Six winter break student stories

This is a re-post from Winter Break 2017

So it’s finally the end of an amazing year and EF Academy Oxford students are once again spread all around the world, enjoying a well-deserved break. Because we all live together and are used to seeing each other every day, a three-week break is definitely enough to make us miss our “school family.” So, whether you are a student who wants to see whawwwwwt your classmates are up to, or are just curious to see what we do when we are not at school, here’s a sneak peek of our winter break:

Milena Nalovic (from France) and Hector Sanchez (from Mexico)

This winter, Hector went to visit Milena and got to know Orban, the village where she lives in the south of France. Here are some pictures:

“We went to a lantern festival and had so much fun! [Hector] stayed only for four days, but it was amazing to have him discover my city!” — Milena

Heliane Pitra (Lili, from Angola/Portugal)

Lili is spending the winter break in Lisbon, Portugal. Here’s what she has to say about it:

“It’s amazing to be home and to be able to go to the places that you like the most. Take lots of pictures, and show your country to your EF Academy friends while having some fun, that’s my advice!” — Heliane

Francesco Pezone (from Italy)

 

“I went shopping for Christmas gifts with my parents during the first week. It’s amazing to be in Naples with my family again, enjoying my favorite time of the year and finally having some real Italian food, which is probably what I miss the most when I am in Oxford.” — Francesco

Anna Platt (from the US) and Marie Rimmolsronning (from Norway)

 

“I had the amazing opportunity to visit my roommate where she lives in the US. We’ve been having so much fun! She has shown me her hometown (St Louis, Missouri), and we also did a road trip to Nashville. It has been a wonderful experience so far.” — Marie

Ana Julia Trento (from Brazil)

When Ana Julia sent me this picture a few minutes before I submitted this post, I knew I had to include it. Ana Julia aspires to become a doctor and what she has been doing over winter break in Natal, her hometown in Brazil, is certainly fascinating:

 

“I had the amazing opportunity to watch some eye surgeries. I have learned a lot, not only about medical procedures, but also about what it is like to be a doctor and how to deal with the daily events when you choose to adopt this way of living. The most important thing I have learned today was:‘The problem is when it becomes mechanical. You lose the emotion. It is necessary to remember that it is always a human-being taking care of another human-being. The machines are there, but in the end, it’s you and your patient as equals – both humans.” — Ana Julia

 

Ana Luiza Loio (from Brazil/Portugal)

And last, but not least… myself!

As soon as winter break started I went to Leeds, in the north of England, and stayed there for five days. I visited the University of Leeds and also went on a day trip to the University of Newcastle, since I am still trying to figure out what university I want to go to. Right now I am in Cascais, in Portugal, where I will spend the holidays with my family. As much as I like school, it is great to be home, enjoying Portugal’s mild and sunny winter, and finally having some more time to relax (although we do have some homework to do)…

Happy holidays, everyone!