1. Thanksgiving Special
The Smithsonian National
Museum of the American
Indian
History of Thanksgiving
5 Things you have to try
on Thanksgiving
The Indian Food
The Oculus
Volume1
November2016
DIRECTOR’S GREETING
Dear Teachers, Faculty Staff and Students:
As we are approaching the end of the year, may I wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving and
happy holidays!
With more than 20 years of experience in providing education for students in downtown Manhattan,
OPMI Business School has always strived towards becoming the primary ESL and vocational school in
Manhattan. As such, a new strategic plan to enhance the ESL program and expand the school has been put
in place. You will see some significant changes in the ESL programs in 2017!
For the vocational programs, we will continue exploring new programs to offer to give our students a
competitive advantage in the market. We will also be upgrading our technology and software programs to
facilitate our students’ study process.
In addition, we commit to improve our communication with all students and colleagues who are invested
in the development of OPMI. To achieve this mission, we have decided to issue this OPMI Newsletter
monthly. This newsletter is to inform all of you of what has happened in the school and what will take place
in the coming months.
Today, I am very excited to present the first issue to you, thanks to the efforts of the editorial team led by
Ms. An. I strongly encourage all staff and students to provide feedback so that we can further enhance
the growth and development of the School. Please feel free to write to me, Director Jay Yang, or to the
editorial team of the Newsletter if you have anything to share with us. Hope this newsletter will keep us in
close loop with each other.
Hinman Au
Executive Director, OPMI Business School

2. The Smithsonian National Museum
of the American Indian
History of Thanksgiving
Elementary school children across
America grow up learning about
the festive and bountiful dinner of
peace that the Pilgrims and Ameri-
can Indians shared at a celebration
in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621.
This celebration is identified as the
first Thanksgiving. These days, most
adults in America are aware of the
myth of Thanksgiving and understand
it to be the beginning of the controver-
sial displacement and decimation of
the Native Americans.
In recent news, American Indian tribes
have been protesting the construc-
tion of a controversial oil pipeline
that threatens to ruin the local water
supply in North Dakota. My Lower
Advanced class has been reading and
discussing updates on this topic, so we
decided that a visit to the Smithson-
ian’s National Museum of the Ameri-
can Indian would be insightful.
~ By Mr. Brian Kim Leo
ESL Instructor
Brian Kim Leo is a first- generation American who was born in New Jersey.
His mother is from South Korea and his father was born in Italy. Having been
raised in The U.S.A. by immigrant parents, he feels that he has a profound
understanding of the challenges and limitations that can arise for those whose first
language is not English. The insight that Brian has gained from his cross-cultural
upbringing has given him the ability to adapt to different customs and traditions
as well as value the significance of other cultures.
Shortly upon graduating from Rutgers University in 1999, he began teaching ESL
in South Korea, where he had worked for a year. He then traveled through parts
of Asia and Europe, learning about different cultures along the way. In 2001, he
moved to New York City and has been teaching ESL here for the last 15 years.
Teaching ESL in NYC has been incredibly rewarding for Brian.

3. On October 14, we left OPMI and took a stroll to the museum. The main exhibition was entitled, Unbound:
Narrative Art of the Plains. The exhibit showcases historic artwork from the museum’s collection along
with new pieces commissioned by the museum from 16 contemporary artists. In the first gallery, many of the
works were painted on animal hides. The other rooms concentrated mostly on historic and contemporary draw-
ings and paintings on ledger paper.
Ledger art gets its name from discarded ledger books from traders, settlers, military officers, missionaries and
U.S. government agents from the 1850s to the early 1900s. Early ledger art focused on battles and hunting, but
as the buffalo disappeared and the Plains tribes were increasingly confined, the drawings began to focus more
on personal experiences, such as courtships, battles, disease outbreaks, ceremonies and imprisonments . Ledger
art was a way for the American Indians to document their experiences and history through easily understood
images and not with words.
OPMI students discussed that a lot of the content in the newer art pieces included objects from contemporary
life, such as cell phones, pop icons and corporate logos incorporated with traditional American Indian culture.
This is probably because contemporary ledger artists honor pre-reservation cultures and the battles and strug-
gles they had experienced alongside making visual commentary on the world that we live in today.
While families across the country enjoy their Thanksgiving Day feasts, many American Indians will honor
their ancestors who died due to colonization and reflect on its horrific, bloody history. If you have some time
and would like to gain some additional insight on the American Indian experience, we highly suggest that you
visit, Unbound: Narrative Art of the Plains, which runs from March 12 to December 4, 2016 at the Smithsonian
National Museum of the American Indian in New York (One Bowling Green, Financial District, Manhattan).

4. T
hanksgiving is one of the most important festival in
U.S.A. Schools usually have 4-6 days break for all the
students. Do you know when is Thanksgiving Day
2016? It is Thursday November 24th. The date of Thanks-
giving changes because it always on the fourth Thursday in
November. Thanksgiving Day trandition-
ally kicks off the “holiday season” in the
United States. The day was set in stone
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
in 1939 and approved by Congress
in 1941. FDR changed it from Abra-
ham Lincoln’s designation as the last Thursday in
November (because there are
sometimes five Thursdays in the
month).
Thanksgiving Day can be traced
back to the 1621 celebration at the
Plymouth Plantation, where the
religious refugees from England
known popularly as the Pilgrims
invited the local Native Americans
to a harvest feast after a particular-
ly successful growing season.
While Britons think of it
as a warm-up for the
Yuletide period, many
Americans think it of
it as just as important as
Christmas. If you’re
staying here for your first
Thanksgiving, there are five great
things you can try!
Shopping on
Black Friday
Make your
own Thanks-
giving Turkey
Have a fall
foliage trip
Enjoy the
Macy’s
Thanksgiving
Parade
Write a thank
you card to
you loved
By Xiang Li & Si Chen

5. 4 Best places to go Christmas Shopping
1. Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
Address: 498 Red Apple Ct, Central Valley, NY 10917
Time: 12:00am-6:00am
2. Walmart Open from 6:00pm
3. Best Buy Open 5:00pm-1:00am
4. Macy’s Open from 6:00pm
Online sales start 12:00am
Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Fill the turkey with aromatics like chopped onions and herbs
3. Tent with foil and roast for 2 hours
4. Remove the foil, baste with more melted butter and crank the oven to 425
degrees F.
5. Roast for another hour or until the meat at the thigh registers 165 degrees
6 Great spots to view fall scenery
»» Bear Mountain Park, NJ
»» Ringwood State Park, NJ
»» Minnewaska State Park, NY
»» Valley Railroad in Essex, CT
»» White Mountains, NH
»» King Park, RI
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Parade begins at 77th Street & Central Park West at 9am. The Parade
will march south on Central Park West. At Columbus Circle, the Parade will
then turn EAST onto Central Park South instead of heading down Broad-
way.
You can book the ticket from:
www.viator.com/new-york-city/tours
After enjoying all the activities during the Thanksgiving, it is time to sit
down and share our happiness with families and friends. In American
culture, Thanksgiving is the day we should send our love and thanks to we
loved.
Where you can get your card:
1. Find a card from grocery store
2. Make one by yourself
3. Make a E-card on line

6. One significant aspect that sets OPMI apart from
other ESL schools is our close proximity to many
historical and intriguing sites. Located in the Financial
District of lower Manhattan, OPMI is literally steps
away from Wall Street, the National 9/11 Memorial,
The Federal Reserve Bank, South Street Seaport , and
renowned cultural institutions. Ferry terminals are
also easily accessible to visit the Statue of Liberty and
Governor’s Island. At OPMI, instructors take advan-
tage of this proximity by scheduling class excursions
which correlate to the topics and lessons discussed in
the classrooms in order to enhance student learning.
On September 14, 2016, My Lower Advanced
class and I left our classroom at OPMI and headed
up John Street to The Oculus at the WTC transporta-
tion hub. The Oculus, designed by Spanish architect,
Santiago Calatrava, had been one of our current event
discussion topics for that week. In class, students had
worked in groups discussing whether the 12 years of
construction and $4 billion dollars in public funds
were actually worth the effort and price tag.
When we arrived there, the students had the chance
to see The Oculus with their own eyes and debate in
English whether Calatrava’s intentions had been con-
veyed. We had read that one of Calatrava’s goals was
to create a structure that resembled a winged dove,
but my student’s had different reactions once inside.
Some students said it reminded them of bones or a rib
cage, while others said it was similar to the inside of a
spaceship or a science fiction movie set.
One unifying
reaction that the
student’s shared
was a sense of
awe. There is no
denying that The
Oculus is a work
of art which sym-
bolizes hope for
many New York-
ers, in a location
that was desolated
after 9/11. I was
able to share my personal anecdotes of being in NYC
on September 11, 2001 and answer questions that the
student’s raised. Overall, visiting The Oculus together
as a class proved to be an enriching experience for us.
The Oculus
The WTC Transportation
- - by Mr. Brian Kim Leo

7. finally we decided to try different variations of several
dishes. I ordered a huge masala dosa and masala tea. It
was incredibly tasty. Even my classmates that weren’t
into spicy food enjoyed the experience as well.
On the way back to NY City we tried one more thing.
We purchased it at a small deli-like store near the res-
taurant and it was prepared quickly right there on the
spot. It is hard to describe the specific taste, because it
is a mix of at least five different flavors. I would try it
again if I had the chance.
I am very glad that we made that trip and really ap-
preciate the teacher’s fantastic idea to take us to this
wonderful part of New Jersey that resembled India.
Field Trip to Indian Street
New Jersey
------by Kateryna Zamkova
ESL Student
On October 19th our class took a trip to New Jersey.
We wanted to visit the Indian neighborhood there, so
we met at OPMI and then walked to the World Trade
Center PATH station.
First of all, I was really surprised by how fast and
convenient the trip to NJ was. It took us about twenty
minutes to get there. Also, the train was very com-
fortable and I enjoyed the view from the window
during our ride.
It took us about ten minutes to walk from the train
station to Indian Street. It was really interesting
because we saw a really old movie theater contrast-
ing with the modern architectural style of the other
buildings.
Finally we made it to Indian Street, which was easily
recognizable with all of the colorful flags and other
Indian decorations. Our first stop was an Indian
Hindu temple. It was small but authentic. Before we
entered we needed to remove our shoes. The smell of
incense, burning herbs and oils surrounded us.
Of course, my favorite part was the lunch in the
authentic Indian restaurant called Sri Ganesh Dosa
House. It was recommended to us by our classmate
who lives in the area and showed us around.
It took a while for us to figure out what to order, but
The Indian Food
Mr. Matti Havens
ESL Instructor
Matti Havens was born in the Netherlands
and raised in the Finger Lakes region of New
York. Furthermore, he has lived, studied
and/or worked in Ecuador, Italy, South
Korea, Switzerland and Poland.
He started his English teaching career in
South Korea, where he taught at an after school academy. After
earning his MFA in Sculpture from the Maryland Institute Col-
lege of Art in Baltimore he lived and taught in Wroclaw, Poland
for a year and a half. He currently lives in Sunnyside, Queens.

8. Activities & Information
»» OPMI Newsletter Editorial Board was established on October 13, 2016.
»» The first issue has published on November 15, 2016.
Michael D. Kurtz, DDS is a general
dentist based in Hollis, NY. His
team specializes in root canals, dental
implants, and Belleglass. He has worked
as the team dentist for college basketball
teams and more. His patients love his
twenty-five years of expertise as he helps
them to achieve their best smiles ever!
Website: sportsdds.com
OPMI BUSINESS SCHOOL
Address: 116 John Street, New York, NY 10038
TEL: 212-269-4000 Fax: 212-269-9070
Email: info@opmi.edu
http://www.opmi.edu
Publisher: OPMI Business School
Editorial Advisory: Ms. Juwen An If you have any questions or comments, please email us
at news@opmi.edu
Ryoko Takeda Si Chen Xiang Li
Editorial Team
2016.12 Volume
Coming Soon...