California. There is not enough to say about this great state and how much fun it is to live here! From the beautiful beaches, the food, the wine, and the museums to the outdoors, the nightlife, and parks . . . there are just too many fun things to list as reasons we love the Golden State....
There are so many fun activities for English students in SF that sometimes, we have a difficult time choosing which activities to highlight on the CISL Blog. Alcatraz, Sausalito, Golden Gate Park, museums, festivals, cool shows in awesome theaters, canoeing, hiking . . . there is always something interesting happening in the City by the...
This month, CISL is celebrating one of the coolest tourist attractions in San Francisco: Alcatraz! In honor of this historic locale, we have a list of some common English expressions that are associated with crime and jail. How many of these do you know? English “jail” expressions “Ball and chain” Originally the name for the...
Seattle may be the U.S. city most often associated with coffee (it was the birthplace of Starbucks!) but San Francisco’s laid-back coffee shops serving up delicious roasts give Seattle a run for its money.* Check out some of these excellent coffee shops while you are studying English in San Francisco. *run for its money =...
Everyone seems to have a different idea for the perfect first date. A fancy steakhouse and the theater? Dinner and a movie? Or . . . some burgers and the sunset? Although it is difficult to say exactly what the dating traditions are in the United States (everyone is different!) there are some things which are...
It is time to learn another one of the English language’s 12 tenses! This month, CISL is focusing on the Future Perfect. Think of an action. Think of this action continuing into the future. Now, you want to express how long the action will be continuing. How do you do so? With the Future Perfect!...
If you have experienced a “California winter” while studying English in San Francisco or San Diego, then you have probably needed to bundle up a little. The temperatures in California are nowhere near the cold temperatures that other parts of the country, Europe, or Asia experience . . . but they are chilly enough that you...
When deciding to live in the United States and study English in San Francisco or San Diego, there is one big decision to make: homestay, or residence hall? Both have their advantages! In a homestay, you have the opportunity to interact with Americans constantly, and you get a glimpse into American life. It is a...
San Francisco is close to incredible tourist destinations: Napa Valley, the Northern California Redwood forests, Yosemite, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and many more beautiful locales are just a road trip away! One road trip is the perfect destination any time of year: Lake Tahoe. Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range that separates California from Nevada,...
The trees are trimmed, the lights are hung, Starbucks is selling eggnog lattes . . . Christmas season is here! To get into the holiday spirit, why not do what so many other American families do: watch Christmas movies. The following are some of our favorites. Happy Holidays to our CISL students and staff! Hilarious...
