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Yoonji Roh, from South Korea graduated with A-Level qualifications from EF Academy Torbay in 2008. She went on to study International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. After her graduation in 2011, she decided to go back to Seoul and discovered her passion for online marketing. Yoonji later moved to Hong Kong to work for Hult International Business School in their marketing department and joined a Hong Kong based fashion start-up called Grana as their Growth Hacker in 2015. Read more about our featured alumnus below:
How did you hear about EF Academy and why did you choose to attend?
I had lived in Cardiff for three years with my family before we went back to South Korea, but I always wanted to study abroad. The main reason was that I didn’t like the Korean education system since it focuses on very many different subjects and the teachers want you to learn everything but you don’t study anything in-depth enough to be prepared for higher education.
I found EF Academy through a bit of a coincidence. I was enrolled in a program in Seoul that prepares students for studying abroad and my mother’s friend sent her daughter to a high school year abroad with EF. That is how we found out about EF Academy and we thought that it was a better fit for me than going on a pure high school exchange. I ended up being the only Korean at EF Academy Torbay as part of the second intake in the school’s history.
Looking back, it was a really good experience. It not only helped me take the step to study at a UK university (the  London School of Economics and Political Science), but I also had an amazing host family that introduced me to the British culture.
What university did you go to afterwards? What did you study and why?
I graduated from EF Academy Torbay and went on to study International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). I wanted to become a diplomat because I wanted to fight against poverty and I thought it would take me to different places. LSE had the best international relations department – both because it was a separate department (most universities have a combined History/Politics department) and because of its prestigious ranking. I also went to the Open Day to look at everything from the dorm to the school facilities and I really liked it. Unlike many universities in the UK, LSE is a very international school (about 50% of the student body is international). Moreover, I just loved London as a place to live since I like big cities with a hustle and bustle.
It’s worth mentioning that my course in International Relations was slightly different from what I expected. I thought it would be more about current affairs but it proved to be more theoretical.
It was more a political view of history rather than a review of current events.
What did you do afterwards?
I graduated from LSE not too long after the financial crisis of 2008, in 2011, when the job market was at its worst. At the time, it was hard to get a visa sponsorship to stay in the UK. Many of my classmates went on to earn post-graduate degrees but I felt that I wanted to explore more options. Thus, I went back to Seoul for two years and there were always vacancies for marketing internships. As I had been using Facebook for a bit longer than most people, I decided to leverage those social media skills in a market where social media marketing had just started being talked about. I also did a lot of freelance interpreting for art fairs, gaming conventions and music festivals. This enabled me to explore different companies and industries, which helped me realize that I had an interest in a career in online marketing
In October 2014, I joined the marketing team of Hult International Business School. They needed a marketing person based in Korea that could work with the central team in Hong Kong. After four months, we realized that it did not make sense for me to be so far away from the rest of the team and so they asked me to move to Hong Kong which I gladly did. I worked there with online marketing for the Asia Pacific region for about two years.
In June 2015, I was headhunted to join a fashion start-up based in Hong Kong called Grana  (<a href="https://www.grana.com/">www.grana.com</a>). Grana is an online fashion brand that sources the best fabrics from all over the world, we design our own clothes and work closely with various factories for the production. Compared to traditional retailers, our markups are only 2 to 2.5 times compared to 10 times thanks to our disruptive business model. My official title “Growth Hacker,” which, according to Wikipedia, is a start-up term for someone that is trying to tap into a market despite low brand awareness and low budget. An example of successful growth hacking is Airbnb, which took off by hacking Craigslist and giving their users the option to post on Airbnb and vice versa. For me, it has been a great experience to join a start-up. Since I started, we have gone from 12-15 people to 50 people with completely different backgrounds and everyone is so passionate. I also like the fact that there are always interesting new things happening and my colleagues are so open to new ideas. This helps challenge me and I really notice how I grow and learn from people around me every day
Tips for current students that want to study what you study?
Don’t let your university major restrict you in terms of career, because it teaches you critical, analytical thinking and life skills. Study what you want to study, but don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. I have many friends who were working in banking but they are now starting their own app companies, going back to studying, or changing their careers to a completely different industry.
Do you keep in touch with your EF Academy classmates?
Definitely! My two best friends at EF Academy were Gifty from Thailand and Heness Wong from Hong Kong. We were the only people from our countries so we stuck together. Henness went on to study Psychology in York and is now studying in Australia, while Gifty went back to Thailand because she wanted to become a dentist and now she is almost done with her six years of study. Having Henness in Hong Kong for the first two years of moving here has been an immense support. Although Gifty is based in Thailand, we try to see each other often. I went to visit Gifty in Thailand and she has visited me in Hong Kong. Since I moved to London right after graduation, I am not in regular contact with many more former classmates but I find it is always easy to message people.
What’s your favorite memory from EF Academy?
My host family always had a great Christmas dinner and it was really nice. They treated me like family and we just ate for two or three days in a row. Also, my friend Gifty and I went to London for an Easter break and we celebrated my 18th birthday there. It was my first time outside of Torquay and we had so much fun.
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 it was mainly:
Learning how to be independent and manage my own time better. The fact that we were away from our families in a foreign country helped me to become more mature.
Being open towards different cultures and experiences and learning to love people from all over the world. It was fun to see that people from the same country have different perspectives despite their similarities.
What final tips would you give to current students?
Get the most out of your experience and make friends with everyone. It is comfortable to stick with the people who you are familiar with, but force yourself to speak to as many people as possible. Also, learn how to manage your time (study for as long as you need, but also make the most of your free time).
Who are the most successful alumni that you know of?
All of them where quite inspirational. In fact, although we didn’t realize our own potential and qualities when we were all at EF Academy Torbay, a lot of people have gone on to do really cool things.
Any advice to fellow alumni at university or who are starting their careers? 
Call your parents as often as possible: They have sent their children abroad to explore a whole new world, and we should always appreciate the opportunity they gave us.
Short questions:
Name: Yoonji Roh
Age: 27
Nationality: Korean
What languages do you speak? Korean and English
EF Academy campus: Torbay
Graduation year: 2008
Program: A-Level
Residence or host family: Host family
Favorite subject: Law – something that I never had a chance to study in Korea and it was a new subject for me. Even to this day, I sometimes think about becoming a lawyer.
Favorite teacher:
Hazel Linacre: My homeroom teacher, the sweetest person in the world and a very passionate educator
Helen Beardsley: My law teacher who was very cool
Andy Scott: My economics teachers who was really funny and had a really interactive teaching style
Favorite club: There were no formal clubs since we were only the second intake. However, I used to take a lot of photos at the different events. This was the time before Facebook (imagine that!) and there was nowhere to post those pictures.
Shouts outs to:
Louise Sellick (Nelson-Smith): Our activities coordinator at that time who organized all these parties and activities. I really got on with her really well.
Frank: Worked in the canteen but passed away from cancer a couple years ago. He was the nicest person ever.
Fleur Rogers

Yoonji Roh, from South Korea graduated with A-Level qualifications from EF Academy Torbay in 2008. She went on to study at the London School of Economics.

Advice from alumni: Yoonji Roh - EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Yoonji Roh ‹ EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Yoonji Roh

Advice alumni yoonji roh

EF Academy congratulates Eduardo Oliva Blanco, an IB Diploma student at EF Academy Torbay, on his acceptance to Williams College – currently the <a href="https://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#1 liberal arts college</a> in the U.S. for 2017!
“We are thrilled that Eduardo has been accepted to Williams – ranked the #1 Liberal Arts College in the 2017 edition of Best Colleges. Williams is a fantastic ‘fit’ for Eduardo, who has a keen interest in environmental and ecological issues. We could not be more excited for or proud of him,” said Katherine Lloyd Clark, UK Director of University Guidance at EF Academy Torbay.
Eduardo, originally from Venezuela, is one of only 12 international (non-U.S.) students who were accepted to Williams. A total of 728 students submitted Early Decision applications, of which 257 were offered admission. The other countries represented are Bangladesh, Canada, China, Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. Of the students who were admitted who reported class rank, 83 percent were among the top 10 percent of their high school classes.
In a press release published by Williams on Dec. 12, the Director of Admissions, Richard Nesbitt, said, “Students are drawn to Williams primarily for its fine academic reputation and the opportunity to engage in small classes, Oxford-style tutorials, and extensive undergraduate research opportunities. Equally attractive, however, are the exceptional co-curricular offerings on the stage, the playing fields, and the community at large.”
Williams College, founded in 1793, is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts and has 2,000 students.
We are proud of Eduardo’s amazing accomplishment and wish him the best of luck for his final terms at EF Academy, and beyond.
What is “Early Decision?”
“Eduardo received his offer through the highly competitive Early Decision process. Early Decision means that applicants submit before the main application round and are guaranteed a response in December. This year, Williams experienced a 25% increase in Early Decision applications. Only 257 places were awarded and only 12 of these went to international students,” Ms. Lloyd Clark explained.
Applying to a university or college with an Early Decision (ED) application means that you commit to one school and you submit your application in early November (deadline depends on school) instead of January. By submitting an ED application, you agree to attend the school if you are accepted. You also agree to withdraw any pending applications you have open when you are accepted.
If you are not accepted, you will be either rejected or deferred. Rejected applicants will have to wait until the following year to apply again, while deferred applicants will be reconsidered during the regular admission period and they are free to apply to other schools
ED applications are appropriate for students who have researched their options extensively and are 100% sure that their selected ED school is their first choice. They should also meet or excel the admission profile for the school (exam scores, GPA) and have an academic record that is consistently solid over time.
Alternatively, students can apply to schools with Early Action (EA) applications. This action differs from ED because it is non-binding, which means that if you are accepted to the school, you are not required to attend. You are also allowed to apply to multiple schools. Deadlines usually fall around the same time as ED applications.
You can find more information about Early Decision applications on <a href="https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/applications/early" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">College Board</a> or by meeting with your EF Academy university advisor.

EF Academy congratulates Eduardo Oliva Blanco, an IB Diploma student at EF Academy Torbay, on his acceptance to Williams College.

Torbay student accepted to top U.S. liberal arts college - EF Academy Blog

Torbay student accepted to top U.S. liberal arts college ‹ EF Academy Blog

Torbay student accepted to top U.S. liberal arts college

Torbay student accepted top u s liberal arts college

Rena Yap graduated from EF Academy Torbay back in 2013. Currently, she is studying Business at Cass Business School at the City University of London. Read more about our featured alumnus below:
Why did you choose to attend EF Academy?
I was in my high school class in Malaysia when one of my friends mentioned EF Academy.  Since I wanted to get familiar with the UK before going to university there, I went online to search for the school. I thought it was a great option so I decided to go. Looking back, it was good way to prepare for studying at university in the UK.
What university did you go to afterwards? What did you study and why?
I am studying Business at Cass Business School at the City University of London. Since I am not sure what I want to do in the future, I wanted to study something more general and I felt a business degree would provide the flexibility that I needed.
Cass Business School was a great option for me because I knew I wanted to stay in London and Cass Business School is one of the best business schools in the city.
What do you want to do next? 
I have realized that I am definitely not into the finance industry. Instead, I find the hospitality industry and management to be interesting areas. This summer, I will try to get some work experience in the hospitality industry to figure out whether it is something I’d like to pursue. For me, trying out different jobs is the best way of figuring out exactly what I want to do.
Tips for current students that want to study what you study?
Know yourself and know what you like:  When you know yourself and your preferences, then you can start researching which city, country and industry would fit you best. The more you explore, the better you know what you want to do.
Don’t be afraid to meet new people.
Do you keep in touch with your EF Academy classmates?
Yes, we talk regularly over Facebook and Whatsapp. Everyone is quite busy with their university life but we do try to keep in touch.
What is your favorite EF Academy memory?
I think one of my best memories was when we went to an activities weekend in Ashcomb for CAS – I remember one of the activities was to do a muddy obstacle course; I have to say, the group exercises were hard! We spent the weekend there together with our class and it was a great time because we got the chance to just talk. It was a great atmosphere and in the evening, Chris Nicholls brought out his guitar and we could just hang out together around the bonfire.
Graduation was also a special day – it was a small ceremony but it was bittersweet! That was the moment I realized that I was done with IB and exams. We had a small presentation of what we had done over our time at EF Academy, which was very nice.
What do you miss the most?
I really miss having everyone together, mainly the feeling of togetherness and seeing each other every day. We would spend so much time together, both at school and after school. For example, my roommate, Luz, and I would spend so much time together. This family feeling with friends and teachers is something I miss a lot. We really learned and grew together.
How has your experience at EF Academy helped you in university?
Time management: I really learned how to manage my own time – I know when to do my work and when to have fun. You can have the best of both worlds and there are so much that you can accomplish when you manage your time properly.
Be open-minded: At university, you will meet people with different backgrounds. At EF Academy, you work in groups and you learn how to work with people. It is about figuring out how you make it work and finding the middle ground. I also learned how to communicate with people who aren’t pulling their weight.
What final tips would you give to current students?
I always said to myself, “I want to meet new people and that is why I am here.” In the end, that is what I did. That is what EF is about – meeting people from other countries and being part of global community. I would recommend just getting out of your comfort zone and talking to people. You never know where you will be traveling next and it is nice to have a local friend. For example, Luz came to visit me in Hong Kong and I could show her around.
Who are the most successful alumni that you know of?
Anders Wika Hansen: He is super smart and now in the Norwegian military.
Simen Cesar Kinserdal: He has amazing people skills.
What advice do you have for fellow alumni at university or who are starting their careers?
Start early:  Start researching what you want to do early on. The more you see, the more you see what you actually want to do!
Get a part-time job: It enables you to learn more about how to manage your time. I have been working as a Sales Associate at Abercrombie and it has been a valuable experience where I’ve learned how to work with different colleagues and managers. I got better at managing my time, especially during my third year at university when I had so much schoolwork.
Short questions:
Name: Rena Yap
Age: 21
Nationality: Born in Canada but then moved to Hong Kong and later Malaysia, where I finished my IB Middle Years program.
How many languages do you speak? English, Cantonese and Mandarin
EF Academy campus: Torbay
Graduation years: 2013
Program: IB (Business management, film, environmental systems, language literature, mathematics, French initio)
Residence or host family: Host family
Favorite subject:
Business management – I really enjoyed my class because it was a lot of fun and the teacher was really good.
Film: I was the editor of my group, which was both fun and very challenging
Favorite teacher:
Love all of the teachers, even the teachers that I never had: I knew them all – it was kind of a family
Wyn Morgan: Really fun teacher
Chris Nicholls: TOK teacher and responsible for CAS so we spent a lot of time together. Chris is very nice and funny.
Debbie Chatterton: Amazing teacher and very supportive. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have been able to finish IB without her. She was so encouraging and never let me put myself down. She cared and always talked to me if she knew if something was wrong.
Favorite club / society:  Basketball class
Which is the next country you want to visit? 
U.S.
Shouts outs to:
Pippin, Luz, Simen, Anders
Whole IB community
Housemates
All the teachers, especially Debbie and Wyn

Rena Yap graduated from EF Academy Torbay back in 2013. Currently, she is studying Business at Cass Business School at the City University of London. Read more about our featured alumnus below: Why did you choose to attend EF Academy? I was in my high school class in Malaysia when one of my friends mentioned …

Advice from alumni: Rena Yap - EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Rena Yap ‹ EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Rena Yap

Advice alumni rena yap

Mar Conesa Oton describes our recent visit to <a href="https://www.hult.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hult Business School </a>in London.
‘Last Wednesday, 18th November, all of the students at <a href="https://www.ef.com/academy/campuses/oxford/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Academy Oxford</a> who are interested in Business and Management were invited to go on a trip to the prestigious Hult University in London. There the students had the opportunity to learn more about this college and its way of teaching Business and Management.
First, they told us about the Hult University life style, such as the clubs you can join, the societies and some events they have. Also they told us about the courses they have, all the opportunities that they provide to their students and some other information about the courses and the way in which they teach. Then we had a short break in which they provided us with some smoothies and snacks for free while we had the chance to take a look around the Campus, which was very modern and beautiful. After, we were privileged with the opportunity to have a really interesting Business class with one of the University teachers. It was a really good opportunity to learn. The lesson was very inspiring and interactive, we really liked it.
Lunch time was coming so, after the class, they guided us to the Italian restaurant they have in the Campus and there, they gave us some pizzas and drinks. During the lunch we had the really good chance of meeting some of the students of the University, we talked with them and we asked them some questions we had. After the break, we went to see the residence that they have in the Campus, we could see multiple libraries, a gym, some classes and quiet study area. They also showed us all the options of rooms which were quite good.
To finish the visit we had a break, in which we could investigate a little bit more about the University, by walking through its hallways. It was a really good experience, I learned many things and also it helped me to think about my future. Now, I feel a step more close to my future and dreams.’

All of the students at EF Academy Oxford who are interested in Business and Management were invited to go to the prestigious Hult University in London.

EF Academy Oxford visits Hult University - EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Oxford visits Hult University ‹ EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Oxford visits Hult University

Ef academy oxford visits hult university

In 2016 the students of EF Academy Oxford were able to participate in a workshop with acclaimed poet Francesca Beard. Feeling inspired, the students put pen to paper and created their own poetry. Here are some of the pieces from our students.
<hr>
Abandoned 
By Alessandra 

Would you like being trapped in a cage? 
Waiting your whole life for a change 
Can you imagine how it feels to see your life passing by behind those bars? 
When you wish to run far, 
Away from all this loneliness. 
Since I tried to bring happiness into your life, 
Would you consider my opinion before you decide to undermine me?
<hr>
Questions for Discrimination 
By Audrey 

I don’t know how to start 
As the theme has caused aching hearts 
Maybe I’ll start with simple questions 
And hopefully, this will grab your attention 
What do you think when you 
Hear the word discrimination? 
Does the word ‘ignorance’ come through 
Or maybe you end up thinking of aversion 
How would you explain it 
To a curious discriminated child? 
Would you say they’re a misfit? 
Or would you say people always reviled? 
And when they ask will it ever end, 
Then what will you say? 
Will you say “it’s a world full of trend”? 
Or tell them just hope for a better day.
<hr>
The Market Vendor 
By Iratxe 

Every morning I wake up, I go to work 
Carving wood by day, knotting mats by night 
Some painting in the afternoon, and creating all the time 
Time to go outside, time to keep on working 
I see people come and go 
Look and touch 
They bargain, I sell, they’re happy, it´s not fair – 
Occupational hazards I guess 
So let’s go home and start all over again. 

<hr>
Hope 
By Matilda
The smell of scare was in the air 
You could also feel that scare 
A thousand breaths were composing a song 
Our skin was completely salted 
Between the waves, we were saying goodbye 
Not looking at what was behind 
Keeping our sight on something different, 
Something new, of hope.
<hr>
AND I AM NOT 
By Rebeca Goded 

And I am not 
I have not become the person I am meant to be 
I will meet that person soon 
I do not know if I feel fear or excitement 
For, I have been scared of how big the world is 
And I have been excited to experience every corner of it. 
For I have discovered pieces of myself 
That only this corner holds. 
And you can´t imagine 
How much these pieces define who I am. 
In this niche, I have learned more than I thought I would. 
And I want to learn more than that. 
I have grown in more ways than one. 
How many pieces of me does this world hold?
<hr>
What Are You Waiting For? 
by Paula
How many of you wake up every day at the same time? 
How many of you go to work or study in something as expected? 
Is this what did you expect life to be? 
Imagine the best situation possible: 
You study hard to get into a good university, therefore you will have more opportunities to have a great job. 
Once you have a job you work every day, eight hours per day. 
Is good, isn’t it? You’re earning money so in the future you can fulfill those dreams you always had. 
But, think twice. You will work for the next fifty, maybe sixty years. You will have some weeks of holiday. 
But once you end working, haven’t you thought that maybe it is too late to fulfill the dreams 
you’re dreaming now, that they got lost? 
Is this the future you want? 
If not, what are you waiting for?
 
Originally published March 20, 2016.

In 2016 the students of EF Academy Oxford were able to participate in a workshop with acclaimed poet Francesca Beard. Feeling inspired, the students put pen to paper and created their own poetry. Here are some of the pieces from our students. Abandoned By Alessandra Would you like being trapped in a cage? Waiting your …

Enjoy this student-created poetry from 2016 - EF Academy Blog

Enjoy this student-created poetry from 2016 ‹ EF Academy Blog

Enjoy this student-created poetry from 2016

Student created poetry

On Saturday 23rd April, students from EF Academy Oxford visited the Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew, which cover 326 acres of land and contain over one hundred world class attractions, from iconic buildings and glasshouses to inspirational art collections. The gardens also feature a treetop walkway, soaring 18 metres into a canopy of lime, sweet chestnut and oak trees.
Nestled within a glasshouse, students came across a rather rare botanic organism: The Titan Arum. Their report on this plant is as follows:
We saw and smelt  the foulest smelling flower in the world: The Titan Arum.
The titan arum of corpse flower is the worst smelling flower in the world. The flower produces strong, horrible smell of decaying meat. The name ‘corpse flower’ derived from its strong, unpleasant smell. It is a very rare flower, blooming only for two, three days and reappearing only after years. Corpse flower is also the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. One corpse flower can be 3 meters in height.
The corpse flower has a large bract and a long spike inside it. The intense, unpleasant smell of the flower comes from its spike. The bract of corpse flower has two different colors – deep green on outside and dark red on inside. The large corpse flowers bloom in just a couple of hours. The foul smell of the flower last for 12 hours. The intense smell of the plant also attracts pollinators like carrion flies.

On Saturday 23rd April, students from EF Academy Oxford visited the Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew.

EF Academy Oxford students visit the beautiful Kew Gardens - EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Oxford students visit the beautiful Kew Gardens ‹ EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Oxford students visit the beautiful Kew Gardens

Ef academy oxford students visit beautiful kew gardens

Guest post by IB Y2 student Paola Luchsinger (see English version below)
Spanish:
El viernes 20 de Noviembre, los estudiantes de Español A y B acudieron a la producción de La Casa de Bernarda Alba en el repertorio Español de Manhattan. La obra se trata de las vidas de la matriarca de la familia Bernarda Alba, y sus cinco hijas, todas solteras, tras la muerte de su marido.  Se lleva a cabo en un pequeño pueblo de Andalucía en algún momento antes de la Guerra Civil española.
El tema principal es la opresión de las mujeres durante aquella época. Bernarda exige que sus hijas sigan un luto de ocho años de duración y les prohíbe salir de la casa. Hay otro conflicto en la familia cuando el hombre más guapo en el pueblo, Pepe Romano, quiere casarse con la hija mayor Angustias, pero realmente está enamorado de la hija más joven Adela. Adela se vuelve loca de celos por el amor de Pepe y hará lo que sea necesario para tenerlo, aunque eso signifique deshonrar a su familia. Sus acciones son parecidas a las de las protagonistas de la tragedia griega, donde el personaje se deja llevar por emociones fuertes como el amor o el coraje que a menudo resulta en la muerte.
El escenario es moderno, representando que situaciones así pueden suceder en cualquier parte del mundo. No hay hombres en el escenario y eso hace que la audiencia se dé cuenta de que el hogar tradicionalmente es donde pertenecían las mujeres en aquellos tiempos. Las mujeres se visten de negro para representar las tradiciones de luto. El personaje de María Josefa, la madre de Bernarda, es la única fuente de momentos cómicos en la obra.
Como espectadora, la experiencia fue realmente impresionante. Siendo nieta de españoles exiliados, siempre he oído historias familiares sobre la España de ésa época. Siempre he comparado a la vieja España con la España moderna que yo he conocido. Ser capaz de ver algo que era parte de la historia de mi familia fue una experiencia emocionante. Ver la pasión y la rabia intensa interpretada en el escenario hizo que la obra fuese aún más viva y relevante a situaciones de la vida real.
English:
On Friday November 20th, the Spanish A and B students attended the production of The House of Bernarda Alba in Manhattan. The play is about the lives of the family matriarch Bernarda Alba, and her five daughters, following the death of her husband. This takes please in a small town in Andalusia sometime before the Spanish Civil War.
The main theme is the oppression of women during this time period. Bernarda demands that her daughters submit to a period of mourning lasting 8 year and forbids them from leaving the house. There is another conflict when the most handsome man in town, Pepe Romano wants to marry the oldest daughter Angustias, when he is really in love with the youngest daughter, Adela. Adela goes crazy for his love and will do whatever it takes to have him, even if it means dishonoring her family.  This is similar to Greek tragedy, where the character is influenced by strong emotions such as love or anger, often resulting in death.
The scenery is modern, representing that these situations can occur in any part of the world. There are no men present, which makes the audience notice the home is traditionally considered the place where women belong. The women are dressed in black, adhering to mourning traditions. Maria Josefa, Bernarda’s mother is the only source of comic relief throughout the play.
As a spectator, the experience was amazing. As I am the grandchild of Spanish exiles, I’d always heard family stories about the time period in which the play takes place. I’ve always compared the modern Spain, which I know to the old Spain of the story. Being able to see something that was part of my family history was a truly exciting experience. Seeing the passion and intense anger portrayed on stage made the play seem even more real as well as more relatable to real-life situations.
Students were accompanied by teachers Arni Alvarez and Iveth Morillo

On Friday November 20th, the Spanish A and B students attended the production of The House of Bernarda Alba in Manhattan.

IB Spanish attends performance of “La casa de Bernarda Alba” - EF Academy Blog

IB Spanish attends performance of “La casa de Bernarda Alba” ‹ EF Academy Blog

IB Spanish attends performance of “La casa de Bernarda Alba”

Ib spanish attends performance la casa de bernarda alba

There is a variety of exhilarating clubs available at EF Academy New York, packed full of activities to keep you on your feet. Becoming a part of a club can give you the opportunity to meet new people you wouldn’t have the chance to know outside of class. It allows you to make life long memories and connections.
Throughout my time at EF Academy, I have had the pleasure of attending our Model United Nations Club. Initially I joined in my junior year, not aware of what to expect. After going to weekly meetings, learning the terminologies and playing games, I got the opportunity to attend conferences. After being interviewed and stating why I should go, I was chosen to attend conferences held at Fairfield University, Princeton University and Cornell University. These trips ranged from day trips to overnight trips, staying away from campus for 3 to 4 days at the conferences. They gave me the chance to meet students from all around the US and truly understand world issues through a variety of countries perspectives. It was always strange for the US students when we arrived. They were amazed by the cultural differences and how we were all such good friends. Through the long bus trips and late night pizzas, I ended up meeting some of the greatest people and continuing our friendships outside of the club.
Once the year came to an end, our senior leaders and advisers left, that is when the remainder of us decided we needed to ensure Model United Nations Club’s future. We took the initiative to ask our wonderful teacher, Ms. Levitt, to take over as our Adviser for the following year. She gladly accepted and when we came back after the summer holidays I was thrilled to get back into the club. I ran for Secretary General and chose Juan Brill as our Treasurer. We wanted it to be better than the previous year and include more of the student body.
We ended up with the highest participation since the club’s formation and became a competitive club, with everyone wanting a spot for the conferences. I conducted weekly meetings and helped students improve their skills over the year. This year we successfully attended three conferences, including Fairfield University and Princeton University again. However, what was so unique about this year was the Global Citizen Conference held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. This was an extraordinary experience. We sat in the rooms where world leaders made decisions and heard amazing speeches from the Italian UN representative and various Harvard students. During this trip I got to truly know the students in the club, go out for group dinners and overall immerse myself in the conference. Having the chance to not only be a part of Model UN, but lead it, has helped me gain life-long skills like leadership and public speaking. It is a club that I encourage every student to give a chance, even if politics is not your forte. The atmosphere within this club is one of my favorite environments at EF Academy, it is an experience that you do not want to miss out on.
 
Written by: Gizel Gedik, IB Diploma Y2 Student

Throughout my time at EF Academy, I have had the pleasure of attending our Model United Nations Club.

Club spotlight: Model United Nations - EF Academy Blog

Club spotlight: Model United Nations ‹ EF Academy Blog

Club spotlight: Model United Nations

Club spotlight model united nations

EF Academy Torbay recently hosted the inaugural ISA South West Regional Tennis Championships at Cary Park Tennis Club in Torquay. The event, which was open to all independent schools in the South West of England was played in bright sunshine and a total of 51 matches were completed before Trinity School of Teignmouth, fielding two exceptionally strong teams, emerged as champions in both the boys and girls events, followed closely by EF Academy who finished runners up in both. Bishopstrowe International School from Wiltshire finished in 3rd place.
Prior to the championships EF Academy’s racket sports teams had already seen plenty of action playing local, regional and national fixtures in and around the Bay.
The EF Eagles, as they are now known, have been representing the international boarding school in tennis and badminton matches and events and have achieved some notable successes along the way in only in their first year of competitive play.
They recently played 2 fixtures against Cary Park Tennis Club’s junior teams, followed by their first ever match in the British School’s National Under 18’s Championships, a real milestone for the Academy. Alongside their tennis exploits they have also been playing regular badminton fixtures at the Acorn Centre in Barton and have again enjoyed the experience and competition.
Students who have represented the Academy have come from many nations including Mexico, Vietnam, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Reunion Island, Denmark, China, Indonesia, South Korea, Italy, many of whom will spend 2 or more years at the school and will enjoy many sporting opportunities and activities alongside their academic studies.
You could say “The Eagles Have Landed!”

EF Academy Torbay recently hosted the inaugural ISA South West Regional Tennis Championships at Cary Park Tennis Club in Torquay.

EF Academy Torbay host South West Regional ISA Tennis Championships - EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Torbay host South West Regional ISA Tennis Championships ‹ EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Torbay host South West Regional ISA Tennis Championships

Ef academy torbay host south west regional isa tennis championships

120 students have been working together since September to put on a show for the ages – the annual Lunar New Year celebration at EF Academy New York. On Monday February 8th, the show came to fruition after the hard work of rehearsals, meetings, organization and coordination.
IB Y2 student Chieh-Yu Chang became involved with the Lunar New Year production in Grade 10, participating as a dancer for the Taiwan performance and as the leader representative from Taiwan last year. This year, Chieh-Yu stepped up as the Director of the Lunar New Year show, working with advisor Dr. Huong Tran.
Chieh-Yu (Ashley) began planning at the beginning of the school year. She first worked to recruit the countries to participate in the performance: Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, & Vietnam. Each country prepares their own performance and rehearses throughout the year. Toward the end of the fall semester, there is a dress rehearsal where Ms. Chang offers feedback on all of the performances and scripts the show with the leaders from each country.
The show also included a performance from students who were not from Asian countries for the first time. Gniim Bikassam from Togo was one of the leaders of the group, which danced to a popular modern song and showed off their many moves.
The week before the final show, there is a full week of rehearsal to insure the show is ready for the grand performance. As Director, Chieh-Yu was the liaison between the students and Dr. Tran. She and her Co-Director Linh Nguyen worked with each of the performances to ensure they were ready to go for the big day. They held meetings each week and prepared everything for the occasion, including the decorations, makeup, cultural paintings, backstage help, and of course the performances. The stage crew works behind the scenes to insure everything runs smoothly. Cultural paintings adorned the walls of the EF Academy Theatre, as students created many works of art to celebrate the occasion.
Following the show, students celebrated with a special Lunar New Year dinner featuring food from the celebrating countries. Students who were not a part of the show helped with food preparation and set up to ensure the feast was ready after the performance. The food committee ordered food from several area restaurants and met with many of the restaurants to ensure everything was ready to go for the big celebration. Following the first of two performances, an EF Academy favorite – bubble tea – was served.
IB Y2 student Chanipon Watcharawasunthara performed as a dancer for Thailand. The presentation began with a dance called “Rum Mae Bhod Lek” from the 18th century. Performers wore traditional Ratchapratan uniforms. It then progressed in time to a country song, “Poo Chai Nai Fun” or “A guy in my dream”. Finally, the dance concluded with two modern songs including an exciting performance of “Who Runs The World” by Beyonce and “Too Much So Much Very Much” a modern pop song from Thailand. The students from Thailand spent two months preparing for their performance, including rehearsal each day. “We wanted to make it perfect and worked hard to come up with the dance moves. During the performance I was excited and nervous, but we ended up very happy with performance.”
Chani added, “We made lots of friends, screamed for other countries, felt proud of ourselves to show our fellow students the tradition of Thailand. The hard work pays off. I feel very touched because my Thai teacher cried watching the show.”
IB Y2 student Linh Nguyen was in charge of decoration and rehearsal. As a Director, she focused on the theme and offered suggestions on what to change about the performances. The Vietnam performance included traditional costumes and a Lotus Flower Dance. The whole group then sang a “Happy New Year” song.
Headmaster Dr. Brian Mahoney, who introduced the performance with an overview of the Year of the Monkey, was thrilled with the Lunar New Year performance. Dr. Mahoney commented, “The Lunar New Year production is one of the oldest and best traditions we have at EF Academy New York. It is one of my favorite times of the year as it epitomizes what EF Academy is all about.”

120 students have been working together since September to put on a show for the ages – the annual Lunar New Year celebration at EF Academy New York.

A show for the ages: The Annual Lunar New Year Celebration at EF Academy New York - EF Academy Blog

A show for the ages: The Annual Lunar New Year Celebration at EF Academy New York ‹ EF Academy Blog

A show for the ages: The Annual Lunar New Year Celebration at EF Academy New York

Show ages annual lunar new year celebration ef academy new york

Earlier this month, the other IB year one students and I completed the Group 4 project. This is an activity where groups of five students taking Chemistry, Biology, or Physics work together on an investigation. The topic and nature of activity vary from year to year. This year, the general theme was Intelligence Diagnosis, where we were tasked with diagnosing a patient in a made-up scenario based on a backstory and set of symptoms he or she was experiencing.
The project itself culminated in a 30-minute presentation during which we had to touch on each branch of science, featuring our diagnosis and possible solutions. Surprisingly, the true challenge we faced was not diagnosing the patient, which only took about an hour, but in fact, communicating the necessary knowledge from other branches of sciences to the other team members who were unfamiliar with the subject-specific terminology.
<img alt="" class="wp-image-12532 aligncenter" height="366" sizes="(max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_20180614_103644.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_20180614_103644.jpg 562w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_20180614_103644-300x225.jpg 300w" width="487">
My team was presented with a patient named Denise who was 13 weeks pregnant and worried about complications with her blood type. After preliminary research, we concluded that there was a likelihood of incompatibility between her blood type and the type of the child she was carrying, resulting in a disease called Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN).
I study Chemistry and Biology, so had a grasp on the mechanism of this disease. The other biochemists on the team and I were able to explain how this disease works on a biological level to teammates who are studying different subjects like Physics.
These teammates were able to return the favor for me. I have never set foot in a Physics class in my life, so the concepts of MRI, Doppler Ultrasounds, and other Physics-heavy materials were lost on me. We all had a hilarious time desperately attempting to explain advanced scientific concepts using everyday analogies with each other.
To bring even more context to the activity, several experiments that connected to our patient’s disease were conducted in the lab throughout the day in order to give us a better idea of how a situation like this could be solved in a real-life setting. There, we discussed different methods of conducting protein assays such as UV spectroscopy and gel electrophoresis in order to further diagnose the symptoms we were presented with.
Although quite challenging at times, my group ended up with a great presentation on our disease. And though it was never confirmed by the architects of the activity whether we were correct in our diagnosis, we all learned a lot. Not only about the sciences we don’t actively study, but also about communication in a group dynamic. We will undoubtedly use these lessons in our future endeavors, no matter what they may be.
<img alt="" class="wp-image-12533 aligncenter" height="374" sizes="(max-width: 498px) 100vw, 498px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_20180614_103807.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_20180614_103807.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_20180614_103807-300x225.jpg 300w" width="498">

Earlier this year all of the IB students completed the Group 4 project. These were our experiences with trying to diagnose a mystery illness.

Group 4 project: diagnosing a mystery illness - EF Academy Blog

Group 4 project: diagnosing a mystery illness ‹ EF Academy Blog

Group 4 project: diagnosing a mystery illness

Group 4 project diagnosing mystery illness

As a followup to their visit to the BMW Mini factory in Oxford earlier this term, EF Academy Oxford students continued to explore the British auto scene with a tour of the Jaguar Land Rover Corporate factory.
Lead by Cy Webber, Head of Humanities, the trip gave students first-hand exposure to the inner workings of the plant. They admired the massive metal pressing machinery that forms the 403 separate panels required per vehicle at a rate of 46,000 panels per week in a factory that runs 24 hours per day, seven days per week. This allows for one Land Rover to come off the production line every 87 seconds!
“The tour was really interesting because our guide had worked in the factory for a number of years so the insight was really detailed,” said Julie from Norway, an IB Year two student. “I was particularly impressed by the community feel. The factory has its own doctor, dentist and crèche so the employees feel important and have everything they need, which must make them feel motivated.”
Following the site visit, students took part in taking part in a production game back on campus. Students formed four teams with a task to assemble specific designs of trolleys, checking for quality against the designs given to each team. Students needed to create and organize their production system as they were allocated one minute to complete one model.
The first attempt proved to be challenging with many mistakes and miscommunication. Students realized that each error equated to £17 lost per second, not to mention the delay to the customer’s delivery time and the inherent customer dissatisfaction caused. If the quality issues continued, it would cause serious financial damage to the company.
The students redoubled their efforts and one team went from last to first with zero defects: the power of focus and concentration. All students completed 10 products within 10 minutes.
 
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-13634" height="353" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/jaguar-game.png" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/jaguar-game.png 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/jaguar-game-300x186.png 300w" width="568">
 
“The challenge of the game was really enjoyable because you could start to see how you could better prepare yourself for the next product and doing it in so little time but getting it right the first time was really motivating,” said Peifeng from Spain studying A-levels.
The experience from factory to the challenge was a wonderful example of how students improved their productivity and quality with each task as they learned from mistakes, clearly putting theory into practice.

As a followup to their visit to the BMW Mini factory in Oxford earlier this term, EF Academy Oxford students continued to explore the British auto scene with a tour of the Jaguar Land Rover Corporate factory. Lead by Cy Webber, Head of Humanities, the trip gave students first-hand exposure to the inner workings of …

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