April 23, 2018 at 5:35 pm

OPIE Zone | International Conversation at Athens Public Library

International Conversation @ The Athens Public Library

Welcome to Week 15 of The OPIE Zone Newsletter. Here are some important announcements for this week. We would like to thank the Friends of the Athens Public Library for hosting some of our students at the International Conversation event last week where they met many wonderful people from the Athens community. We also want to congratulate our third place winner of the OPIE Writing Contest, Xuanqi Ye. You can read his winning paragraph in this edition of the OPIE Zone. Congratulations, Xuanqi Ye!

OPIE Ambassadors Writing Contest

3^rd place

Trip to Dubai: Surprising, Uncomfortable, Wonderful by Xuanqi Ye

When I was 12, I went to Dubai for summer vacation. That was a surprising, sometimes uncomfortable, but overall wonderful experience. This was my first trip abroad. Dubai was a desert in my imagination, but this trip turned out to be very surprising. I never expected Dubai to be so beautiful and prosperous. I spent a few days at the Burj Al- Arab Hotel while traveling in Dubai. The hotel was surrounded by water and the beach is just outside. The hotel decoration was very luxurious and our room was divided into two floors, but what impressed me most that there was a very large bathtub on the second floor, which was about the width of my schoolroom. My parents took me on a boat and I looked around Dubai. The water was so clear that we could see the bottom of the river. I also visited the legendary golden street. It was a famous scenic spot in Dubai and the whole street was sparkling. But what made me uncomfortable was Dubai’s breakfast. The food that I could not tolerate was like mashed potatoes. The smell made me sick when the waiter served the dishes. I was very uncomfortable. Finally, I went to the desert where I rode a camel, and I experienced a bonfire party, which was lively. We sang, danced and bought souvenirs. These were wonderful experiences.

Dismissal Appeal Form Announcement

Dear OPIE Students,

On Thursday, May 3, you will receive an End of Session English Proficiency Report electronically. If your report says that you will be dismissed from OPIE for no credit or for lack of progress, you may appeal the decision by submitting a Dismissal Appeal Form to the OPIE Office by clicking on the submit button on the online form. The Dismissal Appeal form must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 4. This Statement of Appeal should describe any unusual circumstances that contributed to your receiving no credit or not making progress in your OPIE classes. OPIE will review the appeal and make a decision by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 4 (the same day). The Dismissal Appeal Form is available online. (See Student Forms on the OPIE Website.) Please see your OPIE adviser if you have any questions about the appeal form or the appeal process.

Important Travel Reminder: No Credit or No Progress

Attention Students: If you are planning to travel outside the United States during the upcoming summer vacation and have received No Credit (once) or No Progress (for two semesters in a row) in previous semesters in OPIE, please read this information:

No Credit or No Progress (One Semester)

If you receive “No Credit” or “No Progress” this semester, you are on probation with OPIE. This means you must be careful to avoid getting “No Credit” or “No Progress” again in the future.

No Credit (Two Semesters) or No Progress (Three Semesters in a Row)

If you receive cumulative “No Credit” in your OPIE classes for any two semesters, or if you receive “No Progress” for three semesters in a row, you will be dismissed from OPIE and Ohio University. This does affect your visa status.

If you have ever received “No Credit,” or if you have already received two semesters of “No Progress” in a row, you must be careful about making travel plans for summer break. Each semester that you are in OPIE, you will need to wait to receive your final grade report before you leave the United States for vacation. International Student and Faculty Services (ISFS) will not be able to give you a travel signature until you have your final report. You will need a travel signature in order to return to the United States to continue your studies. So, if you ever receive cumulative “No Credit” or two semesters of “No Progress” in a row, be sure to plan your flights out of the United States after you receive your final grade report from OPIE.