Free and useful programs for students Make use of your student status Dear students, In many countries a new semester is about to start or has already started. We want to share some tips on how to save money during your studies. Many companies provide special offers to students. We will list a few programs that can help you boost your productivity and support you while studying, and also some programs to relieve the stress of being a student. To confirm, we are not sponsored by any of these websites, programs or companies. The purpose of this post is mainly to inform you about these opportunities to save money. Some of the listed programs/offers may vary depending on your location. Do some research in your local area. Be aware, some of the listed programs are only free for a certain period of time (e.g. 6 month free trail and afterward you get a 50% discount) or they are free until you finish your studies. They will tell you that you are able to cancel at any given time, but make sure to check for hidden conditions. Ask your university as well if they have any arrangements. Getting work done Office 365 We would like to begin with the package of programs that become the standard for every student, no matter what you are studying. Office 365 includes Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and more. You can use these programs on any of your registered devices. You simply need to enter your student e-mail address. Go here for further information. Cold Turkey To avoid getting distracted when you have to prepare...
Christmas Markets It’s only November but Christmas is already here! There are many Christmas traditions that we love but Christmas markets are one of our favourites. Christmas markets are special markets that are held during Christmas time. This tradition is an important part of Christmas around the world. These are not just markets, they are outdoor events. At these markets you can find gifts, seasonal food, souvenirs, clothes, and many other things. The markets are a good opportunity for small businesses and individuals to sell their products. They are also the perfect place to enjoy Christmas activities such as parades and live music. Full of Christmas lights and decorations, Christmas markets are the best way to start the season while preparing yourself for the happiest days of the year. Take a ride with us to get to know some of the most magical and beautiful Christmas markets around the world. These are sure to get you in the holiday mood! 1. Frankfurt Christmas Market, Germany: This market is one of the largest and oldest in Germany. It is located at Honey House in St. Paul’s Square. Every year, this 300-year-old building is especially booked for the market. The building, along with the decorations and the environment, create the perfect setting for Christmas shopping. It awakens the Christmas spirit in the heart of all visitors. Besides the Christmas lights and decorations that it shares with all others Christmas markets around the world, it includes some features special to Germany: delicious sausages, a wide variety of beer, and many products derived from honey. There are special attractions for kids and lots...
Things you should know (and research about) beforehand Thinking of moving abroad can be scary for most people. To begin with, you don’t really know where to start. Also, you never know what’s coming ahead. Whether you are moving on your own, or for work, being organized and planning is a must to make your experience a good one. You should start by researching the country you are moving to. Keep reading to know our Challenges of Moving Abroad list. Why move abroad I am a Venezuelan-Italian woman. I lived in Venezuela most of my life, although I grew up exposed to the best of both cultures, languages, and traditions. Since I was little, my biggest dream was to live somewhere in Europe. Despite the fact that I grew up thinking of moving abroad, little did I know that moving to Switzerland would change my life so much. I did some research before moving there, but I went without a job or language training, so trying to start a new life in a new place was a real challenge! Things you should consider when moving abroad: Yes, moving abroad makes you feel out of place, without a safe ground, emotionally speaking, for quite a bit. Whether you are living on your own or moving with family or friends, the feeling of being alone accompanies you most of your day. Things get better as you settle. Use your free time to do something useful regarding your stay. Family and friends. Moving abroad means you leave your life, including family and friends, behind. Luckily, you can stay connected with them with all...
Cultural Differences: this is why translation tools will never get the job done properly Without cultural differences, translating would be less interesting In a previous post, we talked about the basics of translating and had a brief introduction to the problematics that can occur during the translation process. In this post, we’d like to talk about cultural differences. One of our earlier posts covered the fact that there are different dialects, connotations and denotations in any given language.There are also differences in sayings, cultural presuppositions, writing and many more aspects, so much so that a direct translation (1-1) becomes impossible. Therefore, it can be very difficult for the translator to preserve all the little components of meaning when transferring the source text into the target language. Some examples Take a scene from a movie or a book in French for example in which a small part features someone speaking in French Canadian. A French-speaking person will pick up on this difference but a non-French-speaking person will not. When you translate this scenario into English, you have to choose the right English dialect that will deliver the same desired differences.Another example could be translating a metaphor which does not exist in the target language. Now the translator has to decide if s/he describes the image, or if s/he goes for a more literal translation, or maybe there is a solution where s/he could use a completely different image which still delivers the same meaning. The cultural aspect Cultural aspects are sometimes hard to understand if you haven’t had any first-hand experiences with that culture before. Facial expressions and gestures have different...
Latin American Halloween People around the world celebrate Halloween, although, it is not so popular in some places. For example, Latin American Halloween, is not as huge as it is in North America. Halloween is a holiday that many people in Latin America do not know a lot about. In the US and Canada, Halloween is the second most important holiday after Christmas. The traditions around Halloween include decorating houses, trick-and-treating, wearing costumes, and throwing parties. Contrary to the huge celebration in North America, the equivalent celebration in Latin America is very low profile. Except for some countries, in which these festivities have a strong spiritual meaning, like Mexico and Peru. Let’s learn in which Latin American Countries people celebrate Halloween and in which they do not. Time to party? Who celebrates Halloween? Halloween celebrations in Latin America have increased over the years. Lately, the nature of the celebration and traditions of American Halloween has been traveling to Latin America. In some places like Chile, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, and Colombia, the celebration is similar to the one in North America. In these countries, people go around wearing costumes, asking for candy and partying. They may even carve pumpkins and decorate their houses. These American Halloween traditions have invaded the last days of October in these Latin American countries. People, especially kids, enjoy these traditions and celebrations, and in particular, the candies that come with them. Despite this, Halloween as we know it is not yet part of Latin American culture. The celebration of Latin American Halloween is even smaller than the one for Valentine’s Day. Who doesn’t celebrate it?...
Latin American Films A movie portrays how someone perceives the world, and in turn, educates us about the culture of the place where it was made. Lately, we have been hearing a lot about Latin American cinematography and the Latin American way of doing cinema. Full of political and religious content combined with a colloquial approach, Latin American movies typically focus on the strong religious ties of their people or criticism towards politics and politicians. However, these are not the only topics that may be addressed. In just one Latin American movie, you can find comedy, horror, drama, mystery, and so on. Clearly, the way they tell their stories is unique; they know how to make you laugh, how to be serious, how to give you the creeps, and certainly how to make you cry. In this top ten you will find Latin American movies worth watching that represent their respective countries in their own unique way. Let’s take a tour! 1. Frida (2002, Mexico): This movie tells the story of Frida Kahlo, a Mexican artist whose life was full of tragedy and beauty. Due to the use of colour and music as cinematographic elements it introduces you to Mexican society, culture, traditions, and values. Frida will take you to Mexico while entertaining you with a really great plot. 2. Maria Full of Grace / María, llena eres de gracia (2004, Colombia): The tragic journey of a young woman with money problems. She takes the first opportunity to earn and ends up involved in the Colombian drug traffic industry, gaining many more problems than when she began. Do you want to...
