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The best way to get an in-depth look at a culture is to travel to where it is. No guidebook, TV show or movie can replace the experience of being immersed in the daily life of a place. But when it’s not possible to go everywhere you’d like, books, films and festivals certainly help.
If you’ll be in Washington, D.C., in late June and early July (official dates are: June 30 to July 4 and … Read more »
The colonial city of Puebla in Mexico lures travelers eager to taste its own culinary creations (among which are mole poblano and chiles en nogada), watch the traditional Cinco de Mayo parade, or shop for Talavera pottery. And while in many destinations, artistic creations are only available in museums and shops, a short walk down any street in downtown Puebla makes it seem as though the … Read more »
Over-organizing travel plans—where you’re in a different place each day due to a long checklist of things to see—can actually result in seeing less. Sure, you may get to all the monuments or museums you want, but while the checklist blinders are on, you could be missing out on a lot of local culture.
Recently, I was in … Read more »
There’s a lot of you-go-grrl-empowerment articles on the web and in travel magazines about women traveling on their own, toting their own backpacks and having exciting adventures. The general themes of these articles usually has to do with being brave and feeling safe walking the streets at night, making friends with locals, avoiding singles supplements or suspicious glances … Read more »
If you’re yearning for a weeklong wine harvest festival, pack your bags for Mendoza, Argentina. Here, in the foothills of the Andes, the first week of March is the annual Vendimia Festival, which lures wine lovers from around the world.
Held since 1936, the festival celebrates winemaking in the heart of Argentina’s wine country. The star of the show is Malbec, the premier wine from … Read more »
Looking for something to do on December 31? Head over to Rio de Janeiro and usher in the New Year with Iemanjá, goddess of the water, revered by the Umbanda and Candomblé religions of Brazil. The unofficial patron saint of Rio de Janeiro, Iemanjá grants good fortune and blessings for the New Year to people who offer her shiny jewelry, perfume and white roses or gladioli.
The biggest requirement for being an ESL teacher is, obviously, to be a native English speaker. However, having taught English in several parts of the world, I’ve found that sometimes certain schools or areas are looking for a specific type of English and you might just have to adjust to meet expectations.
When I began my job teaching in the North of France I soon found out that British English was the desired … Read more »
You might be familiar with UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites, or the organization’s World Heritage in Danger list. Did you know that there’s also a Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?
This week, UNESCO added 47 elements to the existing list of 166, making a new total of 213 inscribed elements in the intangible list. What’s intangible heritage? … Read more »
The beginning of autumn always reminds me that Day of the Dead is right around the corner. And if you’re contemplating a trip to Mexico, it’s one of the best times to go. Festivities start on October 31 and last through November 2.
Some say the Day of the Dead has its origins in ancient Aztec feasts honoring the deceased. After death, warriors and innocents became … Read more »
Do words construct worlds? That’s the idea behind this Wall Street Journal article: Lost in translation. Scientists and linguists have been doing some fascinating research into how languages affect cultures.
Even the simple act of reading can be quite complex and revealing. English speakers read from right to left, but Hebrew speakers read from right to left. Pormpuraawans, a group of aborigines in Australia, communicate in absolute compass directions. When facing south, they read … Read more »