Intrax San Diego Blog

Fall in San Diego

2011-09-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

As fall begins, you can find lots of fun activities happening in and around San Diego. From the Apple Harvest in Julian to several Halloween events, there is plenty to do this time of year. Check out this website with lots of info on what is happening for the next three months http://www.sandiego.org/article/Media/1163 and start planning. If you have any questions, please come see us at the Front Desk and we will gladly assist you.

The October Calendar is finally here!

2011-09-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Lots of great Halloween-inspired activities! Start thinking about your costume!

The September Calendar

2011-09-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

Start planning your month - the September calendar is now ready!

ECI Profile: Kenji

2011-09-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Teacher of the Month: August

2011-09-01T14:18:00.000-07:00

Every month, the students and teachers elect a teacher to honor for their contributions to the school. For the month of August, we chose Holly Edwards! Congratulations, Holly!

To get to know Holly, we asked her some questions...

1. Tell me about yourself:

I am 100% always curious. I've always been afraid of the saying, "Curiosity killed the cat." I'm kind of just waiting for a time when my curiosity leads me somewhere dangerous. I'm also naturally shy, but my students don't usually believe me because in class I become a different person. The two things I hear most often are that I sound like Sarah Jessica Parker and I could have been an actress (not because of my looks, but because I usually act things out for my students). (I think my dream is to be a musical actress, but I can neither sing nor dance)

2. What would you say is your style of teaching?

My style is to try to keep students interested. No matter what the material is or how important it is, if the students are bored, they're not learning well. Engaging all as many of the senses as possible while studying helps learners remember better. Sight, sound and touch are pretty easy, but taste and smell...well, I still haven't figured that out yet. My style also incorporates my openness to constantly learning. How can I teach if I'm not willing to learn?

3. What advice would you give students for improving their English outside of class?

TALK IN ENGLISH! One of my biggest pet peeves is when I am sure that students are speaking only to people from their countries after class. I love it when I meet students who came here not knowing much English (starting in high basic), but try to speak to people from the U.S. or other countries. Their English almost always improves much more quickly than those who don't. Studying from a book at night can only get you basic knowledge. You have to practice to truly improve. I'm currently studying Spanish--let's see if I can practice what I preach.

Thank you Holly! If any of our readers have had Holly as a teacher, you can tell us why you voted for her for Teacher of the Month in the comments!

ECI Profile: Derek

2011-08-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend

2011-08-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend is Labor Day weekend, here in the US.

Labor Day is a holiday, celebrated on the first Monday in September, that honors workers. Because this day is meant to honor workers, it’s traditionally celebrated as a day of rest and relaxation. It’s also traditionally seen as the symbolic end of summer.

Most Americans celebrate this holiday by going out and barbequing with family and friends. We like to spend time swimming, relaxing, and playing sports. School is closed on Monday, so we hope you enjoy your three (or four) day weekend. We will! Here are some quick ideas for things to do this weekend:

First, Labor Day is a great day for sale shopping! I recommend going to Las Americas – you’re sure to find some great deals.
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/sales.asp?id=76

Friday through Monday, the Festival of Sail will be taking place here in San Diego. This is a great time to listen to some music and see ships from around the world.
http://www.sdmaritime.org/festival-of-sail/

Friday through Monday, the San Diego Symphony will also be doing a special performance in the Embarcadero Marnia Park South. They will be ending their summer concert series with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture complete with booming cannons over San Diego Bay.
http://www.sandiegosymphony.org/calendar/view.aspx?id=2408

This is the last weekend to go see the Del Mar Races! Although it’s a little far away, if you don’t have a car, the Coaster provides tickets to Del Mar.
http://www.dmtc.com/ http://www.gonctd.com/delmarraces2011

On Monday, you might want to do something really special and join the Hornblower for a BBQ and beer cruise! This is something I recommend everyone try, at least once – it’s a great way to see San Diego and relax at the same time.
http://www.hornblower.com/hce/port/overview/sd+labordaybbq

The Ivy will be having events all weekend, too!
http://www.ivyentertainmentsandiego.com/Calendar.aspx

Of course, you could also celebrate in more typical American style and have your own BBQ. Whatever you do, enjoy your day off of school! Just make sure you’re practicing your English. ;)

ECI Profile: Trésor

2011-08-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Name: Trésor Irumva

Nickname: Trey

Age: 19

Where are you from? I was born in Ruanda, and grew up in Essen, Germany.

How long have you been in San Diego? 3 years

Major/Schooling: Civil Engineering with minors in Fine Arts and French.

Goals: I'd like to use my drawing abilities to give the dry scientific engineering subject a more aesthetic side by combining architecture and engineering.

Hobbies: I spend my free time traveling to dance classes and workshop because I love to learn, come up, and dance complex hip hop choreography. Another thing that I like to do is to sit down in crowded areas and draw random the people around me. Sounds a little weird, but it's actually pretty fun.

Favorite places to go and things to do in San Diego/Southern CA: Take class at Culture Shock Dance Center in Old Town, eat ice cream at Yogurtland located in Little Italy, take long walks at the harbor and admire the size of the Navy ships, eat yellow curry at Vietnamese restaurant Saigon in Hillcrest, and last and not least, play pool in the Vantaggio lobby. ;-)

Favorite Quote: “Life is too important to be taken seriously. ”- Oscar Wilde

What's your favorite about being an ECI at Intrax? I just love the feeling of diversity, having people with different cultures, perspectives, opinions and views around me intermingle and get along well with each other. As an ECI had the unique opportunity to help students develop and improve their verbal English skills and form good friendships with them even outside of the classrooms.

Grammar Lesson: Parallel Structure

2011-08-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

Parallel structure is everywhere in English. It’s the way that we link several ideas together. Understanding parallel structure can really help you when listening to native speakers. Using parallel structure correctly is also a really easy way to make a good impression when you are writing!

Parallel structure uses the conjunctions and, but, or, and nor to connect single words, phrases, or even clauses. The key to using this structure correctly is to be sure that the structures on either side of the conjunction are absolutely the same.

Exercise is good for our physical health and psychologically.
In order to maintain youth and good healthy, we need to have a combination of exercise and proper nutritional.
When you start an exercise program, remember to start out slowly, listen to your body, and gradually increase the difficulty and long of the exercise.

These sentences have bad parallel structure. Can you spot why? Remember that the series of words should have the same grammatical form!

One of the best ways to figure out if your parallel structure is correct is to break down the elements. Look at this sentence:

Regular exercise improves digestion, increases energy, burns fat, and lowering blood cholesterol.

The parallel structure here is bad, but it may be confusing as to why. Here we’ll break it down into the separate parts:

Regular exercise

Improves digestion

Increases energy

Burns fat

Lowering blood cholesterol

The parallel structure here is verb phrases. The last part of the sentence however, isn’t a verb. We have to change it to “lowers blood cholesterol.”

Look back at the first few examples. How would you fix them?

One thing to be very careful of is gerunds and infinitives! Although both are considered noun forms, we do not mix them with each other. This sentence, for example, has bad structure:

I like to swim, dance, and hiking.

However, gerunds can be combined with other nouns.

I like swimming, the internet, and cake.

Finally, when writing parallel structure, you should be sure to use the proper punctuation. If you are using only two elements, you only need a conjunction and no comma. However, if you’re using three (or more) elements, there should be commas separating each part.

Does she work slowly or quickly?

She works quickly, efficiently, and cheerfully.

That’s it for today! We hope to see good use of parallel structure in your assignments from now on! ;)

ECI Profile: Estefania

2011-08-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

The English Conversation Interns, or ECIs are one of the things that make our classes here at Intrax special. Every week, students get the chance to practice their English with a real native speaker -- not just a teacher. We wanted to take the chance to get to know our ECIs better. Today, we talked to Estefania! Here's what she had to say about herself:

Name: Estefania Castañeda

Nickname: Nia

Age: 20

Where are you from? Born in Coronado, raised in Tijuana, and came back to San Diego in the 7th grade.

How long have you been in San Diego? About 10 years

Major/Schooling: I am a junior at San Diego State University studying Political Science with a minor in Philosophy.

Goals: I'm very interested in politics, specifically conflict resolution, political activism, and immigration reform. In the future, I would like to get an internship in a government organization so I can familiarize myself with the different career options available. I also love creative writing so I would like to somehow incorporate my creative lifestyle with politics.

Hobbies: I love learning different languages. Currently I am learning Japanese and French (soon German). It helps me break down the language barriers and understand humanity better. For example my favorite composers are French so I feel that if I learn French, I will someday be able to understand the message French composers tried to convey through their music. In addition, my favorite philosophers and writers (Kant, Nietzsche, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Frederich Engels) are German, so I would like to read the original texts because usually the real message gets lost in translation. Last but not least I play the violin. I named it Pangea because I believe that Pangea signifies world peace.

Favorite places to go/things to do in San Diego/Southern CA: I love going to Balboa Park because I think it's the most cultural place in San Diego and there's always a musician or an artist performing. I am a huge fan of the arts whether it is music, art, or writing. So Balboa Park is definitely the place where I can see it all. In addition I enjoy going to concerts in local venues such as the SOMA or the House of Blues.

Favorite Quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”- Nelson Mandela

What’s your favorite part about being an ECI at Intrax? Absolutely everything. I have the wonderful opportunity to share my experiences and in return learn different cultural perspectives. Being an ECI has made me realize how important it is to understand and be aware of different cultural perspectives. I've only been an ECI for a year but because I've met so many wonderful people, it feels like I've been here longer. All of the students have inspired me to love humanity and I have made irreplaceable friendships with them. Whenever possible, I share with my American friends the amazing stories that the students tell me so they can also learn something new about different cultures. I feel extremely lucky to be part of the Intrax team.

Special Class: Hula

2011-08-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hula is a traditional Hawaiian dance that dramatizes the words of a song in dance form. It is a complex art form, and is famous throughout the world. Our teacher, Christina, has trained in Hula, and is offering FREE classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 3 pm, for the next two weeks.

On Tuesday, a lot of students showed up to practice their moves. Christina started with a simple dance that is popular in schools in the US. This dance is called the Hukilau, which describes a Hawaiian village bringing in their catch of fish, then having a celebration afterwards.

Everyone caught on very quickly -- we have some very talented students! By the end of the class, all the students were proficient at the dance. If you want to learn the dance yourself, you can check out this page. It has a video and the dance steps, so you can practice at home! http://www.huladancehq.com/hula-dance-1.html

Everyone had a lot of fun, and got a good workout too! The free hula class will run for two more weeks, so join it and learn a little about Hawaiian-American culture while you can. We hope to see you there~!

ECI Profile: Dan

2011-08-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

Nickname: None that I know of...

Age: 34

Where are you from? Claremont, CA (not Clairemont)

How long have you been in San Diego? 2 years

Major/Schooling: Electro-Acoustic Music Composition with a Minor in Theatre. Will likely do grad work in Sound and Performance Art.

Goals: I would like to make movies, art installations, and concerts that combine my visual and musical ideas.

Hobbies: I love lifting weights and seeing how far I can push myself, physically. I see this as an extension of my artistic pursuits where I work very hard to push myself further emotionally. Less intense hobbies include watching True Blood, Breaking Bad, and Nova. Also writing comedy sketches and long-winded political commentary when given an outlet for it.

Favorite places to go and things to do in San Diego/Southern CA: Hiking in Torrey Pines, dive bar karaoke in Mission Valley, finding a Tommy's Burger in Clairemont Mesa, art gallery snobbery downtown and in La Jolla, trying to find the perfect pho restaurant, and hanging with the crazy people in OB. I'm also a big fan of Disneyland - which I've been told is weird given everything else.

Favorite Quote: "You are a Western man, but quite free to live in your Orient, as old a one as you want, - and to live in it as you like." - Arthur Rimbaud

What’s your favorite part about being an ECI at Intrax? I like hearing different perspectives on the the world around me - whether it's a unique, outsider take on the immediate surroundings of San Diego or about a place thousands of miles away that I hope to be able to see. Idealistic as it sounds, I'm coming to the conclusion that no matter where any of us come from we're all far more similar than we might have previously thought and being reminded of that a few times a week is refreshing. I suppose a quick way to say that is: "I like meeting people!"

Teacher of the Month: July

2011-07-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

Every month, the students and teachers elect a teacher to honor for their contributions to the school. For the month of July, we chose Kat Armentrout! Congratulations, Kat!

To get to know Kat, we asked her a few questions....

1. Tell me about yourself:

I'm a California girl. I was born in Los Angeles, but I've lived all over California, in the city and the country, the north, the middle, and the south. I would love to travel the world, but I don't really want to live anywhere else! My parents live in LA and I am really close to my family, so I visit them often. Most people don't know that I'm shy -- really! I am a bit of a nerd but I'm also a bit of a tomboy, and I've had many different, strange jobs. My favorite things to do are relaxing on the beach, swimming, making jewelry, shopping, and hanging out with my best friends.

2. What would you say is your style of teaching?

I try to teach my students the way I would like to be taught. There’s a time for being serious, for studying grammar and rules, and there should be structure every day. I'm a little bit strict when it comes to the rules, because I believe students should be responsible for their learning too. I want to push my students to succeed.

At the same time, I think students should have fun in their classes! I love to laugh and talk and teach through experience and doing. I want my students to be comfortable and happy in class. I love teaching. My students make my life interesting and fun -- I learn just as much from them as I teach them, if not more!

3. What advice would you give students for improving their English outside of class?

Practice your English while doing something you love! If you're into sports, try finding Americans to play with. Don't be afraid -- we love to meet new people and share our culture! If you like movies or music, watch American movies and listen to American music. If you like TV shows, let me know and we'll watch some together! ;) Go outside your comfort zone; make new friends, try new things, and challenge yourself to use the things you learn in class, every day. You learn best by doing. After all, you're studying English to use it!

Student of the Month: June

2011-07-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

Chen Ming Wei (Chris) won Student of the Month in July! He makes us happy in Intrax! Thank you Chris!

"A dedicated person with enormous knowledge and interesting opinions. He is also very perceptive and extremely kind. The perfect gentleman." -Nicole

"Negotiated the price of one product from $100 all the way down to $55 dollars! Such an inspiration in Business English." -Amanda

Teacher of the Month: June

2011-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Every month, the students and teachers elect a teacher to honor for their contributions to the school. For the month of June, we chose Nicole Bollhalder! Congratulations, Nicole!

To get to know Nicole, we asked her a few questions....

1. Tell me about yourself:
I am a modern woman, born in Switzerland, influenced by languages really early, as I was raised bilingually. I am a diversified multi-cultural, international human being. I have been called a cutting edge, state-of-the-art multi-tasker, and on my good days, I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond. On some days, I am new wave, on other days, I am old school.

I feel, I care, I heal and I share - a supportive, bonding, nurturing mentor. I try my best to take it slow and go with the flow or ride with the tide. Additionally, I try not to snooze, so I don’t lose. I keep my head up and my senses sharp, so I can continue to share my knowledge with the ones that wish to listen.

2. What would you say is your style of teaching?
On one hand, I focus on the curriculum and what is needed, so students can succeed. On the other hand, I wish to provide a comfortable atmosphere, in which students feel motivated to learn, can freely ask questions, and not only learn new things, but also widen their ‘personal horizon’.

3. What advice would you give students for improving their English outside of class?
Use your English as much as you can outside of the class; by reading books, watching movies or socializing with others (while speaking English). Students should try to implement what they have learnt during class in everyday life. Also, just a 15-minute review of vocabulary and grammar on a daily basis can go a long way. Of course, if you don’t like any of those suggestions, you can just write me an email, and in that way, you will be practicing your writing skills ;).

Vocabulary and Slang Lesson: -ish and -y

2011-07-26T15:09:00.001-07:00

Suffixes are a part of English that can be used to make one word into another word. Suffixes often change parts of speech, and can even be an important part of slang! Today we are going to look at the suffixes –ish and –y

The suffix –ish: This suffix can be used in two different ways. It can be used to form adjectives from nouns, with several different meanings.

“belonging to” -- (British; Danish; English; Spanish)
having the characteristics of,” “like” (babyish, girlish, boyish)

"He has a nice, boyish smile."

“Addicted to” “tending to” (bookish, freakish)

"She’s really bookish. She’s always studying and reading.

“near or about” (fiftyish; sevenish)

"Let’s go out for dinner. Can you meet me at sevenish?"

It can also be used to form adjectives from other adjectives. This has the sense of “somewhat,” “around,” or “rather.” (oldish; reddish; sweetish)

"His coat was greenish-brown."

"She’s only about thirtyish, but she has three children."

-ish can also be used for short answers!
A: Should we meet at seven?
B: Ish.

A: Is the tea sweet?
B: Ish.

The suffix –y: We all know the suffix –y can be used to mean “characterized by” or “full of” (healthy, dirty, salty, sleepy). But when speaking casually, Americans can put this suffix on almost any word and also can use this suffix to also take the place of other adjectives!

“Don’t be so judgy!” = “Don’t be so judgmental.”

“Do I look Paris Hiltony?” = “Do I look similar to Paris Hilton?” “

The movie was good but kind of cartoony” = “The movie was good but it looked/seemed like a cartoon.”

Next time you are listening to Americans speak, or even just watching TV, listen for these suffixes! I’m sure you’ll be surprised at how many times you hear them used!

San Diego Comic-Con International

2011-07-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

The Comic-Con International is by far the biggest convention in San Diego. It is also the largest in the Americas, and fourth largest in the world! The convention begins Thursday July 21st and goes through Sunday, July 24th.

Originally showcasing comic books, science fiction/fantasy and film/television and related popular arts, the convention has expanded over the years to include a larger range of pop culture elements, such as horror, animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible card games, video games, web-comics, and fantasy novels.

This year, the event will showcase movies like Twilight (Breaking Dawn) with special guests, Transformers (and their actors/actresses), TV shows like The Vampire Diaries, True Blood and Dexter (and their artists). Lots of famous Hollywood artists like Michelle Gellar, Charlize Theron, Rupert Sanders, among others will be at the show giving interviews and signing autographs.

If you did not get your tickets early, you can always go to the Convention Center and "people watch" - you may see lots of famous people as well as regular people dressed up in costumes. All in all a great spectacle! For more info, please visit or talk to us at the front desk.

AMIDEAST in San Diego

2011-07-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Last week we had the pleasure to welcome 25 wonderful students from 12 different countries! We were able to learn more about culture as well as share our American culture with them. They were wonderful ambassadors and did a great job learning English and immersing themselves in America. They lived with our host families and enjoyed local field trips to Old Town, San Diego Zoo, a great visit to an American High school where they interacted with several local students as well as a volunteer activity at a local senior center. Their time at Intrax San Diego ended with a great beach barbeque at Mission Beach on Saturday.

Prior to Intrax San Diego, the students spent one week in Washington DC and one week in Philadelphia.

Very special group - we miss you all and wish you the best of luck back home! Stay in touch!

(For more information about this special program: http://www.amideast.org/

AMIDEAST is arriving next Monday

2011-07-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

Intrax San Diego in partnership with the US Department of State has he pleasure of hosting 27 students from several different countries that come as part of a special program called AMIDEAST. They arrived in Washington DC where they got to meet with current Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, and are now in Philadelphia. They have done a lot of cultural field trips as well as taken English classes. When the group arrives in San Diego, they will be visiting several touristic attractions in SD as well as volunteering at a local senior center and improving their English with classes at Intrax. The students this year come from Egypt, Cambodia, Guatemala, Jordan, Kurgyzstan, Mauritania, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vietnam. Let's all welcome this special group next week!

Vocabulary Lesson - Enough x Too

2011-06-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Enough
"Enough to" shows sufficiency. It has a positive meaning.
Verb pattern: Subject + verb + adjective / adverb / noun + enough + to-infinitive

He is strong enough to lift that box.
The boy wasn’t clever enough to understand that.
We are not rich enough to buy a car.
He didn’t run fast enough to catch the thief.
Was he foolish enough to trust her?

Note that enough comes after the adjective or adverb it modifies.
She is old enough to be a grandmother. (NOT She is enough old to be a grandmother.)
He was kind enough to lend me a pound. (NOT He was enough kind to lend me a pound.)

Too…to
"Too-to" shows undesirable excess. It has a negative meaning.Subject + verb + too + adjective / adverb + to-infinitive

It was too hot to go out. (= It was so hot that we / he / they didn’t go out.)
He was too tired to walk. (= He was so tired that he couldn’t walk.)
The coffee was too hot for me to drink. (= The coffee was so hot that I could not drink it.)
She has become too fat to wear her old jeans.
You have become too much of a nuisance to put up with.

Notes

Too does not mean very.
She is very beautiful. (NOT She is too beautiful.)
She is too fat. OR She is very fat.

(source:englishpractice)

Spring Promotion - ENROLL NOW!

2011-04-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Special Spring Promotion

Enroll or Extend your program with Intrax and save 15%! Don't miss out on this great opportunity!

Thank you!

2011-03-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all our wonderful and caring students! The fundraiser was very successful and I am proud to say that we'll be donating US$1400.

Help Japan

2011-03-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hello students,

We will be having a fundraiser at the school this Thursday (at lunch time) to help raise money for Japan! Please bring as much as you can contribute! Let's help our Japanese friends! Intrax will match the money raised and we will donate it to the Red Cross.

We count on your help!

Information for Students & Participants Affected by Japan Earthquake & Tsunami

2011-03-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

"We have been in touch with our Intrax/Ayusa office in Japan, and everyone is OK. All staff have either returned to their homes, or are in a safe place. We are keeping in close touch with the office to assist them in every way possible, and will post updates as we know more.

We now focus on the support of our Japanese participants and students here in the United States, to assist them in contacting their families in Japan. All program leaders are working directly with their staff and the Japan office to provide support and assistance to our participants, students and families.

All U.S. and Germany Ayusa/Intrax participants who are in Japan are accounted for and safe.

In addition, everyone is California and the rest of the U.S. is OK. The tsunami waves have not done any major damage to the U.S."

If you are an English or Professional Skills student at one of our U.S. centers and need help contacting your family in areas affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami, please contact your center staff for assistance:

Intrax San Francisco: +1 415 835 9766

Intrax San Diego: +1 619 702 6300

Intrax Chicago: +1 312 236 3208

If you are a Work Travel or Internship participant and need help contacting your family in areas affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami, please contact our headquarters for assistance:

Intrax Headquarters: +1 415 434 5643

What is Cambridge?

2011-03-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

The Cambridge ESOL General English suite of exams has a wide choice of certificates reflecting the very different needs and abilities of people. The certificates cover basic exams for those beginning to learn English, through to advanced certificates for those who have attained a high level of fluency.

Cambridge exams are recognized around the world by thousands of employers, universities and government ministries as proof of ability to use English.

These certificates never expire, and will not need to be renewed — they are an achievement for life!

FCE (First Certificate of English) – students at Level 6 and up can take this class. The preparation course consists of English Classes (Grammar, Writing, Listening and Speaking) but the exercises follow the format of the test. It’s the perfect way to learn English while still getting prepared to take the exam in case you wish to do so. The whole course lasts 12 weeks and at the end of your course you are ready to take the FCE exam.

Sign up now – classes begin March 21st. See front desk for more info!

Cambridge FCE - Starting soon...

2011-02-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Enroll now and save $500!

Special Graduation and Dance Club Night

2011-02-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

29 students graduated today, including our hardworking and helpful ambassador TJ. Congratulations to all of you! Let's celebrate it tonight at the Dance Club Night activity. Meet Luis at 9 at Vantaggio.

Intrax activities this week

2011-02-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

We have a soccer game again tomorrow! It's going to be at 3:30 at Amici Park (in front of Vantaggio). Don't forget to sign up on the activities board for the Dance Club Night.

Cambridge Test Preparation at Intrax San Diego

2011-02-02T11:06:00.000-08:00

For a Limited Time Only…
Save $500 on the Cambridge Test Preparation Program Tuition*Available for Cambridge FCE at Intrax San Diego.

Tell your Admissions Advisor the Discount Code: CAM2011 to get your discount.
Cambridge programs start 21 March, 2011. Must enroll for full 12-week program. Program ends just before the testing date so you can immediately use the preparation to take your test.

*Cambridge tuition after discount tuition is $2620 (for 12 weeks). Discount will show on your bill when you are accepted to the program.

Our New Logo

2011-01-28T09:55:00.000-08:00

Intrax has a new logo!
The new logo represents our new direction - starting 2011 with great new courses, new curriculum, the new Portfolio and much more!

Hope you all like it!

Bowling today and San Diego Zoo tomorrow

2011-01-20T12:37:00.000-08:00

Today we are going to go bowling at 2PM (right after the graduation) at East Village Tavern and Bowl. Tomorrow we have a special activity. We are going to the San Diego Zoo (the biggest in the World!). Arrive at Intrax at 9AM. Do not forget to bring the money for the bus.

Soccer Game and Bowling Day!

2011-01-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow (Wednesday) we have a soccer game at Amici Park (in front of Vantaggio) at 3:30. You are all invited to play or watch. Let's exercise and hang out with our new friends. Luis (the new Ambassador) will lead the activity.
On Thursday, Tina is leading the Bowling Day at Tavern. It is going to be at 3:45pm and costs $8.75 (including rental shoes).
Let's go and have fun!

Experience America Focus Class gets insider's view to Petco park!

2011-01-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

Today we learned about the Corporation's role in Professional Sports. Students were thrilled to learn about "naming rights' in this morning's class and be able to follow along during the tour. We went on a 90 minute walking tour- learned about the history of the stadium, walked on the field, and even saw the visitor's team locker room!

Qualcomm Company Tour

2010-12-13T15:34:00.000-08:00

We went to Qualcomm headquarters for a company tour last Friday!! It was a truly unique experience. The company complex is so large they refer to it as “Qualcomm Valley.”

The guide, Ryan Wendlandt, gave us a tour of the IT department in his company. We went around the R&D lab dressed in lab coats like real engineers.

His team tests the chips used in technology we use everyday- like the Smartphone or computer. The chips are so small which makes testing super expensive. Our guide, Ryan, always wore a bracelet to monitor his body temperature because the chips are extremely sensitive. If his body temperature gets too hot or cold, he can damage the chip.

After finishing our awesome tour, we had lunch in the cafeteria and had the opportunity to meet with company staff! If you are interested in technology, don’t miss out on this once-in-a lifetime chance to get an insider’s view to a major US Corporation.

December Nights in Balboa Park!

2010-12-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

Students - Stay warm this weekend! Also, be sure to check out December Nights in Balboa Park ;)

Ski & Snowboarding Season

2010-12-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

If you like to ski or snowboard or would like to try it out for the first time, some of the ski parks are already open.

Here are a few suggestions:

Big Bear Mountain: http://www.bearmountain.com/snowboard/ $56 lift ticket

Snow Summit: http://www.snowsummit.com/ski/ $56/lift ticket

Ski Big Bear: http://www.ski-bigbear.com/home/default.aspx

Don't know how to ski:
Lessons start at $39

The PCBM Marketing Projects!

2010-11-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

Be sure to check out the PCBM marketing projects happening all day tomorrow! Support your classmates hard work ;D

New Website

2010-11-17T09:06:00.001-08:00

Check out our new website! It's super cool and has lots of pictures of San Diego students!

http://www.intraxusa.com (Link)

Thanksgiving at Intrax

2010-11-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

Join us for a very traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 3:30pm.
Sign up and pay at the front desk - deadline is TODAY (TUESDAY)!

Happy Hour at the W hotel

2010-11-12T16:13:00.001-08:00

We had a good time at the W hotel yesterday! Thank you for coming!!

The Writing Contest

2010-11-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Yu-Ling Hou in Chicago - the winner of the blog contest! We are very proud of you, Coco! And thank you to all students who participated! Here is the winner of the teacher writing contest. Congratulations to our teacher Holly Edwards!

Intrax Halloween Party!

2010-11-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you for coming to the Intrax Halloween Party! All the costumes were
awesome! Hope you guys enjoyed our Haunted Hallway as well ;D

Halloween Party - Thursday 10/28

2010-10-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder...our Halloween party is this Thursday at 6pm. If you would like to join us for a spooktabular evening, sign up and pay at the front desk by TOMORROW (10/27)!

Don't miss out!

San Diego Zoo!!

2010-10-15T16:20:00.001-07:00

A lots of students joined us to go to San Diego Zoo today!! Thank you for coming!! Hope everyone enjoyed it there ;)

Win a NEW i-Pod Nano!

2010-10-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Challenge: In your own words share an experience you have had in America. It can be about your time at Intrax, exploring the city, meeting new friends, your host family and anything else you have done in America! We want to hear happy stories, funny stories, sad stories with happy endings and all other kinds of stories.

Guidelines: - Minimum: 200 words
- Maximum: 500 words
- You may enter as many times as you want (the more times you enter the more chances you have to win)
- Entries must be typed.
- All entries become property of Intrax and can be used in school publications
- Submission Deadline: October 31st, 2010
- Please include your name and center in your email submission.
- Email your entries to jpridemore@intraxinc.com

Topic Ideas:
1. Connecting with the world
2. Building my future
3. Launching my career
4. Experiencing the U.S.
5. Exploring a new direction
6. Memorable moments
7. My advice

Testimonial - Chio, Ching-Tin -

2010-10-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a testimoial we got from a graduated student.
She is telling us how her life was here.
If you click the article, you can see it larger ;)
Hope you have a good time like she did!

Spirit Day Winner - Business English

2010-09-23T15:12:00.001-07:00

The Business English class created a great song to show their love for Intrax! Great job guys! Pizza & Ice Cream specially you on Tuesday!

Spirit Day

2010-09-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

We had our first Spirit Day today and it was awesome! Students and teachers created great songs, skits, posters...everyone showing their love for Intrax!

The Pizza Party!!

2010-09-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

We are going to have a Pizza Party at 11:30 in the lounge tomorrow!! $1 dollar for a slice of pizza ;) Don't have to worry about lunch tomorrow! Enjoy Pizza and company!

Intrax School SPIRIT day !!

2010-09-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Next Thursday is Intrax School SPIRIT day!
Show us your Intrax spirit by wearing Intrax colors; BLUE and YELLOW!!
You can make posters, songs, dances, etc. You can paint your face blue or yellow.
Judges will come to each class between 12:30 and 1:30 to take photos and video.
The best class gets a free Pizza or Icecream party!
We will put your pictures and video on Blog and Facebook ;)

Not ready to go home yet?

2010-09-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

Not ready to go home? Then extend your program at Intrax and try out one of our many classes!

Bring a friend to Intrax and get $100 off your tuition cost (and $100 off for your friend too!)

Let's go to the Padres Baseball Game !!

2010-09-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow at 6:30pm, we are going to PETCO Park to see the Padres play against the Dodgers. If you are interested in baseball, please sign up TODAY!!
It will be a great opportunity to experience American culture with lots of junk food and beer! Join US ;)) !!

Testimonial -Akari Matsumoto-

2010-09-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a testimoial we got from a graduated student.
She is telling us how her life was here.
If you click the article, you can see it larger ;)
Hope you have a good time like she did!

San Diego Zoo

2010-08-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

Last Friday at the San Diego zoo we had a good time with big group, more than 40 students! Thank you for coming!!
Next activity is the Padres Baseball game this Friday! Join us ;)))

New Session Starting on Tuesday!

2010-08-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

Wow...another session has ended! This year is going by so quickly!
Our new session will begin Tuesday (8/31) - if you passed your test, you'll be going to a new level!

***Please remember that if you did not take the test or your attendance is poor, you will not be able to level-up!***

AMIDEAST 2010 - English Access

2010-08-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

The English Access 2010 Program was a huge success! Thanks to Jo Peters, Kathy Kohut, Jessica Pridemore and the Intrax SD staff for making the program a big hit!

Here is a little info about AMIDEAST:
AMIDEAST is a leading American non-profit organization engaged in international education, training and development activities in the Middle East and North Africa.

Founded in 1951, in its early years AMIDEAST focused on promoting U.S. study to students in the MENA region and managing U.S. scholarships and exchanges such as the flagship Fulbright program. While these important programs continue apace, our work has expanded significantly.

Today AMIDEAST programs and services touch the lives of half a million individuals a year – improving educational opportunities and quality, strengthening local institutions, and developing language and professional skills critical for success in the global economy.

The students spent one week in Washington DC. They met with Hillary Clinton and also learned about American History and culture. After DC, they went to Philly and enjoyed learning about the Amish Community as well as more American History. Their final days were spent in San Diego studying English at Intrax! Intrax is thrilled to be working with this program for the 4th year in a row. We love meeting the students and being part of their experience in America.

This year we had students from East Timor, Mozambique, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Afganistan, Peru, Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Yemen & Turkey.

All in all, a big success!

Newsletter -August-

2010-08-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the August Newsletter which was published by the Student Ambassadors!
They are talking about some interesting activities not only inside of school but also in San Diego and even in other countries!
If you click the article, you can see them larger ;)
We are glad to publish this newsletter for you and hope you enjoy reading these articles!

Student Testimonial - Kraenzlin Sarah-

2010-08-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Wild Animal Park this Friday

2010-07-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we are going to the Wild Animal Park!! You can see many animals in a safari-like environment and also feed and interact with lots of animals.Lots of fun waiting for you!

Student Feature

2010-07-20T16:21:00.001-07:00

Most International English students are worried about their speaking and listening skills but they forget that in a technological world where communication is made via e-mail and other correspondences, this makes writing just as important as speaking and listening. Therefore Intrax teachers are always encouraging our students to improve their writing skills. From now on to show you what a good job our Intrax Students are doing, we are going to post some of the essays that they have been writing. The first two essays are from a TOEFL student.

Cultural Fair !!

2010-07-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

The Cultural Fair was a lot of fun... good food and interesting information about many different countries! Good Job everyone, and Congratulations TEAM MEXICO! Thanks to all students and teachers!!

Special Graduation 7/15

2010-07-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Today, we had a very special graduation with 4 students including Luis, our ambassador. We will miss you a lot. Thank you for everything you did for Intrax. Congratulations and Good Luck to all of you guys!!

Cultural Fair on Thursday

2010-07-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

This Thursday we have Cultural Fair. Each class has picked one country to present its culture. The most creative class will win a free pizza party! Do your best, good luck!

Corvette Diner

2010-07-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

Restaurant night yesterday at Corvette Diner was amazing! 34 students had so much fun there. The atmosphere was really nice. Thank you all for coming to our activity.

Free Breakfast and Graduation

2010-07-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

Today we had a very special day. In the morning we had a free breakfast because of the facebook competition we won, with pancakes, eggs, ham, doughnuts... Also we had graduation, student and teacher of the month. Congratulations guys!

WE WON THE BEST SCHOOL COMPETITION!

2010-06-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

Great job everyone!! We won the Best School - Free breakfast competition!
So...FREE breakfast this Thursday for the whole school!

Thank you all for voting!

Intrax B.B.Q. at Mission Bay

2010-06-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday we had a lot a fun at the B.B.Q. at Mission Bay. Thank you guys for coming. Please join us at the next one on July twenty-second.

2010-06-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday we went to Del Mar Fair. It was really fun with all the rides and delicious food!! Check some of our pictures.

The FIFA World Cup 2010

2010-06-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

The FIFA World Cup!!!

In July one of the most famous sporting events in the world, the
FIFA World Cup, will take place. Known as simply World Cup the event is the most important soccer contest that takes place every four years in one host country chosen by the committee that organizes the event, FIFA. Thirty three nations from the 6 continents take part, all striving to do the best. Actually the World Cup has already started with the qualifying tournaments that begin almost three years before the event. The qualifying tournaments are divided by continents. The best teams of each continent are qualified. In the new format of the World Cup that has been played since 1998, the 32 teams are separated in 8 groups with 4 teams in each group. The groups then play against each other. The two teams that have the most points go to the eighth-final, which is the most exciting part of the World Cup. They play only one match in the eighth-finals. The team that wins goes to the quarterfinals and the team that loses goes back home. The quarterfinals, semifinals and the final are the same. They only have to play one match. The team that wins the final has the honor to be called the World Cup champion. They also bring the World Cup trophy to their country.

The FIFA World Cup 2010!!!
The World Cup will have a new environment this year because it will be the first World Cup played in the African Continent. The host country is South Africa, a multi-cultural nation with eleven official and eight unofficial languages. Amongst those languages English is spoken by around 8 percent of the population. South Africa is determined to host one of the best World Cups ever, with its soccer fans that are very excited about hosting the event. Unfortunately some recent xenophobic attacks threatened the image of the country, but the government is trying to resolve the problems. Another concern of some of the others countries is the Vulvuzela. Vulvuzela is a type blown horn used by the soccer fans of South Africa in stadiums during games. It emits a sound like the noise made by the elephant, and it is very loud. Imagine thousands of fans blowing the Vulvuzela during a 2 hour event without stopping. The FIFA committee wanted to ban the Vuvulzela, but The South African Football Association made a presentation showing that the Vulvuzela is an essential instrument for South African soccer fans.
The mascot is another World Cup tradition that has been kept since 1966. Every host country creates its own mascot. The African organization committee chose the Zakumi, a leopard that represents South African colors. The opening ceremony will be on June 10th and the final match will be on July 11th. The whole event takes only one month. It will be very exciting. Will you be watching?

History of the FIFA World Cup

The World Cup has a long history dating back to 1930 when soccer was spreading around the world. FIFA lead by the president Jules Remit decided to stage a world soccer tournament. So, in 1930 the first World Cup was in Uruguay, competed by 13 teams. At this time only teams from South America, North America and Europe were sent because the teams needed to go by ship and it was a long and expensive trip. The host and favored country Uruguay beat Argentina in the final becoming the first World Cup champions. Now the World Cup has become the most wide-viewed sporting event of the whole world, exceeding even the Olympic Games. In the final match of the last World Cup between France and Italy, it is estimated that 715 million people watched. Since then 18 championships have been held, but only 7 countries have won the title. Brazil is the country that won the most titles at 5. Italy, the current champion has won 4 titles. Germany played 7 finals but only won 3 times. Uruguay andArgentina won 2 titles each while France and England, the country in where soccer was invented, has won just once.

Intrax is a favorite place on Google

2010-06-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

We are favorite place on Google. Between December 1 and February 28, Intrax International Institute was one of the most popular local businesses on Google, as measured by how many times people found Intrax and clicked on it for more information. We’re one of less than 250,000 businesses in the U.S. to receive this recognition; that’s less than 1 % of all U.S. businesses! Congratulations Intrax!

Happy Hour at Porto Vista Hotel

2010-06-04T16:04:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we went to the Porto Vista Hotel. They have a restaurant on the rooftop called the Glass Door. They have a lot of different kinds of drinks including international drinks such as Caipirinha and excellent appetizers like delicious Pommes Frites and special hamburgers. On Fridays they also have a special night with DJ's and a dancefloor. We had so much fun there! I hope you will join us next time!

VOTE FOR INTRAX SAN DIEGO!

2010-06-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Please vote for Intrax San Diego on our main facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/intraxinstitute?ref=ts

If we get the most votes, we will win a FREE BREAKFAST!!!

Let's win this competition and show we are the BEST INTRAX SCHOOL!!
Vote now!!

Memorial Day, May 31st...

2010-06-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day is a very important day for American people because it is time to remember soldiers who lost their lives in previous wars. The last Monday in May of every year is the chosen date to remember our devoted soldiers.

The first Memorial Day was organized on May 30th 1865 by general John Logan after the American Civil War. In the beginning it was just for people who died in the First World War but now it includes all wars. In 1882 it was called Memorial Day for the first time.

This day is a federal holiday in America. The American flag is halved at this day and it became a tradition to visit cemeteries and to bring a small American flag.

We thank all of our Veterans, and remember those who have lost their lives.

Volunteer Work !

2010-05-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

Today we had a great time volunteering at a Senior Center. We were serving meals, playing games and talking to senior citizens. The volunteer work was a success! It was a great opportunity to practice our English and exchange cultures. If you are interested in volunteering next time please talk to our Staff. Have a great weekend!

Special Graduation at Intrax!

2010-05-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Today we had very special graduation. Our Student Ambassadors Dai and Paolina graduated today. Thanks for everything that you have done for Intrax, we'll never forget you guys! Congratulations to all the graduates this week!

SUMMER PROMOTION

2010-05-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

The perfect opportunity to stay in California and enjoy the summer!
Pay for 3 weeks and get 1 WEEK FREE!

Free Breakfast At Intrax

2010-05-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

Today we had a perfect breakfast. More than 40 students joined us. There were muffins, croissants, juice and coffee. We hope you can join us next time.

Intrax At The San Diego Wild Animal Park

2010-05-21T16:27:00.000-07:00

Today Intrax went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. We were able to feed the animals, hold birds, see the cheetahs and lions very close and take some great pictures. The weather was beautiful and the company was great. Please check out the rest of pictures here:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=321075&l=9c37373144&id=100000228469408

Have a great weekend!

Beach BBQ

2010-05-17T16:38:00.001-07:00

Our first summer BBQ was a great hit! Thank you Intrax staff, teachers and students for making it a great event!!

Congratulations Kat & Vitor

2010-05-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Kat for winning the Teacher of the Month award! Kat is an amazing teacher and has helped many students to improve their English.

Vitor has really improved his English since he started at Intrax.

You are our Student of the Month!

Professional Internship Program

2010-04-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

Interested in learning English while also gaining work experience in the USA? Sign up for our Professional Internship Program and save 20%. When you upgrade to Internship, you will receive 4 weeks of Internship Preparation for FREE! Talk to Jo if you need more information.

You can choose to do your Internship for 8 or 12 weeks. Work with the greatest hotels in San Diego, our best Tour & Events companies, or create a new Marketing campaign for local companies....lots of possibilities!

Preparation Classes begin on May 3rd.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity! Get fluent in English and build a great resume!

Intrax Soccer

2010-04-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

We had our first soccer game of 2010 at Amici park this Wednesday. The students had a lot of fun and will continue playing every Wednesday. If you are interested in joining the team, please talk to Luis during the week.

College Fair

2010-04-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

Intrax just had a great College Fair today. Our students were asking a lot of questions to the college representatives and they were really interested in the information they received. Thanks to all the college representatives for coming! Study and improve your own English skill at Intrax and go to an American college after. It is such a successful and rewarding life experience. It is also our pleasure to help you. Do not forget to sign up for our 20% off Spring Promo by the end of April to improve your English!

Congratulations SueAnn & Rie!

2010-04-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

SueAnn Mead

Rie Obata

Congratulations SueAnn for winning Teacher of the Month! SueAnn has been with Intrax for over 10 years and has helped many students learn the English language.

Rie Obata has been a student at Intrax since November 2009 and has improved a lot since she arrived. She placed in the Intermediate level and due to her hard work she is now in Low Advanced! Way to go Rie! You are our Student of the Month!

Intrax Volunteer Program

2010-04-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

On March 27th, Intrax staff and students participated in a Volunteer program at New Roots Community Farm!!It is part of our monthly volunteer work and it gives students a lot of experience. It is a great opportunity to talk and meet American people!

Sign up and let's work together! Our next Volunteer work will be April 17th!

LAST DAY OF THE PHOTO CONTEST!

2010-03-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

If you have any pictures of you and your friends studying at Intrax, in San Diego, during one of our activities, please upload them to our Intrax International Institute page on Facebook! If your picture is chosen, you could win US$50!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/intraxinstitute?v=app_95936962634&ref=nf

Hurry! You only have a few hours left!

Turkish Cultural Day!

2010-03-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

Turkish Cultural Day was so successful. On March 24th, we had the first cultural day for Turkey. One of the great student ambassadors is from Turkey. They did a very nice presentation on culture, history, language, food and the country. They also brought delicious Turkish food and tea. Thanks to our Turkish friends who prepared everything, especially our ambassador Adem! Intrax had a great time! =)

2010-03-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

Intrax San Diego will have a Turkish Cultural Night on March 24th! We will have food, drinks, music, belly dance, and more! Sign up now! Let's have a great cultural party.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

Intrax San Diego is sea of green! The students all came dressed in green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! May the luck of the Irish be with all of them!

Intrax volunteer at the New Roots Community Farm

2010-03-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

New Roots is an urban garden located in City Heights, east of downtown San Diego. The garden provides plots for approximately 80 families representing 12 countries, all refugees who fled from oppressive or dangerous circumstances. The garden sits on 2.3 acres, and is facilitated by the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

They grow vegetables and they use them or sell them at market. Therefore, they can live independently in America.

Last time we had such a great experience and we will go volunteer Mar.27th again.

Let sign up and work together!

You can see a last volunteer video from this link.

http://vimeo.com/9843102

San Diego Zoo

2010-03-12T14:22:00.000-08:00

March 12nd, we had a school activity to go to the San Diego Zoo.

We could get a great ticket price which is 10 dollars each person; usualy 35 dollars so 40 students joined our activity. We will go to the Wild Animal Park as an activity next month. Please join us!

Teacher of the Month - ADOLF SCHMUCK

2010-03-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

Here is what our Teacher of the Month had to say after he found out he had won:

What does it mean to you to be the Teacher of the Month?
It feels good to be the teacher of the month because I feel I am appreciated by my students, and so this means that I have to continue to do my best to help the students in their English learning experience.

How would you describe your teaching style?
I try to make an environment where the students feel comfortable in order to help them learn as well as participate in the class.

Tell us of a funny moment you had in the class.
No particular incident comes to mind at the moment, but there are always funny moments going on.

What do you want to say to all the students who voted for you?
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate it.

Adolf is also a great musician. His next show is this Friday, March 12, at the Whistlestop Bar in South Park, 2236 Fern Street, San Diego, CA. 92104 w/ Eliza Rickman and DJ Robin Roth. Show starts at 9 pm. He (and his band) goes on around 11 pm. It's free.

Want to Learn some Grammar?

2010-03-10T14:11:00.000-08:00

Confusing Words

Bring and Take

The very common verbs bring and take can be really confusing!
One reason this happens is because bring and take have almost identical meanings but are used for different "directions" in English:

Bring shows movement toward the speaker, but take shows movement away from the speaker.
If Jeff needs a pen and wants Paolina to get it and carry it to him, Jeff says, "Could you bring the pen to me?"(or "Could you bring me the pen ?").

If Dai has the keys to the student store and Dai wants Mary to get them and carry them to Adem, Dai says, "Could you take the keys to Adem?" (Mary then takes the keys from Dai and takes it to Adem.)

More examples:

Please take the paper from Saemi and bring it to me.
If you want some coffee, I'll be happy to bring a cup to you.

Yes, please bring me a coffee from the kitchen.
If you're finished with your coffee, I'll be be happy to take your cup to the kitchen.
I'll take it to the kitchen.
Ricky is in his office and his mail just came.Could you please take it to him? He's expecting you to bring it to him.

Spring Promotion - Enroll now!

2010-03-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Do you want to stay in California for a little bit longer?

Then enroll now and receive 20% discount on your tuition. The promotion is valid for ESL, TOEFL, Business English, PCBM (Professional Certificate in Business & Management) and Internship. You can choose to improve your English at the school or while working for an American company.

***Remember: if you bring your friends to Intrax, you and your friends will receive US$100 off!***

Spelling Bee

2010-02-25T15:11:00.000-08:00

Today we had a school-wide Spelling Bee competition. It was great fun and the students got very competitive.

At Intrax we always strive to make learning a fun experience for everybody. Today was a great example of that. Oscar, who is in Low Intermediate, showed everyone that you don't have to be in the higher levels to be a good speller. Great job Oscar! You got yourself some great prizes and a pizza party for your class.

Stay tuned for our next big event!

Student & Teacher of the month

2010-02-25T14:47:00.000-08:00

Jeff - Student of the Month (twice now)

Adolf - Teacher of the Month

Congratulations to Jeff and Adolf!

Jeff has really improved his English since he started at Intrax. He started in High Basic and is now on his way to Low Advanced. His hard work has totally paid off because he's been selected to be our Student Ambassador. He is now going to help new students get used to life in America. Big Job! Congrats again Jeff!

Adolf - our wonderful High Intermediate & Low Advanced teacher. His classes are fun and enjoyable and learning happens naturally.

Surf Lessons tomorrow

2010-02-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

Summer is coming up....time to learn how to surf so you can hit the waves when the weather warms up!

Surf Lessons tomorrow (Feb 19th) at 11am in Mission Beach. For only $55 you get 2.5 hours of instruction and all the equipment needed (surfboard, wetsuit, rash guard and leash).

For information about surfing in San Diego click here

For information on the weather and waves click here

Pizza Day!

2010-02-17T13:22:00.001-08:00

Pizza Day tomorrow (Feb 18th) during lunch. $2 per slice!

**Don't forget! **

FREE CLASSES

2010-02-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

Intrax San Diego is offering FREE CLASSES this week. All our Focus classes are free to all our students (and new prospective students). They're from 2pm to 3:30pm.

Available classes are: Popular English, Speaking Skills, Speaking Fluency andInternship Preparation.

On Wednesday we have a FREE BUSINESS ENGLISH class from 3:30 to 5pm. Sign up at the front desk to reserve your seat.

Please sign up at least 2 hours before class so the teachers know how many students to expect.

Intrax Referral Program

2010-02-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

Refer a student to Intrax and receive $100 credit. Your friend also receives $100 credit.