Dec 22, 2015 | Blog, Holidays, Worldwide
Looking at Christmas Traditions From All Over the World Our final 2015 newsletter will focus on Christmas: one of the most important holidays celebrated throughout the world. Although every culture has its own traditions, there are many surprising similarities in Christmas traditions from all over the world. First, you will always find candles and lights, even in countries that celebrate Christmas during summer. There is also the decorated tree and the old white-bearded man that plays one of the leading roles. His name diverges from Santa Claus to Baba Chaghaloo, to Sheng dan lao ren to Papa Noel. Wherever you might be, Christmas is a time to highlight the value of being with family and friends. This newsletter, however, aims to feature some countries that do something completely different. We will present you with some Christmas traditions from all over the world you might have never heard of before. We also invite you to learn about traditions in the countries of Armenia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Finland. Armenia – Շնորհավոր Սուրբ Ծնունդ (Merry Christmas) The Armenian people celebrate their Christmas on January the 6th, a date otherwise known as Epiphany or Three Kings’ day in some countries. In Armenia, however, they celebrate the birth of Christ and his baptism on this day, the 6th of January. While many countries enjoy a lot of culinary delicacies during the time before Christmas, Armenians do the contrary. Traditionally, they fast during the week leading up to Christmas, avoiding eggs, dairy products, and meat. The name of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner to which families gather together is khetum and consists of rice, fish and...
Dec 3, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
Denmark and the Danish Language Denmark, where the Danish language is spoken, is a country with four hundred islands surrounded by two seas. It’s a beautiful country with the charming capital of Copenhagen, as well as Greenland, the biggest island in the world, which also belongs to the great Kingdom of Denmark. Lego, The Little Mermaid and beautiful castles are all part of the Danish identity. The country is full of intelligent, agreeable and welcoming people. But the Danish language in Denmark has experienced some challenges as of lately. It has strongly been influenced by English. Therefore, changes are happening in the Danish language and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, the Danish phonology, which is how sounds are organized and used in languages, has been mutating strongly since 1950. Danish people like to shorten their words and try to use the least energy possible to pronounce them when speaking. Danes are said to talk like they have something in their mouth. Secondly, all Danish people learn the language growing up but increasingly like to speak the English language because it’s easier to learn and pronounce. Thirdly, you see a greater influence of the English language in traffic signs, media and advertisements all over Denmark. All this impacts the way the Danish language is being presented in its written and spoken form and how it is perceived by the younger generation. Check out an interesting video below explaining some of the challenges of Danish. Here at LingoStar, we translate all cultural materials and business documentations from English into Danish, and other Scandinavian languages, such as English to Swedish,...
Nov 10, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
Why do we celebrate Remembrance Day on the 11th of November? Originally called “Armistice Day”, Remembrance Day was introduced after the First World War in order to commemorate the Armistice agreement signed on Monday, November 11, 1918, at 11 am. It was the treaty that put an end to the war. Later, it became a holiday of remembrance for all the soldiers of the Canadian Army in times of war. Why is the Remembrance Poppy so famous? During the entire week of Remembrance Day, the people in Canada pin red poppies on their jackets, inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders Fields“. It was written by the Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who served in the Army and witnessed his friend’s death. Poppies were the first flowers that grew on soldiers’ graves in Flanders (Belgium). It then became a symbol of remembering the victims. What happens on Remembrance Day? The official Canadian national ceremonies happen every year at the National War Memorial in Ottawa according to a strict protocol. At the same time, throughout the whole country celebration services and parades take place. A minute of silence is often held at 11 am. This is in order to pause for a moment and remember all the sacrifices Canadians made in armed conflicts. Remembrance Day Worldwide Not only Canada but also many members of the Commonwealth celebrate this day in order to remember the members of their armed forces who have died on duty. With ongoing wars all over the world and millions of victims falling every week in military conflicts it is crucial to remember them. LingoStar...
Oct 5, 2015 | Blog, Tips, Worldwide
The Netherlands’ capital in all its splendor Known for its laid-back drug and prostitution policies, Amsterdam is often not celebrated for all the other things it has to offer. From a party city to a cultural city, it has it all! Check out these 10 reasons why YOU should visit Amsterdam. Number 1: Channels of Amsterdam These waterways run through the entire city center and are a great way to explore the city. There are lots of boat tours you can get on but it is also fun to rent a boat yourself and explore the many channels on a self-guided tour. Number 2: Music Festivals of Amsterdam Amsterdam is a party city and especially in the summer, there are plenty of options. Festivals are everywhere and happening every week. The capital of the Netherlands hosts many of them in and around the city. While visiting the city, you should definitely try one of the many music festivals! Number 3: Dance Scene (ADE) A lot of modern dance music DJs are from the Netherlands so it’s no wonder that Amsterdam has a big club scene. Every year in October the city hosts Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), a 5-day non-stop party from Wednesday until Sunday with electronic music blasting day and night. Number 4: Museums of Amsterdam During the Dutch Golden Age, art played a major role in upper-class society. Almost everyone knows Rembrandt and his famous works, as well as famous painters like Van Gogh. There are many museums in the city but be prepared for long wait lines filled with tourists. Number 5: Bicycles The easiest and cheapest...
Sep 24, 2015 | Blog, Tips, Worldwide
An enjoyable travel Beer is available all over the world and every beer lover has his or her own favorite brands. It is a perfect drink for a night out or a sunny afternoon on a patio. Many of these beer companies are centuries-old and well-loved by consumers. Heineken (The Netherlands) Heineken is the 3rd biggest supplier of beer by volume. Founded in Amsterdam in 1864, it has remained under the ownership of the original family for many generations. Gerard Adriaan Heineken founded the company at the young age of 22. The company has now over 75,000 employees and owns 165 breweries. Warsteiner (Germany) If you think of Germany, it is pretty common to think of beer. Most people associate Germany with quality beers and a very famous brand is Warsteiner. The company was founded in 1753 and is the fourth biggest seller in Germany. Budweiser (USA) This beer brand is one of the biggest in the United States and is active in more than 80 markets worldwide. Founded by a German immigrant in the year 1876 in Missouri. Budweiser sponsors a lot of sporty events like NASCAR and the FIFA World Cup. Molson (Canada) This list would not be complete without a true Canadian beer. Founded in Montreal in the year 1786, Molson is almost 250 years old. Nowadays it has merged with Coors and together they are the world’s second-largest beer producer. Now that is impressive! Tiger (Singapore) This city-state off the south side of Malaysia has developed into an ultra-modern city with a gorgeous skyline. One of their top 10 most valuable brands is Tiger Beer. It was founded by the...
Sep 17, 2015 | Blog, Funny, Tips, Worldwide
Well, well, well… Imagine that you are a native English speaker of Canadian English. You would love to learn a new language but you do not have the time. Well, your solution is here! After following this short, one-night program, you will be able to speak 4 new languages, just like that. Let’s have some fun! Phase 1: Warm up. The night begins by meeting some of your best friends at your favourite pub. For them this is just an occasional night out but for you, it’s so much more. You are on a mission to learn new languages! The waiter comes and asks you for your order. You order a Canadian brand IPA beer. This will get you loosened up and ready to learn. Phase 2: Irish. Now that you’re warmed up it’s time to step it up a notch. When the waiter comes back you order a good old pint of Guinness. After one you feel like having another and end up ordering two more. You will start to notice that you are no longer speaking English, you’re speaking pretty good Irish. One language down, three to go! Phase 3: German. Now that you have learned your first language, it’s time to move on to the second one. Learning this second language takes a little more time. When the waiter comes back again you order some fine German beers. This process will take longer so you need at least 4 or 5 German beers. The beers are now flowing and you feel great. You cannot speak at a normal volume anymore and start to shout aggressive, sounding...
Sep 14, 2015 | Blog, Tips, Worldwide
Amazing City We all know Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world but according to The Economist, it is also one of the most livable. There are so many things to see and do! To break it down, we made a list of 20 must-see attractions and what time of year to see them. Stanley Park This park is the third biggest urban park in North America and is no. 1 on TripAdvisor’s top 25 parks of the world. The moderate west coast climate of Vancouver keeps the forest beautifully lush and green all year long. Take a horse buggy ride or walk the sea wall. Hike or bike through the park’s endless trails. And in the summer, lay back and relax on one of the park’s gorgeous natural beaches. Canucks Game The no. 1 sport in Canada is ice hockey and logically Vancouver has a hockey team of its own. The games are played in Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver. The regular hockey season starts in October and ends in April when the playoffs start. The playoffs are always exciting in any Canadian city but especially in Vancouver where the Canucks have come close to winning a few Stanley Cups! Grouse Mountain Grouse Mountain offers a series of activities throughout the year. During the winter the top of the mountain is open for skiing and other snow-related activities. In the summer the mountain is famous for its hiking trail, the Grouse Grind, which is 2.9 km long and climbs 853 metres with an astonishing 2830 stairs. The trail is open from May till October...
Sep 8, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
Disney Princess Names and their Meaning Almost everyone grew up watching Disney movies, especially in the late ’80s and 90s when Disney produced a lot of great movies. Many of these Disney movies feature a princess character with a name like Elsa or Bella. Did you know that their names have different meanings in different languages? Beauty and the Beast (1991) Bella means beautiful in Spanish and Italian. The story is that Bella falls in love with an enchanted prince. He has been cursed to look like a beast and the only way the spell can be broken is if he learns to love. Bella and the beast fall in love and break the spell at a crucial moment. Frozen (2013) In Hebrew, Anne means grace and in Spanish, Elsa means truth. This movie has not just one but two princesses, the sisters Elsa and Anne, who are part of the Arendelle royal family. Elsa has the power to manipulate ice and snow but ends up hurting Anne who will be frozen until an act of true love breaks the spell. Eventually, Anne defrosts and they live happily ever after. Aladdin (1992) The princess name Jasmine means flower in Persian. A princess in a palace with a pet tiger and a street boy with a pet monkey must be a weird combination, right? They love each other but Aladdin is too poor to be with Jasmine. He finds a lamp with a genie inside. He stops the evil Jafar and saves the sultan. After the sultan sees the love between Jasmine and Aladdin he allows them to get married. Sleeping Beauty (1959) Aurora is Latin for goddess...
Sep 2, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
“O Canada” Canadians love playing and watching many different sports but there are always favorites! This is our list of the top 10 most Canadian sports. What do you think about this list? Do you agree? Number 10: Golf With its origin in 15th century Scotland, Golf is still popular to this date. The combination of striking a small white ball with a club generates lots of fun, however, because golfing clubs are so expensive to join, it is most easily played by people with lots of money. Number 9: Tennis The origin of Tennis goes all the way back to medieval France. In the 12th century, the French King Louis X was a keen player of an earlier version of modern tennis. The tennis we know today was born in 1958 when two friends used rackets in the old Spanish game of Pelota. The Canadian Open, an annual event, helped the sport gain popularity in Canada. Number 8: Curling Although Canadians dominate Curling at the international level, its origin lies in Scotland. Curling became an Olympic sport in 1998 and since then Canada has won five gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. It’s no wonder curling is so popular in Canada! Number 7: Cricket Although Canada is not a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the old English game of Cricket is still quite popular here. Currently ranked at 16th, the Canadian team is not winning any championships yet, but perhaps this will change in the future. Number 6: Baseball Even though Baseball is extremely successful in America, it is also very popular in Canada. Both...
