus, a welcome dinner and our Head of School Dr. Mahoney’s words, “Let the games begin,” we finally let the Torbay students go to sleep and prepare for some real competition in sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball, badminton, frisbee and cross country. Throughout all of the competitions, everyone showed a lot of heart which lead to incredible wins, tough losses, and thrilling tie breakers. The tension was unreal at times with incredibly high energy levels that were strengthened by Activities Director Emily Aquina’s refill of cookies and cupcakes. We celebrated each day with fun activities such as Westchester Knicks game (where we had courtside seats),  pizza and bowling. The competition ended with a closing ceremony at Dave & Busters.
Overall, it was such a unique experience as everyone shared a passion for sports which became a platform to build new friendships. Despite all the rivalries that took place in the sports arenas, the social aspects and shared interests turned us into one big team. We ended up cheering for players and participants on opposing teams, which really reflects on the sportsmanship that shone throughout the competition. We learned from each other and appreciated their alluring culture while proudly showing our own. In a wider sphere, this is a privilege EF Academy has given us – allowing us to cross borders both physically and figuratively. I know I speak for everyone when I say that this event is something we definitely have to continue organizing in the future. Whenever EF Academy Torbay is ready to come back to America, the door will be fully open. And maybe we’ll add some British songs to our playlist next time (and we look forward to the opportunity to win two years in a row!)

This post was written by Synnove “Sunny” Tonnesen from Norway, a senior at EF Academy New York and 2016 EF Academy Olympics participant.

EF Academy Olympics – welcoming Torbay to New York - EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Olympics – welcoming Torbay to New York ‹ EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Olympics – welcoming Torbay to New York

Ef academy olympics welcoming torbay new york

<h3>Diverse friendships</h3>
It’s easy to spot the pattern that everyone else seems to follow, which is to start to make friends with people who come from the same country as you. And honestly, I get it, I do, they speak the same language as you so naturally, you bond faster. And it’s true, you likely have more in common with these people than any others, but ask yourself this, what’s the point in being an international student in an international school, if all of your friends are people from the same place as you?  International schools are the perfect place to create global friendships and learn about lots of new and different cultures, so my first piece of advice is to get yourself into a group of diverse individuals, where you get the opportunity to make new friends who aren’t from the same place as you, learn about their country/culture and improve your English!
<h3>Use your time wisely</h3>
The IBDP isn’t easy, and unless you manage your time right, it’s going to be ten times harder. To avoid stress, you need to manage your time right. So the two hours you get every evening to do homework in study hall? Use them, even if you don’t want to. If you’re the kind of person who can study for five minutes the night before a test and get an A, I envy you, but for the rest of us out here without a photographic memory, time management is everything. And if you don’t already have one, get a school planner. They are the most efficient way of keeping on top of all your homework and remembering all the little things you have to do each day. That university meeting on Friday? Write it down. That test you have next week? Write it down. The planner is no use if you don’t write things in it, and I definitely advise that you do. It’s the safest way to make sure you don’t forget anything, no matter how big or small. Another tip for organization is to set an alarm on your phone every time something comes up that you need to remember. So as well as writing it down, you’ve got an alarm set for 10 minutes or so before the event. I only started doing this when I arrived at EF, and honestly- it’s a real life saver sometimes. You could also use post-its or a white board to organize your appointments.
<h3>Enjoy your weekends</h3>
So you might think this is a bit contradictory seeming as I just said to knuckle down and get your work done, but the point in managing your time wisely is to make sure you have room for some fun too. If you leave all your homework to the weekend, you’re not going to find the IB to be that great. By getting all, or the majority of your work done during the week, it frees up your weekends to do whatever you want, guilt free. And then any small pieces of work you have left, you can finish off on Sunday evening in study hall. Remember, weekends are your down time, but only if you choose them to be. If you leave pieces of work undone, your weekends are going to end up becoming a long two days spent in your room slaving away on the essay you should have finished by last Tuesday. And when you are doing work, the best way to get things done quickly is to properly focus! Don’t procrastinate, don’t decide to hoover your room instead or go and sit in a room full of people when you have an essay due in tomorrow. The work won’t get done, and then you’re left wondering how and why you’ve spent all day trying to finish one worksheet. Well think about how much of that time ‘working’ you spent on your phone, or talking to someone and not actually focusing on your task. Everyone focuses in different ways, so do whatever works for you, but make sure whenever you are working, that you are properly focusing on it. This way tasks gets done quicker, and tasks gets done well, which leaves you with weekends of freedom. Make the most of your free time, and the school week will seem more worth it!
<h3>Get involved!</h3>
What’s the point to living on a campus with constant activities and people around you if you’re just going to sit in your room for 3 hours after school playing games?? Okay, so if you’re skyping home or finishing off work etc.. that’s understandable, but if you’re not..don’t waste time! There’s all sorts of clubs to consider, where you will get to meet whole new groups of people you might not have come across before. What’s more, choose something you think you will enjoy, and get CAS hours for doing it! Right now, I do an activity for an hour after school every single day of the week, two of which are to do with my favorite subject. I specifically chose these clubs because they interest me, and I’ve made friends with so many people who I have things in common with as a result of it. People I might not have come across if I’d never joined the clubs. Even if you just join one, that’s better than doing nothing, and it’s something you can add to your résumé. This is not to say, however, that you shouldn’t give yourself time to rest; everyone needs time to revitalize, and us teenagers probably need it the most. So, get involved, push yourself a bit, but don’t exhaust yourself. Just find some things that you enjoy and get involved, you might even find yourself having fun.
<h3>PMA</h3>
If you’re wondering what that is, it stands for positive mental attitude and anyone who knows me knows that I swear by it. Honestly, your attitude is everything. If you complain about anything and everything, then things really are going to seem like they have a permanent rain cloud over them -but only if you look at them in a negative way. A lot of people don’t even realize when they are complaining, but believe me, if you took the time to think about what you’re saying, you’d realize that you complain a lot more than you think you do. Whether it’s the weather, the work, or just the way the day is going, we always find something. Instead, consider and focus on the good things, things that make you lucky and happy. Remember, for every small bad happening, there are loads of good things to turn your attention towards. And that doesn’t mean ignore all the bad stuff, it just means that the things you perceive as ‘bad’ are not always what you make them out to be, and with the right attitude, bad things turn into good things. Stop focusing on all the tiny little negative things that bring you down, they don’t matter. Even if you feel down, just try to put on a smile and engage with people, you’d be surprised how much of a difference it can make to your mood.
You just need the right attitude. And all those things you’ve been saying and believing you can’t do? You can, but not always on your own like you may believe. There is no shame in asking someone for help, or reading up on something to get the support you need. Just because you can’t do something now, doesn’t mean its totally off limits. And the longer you stick with something, the better you will get! If you give up right at the start, you aren’t allowing yourself to even try. Give yourself a chance, and give things a go. Keeping a positive mental attitude can really transform your outlook on things, and the amount the you enjoy them. So try it, next time you speak to someone, instead of listing all your complaints for the day, try telling them something you’re happy about, something that is going well for you, or even something you’re looking forward to. You’d be amazed at how relieving it is to wipe away the little negativity that we’re accustomed to attaching ourselves to.
Written by IBY1 student, Menna Clarke
 
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The International Baccalaureate® Diploma is a world-renowned qualification for students who seek a broad and challenging curriculum that helps them develop all the skills needed for success at university. Thanks to EF Academy’s unmatched internationalism, our students live the IB ethos every single day.

Here we have five ways of making the most of your time doing the IB Diploma program when you're in high school.

Five ways to make the most of the IB - EF Academy Blog

Five ways to make the most of the IB ‹ EF Academy Blog

Five ways to make the most of the IB

Five ways make ib

Culture Fair is an annual event held at EF Academy New York where each country has the opportunity to share their unique heritage and culture. Each classroom is converted to a specific country. EF Academy invites members of our local community, including a local elementary school, to attend the event. It is also a great opportunity for students to learn about the heritage of each country we interact with at the school. It is one of the best days of the year and everyone enjoys sharing their country with the world. Culture Fair was held last week with many countries represented at the fair such as U.S., China, Brazil, Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia, Norway, Nigeria, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Angola, Morocco, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Turkey, Russia, and Japan.
<h4>Culture Fair from the perspective of Thai students</h4>
The concept of Thailand’s culture fair this year is Songkran Water Festival. This festival is really important for Thais because it’s their New Year’s Day. The traditional has two parts. During the first part, in the morning, the family is reunited and wash elders’ feet to show the respect in a formal ceremony. The second part, called “watering,” is more popular among the teenagers. They will sprinkle each other with water using whatever tools they have – a cup, bowl, or even just their hands. It’s extremely fun and typically lasts for 3 days. The tradition is normally held in mid-April and is widely celebrated in Asia, Europe, and America.
For this year’s Culture Fair, all Thai students thought it would be great if we could bring the Songkran water festival to the U.S. The event was successful and everyone loved it! We started off with planning and attending all the meetings with Ms. Aquina to plan the activities for the fair. Our final decision was to use toy water guns and water balloons, in addition to face-painting and other games. The best part was when we spread the water to each other. Everyone was running around, wet, like children. I did not have a chance to go to every country, but I could see all the effort they put in. Every country had a great culture and tradition. This year culture fair was memorable and I am already looking forward to next year.
Here are some of the thought from students from different part of the world:
“I was representing China at the culture fair and it was an amazing experience. I mainly helped set up the classroom, selecting foods, drinks and snacks, and explained and introduced everything in the classroom to the ‘tourists’. I really enjoyed this event and felt proud to present my country in the international environment.” – Shawn Wang (China)
“My experience culture fair with culture fair this year was memorable. It was the second time after Lunar New Year that I feel connected to my fellow Thai friends. The experience was tedious, yet I was proud after finished decorating Thai room and being a part to represent my country.” – Ping Sasinan (Thailand)
“I was touring two seniors during culture fair. The visitors were impressed by the work which is done by students and the opportunities we have to make friends around the world. I am inspired to be appreciative and more open-minded. I wish I had known this earlier; culture fair broadens the vision of international awareness. I should have spent more time with friends and different people.” – Jean Wang (Taiwan)
 
Written by Pawita Sunthornpong, IBY1 student from Thailand

Culture Fair was held last week with many countries represented at the fair such as U.S., China, Brazil, Thailand, Mexico.

Without Culture Fair, EF Academy wouldn’t be complete - EF Academy Blog

Without Culture Fair, EF Academy wouldn’t be complete ‹ EF Academy Blog

Without Culture Fair, EF Academy wouldn’t be complete

Without culture fair ef academy wouldnt complete

EF Academy New York celebrates successful induction of over 300 students!
Students arrived from 70+ countries on Tuesday September 4, 2016 to be greeted by ready and willing staff and student leaders. EF Academy’s New York campus welcomed over 300 new students to campus during the past week.
For the first time in EF Academy’s history, over 20 student leaders returned to campus early to assist with the induction process. The student leaders helped greet families and fellow students, gave tours of the school and assisted with handing out keys, ID cards and other necessities to begin the school year. Bella Tansuwan, IBY2 student from Thailand, was one of the student leaders who returned early to campus. “I loved greeting all of the new students. It was fun to meet new friends from all over the world and show them our campus here in New York.”
On Tuesday September 5th, students arrived to campus. After receiving ID cards and keys, they met with their guidance counselor and then had the opportunity to get to know some of the key staff members in administration as well as learn about different services offered. IB Coordinator & Director of Global Studies, Daniel Paccione, greeted parents and students to explain the hard work ahead in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Students met university advisors to learn about the support provided to students in the university application processes around the world. Representatives from the science & arts department were available to talk about how to get involved in many great activities on campus. Students could also meet with community partners T-Mobile to buy a new SIM card and Wells Fargo Bank to open a US bank account.
To finish off the day, new EF students met their house parents for hall meetings and to settle in to their new rooms. Head of School Brian Mahoney hosted a wine & cheese reception to send off family members and answer any questions before saying goodbye.
Induction continued on Wednesday with a welcome address from the Head of School. Students took placement tests and selected courses for the coming year with guidance counselors. After a long day, the school celebrated with a “Disco under the stars” in our beautiful center courtyard. A DJ kept everyone dancing all night long and there was plenty of great food and fun to be shared. One of the more popular attractions was the photobooth – the perfect place to create EF memories with new friends from around the world.
The week finished up with a club fair with over 50 clubs, activities and sports represented. Students also had the opportunity to learn about the IB and IGCSE curriculums moving forward for the rest of the year.
Welcome to all new students; we are excited you are now a part of our EF Academy New York family!

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