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10 things you should know about Halloween in America

If you’re planning to learn English or gain a TEFL qualification in the US around Halloween, you’re in for some fun!

1. Halloween is HUGE in America. In fact, it’s the second most commercially successful holiday after Christmas. It is estimated that one quarter of all candy purchased in the US is for Halloween, and overall spending for the holiday usually totals over $5 billion USD!

2. Irish immigrants were the ones to bring the festival to America. Anoka, Minnesota, is said to be the first city in America to have held official Halloween celebrations, in 1921, although Salem, Massachusetts, claims to be the “Halloween Capital of the World”. The town is best known for the notorious witch trials that occurred there in the 17th century.

3. The Village Halloween Parade in New York City is the largest celebration of its kind in the world and has been picked by Festivals International as “The Best Event in the World” for October 31st. The theme for 2014 is “The Garden of Earthly Delights”. Just don’t forget your costume or you won’t be allowed in the parade!

4. A popular tradition followed by American children on Halloween is to go trick-or-treating. They dress up in fancy dress and go from house to house in their street asking “trick or treat?” According to tradition, children threaten the house owners with some sort of (harmless) mischief, unless they are given treats. It is believed that the tradition dates back to early Souls Day Parades in Europe, when poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives.

5. A ‘treat’ in America is generally some kind of sweet or chocolate – ‘candy’ as it’s known in America.

6. In America, the traditional pumpkin with a cut-out face is known as a ‘Jack O Lantern’. Traditionally, turnips were used in Europe, but immigrants to North America chose to use the native pumpkin, which was more readily available.

7. Halloween parties are usual for the 31s October and normally involve dressing up in costume too. Normal fancy dress costumes are witches, wizards, black cats, ghosts, goblins, vampires and skeletons, which have all evolved into symbols of Halloween.

8. In larger cities, children in fancy dress and their parents gather at shopping malls early in the evening, when shops and businesses give parties with games and treats for the children.

9.”Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” has become a common sight during Halloween in North America too. It began as a local event in a Philadelphia neighborhood in 1950 and expanded nationally a few years later. These days, corporate sponsors like Hallmark collect for charity donations at this time of year.

10. In America, it’s common to send Halloween cards, a practice which dates back to the early 1920’s. These days, over 28 million Halloween cards are sent each year.

Cactus offers English courses in a range of destinations across the US and Canada. Please visit the Cactus Language website for full details.

Junior programs in New York: NEW activities for 2014

Summer junior courses in 2013 at Brooklyn School of Languages were a huge success and 2014 sees the arrival of an even more exciting range of activities for our young students.

Taking place in the vibrant neighbourhood of Brooklyn, just a stone’s throw from Manhattan, these courses are aimed at students aged 14 to 17 wishing to improve their English with others of the same age during the summer vacation. Taking the form of a summer camp, this is an immersion program that includes general English lessons, ‘creative arts’ workshops, full board accommodation in host families and a full program of activities and excursions – all within a safe and supervised environment.

The new activities for 2014 take place as 3-hour workshops on two afternoons a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is a great chance for students to practice an activity they love or try their hand at something new. The perfect complement to the morning language classes, they are also an opportunity to mix with other students and practice English in a relaxed atmosphere, encouraging spontaneous conversation and new friendships.

Our choice of activities for 2014:

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Art: bead-making (image 1, above), mosaics, glass-blowing, collage exploration, printmaking, drawing and watercolor painting (image 2, below). These and the majority of art skills are taught by two Brooklyn-based art centers, ‘Private Picassos’ and ‘Urban Glass’, specialists in teaching to both young and adult students.

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Dance: zumba, salsa, jazz and hip hop (image 3, below), contemporary, Afro-Haitian and Brazilian-Samba fusion. For students who love music and dance, this elective is perfect. Dance is a great way to improve fitness and body awareness in a fun and modern environment, and students are lucky to be able to practice all variations under the expert guidance of one of the world’s leading dance companies, the Brooklyn-based Mark Morris Dance Group.

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Acting: as a way to improve the language, there are few activities better than acting. Theater games, improvisation, monologues and plays – all of these strengthen the young actor emotionally and linguistically, by enhancing collaboration, communication skills, ingenuity, listening, focus, compassion, self-reliance and above all, confidence.

Digital Photography: this workshop teaches students the wonderful art of visual story-telling. They will learn how to make the most of their camera’s manual functions and record their trip to New York with photos they had only dreamed of. The tutor is award-winning freelance journalist Johnathon Henninger.

For more information on these activities as well as all other aspects of the junior program, including prices, a photo gallery and general FAQs, please visit the Brooklyn School of Languages website.

For further advice and information feel free to contact us on info@brooklynschooloflanguages.com or telephone +1 347 763 6905.

We look forward to making 2014 a fun, educational and memorable summer vacation for young students from across the globe.

The Brooklyn School of Languages runs year-round adult English courses, a junior summer school and evening and part-time foreign language courses.

Spend this winter studying English in Brooklyn, New York

Winter in New York City can be a magical experience and Eva Kamer, from the Cactus US office, tells us why…

From the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, to ice skating in one of the city’s iconic parks, to watching the ball drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, there is no shortage of holiday and cold-weather activities in which to participate.

Studying in Brooklyn

While you’re in New York City to enjoy the winter festivities, why not take an English course at our brand new language school in Brooklyn Heights? Located just one subway stop from Manhattan and with stunning panoramic views across the city from every classroom, Brooklyn School of Languages is the perfect place to improve your English during your time in New York.

Brooklyn School of Languages has student-centered classes, locally-owned homestays and neighborhood-focused activities that will help you immerse yourself in the English language, the New York lifestyle and the unique Brooklyn culture. We offer Standard English, Semi-Intensive English, Business English, Combined English, and Individual English courses to suit all student learning styles and needs. Our native-speaker teachers use communicative methods along with state-of-the-art learning technology to help you and your classmates progress as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Quality accommodation in Brooklyn
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Being located in Brooklyn also means we are able to provide quality accommodation options close to the school. All of our homestays and apartments are easily accessible by public transportation, and the large majority are within a short subway ride or even walking distance from the school. We want your stay in New York to be as comfortable as possible, so we have spent time selecting the right families and apartments for our students.

The Enrichment Program

Our distinctive Enrichment Program is a truly unique way to integrate your English classes with activities involving New York culture. With topics changing weekly and ranging from “American Immigration” to “Food and Dining in NYC,” there is something for all students to enjoy. Students are treated to hands-on experiences with local experts in a variety of cultural areas. Language matters such as vocabulary and grammar are certainly addressed, but the teacher’s primary focus is on the content, increasing the students’ knowledge of the subject through the English language curriculum. The content-focused English lessons are complemented by two extracurricular activities per week, which give students the opportunity to use what they have learned in the classroom in the real world.

Things to do in NYC during winter

Those who choose to visit New York City during the colder months will find plenty of events to enjoy. Hop aboard the Downtown Brooklyn Holiday Trolley to see and experience one of Brooklyn’s most exciting neighborhoods. Each week, the trolley features new themes and activities, including a guided tour of Downtown Brooklyn, carolers from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and even Santa Claus!

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The famous Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center is a must-see for travelers and residents alike, and ice skating in Bryant Park or Central Park’s iconic Wollman Rink is a fun and exhilarating way to take advantage of the seasonal colder temperatures (the above picture is of Brooklyn School of Languages students skating in Bryant Park). Be sure to check out the arts events at the Brooklyn Academy of Music or catch a sports game at the newly constructed Barclays Center for a truly memorable visit to the greatest city in the world.

The holiday season also means that there are several annual holiday markets to enjoy, including the local favorite Union Square Holiday Market in Manhattan. With over 100 merchants bringing in some of the most exclusive, handmade gifts, this is the place do your holiday shopping or just enjoy browsing! To add some eye candy to your shopping spree, make sure to head uptown to visit the well-known department store holiday window displays along Fifth Avenue.

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And don’t forget to bring in the New Year in style by going to Times Square on New Year’s Eve to watch the iconic ball drop. The Times Square ball drop is arguably the most well-known New Year’s celebration in the world; it is attended by at least 1 million spectators every year and boasts a worldwide television audience across multiple broadcasters.

No matter which activities and events you choose to attend during your time in Brooklyn and in New York, there will be plenty of people with whom to practice your English and enjoy the holiday season.

We look forward to making your stay at this magical time of year truly memorable!

For more information on learning English in Brooklyn, please visit our website.

Top spots in Brooklyn: according to staff at the Brooklyn School of Languages

Cactus talks to staff at the new Brooklyn School of Languages to get the low down on the coolest places in town…

1. Dennis Chase – Director of Studies

Dennis is originally from Connecticut and moved to New York five years ago. He originally moved because of his wife’s job but he loves the restaurants, nightlife and jazz clubs of the city.

Dennis’ Top Tips for Jazz in New York:

Low end: Fat Cat in Greenwich Village

Great for: Live jazz, ping pong and foosball

Mid range: Smalls in Greenwich Village

Great for: Feeling like you’re back in the 1950s

High end: Smoke on the Upper West Side

Great for: Top level musicians and excellent food menu

Dennis’ Top Tip for your stay: Check out Barclay’s Center.

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2. Eva Kramer – Administrator

Eva is a born and bred Brooklynite, from the Fort Greene area. She loves Brooklyn because it is less touristy, quieter and calmer than Manhattan. Once you cross the bridge there is a change of pace and things are more residential.

Eva’s Top Tips for Eating Out in Brooklyn…

Brunch: Olea in Fort Greene

Great for: Mediterranean and Turkish style breakfasts

Lunch: Farmer in the Deli in Fort Greene

Great for: the biggest and cheapest hero (baguette style sandwich) in Brooklyn

Dinner: Fortune House in Brooklyn Heights

Great for: hot and sour soup

Dessert: Junior’s in Brooklyn Heights

Great for: the original New York cheesecake

Eva’s top tip for your stay: don’t go home without visiting Coney Island and the Transport Museum.

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3. Mathilde Brouillet – Head of Admissions

Mathilde has lived in NYC for three years but she is originally from Paris, France. She likes Brooklyn because although it’s very close to Manhattan, it’s quieter and has a real sense of community.

Mathilde’s Top Tips to avoid culture shock in New York…

Tipping: Everyone is expected to tip in New York – even if you think the service was bad. A good rule of thumb to follow is:

Happy – 20%

Ok – 15%

Not happy – 10%

Plan before you arrive: NYC can be overwhelming with so much to do and see. Mathilde recommends going online before you arrive to find out what’s happening during the time you are there and to plan what you want to see. Good places to start are Time Out and About.com.

Medication: Bring your own if you need it as medication is very expensive, especially compared to Europe.

Thank to Dennis, Eva and Mathilde for giving us their top tips for Brooklyn and New York. If you’re heading there, don’t forget to look these places up! And feel free of course to give us recommendations of your own…


The Brooklyn School of Languages offers year-round adult English courses, junior summer camps and daytime and evening foreign language courses.

Studying English in Brooklyn, New York

Learn English in Brooklyn, New York

Learn English in Brooklyn, New York

Anyone thinking of studying English in New York might be forgiven for thinking that Manhattan is the place to go. For sure it’s the iconic, pulsating heart of the city that never sleeps, and an absolute must on any Big Apple itinerary. As a place to study, however, there may well be somewhere that eclipses Manhattan, and that place is Brooklyn.

Sitting across the water from Manhattan, the magnificent Brooklyn Bridge connecting the two, Brooklyn is one of five boroughs of New York City. Vast in area and population, it is a city in itself and a very fashionable one at that. Those choosing to learn English in Brooklyn will find that it’s a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities and brimming with creative talent; it is the place to meet people, enjoy world-class music, pass the hours in a trendy bar or restaurant, wander down leafy, brownstone-lined streets or enjoy a lazy afternoon in a verdant park.

In fact you need never venture further afield as everything is here in Brooklyn; should you want to, however, you can be in central New York in minutes. Brooklyn is perfectly located just over the bridge from Manhattan and there are no less than nine subway lines on the steps of the school or within a few minutes’ walk – Manhattan being just one subway stop away. In this sense you get the best of both worlds – Manhattan just minutes away, whilst enjoying the friendly, neighbourhood feel of Brooklyn. It’s an authentic New York experience minus the stress of big city living and, uniquely, the chance to be part of a real New York community.

The diversity of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods

Even within the Brooklyn community you can enjoy the diversity of many different neighborhoods. The language school is located in Brooklyn Heights, New York City’s very first suburb and one that is characterised by charming townhouses, brownstones and authentic mansions. Just steps from the school is the famous Brooklyn promenade, a wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by, enjoying magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline across the East River and the Statue of Liberty over in New York Harbor. Bordering Brooklyn Heights just to the south is the historic, tree-lined Cobble Hill neighbourhood, home to the peaceful setting of Cobble Hill Park.

Other neighborhoods within the borough re-affirm Brooklyn’s emergence as a cutting-edge centre for arts, music and culture. Over 50 different arts organisations are located in Brooklyn alone. The famous Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is located in Fort Greene, a prominent cultural destination that also boasts the Brooklyn Music School and various theater, dance and performing arts centers, among them Spike Lee’s very own film works company. Those wanting to join the hip young crowd of the city should head for Williamsburg, hugely popular for its many bars, restaurants, shops and cafés, as well as its open air summer concert venues. Williamsburg is a very ‘cool’ place to be right now, not just within Brooklyn but within New York as a whole; a steady stream of Manhattanites will cross the river to spend evenings and weekends enjoying the infectious buzz and social life of this hip neighborhood.

Finally, no mention can be made of Brooklyn without highlighting its beautiful centerpiece, Prospect Park, designed by the same people who built Manhattan’s Central Park. Home to a small zoo, Brooklyn’s only lake and excellent sports and leisure facilities, this is a great place to relax after class and meet friends. Flanking Prospect Park is Brooklyn’s highly desirable Park Slope neighborhood, awash with historic buildings boasting magnificent views of the park as well as first-class restaurants, world-class museums, cultural institutions, bars and shops.

Life as a student in Brooklyn

Despite Brooklyn’s size and variety of neighborhoods, a real sense of community prevails and, as a student in Brooklyn, you will still be accommodated close to the school – 30 minutes at most, meaning that you will spend less time travelling and more time meeting up with new friends and going out in the evenings. Those who choose to study in central Manhattan – or in the centre of any big city – may be faced with daily commutes of up to an hour, so staying just outside the centre can make a huge difference.

Whatever you want to do in Brooklyn, you will not be short of choice nor people with whom to practise your English – and you can do it all in the great city of New York without so much as having to step foot in Manhattan. Though of course you will – and should. You’ll just have the best of both worlds.

Why learn English in Brooklyn? At a glance…

  • It is very close to Manhattan, with stunning views
  • It boasts excellent transport links, including 9 subway stops right by the school
  • It is the place to be for great culture, music, bars & restaurants, its many diverse neighborhoods reflecting this
  • It exudes a friendly neighborhood feel, giving you the chance to be part of a real New York community
  • Most accommodation is within 30 minutes of the school
  • You can enjoy beautiful green, open spaces such as Prospect Park

For more information on learning English in Brooklyn please visit our website.

 

Junior programs in the US

The long summer vacation offers a wonderful opportunity for teens to do something worthwhile, and there are few who wouldn’t relish the opportunity to spend a few weeks on East or West Coast USA. Thanks to Cactus’ summer camps in the US, a fun-packed yet educational trip to the bright lights of New York or the sunshine coast of California could be just the answer.

Geared towards students aged 12-18 years, these programs have been specially designed to combine full-immersion English language tuition with a variety of creative workshops and cultural activities – all with others of the same age and in a truly international environment.

Currently available in New York (Brooklyn), Harvard, Yale and Philadelphia (University of Pennsylvania / Penn), students can enjoy a secure and supervised environment in which to improve their English, take part in a range of fun activities and excursions, gain confidence inside and outside the classroom, and come back with friends for life.

Each setting, while delivering the same core benefits, offers something different for our younger learners. There is no denying the prestige and history of institutions like Yale, Harvard and Penn, all of which enjoy a global reputation for academic excellence. With ‘open town’ campuses and on-site residential accommodation, these locations are ideal for independent, mature learners. Students attending these camps also enjoy a superb choice of afternoon activities, ranging from the excellent ‘Skills for Life’ workshops and SAT Preparation sessions at Penn and Yale to an impressive list of sporting and social events at Harvard.

The set-up in Brooklyn differs in that it offers much more of a neighborhood, local feel. Classes take place in small groups in a small, private co-educational college and students are housed with safe and comfortable host families close to the school. But it’s the afternoon workshops that really encourage a community feel: all run by local Brooklyn-based providers, students here can try their hand at superb activities ranging from creative writing and drawing to tap dance and trapeze, to say nothing of numerous afternoon and evening excursions in which to practice the language in a relaxed environment and make friends. A nice touch to then round off the week is Friday assembly, in which students get together to perform and exhibit their work to each other, be this in the form of role plays, language learning games or art work.

It’s clear to see that a summer camp is way more than just sitting at a desk learning verbs; it is a unique chance for teenagers to learn, socialise and try their hand at a whole range of fun activities and useful skills – invariably returning refreshed and inspired, with a long list of new friends to visit in far flung places!

Junior Locations in the US – At a Glance

Brooklyn

• Junior summer course with host family, 14-18 years

• Also available as a day camp only

• College located in the heart of Brooklyn & all host families local

• 15 English lessons x 45 mins each week (class size 10 max)

• Homely, neighborhood feel with excellent creative workshops run by local providers

Harvard

• Junior summer residential course, 14-17 years

• Single or twin rooms with shared bathroom

• Campus 2 km from downtown Boston and walking distance to Cambridge

• 20 English lessons x 50 mins each week (class size 15 max)

• Minimum 11 activities per week, including 2 half days and 1 full-day excursion

Yale

• Junior summer residential course, 13-17 years

• Campus 10 minutes’ walk from downtown New Haven

• Single or twin rooms with shared bathroom

• 20 English lessons x 50 mins each week (class size 15 max)

• Students can choose between 5 ‘Skills for Life’ workshops or 5 SAT Preparation sessions

• Ideal for more ambitious, mature learners

Penn

• Junior summer residential course, 12-17 years

• Campus 20 minutes by trolley or bus from midtown Philadelphia

• Single or twin rooms with shared bathroom

• 20 English lessons x 50 mins each week (class size 15 max)

• Students can choose between 5 ‘Skills for Life’ workshops or 5 SAT Preparation sessions

• Ideal for more ambitious, mature learners

Cactus specialises in organising language courses for individuals and groups, having done so since 1999 for clients all over the globe and for diverse needs and budgets. Our expertise in the field of face-to-face tuition is second-to-none. With an extensive network of approved teachers and a strong in-house academic team, we are able to tailor a language course to suit your specific learning needs, anywhere in the world and whenever is convenient to you.

We offer language courses for Under 18s in many languages and locations across the world.