The students of St Paul Preparatory High School in Minnesota (USA) have just been graduated!
Enjoy the picture of this multicultural promotion!
You’re interested in taking part to this unforgettable experience? You can enrol at St Paul Preparatory High School too!
Some weeks ago we introduced you to a new American boarding school in Paris called Notre-Dame International High School. The opening is now official!
The official opening of the new American Nacel School “Notre-Dame International High School” was sealed by Dr Frank Tarsitano, PhD President of Nacel Open Door and Yves Le Saout, Principal of Notre-Dame Les Oiseaux. Danièle Thevenin, Deputy Head, Steve Murphy, Director of the American school and Gerard Avundo, Director of Nacel Programs also attended the meeting.
The asset of Notre-Dame International High School relies on the fact that it combines an American curriculum with the French environment of the sister school Notre-Dame Les Oiseaux, a French school that provides an excellent education for many years now. Students will then become proficient in both languages and interculturally skilled!
Furthermore, this American High School in Paris will welcome students from many different countries. Some of them are from Brazil, Ukraine, Philippines, USA… Students will soon come from all continents! And you, where are you coming from?!
The school is due to open early September 2010 as planned.
You’re interested in taking part in this great project but want to know more about it? So don’t wait any longer, you’re about to live the most unforgettable experience of your life! Come on and join Notre-Dame International High School’s multicultural student body thanks to a High School program!
And what about fun and leisures? These are surely two keywords if you want to enjoy your academic year abroad.
At St Paul Preparation School the students’ self-development is fundamental, that’s why it offers a pleasant school life through a wide range of extra-curricular activities!
Talent shows as we’ve already seen, pumpkins making for Halloween, sports with a boys soccer team and a girls soccer team, basketball, clubs where students can enhance their global and specific skills, and so on!
Hope you’ll enjoy the video!
And you, are you ready for the adventure? >> Join this private American high school now and enjoy yourself! <<
Do you dream of attending an American curriculum in a French environment? Then have a look at this and make your dream come true!
The Notre-Dame International high school is a private American school located in Verneuil-sur-Seine, just 30 minutes away from Paris by train. This private American school is established at Notre-Dame Les Oiseaux, a school which is well-known for its excellent education (one of the best in France) for more than 80 years now.
Notre-Dame International high school is part of the Saint Paul Preparatory school’s network. It actually offers an American curriculum leading to the US High School Diploma in the French environment of Notre-Dame Les Oiseaux. For the most part, courses are taught by American teachers in English, but some other courses are also taught in French, making the students become very proficient in both languages!
The campus of Notre-Dame is definitely unique: the Château de Verneuil is located in the heart of a beautiful wide park with gardens and lots of trees… so that pupils can study in a real pleasant atmosphere!
Moreover, this school offers lots of extra-curricular activities for all the students! Many clubs such as Photo, Theatre, Flamenco or Jazz for example are available. Many schools trips are also organized in France and in Europe, in order to enable students to discover various cultures.
Notre-Dame International high school’s boarding quarters’ and host families’ options are also an asset, above all for international students living far away. Host families enable them to get fully immersed in the French culture.
This a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so just don’t let go this opportunity!
Students of the school are waiting for you to share this unique experience. >>Join this American School in Paris now!<<
Enrique comes from Chile. Last year, he spent a semester at St Paul Preparatory School. Here is his testimonial of what he considers to be ”the most important experience of his life”. This unique experience not only enabled him to improve his English, but also to make friends from all over the world!
And you, how would you like to have a meeting with the world? Maybe here is the answer!
Such a rewarding once-in-a-lifetime experience! And what about you? Do you feel like taking part in? Join this American private High School!
Meals and hygiene are two important components of everyday life : if you are going to live in an American host family, these advices below may be very useful!
American Meals
There are usually 3 meals in the typical American day:
Breakfast
Taken around 8am, breakfast is usually coffee or milk, with toasts, butter and marmalade, or cereals with milks, and orange juice. This is a very important meal, don’t skip it!
Lunch
Usually taken between 12am and 1pm, it is a quick meal, except on Sunday: Hamburger, hot-dog… Usually, you have to help yourself out in the fridge or go to the local fast food.
Dinner (or supper)
The American family doesn’t meet often to take this meal. It can be a pizza or a hamburger everyone eats when hungry. However, more traditional families take a real dinner together, eaten between 6 and 8 pm, with salad, meat, vegetables, dessert…
Don’t be afraid if your family doesn’t offer to prepare your meals: they will tell you to help yourself out and you should not hesitate to do so!
On Saturday and Sunday, in most families, breakfast and lunch will be replaced by a lunch, a “big breakfast”, that will be taken around 11am. On these days, there will be a dinner like the other days.
American people eat a lot of beef or chicken meat, but usually meals are balanced. Since people usually eat a lot of snacks between the meals, you will have to pay attention not to eat too much.
You should at least try to taste everything that is offered for you. And always thank your hostess and congratulate her for what she has prepared!
About clothes
Hygiene is a really important matter in the US: take it seriously!
- In most families, there will be several washings a week: ask to your family when you should give your clothes to wash it, and even offer your help to do it since usually washing machines are easy to use there: be sure to have understood how the machine works first!
American people really take cleanliness seriously. They would be bothered if you or your clothes were not clean: pay attention to this point: change your clothes and take a shower everyday.
We hope this information have been useful: don’t hesitate to share your experience with us!
Want to get general information about American life, especially in an American host family? This article is for you!
About customs
If you get in touch with the police, always stay calm and polite. 
Regarding clothes, American are very tolerant, but monokinis are forbidden.
You have to behave really carefully with people of the opposite sex, since something that would be considered as usual in a Latin country could lead you to the Court in the USA!
In many American States, weapon’s possession is legal. It is highly recommended to stay calm in all situations.
People less than 21 can’t smoke or drink, and are not allowed to buy such things. If they want to do so, they will have to prove their age. Smoking is not really appreciated in the US and is strictly forbidden in many places.
Social life
Social life and communities are a really important component of American society. As an ambassador of another country, you will arouse a lot of interest, maybe you will even be interviewed by a local television: always answer positively to such manifestation of interest!
American houses
Most American houses are made of wood.
American houses are generally open: the kitchen, dining room and living room often communicate.
In most houses, toilets are in the bathroom. So, if a member of your American host family tells you he has to go to the bathroom, he may not be speaking of having a shower!
Most American houses have a front and backyard, and the front yard often communicates with neighbors’one.
American Host Families in Florida
Florida is home to many hispanic families. If you are going there, you may see the parents speaking Spanish, and the children speaking English: it is a good opportunity to practice both languages!
Sundays
In many families, Sundays are dedicated to church. Even if you don’t share your family’s beliefs, if they offer you to accompany them to the service, they would be pleased to make you discover their own culture. Your family could not understand your refusal to accompany them. However, if they are “proselyte”, don’t hesitate to signal it to your local coordinator if that bothers you too much and make you feel uncomfortable.
Distances
USA are a big country: you will have to use public transportation a lot, and expect journeys of around 60 to 90 minutes!
If you have other useful information about American life, don’t hesitate to share it with us!
You are flying to the USA soon and will be living with an American host family? Here are some information you should know before departure in order to get along well with your family!
Think of yourself as an ambassador of your own country!
When you will be in the USA, you will represent your country, so your behaviour abroad will help forge an image of your fellow citizens abroad: be proud of it but don’t act like your country is better than the USA : they are just different countries. American are really proud of their country, and they wouldn’t understand if you were not proud of your own!
Share your culture and your feelings!
Once in your family, you will see they want you to feel comfortable, like a true member of the family. Call your host parents the same way their children do.
Offer your help!
Being a host doesn’t mean you should act like you are in a hotel: offer your help for little chores like walking the dog out, dressing the table… In addition to please your family, these little chores will be good occasion to communicate with your American host family!
Share some expenses!
A good way to show that you are well educated is to share some expenses. If the family takes you out, always offer to pay your own expenses like tickets. You can also offer some flowers or a little present to your host mother. A round of ices will surely please everyone too!
Open yourself to your American host family!
Bring some pictures of your family or life abroad: you will be able to explain your everyday life to your American host family!
Don’t stay alone in your room, it could be misinterpreted by your host family. If you are tired and want to rest, inform your family.
If your family offers you to participate in activities, always accept it. If you say “no” to be polite, your family will take this “no” for what it is, I.e, a “no”. Don’t waste opportunities!
If your American host family has young children, try to have fun or play with them!
Pay attention to misunderstandings and misinterpretations: some expressions like “it’s stupid”, that you could say innocently, could be misinterpreted by your host family.
Be autonomous
In your family, if there is a teenager, it is likely he will have a job: Americans are encouraged toward financial independence, and having a job, especially during summer, is something usual.
Your American host family will have already thought of the problems such a situation could give, and may have associated friends and family so you won’t be alone!
Your American host family will expect your to be able to take care of yourself.
If you are an enthusiast and open-minded host, you will be able to integrate yourself quickly to your American host family and you will live a wonderful experience!
At Saint Paul Preparatory School, it’s not only about learning, it’s also about having fun or build new or already existing skills!
For all gifted or adventurous people, there are Talent Shows organized on a regular basis!
Below are two videos of these talents shows!
The first video is about two students breakdancing!
The second video is the musical comedy “Annie” students played last year!
Do you feel such a high school would be perfect for you? Contact us! Stay tuned for new videos about learning language abroad!
Did you know that some high schools were truly international? In these high schools, students from the whole world study together. We are going to present you one of these high schools today, the St Paul Preparatory School in Minnesota!
The Saint Paul Preparatory school is a private American high school located in St Paul, Minnesota. This private American high school welcomes each year international students as well as local American students, in a pleasant, international atmosphere.
This high school is part of a network of international high schools throughout the world: USA, but also Korea, Poland, China, Kenya… These private American high schools gives students the opportunity to get an American education, to improve their knowledge of English, and to increase their global and cultural understanding of the world, by sharing their everyday life with students from the whole world!
The Saint Paul Preparatory School in Saint Paul is located in Galtier Plaza, in the downtown of Saint Paul. This exceptional location allows students to have many extra curricular activities, and provides an access to many facilities!
During their international program at Saint Paul, international students are hosted by an American family. This allows them to be fully immersed in the American culture, and it’s also a great help for students to have a host family to support them during their stay! Their American host family is really like another family, and will support students during their stay abroad!
At the Saint Paul Preparatory School, students receive an American education in a very individualized way: there are between 6 and 25 students in a class. Students not only learn academic knowledge, but they also have the opportunity to get a unique experience of life.
Students come from many countries and this is a perfect ground for international understanding!
Students enrolled in the Saint Paul Preparatory School also have many extra curricular activities. There are many clubs where students can enhance their global and specific skills: student leadership council, math club, Model UN, Mock trial, Theatre Club, Science Club, Art Club, Speech Club…
Students are also offered the opportunity to participate in many of the traditional American festivities: special animation during elections, Prom night, Halloween, Thanksgiving… Students get unforgettable memories during these events!
Many schools trips are also organized, in order to enable students to discover USA and their culture during their stay at the Saint Paul Preparatory School!
Students from the whole world have enjoyed their stay at Saint Paul for years! In the next weeks, we will publish some of their videos or a picture, showing what life in an international high school is! Stay tuned for these articles!
If you are interested in this unique opportunity and would like to study in an international high school too, I encourage you to contact us to get more information about it!
