My work involves:

Running the school.

My top tip for learning:

Speak English, make an effort and have fun.

My top tip for enjoying life in San Francisco:

Keep an open heart and an open mind.

My experience:

I am the Centre Director at Embassy in San Francisco. I enjoy the school so much: it's a wonderful building and I have great colleagues. Before coming to San Francisco I taught at the Vietnamese-American Training Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

I was born in California and San Francisco has been my home for over 20 years. I love this city with its magnificent views at every street corner and with so much to do in the city itself and also in the surrounding countryside.

The great thing about working for Embassy is meeting so many students from all over the world - I feel as if I am on a perpetual journey. In this way I learn every day from the students, as they learn English from us.

My work involves:

Supporting teachers and students in their classes.

My top tip for learning:

Try to be outgoing in class and meet your classmates from other countries outside of school!

My top tip for enjoying life in San Francisco:

Be sure to explore all the different neighborhoods in San Francisco and beyond!

My experience:

I’ve taught English in three other countries besides here at Embassy San Francisco: in South Korea, China and Turkey. These experiences have taught me a lot about different cultures and also the similarities. These days I’m happily busy, helping our students improve their English. I also enjoy accompanying the students on many of the activities we offer in our beautiful city.

My work involves:

Helping students adjust to life and school in a new country.

My top tip for learning:

Speak to everyone! Talk as much as you can and don't be afraid of making mistakes.

My top tip for enjoying life in San Francisco:

Take advantage of all the free activities and festivals that San Francisco has to offer.

My experience:

I worked a variety of jobs before coming to Embassy including Blackjack Dealer, Flight Attendant, Bartender and Tour Guide.  However the experience that has been the most meaningful in my life is the time I spent outside the US.  It was after studying abroad in France and Thailand, and teaching English in Japan that I decided to put my international experience to use working for Embassy.     

In my position as Student Services Manager, I have the opportunity to interact with students from such a huge variety of cultures and backgrounds every day.  The San Francisco school has the feeling of a big, international family, of which I’m proud to be a part.

My work involves:

I place students in residences and homestays, and help them with any questions or concerns they might have about living in San Francisco.

My top tip for learning:

You should use your language skills in as many different places as possible. English in the classroom and English on the street can be very different.

My top tip for enjoying life in San Francisco:

Get out and explore! Every neighborhood in San Francisco is unique.

My experience at Embassy:

I’ve always loved to travel and to experience new cultures. I’m very happy that I can continue to learn about the world from our students everyday.

I lived abroad in Japan for four years, and during that time I traveled to various parts of Asia. From my time abroad – both as a student and an English teacher – I know first hand the difficulties faced while living in a new country and learning a new language. I try to use my experiences to help our students have the best possible time they can in San Francisco.

My top tip for learning:

Get an internship and study hard.

My top tip for enjoying San Francisco:

Hang out with foreign friends as much as possible.

My experience:

Embassy has many friendly teachers, a great facility, a good educational system and good friends. San Francisco offers good experiences like outdoor activities and great museums.  My favorite activities were going to an NBA basketball game, Yosemite and Santa Cruz. 

My top tip for learning:

Study English when you are in school.  Do ALL the homework and talk with local American people.  We have to make an effort to speak in English all the time.

My top tip for enjoying San Francisco:

All the sightseeing is interesting in San Francisco. 

My experience:

The school is very welcoming, the teachers are cool and they all help us to improve our English, including when we are outside of school.

My experience:

It has been my first experience studing abroad and definitely I was right in my choice.

This city is very special, it's totally different to any city in the world. I'm Spanish and I love my country, but now I've changed my preference and I love San Francisco. I would like to have been born there.

I love the school staff too. There are a lot of wonderful teachers and I have had the experience of learning from different teachers. On one hand, this is a little crazy; but on the other hand, it's fantastic because you have to get used to different accents and you can get to know different people teaching you. And the staff service has been perfect too. You'll be in my mind.

San Francisco has a special atmosphere, special people and a very special school. I wanna go back San Francisco.

Finally, my English level has increased a lot because I have been always speaking English. It's a total immersion in the language and in American habits.

My top tip for learning:

Talking a lot.

My top tip for enjoying San Francisco:

Visit Market street, Golden Gate park and the beach.

My experience:

I work hard here and it's probably the best course that I've ever had. Everybody here is really nice. If you have any problems the teachers are here to help you. You can find a lot of friends and the activities are awesome.

My top tip for learning:

Study like a horse and live like a San Francisco citizen.

My top tip for enjoying San Francisco:

Go to the CD stores like Rasputin and Amoeba.  See the sea lions at Pier 39 in the evening when the sun goes down.

My experience:

Here at Embassy there are such great and cool teachers that guide us in a different way to think in English.

My top tip for learning:

Speak as much as possible.

My top tip for enjoying San Francisco:

Buy a monthly "Muni" pass to get the best transportation and look around San Francisco.

My experience:

Embassy has a lot of activities and is like a big family. The teaching method is high-tech, for example, they use electrnic whiteboards.  San Francisco has an abundance of museums and traditional culture.

My work involves:

Attending to all academic needs of the students, including testing and placement, level assessment, counseling and internship placement.

My top tip for learning:

Speaking English both inside and outside of the school as much as possible.

My top tip for enjoying life in San Francisco:

If you are a music lover, explore all of the amazing venues in San Francisco.

My experience:

I graduated from Saint Mary's College in Moraga, CA with a degree in English and promptly started teaching creative writing and poetry to junior high school students.I joined the Embassy San Francisco family in 2006, having just returned from Tokushima, Japan where I spent two years as an English teacher for the JET Program.

For a year, my position was Senior Teacher at Embassy SF. I have always had a passion for teaching and felt at home in the classroom. In March of 2008, I was promoted to Director of Studies and have appropriated my love for teaching to a newfound love of curriculum and teacher management.

I am very pleased to work at Embassy SF with such a friendly, organised and professional team. Each student, teacher and staff member feels like part of a family. The warm environment and commitment to educational excellence makes Embassy the best ESL school in the city.

I have lived in a variety of towns around Northern California but San Francisco is my first, official city experience. It's a wonderful place to live and work as this city provides many musical, artistic and cultural opportunities.

My top tip for learning:

Read the newspaper with a dictionary and watch TV.

My top tip for enjoying San Francisco:

Visit Pier 39 and go on the Embassy sailing trip in the bay.