In each country, proverbs and sayings provide insights into simple truths and beliefs of the people. In this section, some learners of English share the meanings of proverbs from their own countries. Japanese Proverb about Practicality and Beauty In English: Dumplings are better than cherry blossoms “Hanami” means going to see the cherry blossoms. The cherry blossom … Read more
An original tale written by Ji-Young Lee from Korea There was a village named ‘Sa-rang’ in Korea. The village had two flowers that cried when a couple passed nearby. These flowers never died. Once upon a time, there was a couple, Soo-il and Soon-ae, living in Sa-rang. They loved each other so much that they … Read more
In my country, young people like tattoos very much. They have butterflies, flowers and hearts tattooed on parts of their bodies. Also, they choose very interesting zones to build marks of their youth. Almost all of them are trying to get our attention by doing it. It is just human. I’m self confident enough to … Read more
Saksak (Sweet Sago Dumplings) Susan Collier From Papua New Guinea This dish is eaten at home; it can be a lunch or a dinner dish. It is special for people living along the coastal area of Papua New Guinea. I like it because I grew up eating it. Children love it. I like to prepare … Read more
TOPICS: Could you tell us about the custom of eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day? John Davis: In Georgia, it’s a tradition to eat black-eyed peas and turnip greens. The peas represent copper and the greens are dollars. We say each pea you eat equals one dollar’s worth of earning, and each portion of turnip … Read more
“Mom. How can I protect myself from ghosts when I meet them?” my four-year-old daughter asked me. These days she is interested in ghosts because she enjoyed watching horror films on TV during the Halloween season. Even though she is scared of them, she still watched from under a blanket. I could see only her … Read more
We all played simple games when we were very young. Here are three games that international students from Germany, Switzerland, and Korea played as toddlers (very young children). Toddlers like to play with pots and pans. A pot on the head of one foot in the pot s a lot of fun! 1. Topfschlagen (Hit the Pot) Carolyn Behne … Read more
A crazy project, a terrible idea to film a guy as soon as he was born and to build around him a huge studio set that looks like a town. Director: Peter Weir Type: Drama, Fantasy Actors: Jim Carrey (Truman Burbank) Laura Linney (Meryl) Noah Emmerich (Marlon) Natascha McElhone (Lauren/Sylvia) Holland Taylor (Truman’s mother) Brian Delate (Truman’s Father) … Read more
Ngoc Dinh-Quang Pham from Vietnam Organizing a wedding is very important for a couple because it’s an event that happens once in their life. So, the prepare carefully for the marriage ceremony. One day before the ceremony, both families build a frame made from coconut leaves in front of their houses. On the top of … Read more
This is the story of a beautiful moon princess, but it is also a story about bamboo, a plant which was once believed to be sacred. Once upon a time there was an old man and his wife. One day he went to a bamboo grove to collect bamboo shoots, where he found a bamboo … Read more