Spectators in the auditorium at the EF International Language School on the hill above Tarrytown erupted when a group of seven South Korean students danced and lip-synced to the song Gangnam Style, a viral hit in 2012.
Students from France, Chile, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, China and Colombia also represented their countries during the recent annual cultural fair, but though they come from disparate places, there is a shared common denominator: the desire to learn English and take a peek into the lives of people who live and work near the campus.
In the historic buildings that overlook Tarrytown and the Hudson River, EF (Education First) International Language School, is one of 500-plus locations in 114 countries affiliated with the organization, founded in Sweden in 1965.
The campus is like a miniature United Nations with people from dozens of different countries circulating about. The stated goal is to “maximize English proficiency in the least amount of time,” which is achieved with a specialized, proprietary method developed over the years. Students stay as long as they must, so there is a constant shuffling of people around the buzzing place.
(center) joined the EF team at the fair.
Most students are 18 to 26 and many plan on applying to colleges and universities in the United States. The number on campus ranges from 800 to around 1,400 and now there’s a new program for learners more than 50 years old. Almost every student lives on campus, so the school works hard to integrate them into the community by visiting local businesses and engaging in conversational English.
“We’ll have a class in a coffee shop and learn about the terms for ordering and getting along doing everyday things,” said Andrea Arakaki, executive director.
Students also get a taste of American culture, like Halloween and Thanksgiving, where they go to the homes of local families and participate. A contingent of students attended a high school football game, as well.
“We do so much trying to get the students out there and involved,” said Arakaki. Something is always happening on campus, from films to musical performances and the calendar is filled with trips to Broadway shows and sporting events in the city, local history talks and constant shuttles to the airport.
EF occupies the former campus of Marymount College, founded in 1907. Fordham University took over for a couple of years but sold it to EF in 2008.
At the cultural fair, a group of students translated people’s names into Japanese characters and everyone enjoyed the pasta meal. And though they try to offer cuisine from around the globe, the cafeteria relies on American staples like cole slaw, pasta salad, hot dogs and turkey meat balls. Everyone likes the cookies.
Sports tournaments, like miniature Olympics, are popular. The gyms are always full of competitors in basketball and volleyball – two sports created from scratch in the United States that have rippled around the globe.
“The mission is to open the world through education,” said Arakaki. “They have to live the language to really learn the nuances, but they are having a lot of fun doing it.
