This weekend, many countries across the world will be spending time to celebrate dads and father figures in various ways. Variations of the holiday are also widely celebrated on other days throughout the year. In the U.S., people give cards … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: June 2012
Alles Gute zum Vatertag! Happy Father’s Day in Germany
Although Father’s Day is this weekend in the U.S., it falls on a different day in different regions of the world. Father’s day in Germany is always on “Christi Himmelfahrt” (Acension Day) which is always 40 days after Easter. This year … Continue reading
Dordogne, France: A Land Steeped in Time
Near the Bordeaux region, in the southwest of France is a land of hills and forests cut by a great river, set with a multitude of lovely villages hidden in the countryside. The department of Dordogne is a jewel of … Continue reading
Speaking Chinese at Your Next Business Meeting
Remember learning your ABC’s when you were younger? Now multiply those 26 characters by 150 and you’re on your way to learning the Chinese language. To have a functional knowledge of the language, one must know 3,000 – 4,000 characters! … Continue reading
Elevator Small Talk…. In German
Ever feel awkward in elevators? Do you feel pressured to say something, anything? You’re not alone. Especially at the office, people feel compelled to speak in elevators for fear of coming off as rude. You also don’t want to walk in … Continue reading
The Tallest Tower in the World: Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Skytree is now the tallest tower in the world, measuring 634 meters (2080 feet). This newest addition to the skyline is located in Sumida, Tokyo. Construction broke ground in July, 2008 and work was completed in February, 2012. Tokyo … Continue reading
Ratatouille: A Taste of the French South
Ratatouille is a wonderful summer dish, especially when served cold. It is a spécialité culinaire (culinary specialty) from Nice but is found throughout Provence and beyond, under different forms and names. Ratatouille is composed of legumes such as eggplants, onions, zucchini, peppers, … Continue reading
June 2nd is “Festa della Repubblica” in Italy.
June 2nd is “Festa della Repubblica” in Italy. It celebrates the referendum of 1946 when Italians had to decide between monarchy or republic. After 85 years of monarchy, Italy became a Republic. A twist is that the the royal family … Continue reading
Enjoying German: The Difference Between “gern” and “mag”
A question that I receive from my students is the different between “gern” and “mag“. In my last e-tutoring session I could not further go into details explaining the differences, so here is my attempt to do so in my blog. Both … Continue reading
Mia’s Italian: Top 5 Moments in Italia (Round 2)
For the past year we have been sharing Mia’s story as she learns Italian with our Platinum Italian lessons. Mia decided to learn the language in anticipation of her family’s spring time trip to Italy. Last week we shared five … Continue reading
