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... read more
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... read more
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... read more
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... read more
Aug 28, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
Advertisement Is Hidden Everywhere How do you choose the products when you go shopping? You might think you choose products on your own but you are suggested products subconsciously through advertisement. We just stare at the TV but actually we are being exposed to ads. So when we go shopping, we buy the products that remain in our memory. Today we have prepared the top 14 creative ads you should know. Therefore, let’s see how companies captivate customers’ hearts! It’ll be fun! Trust me. Reality Sucks This is multiplex advertising in Belgium. You probably recognize the first and second photos as famous movie scenes from ‘Titanic’ and ‘Free Willy’. This advertising doesn’t follow traditional methods. Usually, theater advertising tries to express something positive, such as couples or families having a good time at the movies. However, in this case, they are saying, ‘reality sucks’. Weird, right? They should be saying, ‘reality is good’. Here’s what they want to say: ‘reality is not romantic like you think, so just go to the theater’. They get their point across with just two simple words. Really brilliant advertising. “That’s what I want to say! Bring me my cheezy!” Miracle Whip’s advertisement Miracle Whip is a dressing manufactured by Kraft Foods and sold throughout the United States and Canada. This ad is selling a low-fat dressing. Look at the print. In the ad, fries lie on a plate like a seesaw. If something heavy is on one side of the seesaw, that side goes down. But in this ad, the side with the dressing isn’t going down. Because it’s so light! They expressed... read more
Jul 13, 2015 | Blog
Canada, Korea and Their Differences Have you ever lived in Canada or Korea? Here we compare cultural differences between Korea and Canada. School Life In Canada, school usually finishes around 4 p.m. and then students either participate in after-school activities or go home. But in Korea, especially in high school, students have to stay at school until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Koreans think that students must go on to a good university for a better job and better life. So most Korean students study very hard during their 3 years as a high-school student. Small Talk Generally Canadians like making small talk. You can talk to passerby even if you don’t know them. Canadians are kind so if you say hello to someone, they will reply for you. But small talk isn’t a common thing in Korea. You can small talk with friends, family, etc. but if you talk to someone on the street, it is considered very strange. Tip Culture Usually Canadians pay tips between 10% and 20% in restaurants. Koreans who visit Canada are confused about this because you don’t need to pay tips in Korea. About Alcohol In Canada, if you want to buy some alcohol, you have to visit the “Liquor Store”. You can’t buy alcohol in the convenience store, or any supermarket. And you can’t drink alcohol anywhere outside. But if you are in Korea, you can buy alcohol very easily at any convenience store or market. And you can drink alcohol outside if you want. Lunch Time Usually Koreans don’t bring their own lunch to work. They eat lunch at their company cafeteria or... read more
Jun 29, 2015 | Blog
Happy Birthday, Canada! On July 1st, Canada will celebrate its 148th birthday. Here is your Canada Day events schedule across the country. Check it out! Origin Canada Day is a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867 enactment of the British North America Act, which called the Constitution Act today. Canada Day was originally called ‘Dominion Day’ but it was renamed in 1982. How to celebrate On Canada Day people gather downtown or in central locations in their respective hometowns. They wear red T-shirts with Canadian maple leafs and some people even paint their faces. There are many events like concerts, parades, etc. and you can enjoy eating various street foods. The biggest highlight is a fireworks display! Usually it starts at 10 or 10:30 P.M. This year’s celebrations for Canada Day Here is your complete events schedule for enjoying Canada Day across the country! Canada Day 2015 in Ottawa Parliament Hill 9am to 9:30am – Flag-Raising Ceremony 9:30am to 10am – Changing of the Guard 10am to 10:30am – Carillon Concert 12pm to 1:30pm – Canada Day Noon Show 2pm to 5pm – Swing Dancing, A Flock of Flyers : remix, Ottawa Stilt Union 7:30pm to 10pm – Canada Day Evening Show Major’s Hill Park (There are a lot of activities!) 9am to 3pm – NRJ 104.1 Ottawa – Gatineau 9am to 5pm – Commemorate the 200th anniversary of Sir John A. Mcdonald’s birthday, Historica Canada’s Trivia Challenge, GoodLife Fitness (Get in The Best Shape Of Your Life!) etc. 2:45pm to 3:15pm – Inner City Sirens 2, Fesso the clown 3pm to 3:30pm –... read more
Jun 23, 2015 | Blog
The Culture Behind Chopsticks Unless you grow up using chopsticks, getting the hang of it can be difficult. Each country in Asia has its own culture and etiquette about using them, as well as different shapes, etc. So today we’d like to introduce you to the interesting world of chopsticks! The Origin of Chopsticks Chopsticks were invented in ancient China as early as 1766 ~ 1122 B.C. The first ones were probably used for cooking, stirring the fire, and serving or seizing bits of food, not as eating utensils. Types of Chopsticks China Longer than other styles at about 25 centimeters, thicker, with squared or rounded sides and ending in either wide and flat tips or tapered pointed tips. The most common type of material in regular households is lacquered bamboo and in restaurants, melamine plastic for its durability and ease of sanitation. Korea Medium-length with a small, flat rectangular shape, and made of metal. Traditionally they were made of brass or silver, with only rich families using silver chopsticks because silver was very expensive. Many Korean metal chopsticks are ornately decorated at the grip and they are used simultaneously with the Korean spoon. Japan Shorter length sticks tapering to a finely pointed end. Traditionally Japanese chopsticks were made of wood or bamboo and were lacquered. It is common for Japanese sticks to be of shorter length for women. Vietnam Long sticks that taper to a blunt point, quite like the Chinese style. Traditionally lacquered wood or bamboo. Etiquette China When eating rice from a bowl, it is normal to hold the rice bowl up to one’s mouth and... read more
Jun 8, 2015 | Blog
Maybe Asia This Summer? Have you ever visited Asia? Asia has a lot of amazing and awesome places. Here are some suggestions for good places to visit. Let’s take a look! East Asia Shanghai, China Shanghai is the largest city in China by the population. Shoppers should make a beeline for the Fabric Market, where you can have a suit or dress tailor-made for you at bargain prices. Check out the fashionable restaurants, bars, and nightclubs at night! Seoul, South Korea Seoul is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea and the world’s second-largest metropolitan area. You can see a lot of skyscrapers and the N Seoul Tower. Go to the historical sites! In Seoul, there are many historical sites like the Gyeong-bok Palace and Changdeokgung Palace. You can also eat Korean food and enjoy the amazing nightlife. Tokyo, Japan Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan. You’ll meet many skyscrapers as well as the Tokyo Tower. You can enjoy karaoke and eat lots of Japanese food. Taipei, Taiwan The city of Taipei is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan. You can eat high-quality food at very cheap prices. Also, it has a beautiful night view and amazing architecture. South Asia Jaipur, India The word Jaipur means “Palace of Jai king”. It is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan in Northern India. You should visit Vidhan Sabha, its view at night is gorgeous. Southeast Asia Phnom Penh, Cambodia Phnom Penh is the capital city and largest city of Cambodia. Beautiful sites like Wat Phnom, Veal Maen,... read more
Jun 1, 2015 | Blog
Who Is The Fastest? We can’t imagine our life without the internet anymore. Have you ever thought about how your country compares to others in terms of internet speed? Which country do you think has the fastest internet connection in the world? Here are the top ten countries with the fastest internet. See if yours made the list! No 10. Finland In the fourth quarter of 2014, average speeds for broadband internet connection were 12.1 Mbps (megabytes per second), up 33% from a year ago. No 9. Czech Republic Average connection speeds in the Czech Republic in the fourth quarter of 2014 were 12.3 Mbps, up 8.4% from a year ago. No 8. Ireland Ireland was ranked number 8 at 12.7 Mbps. Their average connection speeds increased about 24% from 2013. No 7. Latvia In the first quarter of 2013, internet speeds in Latvia were 9.8 Mbps. But later their internet speeds hit 13.0 Mbps, up 25% from a year ago. No 6. Netherlands The Netherlands had an average broadband connection speed of 14.2 Mbps, up 15% from 2013. No 5. Switzerland In 2013, average broadband connection speeds were 12.1 Mbps. By the first three months of 2014, they rose to 14.5 Mbps. No 4. Sweden Not to be outdone, the Swedes had speeds averaging 14.6 Mbps, up 34% from a year ago. No 3. Japan Japan fell from second place to third, with speeds averaging 15.2 Mbps, up 16% from 2013. No 2. Hong Kong Hong Kong just stole second place from Japan. The average speeds reached were 16.8 Mbps, up as much as 37% from 2013. No 1.... read more
May 29, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
Exploring the Culture Of Vancouver As a translation agency, we are always keen on exploring new cultures, traditions, languages, and the differences and similarities between them. Today, however, we would like to take a look inwards, to our own Canadian – and more specifically Vancouverite – background. We will focus on the habits of Vancouver inhabitants. 15 fun facts about Vancouver and its inhabitants A nice day is a day without rain no matter how cloudy it is. You know the difference between West Van, the West End, and the Westside. You know that there’s a Third Beach and Second Beach but no first beach (it’s English Bay). Going for a hike in the mountains and to the beach on the same day seems perfectly doable to you. Yoga pants are a way of life. Rent and housing prices don’t seem that bad. You can tell when the Canucks are playing by the number of people wearing hockey jerseys on the bus. You consider anything below 5 degrees to be freezing and above 20 to be insanely hot. The city receives a mere sprinkling of snow and you call it a snow day. You know what 4/20 means and why on that occasion you don’t go to the Art Gallery to admire the paintings. You know what UBC, SFU, ICBC, PNE, and VPL mean. You’re tired of eating so much sushi. You know that Vancouver Island is not in Vancouver. You know the proper pronunciation of the Vietnamese soup Pho. Even on the sunniest days, you have an umbrella with you because… you never know. Contact Us! Here at LingoStar,... read more
May 25, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
Foreigners living in Canada Canada is known to be a melting pot of cultures, languages, and traditions. Foreigners living in Canada come from all over the world for its high standard of living, plentiful opportunities, and beautiful nature. The pros of living in Canada are countless, however, foreigners will always miss something from their homeland, after all, they cannot deny their roots, they can even feel homesick sometimes. We decided to ask people from other countries now living in Canada – from longtime immigrants to aspiring permanent residents, from temporary workers to exchange students – to list the things that they miss most about their home countries. Some ideas of what foreigners living in Canada could miss Onsen and Sentō – Japan Onsen is the Japanese term for hot springs, while sentō refers to public bathing facilities. Therefore, there are thousands of onsen and sentō of many kinds scattered around Japan, outdoor or indoor, ranging from very basic to the utmost in luxury. A great way to relax after a stressful working day. Bidet – Italy Italians feel lost without it! Considered a luxury good in Canada, you will find a bidet in every Italian house, right beside the toilet. Really convenient item, once you get used to it you won’t be able to go back to a “bidetless” routine. Sophisticated online banking – Slovakia For most people, electronic banking means ATMs or direct deposit of cheques, however, the Slovak system allows many more types of transactions, mostly on computers or smartphones, which is the reason why e-shopping is so well-developed and popular all over the country. Christmas markets – Czech Republic Traditional handicrafts, local food and beer, carols... read more
May 20, 2015 | Promotions, Translation News
Now It Has Hit Nepal Too Indonesia, China, Haiti, Japan, just to name a few, and now Nepal. Two quakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.3 have struck Nepal in the last 3 weeks, killing more than 8,000 people and leaving several other thousands injured or homeless. Humanitarian organizations are already on the field doing all they can to heal the injured, feed and give shelter to the population with no place to go, recover bodies from the rubble and make reconstruction plans. Why the Role Of Translation Is so Crucial in the Areas Hit By the Earthquake When a disaster strikes, no one usually thinks about the need for linguistic aid. Why would you need translators when people are dying? You need doctors! Fair enough. But have you ever wondered how the communication between doctor and patient occurs? How does a Nepali father explain to a rescue worker who only speaks English that his child is in need of help in a certain place and needs to be rescued? These people are afraid, lost and destabilized. In addition, foreigners unable to speak their language surround them and they can’t communicate with them even if they absolutely need to. How must that feel? Translation has the crucial role of enabling mutual understanding and supporting the aid organizations as well as the Nepali media and communication channels to act quickly and efficiently. Translators Without Borders has sent a team of 25 people to the affected areas of Nepali, Newari, and Hindi for translation work. This kind of rescue work lacks in funds and is far from being the most advantageous job.... read more
May 14, 2015 | Blog, Translation News
Victoria Day: One Holiday, Ten Different Names Ready for the long weekend? Do you know what we celebrate on Monday? At LingoStar Language Services, we found 10 different names for the very same holiday, in Vancouver called Victoria Day, and we are bringing you the explanation for every single one. Take inspiration and enjoy your free time and beautiful weather on this great Canadian holiday. Victoria Day Queen Victoria, who reigned over Great Britain, was born on May 24, 1819. Victoria Day Weekend This celebration marks the birthday of Queen Victoria and is celebrated every year on the last Monday before May 25. May Two-Four A “two-four” is slang for a case of 24 beers, and since the Victoria Day Weekend often ends up including the date May 24th, well, the “May Two-Four” is that weekend where you have an extra day to drink, or to recover. The Start of Camping Season Camping season in Canada runs from Victoria Day (third Monday in May) until Labour Day (first Monday in September). Unofficial Beginning of Summer In the hopes that the frost is really over, many people break out the gardening gloves and get dirty on Victoria Day weekend. May Long Weekend This is pretty self-explanatory. Sometimes abbreviated to just “May Long”. Firecracker Day Fireworks on the holiday Monday is a Canadian tradition. People usually go to fireworks displays put on by their local towns or cities, or set their own off in their backyard or neighbourhood parks. May Run Why is this weekend called “MAY RUN”? In a Facebook discussion, someone thinks that it is a combination of some species... read more
May 4, 2015 | Blog, Funny, Testimonials, Translation, Worldwide
Cool Sports For the Olympics Every two years the Olympics come and an assortment of exciting and classic sports are spectated by millions. The most common of which include the well-known sports like Hockey, Soccer, Basketball, Swimming, Track and Field, etc. There are several sports around the globe that go unrecognised at the Olympic Games though, and there are five in particular I think would be awesome to implement in future games to amp the excitement up! Foosball (or Table Soccer, whatever you people call it) When I was a kid foosball was one of the most fun games I had ever played. It got extremely competitive between me and my friends and relatives, and I think it could have a place at the Olympic level. Just picture it like Tennis. There could be men and women’s singles matches, as well as doubles. I think it could do very well and be extremely popular. Dodgeball One of the best games ever invented? I think so! I have unleashed my wrath against my classmates so many times in dodgeball and I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who DOESN’T enjoy it. Throwing a ball as hard as you can at other people in order to win, how can you beat that!? Paintball A simulation to prepare soldiers for battle, this game is extremely tactical, strategic, and requires a huge amount of precision, skill and athleticism. Combining several exciting elements into one crazy sport, Paintball would be a great addition to the Olympic Games and would provide a very fast paced and exciting sport for spectators to watch. Sepak... read more
May 4, 2015 | Blog, Tips, Translation, Worldwide
Inspirational Message Translation into Italian, French, Japanese, Slovak, Russian and Czech. Dear friends, one of the greatest inhibitors of success is fear. Fear of success is rampant in our society, and it prevents many people from achieving greatness. Only when your desire to be successful outweighs that of your fear of rejection and failure, can you truly achieve success. You will fail over and over before you finally succeed, and it is imperative that you take on the risk of failure with open arms because only by embracing failure can you truly win in life. Today’s inspirational quote is here to help you achieve success. Let’s inspire and support each other. Let’s share this motivating positive message with everybody. We are always happy to send your translations of the positive messages we prepare for you. Inspirational Quote in English: Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try. – Jack Canfield Inspirational Quote Translation into Italian: Non preoccuparti dei fallimenti, preoccupati invece delle opportunità che perdi quando non ci provi nemmeno. – Jack Canfield Inspirational Quote Translation into French: Ne t’inquiète pas de l’échec, inquiète-toi des chances que tu manques lorsque tu n’essaies même pas. – Jack Canfield Inspirational Quote Translation into Japanese: 失敗を恐れる必要はない。恐れる必要があるのは、やりもしな いで逃がしてしまうチャンスのほうである。－ジャッ ク・キャンフィールド – Jack Canfield Inspirational Quote Translation into Slovak: Netrápte sa nad neúspechom, ale nad šancami uspieť, ktoré ste nevyužili. – Jack Canfield Inspirational Quote Translation into Russian: Не переживайте насчет неудач, переживайте о шансах, которые вы упускаете, потому что даже не пытаетесь достичь успеха. – Jack Canfield Inspirational Quote Translation into Czech: Nebojte se neúspěchu, starejte se o šance, které zmeškáte,... read more
Apr 27, 2015 | Blog, Funny, Testimonials, Tips, Translation, Worldwide
Italian Food As An Important Trait of the Culture Food is one of the most distinctive traits of a culture. Each cuisine has its own local specific ingredients and flavors to mark its identity. However, in the interpretation of foreign dishes to fit in with the local cuisine, mistranslation happens. Today I would like to give you a quick insight into Italian food lost in translation. Ice-Cream Gelato is the Italian word for ice-cream. Therefore, being Italian myself, I was very confused when coming to Canada as I found out that the two are actually different. Apparently gelato indicates what I knew as such (soft, smooth and creamy) whereas ice-cream has a heavier and richer texture to it like Tim Horton’s ice cream. Prosciutto The same goes for ham and prosciutto (the Italian word for ham). Ham refers to the cooked ham known in Italy as prosciutto cotto. Prosciutto, on the other hand, refers to the dry-cured uncooked ham, called prosciutto crudo. Doing some research you will be able to find some more detailed and scientific descriptions of the differences. However, I learned at the expenses of my taste buds that the English-named product is, more often than not, the fatter and less refined version of its Italian food-named twin. Peperoni Is No Meat In Italy Totally misleading food-related words are also pepperoni (spelled peperoni). In Italy it has nothing to do with meat. It actually means bell peppers. In the same vein is latte, which translates into Italian simply as “milk” and doesn’t have any coffee in it. So if you go to Italy, ask for a caffè macchiato and... read more
Apr 27, 2015 | Blog, Promotions, Translation
Inspirational Quote Translation into Italian, French, Japanese, Slovak and Czech. Dear friends, Procrastination and laziness are prominent in society nowadays. Many people assume that if they just wait long enough then a golden opportunity will eventually present itself and then they will be set for life. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work out that way. Life favors the proactive, and the success seekers. Take it upon yourself to make opportunities for yourself, and to go out of your way to put effort into opening doors of success for yourself, as opposed to waiting for others to do it for you. Let’s inspire and support each other. Let’s share this motivating positive message with everybody. We are always happy to send your translations of the positive messages we prepare for you. Don’t hesitate to contact us and send us more translations. You are amazing! Inspirational Quote in English: If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. – Milton Berle Inspirational Quote Translation into Italian: Se l’opportunità non bussa alla tua porta, costruiscine una. – Milton Berle Inspirational Quote Translation into French: Si l’opportunité ne frappe pas à ta porte, construis-en une. – Milton Berle Inspirational Quote Translation into Japanese: もし機会がノックしないなら、ドアを建てなさい。－ ミルトン・バール Inspirational Quote Translation into Czech: Pokud příležitost nezaklepe, postavte dveře. – Milton Berle Inspirational Quote Translation into Slovak: Ak príležitosť neklope, nastal čas kúpiť si dvere. – Milton... read more
Apr 22, 2015 | Blog, Tips, Worldwide
Massive Differences In The Living Costs It is amazing how drastically living costs differ around the world in modern-day. Whether you choose to live in America or Asia, your budget calculations can look very different. Let’s have a look at a few examples. Living Costs In North America Living in a tiny studio apartment in Vancouver could cost a small fortune. Meanwhile, the same amount of money could buy you a family-sized house somewhere halfway across the world. America is well known as an expensive country to live in. However, cities in the United States have climbed in the ranking due to the relative stability of the US dollar against other major currencies. This is in addition to the significant drop in cities in other regions. It resulted in US cities being pushed up the list away from one of the most expensive places to live. European Living Costs Four European cities remain in the top 10 list of the most expensive cities. Paris is the most costly European city on the list, followed by Zurich and Geneva. Switzerland remains one of the most expensive locations for expatriates following the slight strengthening of the Swiss franc against the US dollar. Asia and Huge Cities vs. Rural Towns In Asia, it is no surprise that Hong Kong tops the rankings as one of the highest living costs on the planet. Singapore and Tokyo not too far behind. To clarify, it is evident that the more popular and population-dense a city is, the higher the living cost will. In rural areas and farm towns in Canada specifically, the price of a... read more
Apr 21, 2015 | Blog, Promotions
How Personal Growth allows us to face life’s challenges As people, personal growth is one vital parameter in our lives. Our learning and understanding of life does not end with graduation. It is only a start. It is pretty amazing to realize that there is so much knowledge and so many lessons to learn from life. At universities and colleges we learn the theory, we memorize books and scripts, we learn critical thinking. It is very valuable and it serves us. But at one point in our lives, there comes a moment when education seems moot, all the theory and endless seminars seem distant. Even the greatest professors of the greatest universities do not seem to teach us the lessons of life. Why? Because personal growth takes a lifetime, we can grow if we feel grounded in deep waters just like the poles in this photograph, if we accept the ocean of emotions that is contained within us. Handling certain emotions can be overwhelming and we are not made of stone even though our hearts sometimes act so. We are trees of life that grow and flourish with every breath. We can blossom, we can expand, we can become more knowledgeable and aware. Being able to stand strong, just like the seemingly weary poles in the photo, is one of our characteristics. We can face life and its experiences as calmly as the old poles can handle the waves of blue waters. The Importance of Personal Growth The poles in this beautiful picture may seem rotten, tired and worn out. But there is wisdom in the poles of life.... read more