attendance per term and good academic standing and academic records zE F Course Certificate for International Language Students with 80% attendance and good academic standing. zP reparation classes and/or materials for appropriate standardized language exams and availability of University Placement Service (UPS). What EF expects of you: zT o develop a greater understanding of the world around you. zT o attend at least 80% of all classes and to do your best in class at all times. zT o be respectful of your homestay hosts, your classmates, your teachers and your community. zT o keep your room and shared areas clean. zT o speak English at all times. zT o abide by all laws, rules and regulations of your host country, state, campus and school. What you can expect from your homestay hosts: ❚❚A comfortable, clean place to live. ❚❚Prepared meals or accessibility to food to prepare yourself according to the meal plan. ❚❚Access to the school in approximately one hour by public transportation. All transportation costs are your responsibility.
14. US Culture & living tips Food Because of the multi-ethnic nature of America, you can find foods from all over the world in Atlanta. You should take the opportunity to taste some specialties from the South including fried chicken, biscuits, and the unique vegetables like collards, okra and black eyed peas. Typical American foods like pizza, hamburgers and fries are also readily available. Meals tend to get larger as the day progresses. Breakfast is typically quite small with coffee or tea, yogurt or cereal, eggs or pancakes. Lunch is a little larger, but still lighter than dinner, and usually consists of a sandwich or salad. Dinner is the biggest meal of the day in America and typically has at least one meat, vegetable and a starch like potatoes or rice. Mail Mail service is relatively inexpensive and very reliable in the US. There is a FedEx on campus
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Atlanta, USA
if you need to send something important that might need to be tracked or arrive faster than typical mail service. Always be sure to put your return address on any envelope. The normal form of address in the U.S. is: Name Name Street address, Apartment number City, State, Zip Code If your family or friends would like to send you mail, please be sure they address the package, letter or postcard as follows: YOUR NAME EF International Language School/Robinson Hall 4484 Peachtree Rd. NE Atlanta, GA 30319 The RAs will pick up all the mail once a day and let you know if you have something. Alcohol The legal drinking age in the US is 21 years old. You will need to show proof of age when purchasing alcohol at the store or any bar or restaurant. The rules in the US are very strict regarding underage drinking. There is no drinking, even if you are of legal age, in Schmidt Hall (the EF Dorm). Any alcohol found in the dorm will be confiscated and students will receive a disciplinary warning, even if they are legal drinking age. Smoking Over the past few years, smoking has become much less tolerated across the United States. On the Oglethorpe campus there are designated smoking areas and students smoking outside those areas will be asked to either relocate to a designated smoking area or
extinguish their cigarette. There is no smoking inside any buildings (this is a national law) and smoking in your dorm room will result in disciplinary action. EF recognizes your right to smoke, but we ask kindly that you be courteous and follow the rules of both the school and the community you are living in. Appliances Electric outlets in the U.S provide a current at 117 volts, 60 cycles (Hertz). Since many other countries operate with a voltage of 220, you might need a transformer to operate non-American appliances. You might also need an adapter to change the shape of the plug, which is either two flat prongs or three prongs for large appliances. Hairdryers and radios can be purchased very inexpensively in the U.S. so it may be better to buy some appliances upon arrival. Tipping People who work in the hospitality industry in the U.S. rely on tips from customers more so than in many other countries. Average tip amount: zR estaurant servers: 15-20% of bill zT axi drivers: 10-15% zS alons: 20% of bill
Sales tax Expect to pay 5-8% sales tax on your purchases (amount and the type of item taxed varies from state to state). Remember that a certain percentage will be added to the net total when you purchase something from a store or when you pay for food and beverages in restaurants. Store hours Store hours in the US are more liberal than in most other countries. In general, the following rules apply: zD epartment stores and shopping malls: