Newark: A great place to live and study!

Newark is a very interesting city! In this blog we will introduce you to some of the things that make it a special place to live and study, including things to do, places to visit and give you a glimpse into the vibrant Brazilian community. But first, let’s talk a little about our campus and what you can study there!

Zoni Newark Campus

Did you know that Zoni has a campus in Newark? Our school in Newark is located on Ferry Street in the city center. It was opened in 2018 and offers General English courses at all levels, from beginner through to advanced! Our Newark campus is a 2-minute walk from Penn Station and 8 minutes from the Prudential Center. There are many, many restaurants, cafes, and other shops directly outside Zoni Newark. For students arriving into Newark from abroad, the airport is a short 25-minute train ride from our campus. Zoni Newark has a beautiful modern campus and is a fantastic place to start your American adventure.

A short history of Newark

Newark is the third oldest city in the United States. It was settled by Puritans in 1666. No one knows exactly where the name Newark comes from. Some believe it was named after the English town ‘Newark-on-Trent’. Other historians believe it came from the words “New Work” and was given to the area by the many thousands of migrants who came to the area looking for work. Another popular theory is that it is taken from the story of Noah’s Ark and was originally called ‘New Ark’ and was symbolic of new beginnings. Regardless of which story is correct, Newark has grown to be the most populous city in New Jersey.

Newark is a major shipping, rail, and air transportation hub. Newark Liberty International Airport was the first municipal airport in the US. It is also one of the country’s busiest airports and is a fantastic option for students arriving in the US to study at any of our New Jersey or New York campuses.

Newark is also home to many important and well-known companies like Prudential, Panasonic America and Audible.com. It is also home to Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Things to do and see in Newark

Although Newark may not be as famous as its neighbor Manhattan, it also offers a large number of fun attractions! Here are a few of our favorites:

The Prudential Center The Prudential Center is known as New Jersey’s home for arts and culture. It is a short 7-minute walk from Newark Penn Station. This is one busy arena with a range of sport, comedy and concerts planned for 2022. The Prudential Center is also the home rink for the New Jersey Devils Hockey team and the Grammy Museum Experience. As well as a busy hockey season, there are some very exciting concerts planned for the next few months including: Dua Lipa, Justin Bieber, Carlos Vives, Iron Maiden and Shawn Mendes. Information about tickets can be found on their website.

Branch Brook Park Branch Brook Park is a 360 acre park in Newark. Before becoming a park, the area had been used as an army training facility for the American Civil War. These days the park is most famous for its spectacular cherry blossoms. Nicknamed Cherryblossomland, the park has over 5000 Cherry Trees including 18 different varieties! The park hosts an annual Cherry Blossom Festival in April. This year the festival kicks off on April 02 with a bike race, followed by a 10K run on April 03. Additionally, there will be music and a range of events for the duration of the festival. If you can’t make it to the Branch Brook Park, don’t worry you can also keep an eye on the blossoms via the “Bloomwatch Webcam”.

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart Whether you are religious or not, the Cathedral Basilica in Newark is a beautiful building to visit. It was built on the highest peak in Newark and took 55 years to complete. It is also only a few minutes stroll from Branch Brook Park (see above). The church is built in French Gothic style and is the same size as Westminster Abbey in London. It is truly an impressive building!

Ironbound Neighbourhood Ironbound is a bright and busy neighborhood in Newark. It was largely settled in the early 1910s by Spanish and Portuguese laborers. In the 1930’s with the expansion of rail into Newark, the community welcomed a large number of African-American families looking for a fresh start and better life outside New York. In the 60’s the areas saw a new wave of Portuguese migrants. Today the neighborhood is popular among Mexican and Brazilian migrants. This melting pot of cultures has resulted in some of the best cuisine New Jersey has to offer! People travel from all over the state and neighboring New York to eat at the many Ironbound restaurants!

Newark’s Brazilian Community As we mentioned earlier, Newark has a vibrant, multicultural community and is home to a large Latin and Brazilian community. Newark’s long history of migration makes it an easy place for newcomers to settle in and feel at home. In recent years, Newark has become a hot spot for Brazilians! It provides a comfortable transition for Brazilian students and migrants. The many cultural similarities and access to Brazilian food and ingredients means that homesickness is minimized. Although English is spoken everywhere, Portuguese and Spanish speakers are always able to find someone who can speak their language to help them out when they get stuck!

If you are interested in finding out more about our Newark campus and/or studying with Zoni in general, please contact us at info@zoni.edu It would be our pleasure to help you live your dream of studying in the United States.