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March is a great month to be in San Francisco. In addition to the official arrival of spring, the city comes alive with the excitement of Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations. San Francisco’s 160th annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade drew 100,000 revelers, all wearing green! There were two amazing free outdoor concerts this month. Country music star Keith Urban played a free concert on Maiden Lane, only a short walk from GEOS. And pop superstar Britney Spears had a free concert and block party in the Castro. March was an awesome month!
If you would like to stay in touch with GEOS San Francisco, please “friend” us on Facebook! Search for ‘Geos Sanfran’ and send a friend request. Check our status updates to see what’s going on at GEOS San Francisco! You can also view our activity photos, add comments and stay in touch.
“My name is Justin Hughes. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. My main interests are music, travel, reading, writing, self expression, and adventure. I have experience teaching English locally and internationally. In San Francisco I volunteered as a teacher’s aide working with international students in ESL classes at the City College of San Francisco. I have also worked as an English teacher in three different cities in Thailand. Most recently, I spent over a year teaching English at American University Alumni (AUA) Language Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I love playing many styles of music. I play drums and piano. I have played various forms of drums and percussion for many years, and I spent two years studying the ancient Japanese art of taiko drumming with the San Francisco Taiko Dojo. I am currently studying classical piano. My favorite composers are Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, and Beethoven. I listen to a wide variety of music including rock, metal, classical, jazz, and experimental.”
Justin Hughes, English Teacher
This April a number of exciting events are taking place in San Francisco. The 2011 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival now celebrating its 44th year. It is one of California's most prominent celebrations of Asian traditions. Each year, over 200,000 people attend. The festival will be held on Post Street between Laguna and Fillmore Streets. There will be food booths, cultural performances, martial arts, live bands, the annual Queen Program, and more. The Grand Parade will be held on April 17, beginning at City Hall and concluding in Japantown.
Union Street hosts its 20th annual Spring Celebration and Easter Parade on Sunday, April 24th 2011. 10:00AM-5:00PM. The parade begins at 2:00PM. A variety of children's and family activities are the focus of the event and include; large inflatable bounces, kids' rides and games, a climbing wall, costumed characters, a petting zoo, a pony ride and musicians.
The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival will be held April 21–May 5, 2011. The tickets go on sale to SFFS members March 25 and to the general public March 30. Held each spring for two weeks, the International is an extraordinary showcase of cinematic discovery and innovation, featuring some 150 films and live events with more than 100 filmmakers in attendance and nearly two dozen awards presented for cinematic excellence. The Festival attracts an annual audience of more than 80,000.
 Denise is close to earning her master’s degree in ESL. We are cheering her on as she follows her passion for teaching English as a second language!
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"Hello, my name is Nicolas and I am from France. I like San Francisco because the people are very friendly and very relaxed. And that is very good for my head and my heart. There were a lot of artists here and it is good for my job because I am a tattoo artist. The creativity of the different artists is really good for my imagination. I improved my English at GEOS because of the teachers. Justin, Natalie and Matt are very good. They were very serious about teaching. The staff was very professional and serious about their job. I liked that. In GEOS Ethan told me that I can change my plans. I chose to study one-to-one but Ethan told me to try group class because of the communication. I am glad I did this because I made a good connection with other students and my speaking improved."
Nicolas Mariette, France
Beginning March 28th, GEOS is offering two new elective courses: Power Speaking and Communicative Grammar II. Power Speaking is available to high beginner and intermediate students (Levels 3 and 4) to improve confidence, clarity and accuracy in their speaking. Students will learn to communicate clearly and effectively, and given many opportunities to practice in class. Students will give speeches, participate in debates and lead discussions, which will be recorded for feedback purposes.
In our Communicative Grammar II elective, high intermediate and advanced students (levels 4 and 5) will develop and enhance skills while listening, speaking, reading and writing English. Special focus is on communication practice in addition to written schools. Students will develop an understanding of English structure and improve their reading skills to prepare for an advanced level of study. Students will refine their existing knowledge of English structures and translate grammar skills into writing competencies.
It’s always difficult to say goodbye to our wonderful students. But everyone leaves as part of the GEOS family. The best part of studying abroad is making new friends. To all of our GEOS graduates: we will miss you!
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![Hello I'm Abdullah,<br />My most memorable moment at GEOS was ice skating - it was the first time I had been ice skating and it was outstanding! Also, what I like about GEOS is the school system: the staff was very friendly and open to talk to, the teaching style of teachers and how the teachers made the class enjoyable.<br />There are many things I like about San Francisco - lots of things to do: Golden Gate Park, North Beach, etc. I tried bungee jumping off the Golden Gate bridge and it was amazing, a unique feeling. My favorite part of San Francisco is Fisherman's Wharf because its beautiful and good for sightseeing. There are also many events there.<br />[One word to describe GEOS]: HOME. I would definitely recommend GEOS and I will miss Ethan the most, he's fun to talk to!](files/testimonials/study-english-34.jpg "Hello I'm Abdullah,<br />My most memorable moment at GEOS was ice skating - it was the first time I had been ice skating and it was outstanding! Also, what I like about GEOS is the school system: the staff was very friendly and open to talk to, the teaching style of teachers and how the teachers made the class enjoyable.<br />There are many things I like about San Francisco - lots of things to do: Golden Gate Park, North Beach, etc. I tried bungee jumping off the Golden Gate bridge and it was amazing, a unique feeling. My favorite part of San Francisco is Fisherman's Wharf because its beautiful and good for sightseeing. There are also many events there.<br />[One word to describe GEOS]: HOME. I would definitely recommend GEOS and I will miss Ethan the most, he's fun to talk to!")
