(09/16/2022)

After class, Nathaniel and his students made their way to Whitehall Ferry Terminal.  Located on the southern tip of Manhattan, Whitehall Ferry Terminal is a short 15 minute walk from the academy.  The Staten Island Ferry runs about every 20 minutes depending on the time and day, and the ride is about 25 minutes.  Also, unlike the other NYC Ferries, service on the Staten Island Ferry is free! 

After waiting with a crowd, large glass doors opened and everyone began to board.  The Staten Island Ferries are HUGE, so the crowd quickly spaced out on the different floors.  The weather was warm, so our class enjoyed the views from the outer decks.  Along with views of Manhattan and New Jersey, we saw some cute boats and took some great photos of the Statue of Liberty! 

When we reached Staten Island, we walked around St George Terminal and took some group pictures in front of the water.  Free with amazing views, the Staten Island Ferry is an easy way to get some fresh air while enjoying NYC.

Students and our Level 3 teacher David left NYEA around noon and made its way to the C line at Fulton St. Once arriving at Spring St. Station, we walked one and a half blocks westward toward the Fire Museum. After taking some photos outside, we went in and enjoyed the many pieces of history the museum had to offer. There were old fire relics, photos of famous firemen throughout the ages, as well as old vehicles/carriages that were used over a hundred years ago. Included in the exhibition was a fire dog that was preserved, famous for saving children and pets as well. In addition, there were many collected fire patches exhibited on the wall, not to mention trying on real fire gear including helmets and coats. We explored two different levels of the museum and in the end, checked out the souvenir shopped before heading out.

English uses many phrasal verbs to express various activities and feelings. You can find many more in previous blog posts, and we will be publishing even more. We invite you to study at NYEA to learn these and many more:
“It’s raining and I don’t have an umbrella, so I guess I will have to go without one.” [Not possess]
“She had a close friend in college, but they grew apart because they had not seen each other for a long time.” [Stopped their friendship]
“His hair grew back very quickly after his surgery.” [Returned to normal]
“The child said, ‘When I grow up, I want to be President.’” [Mature]
“Teenagers can grow out of their clothes very fast.” [Become too big for]
“I know your coat is a little large, but you will grow into it within a year.” [Become bigger]
“Parents who like to cook often hand down their recipes to their children. ” [Give to the younger generation]
“Please make sure that your name is on your homework when you hand it in.” [Submit it]
“Would you please hand out these papers to the other students?” [Distribute]
“At the airport, you must hand over your passport for the officials to check.” [Give]
“Yes, English grammar can be difficult, but hang in there and you will soon learn it. [Be patient]

Did you become interested in learning more English by watching American and British TV programs and attending movies (cinema)? Here in New York City during the summer months, you will find many opportunities to see FREE movies, usually outdoors, often in a park.

For example, Bryant Park screens a number of classic movies on Monday evenings. This beautiful midtown green space is located directly behind the New York Public Library (itself an enjoyable place to visit on a rainy day).

In Brooklyn, just across the East River from New York English Academy, is Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of New York’s newest parks. Movies will be shown Friday evenings in July and August.

Later in the summer, every day from August 25 to 29, beginning at 8:00 PM, you can watch movies with a New York City origin. These are presented in the section of Central Park known as the Sheep Meadow. (Don’t worry, the sheep have not been there for over a hundred years!)

These are just a few of the activities that can be enjoyed for free in the Big Apple over the summer. Students at NYEA can learn about many other opportunities like these.

New York English Academy

We’ve talked before about different ways you can improve your English while you’re in New York City.  Another great way is to volunteer; this is when you help a group or ogranization for free. Volunteering in NYC will help you make new friends and improve your English while doing good things for others.

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What’s within 1 minute of New York English Academy?

If you attend classes at PC Tech in our location at 80 Maiden Lane in Lower Manhattan, there are many of tasty and interesting places to visit within a one minute walk of the school. How’s that for convenient? Let’s start with some great food options very near the school. (more…)

Students in Level 2 have been talking and writing about the differences between organic and regular produce, locally-grown and well-traveled fruit and vegetables.

Class discussion brings about many opinions on the quality and expense of food to be found in New York City.  Ordinary supermarkets provide a large variety of produce from many parts of the world, but is this type of produce free of chemical preservatives?  Then there are “natural foods” stores which claim to have more healthful selections at greater expense.

Many New Yorkers shop at the Farmers’ Market in Manhattan’s Union Square to buy locally-grown produce.  Some students say that they have also found fresh, tasty items that are brought to the city from farms in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, upstate New York, and Long Island, available at a number of other similar markets throughout the five boroughs of NYC.

In this northeastern part of North America, farm vegetables are more readily obtainable from June until September.  New York State is famous for its apples, especially fresh and tasty in early autumn.  Do you think that there is any connection here with  “The Big Apple,” one of NYC’s nicknames?

                Farmers’ market food can be more expensive than what you would find in a supermarket.  However, the freshness and overall quality of local food here are usually superior to that of fruits and vegetables that have been shipped from countries halfway around the world, or even from Florida and California.

With study of this topic, new words and phrases were added to the students’ vocabulary:  local, pollute, environment, it’s worth it, in season, out of season, and many more.

 New York English Academy

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC is often called “America’s Attic” because it contains a treasury of artifacts from well before the origins of the United States of America – and even before European colonization – up to the present day.

The National Museum of the American Indian in New York City, regularly visited by NYEA classes, is a branch of the Smithsonian housed in a former Customs House in Lower Manhattan, within a few minutes’ walk from our Academy.  There are many programs offered by this museum to illustrate the long history and the ongoing traditions of the original people of North and South America.

The cultures of the people that we mistakenly call “Indians” are presented in exhibits of artifacts and clothing, music and video, and often live presentations of dance.

                Level 2 classes have been studying and discussing endangered cultures and languages.  Do you know that there are more than 6000 languages in existence today?  And that a number of them are disappearing year by year?

In the United States and in many other countries, elders in various native communities attempt to keep their traditions and languages alive by instructing young people in their ways of life.  All too often, however, children and teens want to stay “Americanized” and resist the efforts of older people to persuade them to maintain ancient customs.

Come join us at our beautiful facility in the Wall Street/Financial District of New York City and learn more about these ancient cultures which originally came from Asia to the American continents more than 30,000 years ago.

 New York English Academy

Here at New York English Academy, every Friday we offer tours to various sites around New York City.  These field trips present wonderful opportunities for our students of all learning levels to socialize and engage in English conversation with their peers from five continents.  Here are some of the places we have visited, or plan to visit:

The Brooklyn Bridge*

Brooklyn Bridge Park*

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Staten Island Ferry*

Picnics in Central Park

The Brooklyn Museum of Art

The New York Hall of Science

The Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian*

The American Museum of Natural History

High Line Park

The Museum of the History of New York

Ice Skating in Bryant Park

Ice Skating and Roller Skating in Prospect Park

The Fashion Institute of Technology

Wall Street*

The 911 Memorial*

Battery Park City*

The USS Intrepid Museum

Grand Central Terminal

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Rockefeller Center

The New York Public Library

The Skyscraper Museum*

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) PS 1

The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel lobby

The Museum of American Finance*

Federal Hall*

The New York Stock Exchange*

South Street Seaport*

*These are places that are only a few minutes’ walk from our Academy.

This is only a partial listing.  We could include Times Square, but most visitors to New York walk through that area almost as soon as they arrive here.  We like to provide our students with opportunities to explore places that many tourists don’t think about or even know about.  These activities are usually free or at very low cost.

New York English Academy

New York’s donuts are famously some of the best in the world, and there are enough donut shops to prove it. With literally thousands of options, New York has your appetite covered. So when you’re done gazing and grazing at one shop, head on over to the next hunger haven. If you’ve got a sweet tooth and you like round things with a hole in the middle, this City is the best place to explore the donut. (more…)

Are you living on a student’s budget but have a fashionista’s taste for looking good? Do you prefer vintage looks to mainstream fashion? Are you wondering where the best second-hand fashion can be found in Manhattan? If so, you’ve come to the right place. New York City may seem expensive and some of the price tags at high-end boutiques may be more than your monthly apartment rent, but don’t let that stop you from finding the clothes you like at prices you can afford.  Flea markets and thrift stores are going to be your new best friend! (more…)