Special Memories of Christmas & New Year’s

Piedad Quintas from Ecuador I remember a sad Christmas when I was a little child in 1980. First, my brother got sick a few days before Christmas day and had to stay in a children’s hospital about one week. My father didn’t have a job, and my mother was pregnant with her last child. My … Read more

Superstitions from Mexico

Abraham Nieto tell us about a superstition from his country about what a woman should do if she wants to find a boyfriend. In Mexico, many women think that if they want to find a boyfriend, they must buy a stamp or statue of San Antonio. After they buy the stamp or stature, they need … Read more

The Voice of Bulgaria

Rositsa Ruseva, Desislava Dragomirova, and Dilyana Koleva are are students in journalism at Shumen University in Shumen Bulgaria. Valya Balkanska is the cosmic voice of Bulgaria. The voice of our most famous folk singer is included on the Golden Record sent with the Voyager 1 and 2 into space in 1977 and is now travelling beyond our solar system. The … Read more

Mind Your Table Manners Internationally!

If you visit another country, it’s good to know what is considered good eating etiquette. What is considered polite may vary from country to country. Rules of Eating Etiquette in Brazil The concept of good manners varies a lot when we compare different cultures, values and ways of living. However, when we talk about the … Read more

A Perfect Morning From Bulgaria

An early spring morning I woke up with a strange thought “Something’s gonna happen.” The weather was beautiful and the morning promised a perfect day. I was still in bed, enjoying the sun and fresh air. Suddenly, the phone rang. I got it and a strange voice said: “Good morning. Are you sleeping yet?” I … Read more

Superstitions from Spain

Old beliefs started a long time ago In Spain, we are especially religious. For this reason, the common superstitions are connected with the Catholic religion. These are superstitions from three different parts of my country—the region of Galicia, the city of Salamanca, and the city of Madrid. In the north of Spain, there is a … Read more

Eating 12 Grapes on New Year’s Eve in Spain

Agustina Pascual from Spain For a long time, Spanish people have had a traditional custom of celebrating New Year’s Eve. On the last day of the year, the 31st of December, they wait until twelve p.m. Everybody has to have twelve grapes ready to eat when the clock starts to chime. It is traditional to … Read more

Readers Respond: Opinions on Working Teens

This issue is discussed in Working Teens (Issue 8). Some people think it is okay for teens to work part-time while they are in high school; other people disagree. Readers of Topics express their opinions. I believe that a teenager should voice his or her opinion in this matter. I am currently in eleventh grade, and I … Read more

International Recipes from Students in Australia

Alicha (Meat Stew) Tesfanesh Abate from Ethiopia Ageresh Abate and Awoke Abate, also from Ethiopia, helped prepare the dish! Alicha is like a stew or casserole, and the Ethiopian name for this is a wat. Stews are very popular in my country. Alicha, a more delicately seasoned Wat (stew), contains no berbere(chili). It is often eaten at home, and … Read more

Why Should People Put Up with Life in the City?

Can you imagine exchanging the glamour of city life for a quiet life in the countryside? Many people want to move from the country to the city because they think that life in the city is more exciting and better than in rural areas, especially younger people who like new, modern things. Often people like … Read more