The language, the pop culture and the money are some of the factors that may seduce foreigners to venture into moving to the United States, but once the honeymoon stage ends, culture shock begins.

To help ease the transition, EC provides international students with the opportunity to improve their language skills and to become better acquainted with the American culture.

“It is a fun program for students,” Destyn La Porte, academy manager, said. “Students who come here are curious about the American culture.”

The classes offer an average of 20 hours per week of instruction. Each class meeting is divided into multiple segments of varying subjects.

These subjects include reading and culture during the morning hours, followed by grammar and writing in the afternoon, La Porte said.

“Our groups are students who have not passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) yet,” she said. “We try to get them ready so they can pass this test.”

The academy’s ultimate goal is to assist students with passing the TOEFL and eventually transferring into the foreign student program and working with the International Services Office, La Porte said.

“This program is not for credit; it is to help them feel comfortable with our culture,” La Porte said.

“The teachers in the program are really fabulous, they give detailed directions on what students need to do to succeed,” she said.

Phillip Chan, business major, said he benefited from the instruction he received at the language academy.

“The classes really helped me with my reading, writing, listening and speaking skills,” Chan said. “It is a good program for students who take English as their second language.”

Currently, the language academy is recruiting new members.

Furthermore, the program is rewarding EC students who refer international students to the academy with a $25 gift certificate to the bookstore.