On average, we spend $164 a year on buying coffee when out and about, and drink 3 cups/mugs of coffee on an average day. It’s so popular that it’s the second most exported commodity in the world after crude oil. In the U.S., people drink three times as much coffee as tea; in Russian the ratio is almost exactly reversed. While coffee drinking trends vary by country and continent, there is no doubt...
Thinking you might learn Arabic? There are over 100 words for camel and more than 10 words for love. Not surprising from the language of poetry, with a rich tapestry of history dating back to the first century. From ghouls and mummies to love and language, read on for 10 surprising facts that we bet you didn’t know about the Arabic language. 1. Arabic is the official language in 26...
The holiday season is in the air, and it’s the time when family, love, and giving are at the top of the tree in many countries!
A new language – the gift that is surprising, useful, fun and a present that is pretty much guaranteed not to “stay in the box”! Holiday gifting can be hard sometimes, especially if the person you are buying for has very particular tastes, or is super fussy when it comes to model, version, color, etc. On the other hand, the gifting and getting it spot on can also be great fun...
Nikola K. brings to life the sweet and hidden flavors of Symi, Greece. Approach it’s horseshoe shaped port, feel the welcome of the indigo, ochre and terracotta colored traditional stone houses, and start your journey…
China boasts one of the longest single unified civilizations in world. From ancient walls, temples and cities to mystical mountains and mist covered rice terraces; its history is characterized by dramatic shifts in power and periods of peace, prosperity and trade. Planes, trains, bicycles and taxis; Sue Brett, C.E.O of Cudoo, shares a journey from the imperial splendour of Beijing to magical...
As a foreigner’s first gateway to the local culture, if you work in a hotel, then you are truly an ambassador of national heritage. Russians are Europe’s fastest growing outbound travel group, so make sure that you know how to greet your guests with a few well-chosen phrases.
36 ways to make them smile coming up…
According to CNN Travel, a record-breaking 1.2 billion tourists traveled abroad in 2015. Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific all recorded a nearly 5% increase in international arrivals. This number is predicted to double by 2035. As a foreigner’s first gateway to the local culture, hotelier staff serves as ambassadors of national heritage. If around 8m people are employed in the...
Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian country weaving along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean, a land of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions. The Tian Shan mountains, which surround the ancient caravan route and tower over the country, are home to snow leopards, lynx and sheep. Its ancient trading history and semi-nomadic, yurt-dwelling shepherd...
So, it’s been a while since you started learning a foreign language and the time has come to practice your skills in the ‘real’ world with other speakers of the language. “What if I get the grammar wrong? What if the pronunciation is completely off? Or I use the wrong word and get mocked?” Have you started thinking along the lines above? Has the fear or anxiety kicked in yet? Well, let’s stop you...