We often think of a country’s border as a defined albeit arbitrary demarcation of culture, language, traditions, mores, and values. A germane question to ask, considering the recent unrest in Catalonia surrounding an independence referendum from Spain is: what exactly is national identity? How do we define and understand it? What are the parameters and […]
Europe
The Quirks of Shopping as an Expat
Suddenly, on your way home, you remember that you need some cashew milk, eggs, poppy seed bagels, and your favorite locally brewed IPA. You swing by your neighborhood store, grab a basket, head to your designated aisles, and check yourself out in under 10 minutes. Easy, simple, done. Now imagine you recently moved abroad to […]
Holy Week and Easter around the World
This is Holy Week – a time when Christians around the world celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Holy Week always takes place the week before Easter, but does not include Easter itself. Across the world, people will celebrate in different ways. Some have fasted from certain aspects of […]
Traveling While on Assignment: On or Off the Beaten Path
After being assigned abroad and working for some time, you might find yourself itching to venture out and explore your new surroundings. Every country has highlights and places to go, but we’ve all been there after a long day of traveling: exhausted, stressed, hungry, and just ready to sleep. But nothing is worse than discovering […]
The Adaptation of Culture
Borrowing ideas from other nations and adapting them to fit your own culture has been the norm since the history of human civilizations. The Greeks took papyrus and scrolls from the Egyptians, made libraries, and educated the world. The Italians learned how to make noodles from the Chinese and established a world-renowned cuisine. Recently, US […]
