St. Stephen’s Day Hungary By Sharon Schweitzer St. Stephen’s Day holds a long and interesting history. It begins with Stephen the Grand Prince of the Hungarians who laid the foundations of the state. Until the end of the 10th century, the Hungarians were in conflict with other European countries. In 955 A.D., Hungarian [...]
Rational Harmony Day By Sharon Schweitzer Singapore’s identity as a cosmopolitan nation has evolved. The first of two racial riots in six weeks occurred in Singapore on July 21st, 1964, resulting in 36 deaths and over 500 injuries. Many racist events that have recently gone viral have elicited strong emotions and soul-searching about [...]
National Culture Consciousness Week By Sharon Schweitzer “Culture is one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language,” (Raymond Williams, 1976, pg. 87). Culture does not consist of just one set description or definition. It is a concept that varies from one person to the next. Culture can be as [...]
Anthony Bourdain Day By Sharon Schweitzer “Southeast Asia has a real grip on me. From the very first time I went there, it was a fulfillment of my childhood fantasies of the way travel should be.” -Anthony Bourdain Anthony Bourdain-chef and writer, traveled the world with humility, humanity, curiosity, humor, and with [...]
5 Tips for Sustainable Travel By Sharon Schweitzer The Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the United Nations emphasize numerous criteria for responsible travel. Many travelers have inquired about the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria. The GSTC provides a set of minimum requirements that a tourism business or destination must aspire to for approval: environmentally friendly [...]
Lost by Pexels For many English speakers, the linguistic challenges to traveling abroad are reduced due to the prevalence of English as a widely spoken lingua franca. However, language is not all there is to successful communication. Here are 5 non-verbal tips to consider for your travels abroad: Body Language: Body language [...]
Perito Moreno by Deensel on flikr With its name stemming from the Latin word for silver, the country of Argentina is home to rich landscapes including the rolling hills of Patagonia, the Andes Mountains and Iguazu Falls, which is 1.5 times higher than Niagara Falls. Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, is among one [...]
Aurel, France by Eric Bauer on flickr France Cultural Dimensions: Reflection of Reality in France With Paris as its heart, France emanates high fashion, inspiring architecture, breathtaking art, fine cuisine and superb wine. In fact, the word “culture” is a French word, derived from the Latin word colere, meaning “to tend to the [...]
Las Condes, Santiago by Deensel on flikr Due to the long vertical length of its territory, Chile is country of 7 climates, from tropical deserts in the north to the sub antarctic weather in the south. Also known as the “Land of Poets,” Chile is believed to have won this nickname because of [...]
Buenos Aires photo by Deensel on flikr Argentum, the Latin term for silver, is the reason behind the country’s name Argentina. The origin comes from the first Spanish conquerors to reach the Rio de La Plata, or the Silver River, where they were welcomed by the natives with gifts from this precious material. [...]
