Boston Merrimack: staff and students

My work involves:

Managing student housing, dining, academics, activities, college relations, and the growth of the school. 

My top tip for learning:

Get up with the sun.  Eat breakfast.  Study hard.  Hit the gym.  Study hard again.  Relax with friends.  Dream in English.

My top tip for enjoying life in Boston:

Make friends with American college students and other Embassy international students. With these friends, explore the campus and its offerings and those of the surrounding communities of North Andover, Andover, Lawrence, Lowell, and Boston.

My experience:

I started as a lawyer in Tokyo and Washington, D.C., advising multinational corporations on international business. I then started two businesses in Japan. I ran both companies profitably for twenty-five years, when the itch for reinvention returned. To soothe it, I entered academe, and taught "American Government & Politics" at a community college. I loved teaching and the college setting, but missed the challenge of management.  Happily, my new appointment as an Embassy Centre Director has it all.

Through all this change, the one constant in my life has been international education. Because my parents were Methodist missionaries to Japan, I attended a Japanese elementary school in Nagasaki, a Canadian middle school in Kobe, and, later, a public high school, college, and law school in Wisconsin. I've sent my kids to a Buddhist kindergarten in Tokyo, an Italian Catholic school in Florence, an American school in Paris, and now a private high school in Andover, Massachusetts. My own children's schooling abroad has given them friends with unpronounceable names and notions to holiday in places that I have to find on a map. My hope is that my work at Embassy will in some small way encourage our students to broaden their perspectives and teach them to operate in a global world.

My top tip for learning:

Don't be afraid.

My top tip for enjoying Boston:

Make friends and enjoy the city together.

My experience:

I still remember how I felt on my first day, I was nervous because I didn't know if people could understand me or if could understand them, but after spending an hour here, I realised that I didn't have anything to worry about because I met all these incredible people around me. And between the teachers and students I started to feel like home, and my fear just went away.

One week later, I found myself with a lot of friends around me, and even though we couldn't talk about every single thing that we wanted to, for the first time the language didn't seem like a barrier. On the contrary, I could express myself and I knew they actually understood me. I noticed that my English was improving. This was a huge step for me because I felt that not only my goal of learning English was being achieved, and also I was growing as a person.

My teachers were there for me, correcting and helping me to make my dream come true. I learned from each and every single one of them important things that are useful right now and which will continue to be in the future. I will always feel grateful to them, because they are not only my teachers; they are people that I admire for their patience, courage, and comprehension.

There is nothing like coming to school and seeing so many different faces full of happiness because these people around you always make you smile. If I had to express everything that I feel in one simple word, it would probably be 'appreciation'. 

My work involves:

Arranging activities for students, allocating accommodation, leading your first day orientation, daily transactions, and general admin.

My top tip for learning:

Interact with English speakers. It's the best way to learn how they really speak. Also, try to think in English as much as possible.

My top tip for enjoying life at Boston Merrimack:

Merrimack's campus is the quintessential university setting. It's a great way to have the American university experience. Take advantage of all it has to offer (sport events, activities, facilities, etc). Also, Boston is less than an hour by train!

My experience:

I received my undergraduate degree in May 2008 in International Studies. The most rewarding part of my undergraduate experience was a study abroad semester in Granada, Spain. I learned Spanish culture, language, and history while taking classes and travelling throughout the country. Not only did I learn a new language and culture, I also learned a lot about myself.

Since I can remember, I have always been interested in world cultures. Working at Embassy has been a great way to experience international contact and culture daily. One minute I am working with a Japanese student, the next a Colombian student who just arrived! The diversity of the students makes my role with Embassy interesting and exciting.

My experience:

Embassy Boston Merrimack is near Boston. That's why I chose this school. I like living in the suburbs, because big cities make me crazy.

This is not big school, but there's plent of space for studying: it doesn't have many students, but they are from many different countries. So this place is perfect for studying.

Being here is a special experience in my life. It is perfect to study English here. When I came, I didn't have enough skills to use English. But now I've learned a lot. I met many friends from different countries and learned about their cultures, visited many universities and museums like Harvard, MIT, Boston's Fine Arts Museum, and more.

My work involves:

Teaching English as a second/foreign language for communicative/academic purpose at different levels;
evaluating student performance and learning progress; and sharing my passion for learning with students.

My top tip for learning:

Observe, absorb, participate, create, be bold.

My top tip for enjoying life in Boston:

Explore!

My experience:

Since I joined Embassy Boston Merrimack in January 2008, this experience has been a highlight of my ESL/EFL teaching career. Living in a foreign country and being an English language learner myself, I fully understand the challenges that many of you encounter. I believe facing these challenges is worthwhile and fun and can be very rewarding.  

It is my pleasure and good fortune to have the experiences of studying, living, and teaching in different cultures. Embassy grants me the opportunity to share with you my passion and experience for learning English.   
 
I love reading, writing, hiking, jogging, black-and-white movies, classic rock, and jazz. I have two little furry friends, Boris and Naughty - two hilarious, curious, and relentlessly energetic ferrets.

New England is so breathtakingly beautiful in the autumn that I fell in love with it right when I came here from China. The campus of Merrimack College and the neighbouring areas are tranquil, beautiful, friendly and diverse. Historical sites, museums, mountains, and oceans are all within easy reach and are ready for you to explore. Best of all, you are guaranteed to have a White Christmas!!! 

Welcome to Embassy Boston Merrimack.