We Finns like to grill. Charcoal grills start popping up on our back yards the minute the first rays of spring sun touch the grass, and from Midsummer on, the smell of freshly roasted grill delicacies fills up the neighborhoods almost on a daily basis. But what kind of grilling habits do people have in other countries? We discovered some interesting barbecue and picnic traditions from different parts of the world. Perhaps some of these are already familiar to you!…
Are you going on a holiday under the Spanish sun? We have gathered a handy list of useful expressions that will help you in many situations. If you want to impress yourself, your travelling companion and the local people when travelling, learn at least these! ¿Hola, cómo está? – Hi, how are you? ¿Me podría ayudar? – Can you help me? Una cerveza, por favor. – One beer, please. You can use the same phrase to order coffee or a glass of sangria…
A year abroad might be the best thing that ever happened to you. And I’m not talking only about a gap year before college or a student exchange. I’m talking about any longer stay abroad that you can also make happen later in life. When you spend a longer time abroad, you’ll get a lot deeper into the local culture and language than you would on a week’s holiday trip. You’ll get unique experiences, precious memories, new friends, and who…
It’s easy to stay inside your comfort zone. It’s warm, safe and cozy in there. But if you never step out of that zone, you’ll never know about all the cool things waiting outside. Language learning might not be in your comfort zone – but if you like to travel and would like to get the most out of your time abroad, I would definitely recommend it. I’ve also been to countries where I don’t speak or even understand the…
I’ve noticed that in most parts of the world you can survive if you speak some English. On the other hand, after arriving to a new country, I’ve often found myself regretting that I didn’t spend even half an hour learning at least a few words in the local language. However, if I have been able to speak the local language at least a little bit, I have noticed that I somehow get a lot more out of the trip.…
We Finns believe that Midsummer is the second best party of the year (Christmas is the best). Midsummer in the north is all about sauna, barbecue, bonfires, dancing and magic (one of the most popular rituals is to run around the dewy fields naked). In addition to the abovementioned activities, Swedes also like to erect maypoles and dance around them. In both countries, people head out of the cities to their summer cottages already on Thursday or Friday morning to decorate…
