By this time of the year, the New York winter begins to feel never ending. So, to get over our collective depression, we went to a cozy bar to have a few drinks and shoot the breeze (or simply “talk,” one of the students’ favorite idioms). The trip also offered the students a chance to try the famous IPA beers that are popular here in the States. Luckily it was also happy hour, so no one had to worry about their finances to have the chance to lighten their mood. Soda Bar’s back room looks something like a living room; it is full of comfy chairs, couches and coffee tables. If any student ever felt shy in the classroom setting, stretching out in a “living room” among friends certainly opens everyone up. And not only did we chat among ourselves! After a few rounds we were filled with the necessary confidence to go and chat with some strangers and so we met some local New York City teachers! The trip certainly warmed our spirits and by the time we left we had all learned new things about each other’s cultures and personal interests.

A group of NYEA revelers traveled north on Fifth Avenue to watch New York’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 17th.  A sea of fun-loving spectators wearing green shirts, hats, pants, coats, and kilts cheered as marching bands, politicians, school groups, and bagpipers filed by.  One of New York’s finest, an NYPD officer, even stopped to pose for a picture with the group. The luck o’ the Irish was on their side and everyone enjoyed the St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans!

After seeing reviews for Brooklyn’s Shipwrecked Miniature Golf Course online, our Academic Manager, Amy, was eager to check it out. This past Friday, she led a group of students to the course in Red Hook and was delighted to see it lived up to the many positive reviews! The course is designed to resemble an underwater adventure and treasure hunt, eventually opening up into a sparkly recreation of Brooklyn itself, complete with the 18th hole being in a “subway car!” Everyone had a great time engaging in some friendly competition and was certainly impressed by the detailed decor. Overall, “Shipwrecked” did not disappoint! 2 thumbs up!