New York - EF Language School 2012-2013

Now I've reached New York and been here a couple of days. This is very different from Boston.

The school and campus is located in a small town just outside Manhattan, called Tarrytown. This is a very nice little town beside Hudson River. The school is much bigger than the one in Boston! Here are more than a 1000 students, fitness center, swimmingpool, postoffice, small store and more than one dorm building.

I arrived here Sunday afternoon. My first impression of the school were overwhelming! There are so many buildings and the architecture is just as beautiful as the campus in Boston, maybe even more! Sadle this fainted pretty fast. I were shown the dorm where I should wait for a staff-member to come and give me my room key, bed sheets and student handbook. After waiting a long time and asking a cleaning lady for some help, this slovenly "dude" came. He gave me my key and sheets (he had of cause forgotten the student handbook) and showed me to my room. The rooms here are just the same as in Boston, it is still the same bed that you tender to slide off while sleeping, but the room here is much cooler and cleaner. the bathrooms are also newer and cleaner than Boston. Later that evning some girls from my dorm, invited me to a mall with them - I accepted gladly! They were all very nice and open-minded. I had a great evning. 

Monday the 2th December were my first day - a day of introduction and city tour. I, of cause, got wrong out of bed! I'd sat my alarm wrong - it went off 06am instead of 07am, which I found out when I was in the bathroom doing my make up! Well, at least I wasn't late.. 🤭 We were told about the school and after lunch we went on a tour to New York. We went to the Rockafeller Center og saw the amazing view! It was so beautiful! After the Rockerfeller Center, I went to dinner with a german girl, when we were finished we walked around the city. New York City is so big! We actually got lost (no wonder when I'm the one showing the directions!) We wanted to take a cap to the train station - so we asked the cap to take os to Ground Zero, but Ground Zero is NOT the train station - Grand Central is! Of cause Ground Zero and Grand Central are in the opposite area of eachother! Well, that costed an extra drive in a yellow-cap, but we saw a bit more of the city! 

Tuesday and today were my first days of school in my new class. We are only 7 people, which is really nice, but sadly is the teacher not very good. She acts like someone who doesn't want to be there, because she normally teaches a level higher than this! I'm thinking about changing classes, I would like to have another teacher and a level higher. 

Today I've also tried the train and subway by myself, I went to Time Square an looked a bit around before taken the subway and train back again. Time Square is very beautiful at night!

Today is the last day of my first week and I'm sooo tired!

Yesterday I went to Manhatten with my roommate and a friend of hers. We ate dinner at a pub and bought some tickets to see a movie. We knew that we would be finish late, but we thought that would be OK, it wouldn't be that late - but it became THAT late!! Oh my god! It was a good movie, but a very very long movie. It took more than two hours! We got out of the cinema around 1.15am and rushed to the subway. The last train to Tarrytown would leave at 1.50am, so we were in a hurry! We, of cause, didn't make it to the first subway-train so we had to wait for the next one, and that train wasn't in a hurry! We made it Grand Central about 8 minutes before our train to Tarrytown were supposed to leave - that might sound like enough time, but nooo! You have to walk the subway-area to get into Grand Central, and that walk takes normally about 10-15 minuts! We had to run, that's usually not a problem - but in high-heels and a body that's aching from one hour of fitness earlier, that's just not a good combination! I couldn't breathe and it felt like my legs were gone, but about 1 minute before the train left - we made it! It takes about 40 minutes to get to Tarrytown and 5 minutes from the station with a cap to the school. I got into my bed about 3am and woke up this morning 7.30am - looking like a troll. 😲

It got through my classes. I also went to talk with the Academic Office about changing level, and I will be in a new class on monday, Advanced Level. To night - is a "relaxing-night!"😉

This week has, as any other week here, gone by so fast! I only have three more weeks in New York and still so many things I want to see! Well a bit about what I already have been seeing.

Saturday the 8th December - last weekend. This was the last day for Sabrina, my roommate, and she wanted to see the Statue of Liberty before she had to leave. I joined her and two other girls. We went to the very south of Manhattan, here is The Staten Island Ferry that everybody can use for free and it sails just past the Statue of Liberty - great! Finally something for free in New York! 🤪 But (and of cause there is a "but" when it comes to my adventures!) we'd chosen a really bad day to visit this remarkable monument. The weather was so bad - it was cold, wet, windy and last but not least - extremly foggy! We were not able to see anything! The only thing we could see, was a small silhouette of something that might be The Statue god Liberty 🤨 - well, as said before, at least it was for free!

After our little "boat-trip", we went to see Wall Street. There is actually not much to se, only some big buildings and a Statue og George Washington, but it was kind of fun being there - now I can brag about being there, which is kind of cool.

Sunday the 9th December. This day I went with a German girl to Brooklyn. We wanted to see some gospel, and had been told that it should be very good (and for free) at The Brooklyn Tabernacle in downtown Brooklyn. It was an amazing experiance! It was just the way you see it on TV! The building was not a church, but more like a theatre - and it was filled with people. There was a big stage, tv-screens so people in the back could see what happened on the stage. Everybody was so friendly and nice. The service started with a couple of songs and prayers, and everybody sang outloud and held their arms in the air. After the songs everybody should shake hands or hug the persons sitting around them, and bless eachother - I have never tried something like that! In a Danish church everybody is quiet and the songs, that only a few people are singing along, are very slow, and actually a bit boring. Here the songs were filled with rythem, everybody were clapping their hands and some did a small dance! On the stage were a choir and some leadsingers, all with microphones. Their were dancers and a big light show - and even a play that was very fun! I wish we had something like this in Denmark. Not that I belive in God in the way these people do, but if we had services like these - I would deferently attend eventhough I'm not a true beliver!

Tuesday the 11th December I took a day off from school. I had an appointment at The New York Film Academy with a woman called Stephanie Foltz. I'd been thinking about trying some acting. I still don't quite know what a want to do with my life, and I find acting very exiting and maybe it could be something for my. She showed me around the Academy and we talked a bit why I want to try acting. After our talk she arranged that I could sit in on an audition class in SoHo. It was really exiting, I watched how the students should do in front of a camera when they audition. I would like to attend the school, but I have to go back home and save some money first! It's very expensive.

Every other day in this week I've been studing, but tomorrow I'm gonna see Central Park and The American Museum of Natural History.

Today is the 28th and Christmas is over. It is little wierd, thinking that it's already over - it doesn't really feel like Christmas, because Christmas was not as usual. It's also very strange to think that I've only got one week left in New York! Time flies by too fast ..

Saturday the 15

I took a trip to Central Park and went for a little walk. The weather was cold, but the sun was shining from a blue sky. Central Park is huge, so I probably just saw a small corner of the park. It's a fun feeling to go from a fairly crowded and busy street, into a wooded area. It's almost as if the sound of traffic dimmed immediately! Large trees, rocks and beautifully arrenged path systems, are seen all over the place. All around on the grass small gray squirrels runs around and collect supplies. On all paths is there people - quite a few are in full fitness outfits and puffing like mad when they storms by, there is people with strollers and cameras, and even a bride and groom standing in their shining clothes' getting their pictures taken. It's so nice and it's like you're somewhere else than in the center of Manhattan.

After my walk in a small piece of paradise, I went to The American Museum of National History. With my rather geriaticish and weirdish (or at least if you ask many of my peers - my parents hated bringing me a museum, since I had to study every flint ax before I could go on🤭) interest in old things, that are duged up from mud and old midden sites, I spent several hours there. I of cause think it was exciting and really nice! They had everything - from the old wickerworked baskets, to skeletons and fossils of dinosaurs and even an area of the ​​origin of the universe and black holes. Eventually, I had so much pain in the feet and my camera snap-finger that I had to go home.

Saturday the 22nd.

Today Sae and I decided to try our luck with the book store once again - and finally it was open! It was a really fun little shop. There were old books everywhere - it reminded me of  Olivander's Wand shop in Harry Potter. There were books from floor to ceiling, in stacks and boxes, on shelves and in cupboards - there were so many books, that it was almost impossible to walk around. One of the most expensive books I found there, was a book from the beginning of the 1900 - a "First Edition" for 700$! Well, it was locked behind a glass window - it was propably wasn't for free to touch it, if soneone wanted that! 😉

Besides the book store, we visited Kieh's Pharmacie, which is an old pharmacy from the end of the 1800. Today it only sells cosmetics. We also went to visit "The Old Merchant's House", which is the oldest house in New York. After this we went to look at some ancient art at the "Manhattan Arts and Antique Center" where we got free punch and cake while we walked around, and felt as quite important people among all the enormously expensive antiques 😀. We also went to Union Square, where there is a market several times a week. There was chock-full of people, who barged through the small shops. It was really nice and gave a really good Christmas spirit feeling.

Sunday the 23rd

I went to Brooklyn once again to hear some gospel. It was just as wonderful as the first time I went! All people sang, danced, clapped, shouted and whistled. As I said before, if the service at home in Denmark was like the one in Brooklyn, I would go every Sunday though I'm not religious! I sat next to an elderly woman and when service started, all people around me opened their Bibles (either in book form or as App on their phones), the elderly lady opened hers of course. I sat there as the only one without any Bible, either in paper form or electronic form. I don't even think I own a Bible - if I do, then I certainly don't know where it is and it has never been opened. The lady next to me saw that I had no book, she looked at me - and then she handed me her own book and showed where in the book I should look! Although I 'm not a honk believer, I was really touched by this old lady! How many people does something like that in Denmark?! "No, there is fu....! no one who may look at our stuff because - she could just have brought one herself - yes she could! Nobody watching here - that's for sure!" -  We Danes could learn a little from others the sometimes..

After my rhythmic start of the day, I went to Brooklyn Brigde. It's a really nice old bridge. When you stand in the middle (it's allowed to walk on the bridge), one can see a large part of Manhattan, The Statue of Liberty and Manhattan Brigde. It was absolutely fantastic.

Monday the 24th - Christmas Eve.

It was the strangest Christmas Eve I've ever had. First I had school hours and then I went with Sae to New Jersey, and met with one of her friends. We went shopping at the grocery store for the evening's celebration, that would be held in the friend's new apartment. The new apartment turned out not to contain any kind of kitchen equipment! There was 1 pot, an oven and a microwave - and of couse, there were actually no real furniture either, only a small table, a small sofa and a few chairs, and there would be about 20 guests! Well, this resulted in, that we had to buy food that just had to be heated - which ment we only got pizza, bouritos, chips, snacks and cake. In addition to this amazing feast, we got red wine, vodka and apple juice. I have never in my life had pizza on Christmas Eve ! It must be said, that it was quite an experience, but it was cozy though. When we went home, three of us decided to take a taxi. The taxi-driver said it would be 90$ in total, which we agreed on. When we got back to school I give the driver my credit card, I wanted to lay out the money, because I had no cash on me. Before I gave my card I said a little casually, "it was 90$ right?" Then the idiot of a cap-driver responded, "no, not when the pay is by card, it costs 140$ incl. tax" WHAT?! 😲 I lost my breath for a short time and thesame did the other two persons  in the back! I tried to reason with him, he had just said 90$ when we got in the car! But nooo, he would not surrender and we didn't have enough cash, and was therefore forced to pay what he demanded. At that time I really felt that America now SECOND time had screwed me for my money!! - it may indeed be said to have been a different Christmas Eve!

Tuesday the 25th - America's days of Christmas.

I was invited to a teacher's (Renee) home to a so-called "Potluck" - a Christmas gathering where everyone brings something. I had a Danish advent candle and some chocolate. It was an amazing evening! We were served very good traditional American Christmas food; turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, cake, candy, wine, juice, etc. It was overflowing with food and the taste was fantastic! The best food I have had in the U.S. so far! I talked with a lot of people, Renee introduced me to all the other guests and explained who I was, where I was from and what I was doing on a daily basis. It was really cool! Everyone was so sweet and asked why I even went to a language school, because they certainly didn't think I needed it. Renee's father asked about my education and we came to talk about that I would like me to own my own business one day. The result of this conversation was, that he would send an email to Renee, that she would send it to me with some contact information for a lady in Denmark who could help me, if I wanted it! It was amazing! I felt crazy high, I could almost fly! It just saved my day - so it was indeed a Merry Christmas afterall. 🤭

Today is my last day in New York. Tomorrow I'll be off to Los Angeles! I'm so exited! 😎 New York has been a time with many experiances - both good and bad! Sadly the school has been a disapointment. I don't really feel, that I've learned anything and I feel I've wasted my money here. I do, though, think that New York City is amazing! It has everything and it's easy to get around! I've also met a lot of nice people here, and I've got some really good friends too! 

Monday the 31th - New Years Eve

I'd arrenged with four girls from The Netherlands to go with them to Manhattan after school. We wanted to see the Ball drop at Times Square and should also be a concert. It was a very cold evning, so we decided to wait until 7.30pm to leave the school. We had dressed up in the most amazing skiing-outfit, and looked actually a bit like five stuffed bears on tour! We were not going to freeze! We got to Manhattan and went towards Times Square - there were people everywere! The streets were filled with people pushing to get through to Times Square! We finally got to an entrance - but no, it was already closed! We had to have a ticket to get in. We walked to another entrance and another one, and another, and another - but nooo! We couldn't get in anywhere! We still had a couple of hours until midnight, so we went on looking for a street nearby Times Square, where we were able to see the Ball. We ended up at The Public Libary - from here we actually had a very good spot - we couldn't see or here the concert, but we could see the Ball. We waited for two hours and then we saw the Ball drop and the fireworks - it was beautiful, but short. It was very different to what I'm used to - in Denmark almost everybody has some fireworks and there are people on the streets for hours after midnight, but in Manhattan when the Ball had dropped everyone just went somewhere else - mostly home? It was really weired, but a great experiance!

Today, as said, is my last day in New York. I went with Sae to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. It was a really big and amazing museum! They have so many collections, and we didn't even see it all - there just isn't enough time in one day to see it all! - but we did see among onther things their big collection of Ancient Egyptian artefacts. I love Ancient Egypt - it is so beautiful and mysterious! I really wish it was possible to travel bag in time, I would have loved to see how everything was at that time - not only in Egypt, but all over the world! Imagine to visit the home of an Egyptian Pharaoh, sitting in his chair - or visiting the Renaissance, wearing the big beautiful dresses! It would be a dream come true, if I travel back in time! We were at the museum for hours and hours, at last we got tired and our feet hurt - so we decided to go back to school. 

Now I'm sitting in my bed, preparing to go to sleep - when I wake up tomorrow, it's bye bye New York - hello Los Angeles!! 🤪