Tag Archives: Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days – Norway

NORWAY

Europe
Capital: Oslo
Languages: Bokmal Norwegian, Nynorsk Norwegian, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Diet

  • Most young people in Norway eat meat.
  • Vegetarianism is not common.
  • The typical diet in Norway includes seafood, meat, dairy and fruits.

Religion

  • The most common religion in Norway is Lutheran.
  • Most young people in Norway do not practice their religion regularly.

Education

  • Approximately 50% of young women continue their studies at university.
  • Those who do not attend university study in professional schools, or work in offices or retail stores.
  • The academic year in Norway starts in August and ends in June.
  • University is free is Norway. The most important educational opportunity is to improve their English.

Famous Things:

Norway is famous for it’s fjords and the northern lights! No where else can match Norway on the fjord front – there are more than a thousand of them dotting the country’s coastline. Most people visit at least one, but it’s worth trying to visit classics like Lysefjord and Hardangerfjord (home to the Trolltunga rock formation). No trip to northern Norway would be complete without spotting the northern lights. You can see the aurora pretty much anywhere in the central or northern parts of the country, as long as the weather is good.

Photos by: Patrick Nouhailler {flickr}; Gunnar Hildonen {flicker}

Around the World in 80 Days – Spanish Shrimp & Rice Recipe

Spanish Shrimp and Rice: 

Ingredients:  

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 2 cloves garlic 
  • 1 small onion (chopped) 
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric 
  • 1 medium tomato (chopped) 
  • 1 small carrot (diced) 
  • ½ red pepper (diced) 
  • 1 lb. of shrimp 
  • 1 ½ cup converted rice 
  • 1 tablespoon parsley 
  • ½ cup peas 

Instructions: 

  1. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, turmeric and cook for about 3 minutes. 
  2. Add tomato, carrot, and bell pepper and cook until tender.
  3. Add ¾ teaspoon of salt and pepper and shrimp. Cook for about 1 minute.
  4. Add 2 cups of water, rice, ½ tablespoon of parsley and bring to a boil.
  5. Lower heat to medium low, and cover skillet for about 15-20 minutes.
  6. Add remaining parsley and ½ peas and cover skillet for 5 minutes.
  7. Fluff rice and serve. 

Photo by: www.bluewaikiki.com {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND 

Oceania
Capital: Wellington
Languages: English, Māori

Au Pairs in General

  • The idea of being an au pair is not well-known in New Zealand.
  • Applicants from New Zealand are motivated by cultural curiosity.
  • The job potential of an au pair improves upon her return to New Zealand.
  • Applicants do not have difficulty affording the program fees.
  • Young people in New Zealand have the freedom of their family to socialize and date.
  • Curfews are not common.
  • Young women are accustomed to sharing in household chores.
  • The people of New Zealand describe themselves as reserved, friendly, and hard working.
  • Others may consider New Zealanders’ style of communication confrontational. This stylistic  cultural difference should be taken into consideration when they are encouraged to speak their mind.
  • The academic year in New Zealand starts in February and ends in November.

Photos by: Pedro Szekely {flickr}, John Fowler {flickr}, Bernard Spragg NZ {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Polish Chrusciki

Polish Chruściki (Angel Wings) Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups of flour 
  • 4 egg yolks 
  • Pinch of salt 
  • Small spoonful of vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoon of sour cream 
  • Oil for frying 

Instructions: 

  1. Mix flour, egg yolks, salt, vinegar and sour cream. 
  2. Beat the dough with a rolling pin once ingredients come together. 
  3. Roll the dough as thin as possible
  4. Fry pieces in deep oil.  

Photo by: Blazej Pieczynski {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Netherlands

NETHERLANDS

Western Europe
Capital: Amsterdam
Languages: Dutch, regional languages
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Dutch applicants are open and down to earth.
  • They are hard workers.
  • They are polite, friendly and social.

FUN FACTS:

  • The colors of the Dutch flag are red, white, and blue. Red stands for the people, white for  the church, and blue for nobility.
  • Dutch people are on average the tallest people in the world. (Women 5 ft 7 and men 6 ft).
  • The total length of all roads together in the Netherlands is 132,397 km. That’s about four times around the world!

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?             Hoe gaat het?
  • Fine, thanks.               Goed, dank je wel.
  • My name is…              Mijn naam is…
  • Nice to meet you.        Leuk je te ontmoeten.
  • Thank you.                  Dank je wel.

“It’s a life changing experience. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about everything I’ve learned, all the amazing times I spent with friends and family and all the people I met. Being an Au Pair in America is my story of success so far – more are to come!” – Jodie – au pair from the Netherlands

Photo by Crash71100 {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Brazilian Lemonade

Let’s get cooled off with some Brazilian Lemonade!

Brazilian Lemonade Recipe

Ingredients: 

  • 4 juicy limes
  • 4 cups cold water 
  • 1 can sweet condensed milk 
  • Ice 

Instructions: 

  1. Wash your limes and peel two of them. Cut them into 8 wedges and remove the white pith.
  2. Combine the lime wedges and water in your blender and pulse for a few seconds (10  seconds maximum). 
  3. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the pulp to extract all the juice.
  4. Return the liquid to the blender and add the sweet condensed milk. Blend until creamy and frothy. 
  5. Serve immediately with ice!

And there you have it — Brazilian lemonade!

Around the World in 80 Days – Mexico

MEXICO 

North America
Capital: Mexico City
Languages: Spanish
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity (Catholic)

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Mexican people describe themselves as hospitable, family oriented and warm.
  • Most Mexicans have very strong family ties.
  • Tradition, culture and Mexican food are very important for Mexicans.

FUN FACTS:

  • Mexico is the 14th largest country in the world!
  • The Aztecs used cacao seeds as a form of currency.
  • The world’s largest pyramid is in… Mexico!

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?             ¿Cómo estás?
  • Fine, thanks.               Bien, gracias.
  • My name is…              Me llamo / Mi nombre es…
  • Nice to meet you!        ¡Qué gusto conocerte!
  • Thank you.                  Gracias.

 

Around the World in 80 Days – Chinese Children’s Books

Lon Po Po, by Ed Young, is the Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood.

The Seven Chinese Sisters, by Kathy Tucker, tells the story of six sisters with unique talents who must use them to save the seventh sister after she’s kidnapped by a dragon!

The Seven Chinese Brothers, by Margaret Mahy, is a retelling of the classic Chinese tale about a family of brothers who must work together to triumph over the corrupt emperor.

Dim Sum for Everyone!, by Grace Lin, is about a family with three daughters visiting a resaurant for a meal of dim sum. Childrean learn about Chinese culture and traditions.

Around the World in 80 Days – Latvia

LATVIA

Northern Europe
Capital: Riga
Languages: Latvian
Religion(s): Christianity
(predominantly Roman Catholic/Lutheran)

Common Characteristics:

  • Latvia is a small nation, but Latvians are very proud of their heritage.
  • Latvians are hard working, polite and responsible.
  • Latvians can be reserved when you first meet them, but they are friendly and helpful after they get to know you – friendships are genuine.

FUN FACTS:

  • Aleksandrs was a famous Latvian explorer. He moved to Venezuela in 1939. His most  famous discovery was Angel Falls and he named the river, from which Angel Falls flows, Gauja. He also named 3 other rivers in Venezuela after Latvian Rivers such as Daugava (Riga), Venta (Kuldiga, Ventspils) and Ogre.
  • The capital of Latvia, Riga, is the largest city in the Baltic States and is famous for some of the best Art Nouveau architecture in Europe.
  • Walter Zapp invented and built the first Minox ”Spy Camera” in Latvia.

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?      Kātev iet?
  • Fine, thanks.       Paldies – labi.
  • My name is…      Mani sauc…
  • Nice to meet you.     Prieks iepazīties.
  • Thank you.           Paldies.

Photo by: Ricardo Liberati {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Famous People from Germany

Johannes Gutenberg was born in Germany in 1400. His invention led to the first printing press. Learn more from the seasonal calendar.

Grimm’s Fairy tales, originally written in German, have been translated into 160 languages. To find out more about Jacob Grimm, visit the seasonal calendar.

Born in 1875 in Germany, Albert Schweitzer studied music, science and religion. He won the Nobel Peace Prize and is probably best remembered for bringing modern health care to Africa  in the early 1900s. He said something that you might want to think about: “Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” To learn more about Albert Schweitzer, visit our seasonal calendar.

Albert Einstein, born in Germany in 1879, lived in Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the  Netherlands and Israel before becoming a US citizen. As a child he loved to build houses out of playing cards. He is best known for his scientific theories, but he also worked to support the United Nations, nuclear disarmament, and civil liberties. To learn more, visit our seasonal calendar.