Happy Monday, Everybody! Here is this week’s list of super fun activities offered by EC Los Angeles! ECLA has some of the best ESL school activities around! Monday Barneys Beanery Time: 2:00PM Cost: $5+ Join a teacher, new students and old students for a Monday afternoon drink and snack! Everyone is welcome! EC will provide some food! Tuesday EA Meet and Greet Location: Santa Monica Pier! Cost: Free!! Time: 1PM – 4PM Join Expedition America at the pier and mingle with international students from different ESL schools in the Santa Monica area! This is a great chance to make friends from other countries, and use your English in a natural setting! Wednesday Movie and Cocoa Time: 5:30PM Cost: Free Come watch a winter movie with some cocoa and popcorn! Thursday Tree Lighting and Santa Parade Time: 5:30PM Cost Free: Join us on the Third Street Promenade to watch the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and Santa Parade! Remember to bring a jacket – it can get chilly at night! Friday Ice at Santa Monica Cost: $15+ Time: 5:30PM Come Ice Skate by the beach! A seasonal activity for all ages, Ice at Santa Monica is just down the street from EC Los Angeles!   Want to study English in the USA? Visit EC English today!    

In keeping with the theme of the week, on Tuesday, November 24th, 2015, EC Los Angeles held a Thanksgiving Potluck for all students and staff. Students could enjoy freshly roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, dinner rolls, stuffing and salad. For many students, this was their first time to even try turkey!         While most everyone in the United States celebrates Thanksgiving, each family has their own special traditions. Here is what some of the ECLA staff does for Turkey Day! We asked some teachers and staff about their Thanksgiving traditions… see below!   Nicole Peeler, Teacher “My family always says what they are thinking for before we start eating.”   Dennis Nguyen, Student Services Manager My parents came from Vietnam in the late 80s and didn’t fully adopt the American Thanksgiving until my siblings and I became older. We were able to plan dinner and celebrate together because we grew up with the culture.  However, I do remember one particular time when I was young when my parents did cook a turkey and we had a huge feast together! As of now, we sometimes we do a big family gathering for Thanksgiving, and sometimes we just keep it small.  I’ll always be thankful for my parents!   Carly Erickson, Teacher “We celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents’ friends from college on Balboa Island in Newport Beach. We eat lots of food and watch lots of football!” Cyril Pascarel, Student Services Coordinator (Housing)   “I’m from France so my family is in France. I go to my friends’ Thanksgiving dinners.”   Want to study English in the USA? Visit ECLA today!  

  It’s Monday again! This week, in observance of Thanksgiving, EC Los Angeles will be close Thursday (Nov 26) and Friday (27); however, in an effort to introduce our students to American culture, EC Los Angeles will be holding it’s very own Thanks Giving Potluck Luncheon!   On Tuesday, November 24th, 2015, from 11:30AM to 12:30PM, EC Los Angeles will be holding a Thanksgiving lunch full of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and much, much more! Students and teachers will gather in the 2nd floor student lounge to enjoy the feast and think about what we are thankful for. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to bring a dish from his or her home country, although it is not required.   Thanksgiving is a time when families who live all over come together to enjoy a home-cooked meal. During this time, we give thanks to all our good fortunes and we wish for peace in the world.   What are YOU thankful for?     Want to study English in the USA? Visit ECLA today!  

On Thursday, November 20th, EC Los Angeles held a Swiss culture night! The event was organized by Student Ambassador, Tamina and another EC student, Linda. Students from countries such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia and France all attended. The event showcased a Swiss tradition – cheese fondue! Everyone listened to popular Swiss music and watched a slide show on Swiss points of interest while munching on the delicious cheese and bread! It was a wonderful time. EC Los Angeles is a place to not only learn English – it’s a melting pot of different cultures and a great place to get international exposure. Join an activity and make some new friends from other countries today!   Want to study English in the USA? Come to ECLA today!