The UoB Linguist Magazine - Issue 39

March 2021 issue 39

包⼦的奇迹 Fast fashion in Europe Lupin: pourquoi si populaire?

Nuns, Negronis And My Nuclear Family

Una relació sobtada

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The UoB Linguist Magazine

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Our 2020/21 Team Committee: Chair - Holly Hunt Secretary- emily mercer treasurer- Roberta Wright Creative designerEleanor Smith proofreaders: Rachael Jones Camille stevenson editors team: french- camille stevenson German- harvey jones spanish- megan lacey Portuguese- emily petrie catalan- emma velho italian- franca filipik Russian- Georgia Boote mandarin- becca snoad life and styleGeorgia boote current affairselsie haldane culture- emma velho food and drinkemma walker travel- chloe brown

Issue 39

04 French Section "Le clandestin monastère bouddhiste d’Occitanie" by Megan Goddard, "Lupin: pourquoi si populaire?" by Sarah Jackson 05 German Section "Sprachvertiefung muss nicht anstregend sein!" by Mollie McCooey 06 Spanish Section "Mi experiencia de aprender español como adulto y viajar por América Latina" by Genevieve Kotarska 08 Italian Section "Come mi sto preparando per il mio anno all'estero in Italia" by Emily Mercer 09 Portuguese Section "A carne, a soja, e nosso impacto ecológico nos biomas brasileiros" by Cameron Smith 10 Catalan Section "Una relació sobtada" by Emma Crossley 11 Mandarin Section " " by Lewis Harding 12 Russian Section "Эстония, Латвия и Литва: неожиданные страны, где ты можешь попрактиковаться в русском языке" by Georgia Boote 13 Current Affairs Section "Could Northern England gain independence?" by Emma Walker 14 Life and Style Section "Fast fashion in Europe" by Sarah Cayless 15 Culture Section "The Weird and Wonderful Traditions of Greek Culture" by Costantina Constantinou 16 Travel Section "Nuns, Negronis And My Nuclear Family" by Eva Lovejoy 17 Food and Drink Section "The Three Best Countries for Vegetarians and Vegans" by Sarina Shah 18 Get Involved!

包⼦的奇迹

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a Message

March from the Chair.. 2021 Hello! Witam! Hallo!

Welcome to Issue 39! I hope all our readers are as well as can be in these times and are looking forward to some captivating, cultural adventures in this January edition of the UoB Linguist Magazine. As students and travel lovers, it can be frustrating to be stuck at home doing work, especially if you are learning about countries you would love to visit - the wanderlust soon creeps in! That is why I love this issue. Reading these articles is like travelling from the comfort of your own home! The talented, inspiring writers of Issue 39 bring you cultural, sensory and linguistic adventures in many forms and many languages…

Reading articles, watching foreign series and films, and learning languages are all ways in which we can experience the outside world despite being stuck indoors.

These activities can be new and exciting and are brilliant ways to experience the customs and traditions of other countries. In Mollie McCooey’s German article and Emily Mercer’s Italian piece, we can explore methods of language immersion and how to maintain language skills to prepare for moving abroad. Genevieve Kotarska writes about learning Spanish as an adult, which I found thoughtprovoking and motivating as a learner myself! Our French section also treats us to some fascinating discoveries in this issue, such as a Buddhist monastery hidden in France and a gripping Netflix series!

One of my favourite things about this issue is the many food and drink related articles! Sarina Shah shares some top tips for eating vegan and vegetarian food around the world, Lewis Harding writes about mouth-watering Chinese buns, and Costantina Constantinou shares her experience of traditional Greek family life, which includes a delicious-sounding New Years’ cake!

A big thank you to all the writers, editors and committee members for all their hard work on another fantastic magazine!

Happy reading,

Holly

Cover Image: Grüne Zitadelle von Magdeburg, Eleanor Smith

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Le clandestin monastère bouddhiste d’Occitanie

Situé parmi les belles montagnes du sud de la France est le magnifique monastère bouddhiste de Lérab Ling. Ce grand monastère a été fondé par un maître bouddhiste tibétain et l’auteur renommé, Sogyal Rinpoché, et visité par le dalaïlama. Lérab Ling a été construit afin de créer une retraite pour les gens qui ont le désir de découvrir, étudier et pratiquer le bouddhisme tibétain, mais aussi on peut le visiter sur certains jours pour apprendre comment fonctionne le monastère. Les moines bouddhistes vivent dans le monastère toute l’année, alors que les pèlerins et les autres visiteurs viennent seulement pour une semaine ou peut-être un mois dans une retraite, qui consiste à des activités réfléchies, comme la méditation ou le jardinage ainsi que la pratique bouddhiste. Par une journée très chaude, il y a quelques années, j’ai visité Lérab Ling pour voir le grand temple extraordinaire. Après avoir passé plus d’une heure en voiture avec mes grands-parents, qui habitent en Occitanie, tout ce que je voulais était sauter dans une piscine froide peut-être glacée. Cependant, de nul part je pouvais voir le toit du bâtiment principal de Lérab Ling, qui., était couvert d’or et soutenu par de très beaux piliers.Ce temple bouddhiste était la chose la plus.incroyable que j’ai jamais vue. Quand nous avons atteint les belles portes du temple, nous avons dû laisser nos chaussures à l’extérieur

du temple pour entrer et observer la méditation des moines. Le silence dans le temple était invraisemblable et la beauté des statues bouddhistes était spectaculaire, en ce qui me concerne. Pendant cette demi-heure, j’ai eu l’impression d’être dans un autre pays et cela ne ressemblait à rien de semblable à ce que j’avais vu avant. Je me sens extrêmement chanceuse d’avoir vu le temple incroyable de Lérab Ling et donc je vous encourage à étudier plus en ce qui concerne le bouddhisme en France.

Megan Goddard

Lupin: pourquoi si populaire?

La série française complètement inattendue aux ÉtatsUnis, vient d'entrer le 'top 10' de Netflix dans le monde entier, et en janvier, durant son premier mois, elle dépasse Bridgerton et The Queen's Gambit : 70 millions personnes l'ont visionné.

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caractéristiques des différentes époques. Dans le premier épisode, on voit Sy comme un homme du ménage au Louvre, ensuite on essaye de le jeter du balcon d’un immeuble dans la banlieue de Paris, et après, il retourne au Louvre comme un Monsieur faisant une offre pour un collier de diamant… le même Mais pourquoi est-elle si populaire, même avec les qu'il va voler. Ses autres personnages mémorables spectateurs anglophones ? sont un livreur UberEats dans le jardin du Luxembourg, et un technicien qui travaille à la Mairie.

Premièrement, la série est intelligente. Elle raconte l'histoire d'Assane Diop, héritier du gentleman- Mais la chose la plus amusante ? Sy mesure 1m90, cambrioleur Arsène Lupin, le personnage éponyme du possède une forte carrure, et est beau sans effort. roman 1905 de Leblanc. L’idée est unique mais avec C’est fou de suggérer qu’il peut passer inaperçu dans les racines du patrimoine littéraire français. Et en plus, de telles situations ! On peut dire que c’est une on apprend également dans l’intrigue de la vie actuelle controverse du prologue de la série, mais elle est d’Assane, et celle de son père, étant décédé quand censée. Lupin semble de rire de son propre concept, Assane était petit. comme la scène quand Assane joue un officier de police qui va garder les bijoux d’une femme à cause du La série est aussi amusante. Assane, joué par Omar Sy risque des cambrioleurs. Elle le supplie de prendre des (renommé de Les Intouchables) représente l'image de choses précieuses, et nous en rions. Ça, c’est le son héros, Arsène Lupin, en mélangeant des charme de Lupin.

Sarah Jackson

Sprachvertiefung muss nicht anstrengend sein!

Man kann mit Sicherheit sagen, dass ein Sprachstudium während einer globalen Pandemie nicht das Einfachste ist... Egal, ob man wie ich ein Auslandsjahr absolvieren soll oder einfach nur die persönlichen Vorlesungen an der Universität vermisst, es ist für Sprachstudenten leicht, das Gefühl zu haben, dass sie gerade wenig Fortschritte in ihrem Studium machen. Für uns ist der persönliche Kontakt und die Interaktion mit Muttersprachlern und anderen Studenten so wichtig und wenn dies schwieriger wird, kann die Motivation zur Aufrechterhaltung der Fremdsprachenkenntnisse herausgefordert werden.

Mit diesem Gedanken im Hinterkopf dachte ich, ich würde einige der verschiedenen Dinge teilen, die ich getan habe, um mein Deutsch auf eine lockere Art und Weise aufrechtzuerhalten (und diese Dinge können auf jede der Sprachen angewendet werden, die Sie lernen!)

Eines der Dinge, die ich als sehr hilfreich empfunden habe, ist das Einschalten der Untertitel bei meinen Lieblingsfernsehsendungen und -filmen - es ist erstaunlich, wie viel Material auf Netflix die Möglichkeit von deutschen Untertiteln oder sogar deutschem Ton hat! Ich würde wirklich die deutsche Serie Holiday Secrets empfehlen, aber eine große Auswahl des englischen Materials kann ins Deutsche übersetzt werden, oder es können fremdsprachige Untertitel hinzugefügt werden. Abgesehen von Netflix können Sie, wenn Sie Zugang zu Disney+ haben, eine erstaunliche Anzahl deren Filmen in mehrere Fremdsprachen übersetzen lassen, zusammen mit den entsprechenden Untertiteln! Dies ist eine großartige Möglichkeit, Ihr Deutsch täglich „warm“ zu halten und regelmäßig gebräuchliche, kontextbezogene Phrasen zu wiederholen, anstatt nur einzelne Wörter zu lernen. Ich würde auch vorschlagen, dass Sie diese Arbeit fortsetzen, indem Sie Ihr eigenes „deutsches Phrasenbuch“ erstellen, als

eine laufende Quelle, auf die Sie sich beziehen können und die Ihnen bei Ihren Konversationsfähigkeiten hilft.

Wenn Sie sich für Bücher interessieren, dann wäre ein weiterer Vorschlag, den ich habe, ein Brainstorming über Ihre Lieblingsromane zu machen und zu sehen, ob Sie sie auf Deutsch bekommen können! Ich dachte, das würde schwierig werden, aber Amazon hat einige tolle Titel. Obwohl man dafür ein bisschen Geld ausgeben muss, sind viele Bücher auf Amazon gebraucht erhältlich, so dass die Kosten vernachlässigbar sind. Ich lese gerade die deutsche Übersetzung von The Time Traveller's Wife und es verbessert wirklich mein Verständnis von geschriebenem Deutsch.

In letzter Zeit habe ich auch versucht, mein Deutschlernen an meinen Leidenschaften auszurichten, da ich denke, dass dies definitiv bei der Motivation zum Sprachenlernen hilft. Ich bin ein großer Essensfan und immer auf der Suche nach neuen Dingen zum Kochen, also versuche ich, wo ich kann, fremdsprachige Rezepte nachzukochen. Das ist wirklich nützlich, um den Wortschatz zu erweitern und sich mit einem breiteren Spektrum an Lesestoff vertraut zu machen.

Ein letzter Vorschlag: Nutzen Sie Ihr Handy zu Ihrem Vorteil! Wir alle lieben es, durch soziale Medien zu scrollen, warum also nicht einigen deutschen Accounts zu folgen? Instagram kann ein sehr effektives Werkzeug sein, um in die deutsche Sprache einzutauchen, ohne dass Sie es wirklich wissen, und Sie können Accounts folgen, die Ihren persönlichen Interessen entsprechen. Ein zusätzlicher Tipp wäre, tatsächlich Ihre Spracheinstellungen zu ändern und Ihr gesamtes Handy auf Deutsch umzustellen!

Also, wenn Sie sich im Moment nicht besonders motiviert fühlen, denken Sie daran, dass Sie nicht allein sind! Sie müssen nicht nur auf ein Grammatikbuch starren, um Ihren Tag ein bisschen deutscher zu machen und ich hoffe, dass einige dieser Tipps und Tricks Sie daran erinnert haben!

Viel Spaß beim Sprachenlernen!

Mollie McCooey

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Mi experiencia de aprender por América

Cuando estaba en la escuela, estudié un poco de Alemán, un año de Francés y obtuve una B en mi nivel AS de Italiano. Pero los idiomas siempre fueron un trabajo duro para mí, y después de un intento fallido de continuar italiano en la universidad durante mi licenciatura, decidí que estaba condenada a ser otra persona británica que sólo podía hablar inglés. Sin embargo, en 2016 estaba haciendo un trabajo aburrido cuando mi amigo publicó una foto de Colombia en Instagram.

Le envíe un mensaje – tanto bonito allá – y mi amigo respondió – ¡ven! En solo un mes renuncié a mi trabajo, tuve mis vacunas y volé para encontrarnos en Bolivia. Pasé dos meses en América del Sur, algunas veces con mi amigo y algunas veces sola.

Me gustaban muchas cosas acerca de Sudamérica, pero no se me ocurrió estudiar español hasta que regresé a Inglaterra y vi Narcos. Por alguna razón, me di cuenta de que quería volver a América Latina y, para tener una experiencia más profunda, necesitaría aprender español. Empecé con Duolingo. Por 18 meses usé solo Duolingo y un diccionario de español, un intento valiente, y cuando la oportunidad para las clases llegó, el sistema me calificó a B1. Quizás un error, porque en mi primera clase estudiamos el pretérito y quise llorar, todo era extraño para mí. Teníamos una clase por semana y trataba de mejorar en un ambiente sin estructura y con muchos niveles en mi clase – algunos de mis compañeros habían vivido en España o tenían los padres españoles – aún hoy no sé por qué estábamos en la misma clase.

Pero este año , finalmente, ¡regresé a América Latina! , una oportunidad para probar mi español.

Renuncié a mi trabajo que odio y volé a Ecuador y muy rápidamente me di cuenta de que no podía entender nada – ahora puedo hablar mejor, pero

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Genevieve en Cusco, Perú.

español como adulto y viajar Latina me quedaba helada si algunas personas hablaban conmigo. Tenía mucho miedo de cometer errores.

Pasé mucho tiempo con otros viajeros que hablaban más español que yo, y sentía que había olvidado mi español porque siempre estaba siguiendo a los otros y no podía superarlos.

Después de muchas cervezas tuve la confianza para hablar más, pero no práctico en la vida cotidiana.

Genevieve enfrente del Volcán Cotopaxi, Ecuador

Eventualmente, dos incidentes me dieron esperanza. ¡Podría mejorar! En primer lugar, en un bar en la Ciudad de México mi amigo bilingüe no pudo entender a la mesera y la mesera me pidió traducir y yo pude hacerlo, aunque el tema era la elaboración de cerveza (otra vez creo que las bebidas me ayudaron). En segundo lugar, cuando el coronavirus me hizo regresar a Inglaterra tomé un taxi al aeropuerto y hablé con el conductor durante todo el viaje sobre muchas cosas como el virus, la terapia alternativa, la cultura mexicana y la música. Le dije que mi banda favorita es Buena Vista Social Club. Me dijo que el estereotipo de los ingleses era que somos aburridos y fríos, pero que yo era diferente porque si me gustaba Buena Vista Social Club debía tener un alma de América Latina, uno de los momentos más orgullosos de mi vida.

Ahora, tengo una clase cada semana con mi maestro en México. Puedo leer artículos en español y ver programas en español (a pesar de que usualmente sigo necesitando los subtítulos).

Todavía me resulta difícil entender el español hablado, muchas veces he dicho “si tan solo el mundo tuviera subtítulos”, pero supongo que aprender un idioma toma tiempo, entonces tengo que continuar aun cuando siento que no estoy progresando. Paso a paso.

Genevieve Kotarska

Genevieve y la Laguna Parón, Perú.

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Come mi sto preparando per il mio anno all’estero in Italia

Molti studenti del secondo anno all’università di Birmingham hanno già confermato gli stage di studio e di lavoro che inizieranno quest’autunno. Tuttavia, oltre alla situazione precaria del Coronavirus, adesso ci troviamo a vivere in un’epoca post-Brexit, che rende ancora più difficile viaggiare in Europa. Ho in progetto di studiare all’università di Padova nell’autunno, e di lavorare per un’azienda di traduzione a Milano nella primavera, ma non sono sicura se sarà realizzabile.Ho pensato che sarebbe utile precisare i metodi che ho usato per organizzarmi per il mio anno all’estero in Italia, nel miglior modo possibile.

La burocrazia italiana La burocrazia italiana può essere pesante e difficile per gli stranieri che vogliano abitare in Italia.

Il Coronavirus e la Brexit non lo hanno reso più facile. Sarebbe opportuno controllare regolarmente gli aggiornamenti del governo italiano, specialmente quegli che riguardano la Visa, l’assicurazione sanitaria e il permesso di soggiorno.

L'alloggio É una buona idea cominciare a pensare a dove e come voler vivere in Italia. Con gli altri studenti? Quest’estate potresti trovare altri studenti che andranno alla stessa università, usando i gruppi di Facebook. Oppure potresti abitare con una famiglia, che forse ti offrirà un’esperienza più autentica. Il mio consiglio è di provare una famiglia che un amico, un relativo ecc. ti ha raccomandato.

Cose da esplorare Ho scritto una lista di cose da fare per quando sono in Italia, una per Padova e un’altra per Milano.

Creare un itinerario può aiutarti a essere organizzato e ti permetterà di fare tutto ciò che vuoi oltre a darti qualcosa da aspettare con ansia. Per esempio, ho scritto una lista delle attrazioni famose, come la Cattedrale di Milano, ma anche ho esplorato sul web alcune gallerie d’arte e le città vicine che mi piacerebbe visitare. Detto questo, è importante che lasci spazio per l’imprevisto; a volte le esperienze più belle sono le più spontanee!

Roma Chiedere in giro Ti consiglio di usare Tandem, un’applicazione sociale, per due ragioni: 1) Puoi chattare con una persona italiana che vive nella tua città di destinazione; saprà tutto della città, dai migliori ristoranti, musei e gallerie, alle feste locali.

2) É un buon modo per praticare l’italiano e forse apprendere alcune frasi nel dialetto.

Gli studenti che già hanno realizzato il loro anno all’estero ti daranno il migliore consiglio, perché sanno cosa significa vivere da solo all’estero come uno studente. Non aver paura di chiedere tutte le domande che volete; gli studenti della università di Birmingham con cui ho parlato sono stati molto gentili e disponibili. Non posso sottolineare abbastanza quanto utile sia stato per me!

Un’altra opzione per ottenere consigli sull’anno all’estero è leggere i blog. Ad esempio, hai visto The Insider’s Guide to the Year Abroad sul Canvas? Non dimenticare che ci sono un sacco di articoli del Linguist basati sull’anno all’estero in Italia.

Prepararsi al peggio Non vogliamo pensare che il nostro anno all’estero potrebbe essere cancellato a causa del Coronavirus, ma, è meglio prepararsi per tutti i possibili risultati. Ad esempio, la tua università italiana trasferì le classi a online quando c’era un isolamento? Potresti continuare a lavorare in Italia se ci fosse un altro isolamento? É chiaro che prepararsi per il nostro anno all’estero a volte è complicato, anche senza l’aggiunta dello stress causato dalla pandemia e dalla Brexit. Spero che i miei consigli siano stati di qualche utilità, qualsiasi cosa succeda.

Emily Mercer

Sorrento

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A carne, a soja, e nosso impacto ecológico nos biomas brasileiros O que vem à mente quando você entende a palavra ‘soja’? A soja faz-lhe pensar nos veganos, nas pessoas com intolerância à lactose, ou a uma nova moda ou tendência? De facto, a grande maioria da soja que os agricultores cultivam está alimentando a pecuária, especialmente as galinhas e os porcos, porque é uma das melhores maneiras de fornecer proteína a estes animais. Assim os omnívoros comem (indiretamente) a maioria da soja no mundo. É verdade que o consumo das bebidas à base de plantas e de alimentos vegetais tem aumentado muito nos últimos anos, sobretudo no Ocidente, e talvez o alimento mais famoso deste grupo é a soja, utilizada na alimentação de maneiras inúmeras - tofu até ao leite de soja – e cada vez mais pessoas substituem os produtos animais pelos produtos vegetais como a soja. Porém, é possível que o consumo destes produtos seja a causa da devastação ecológica que acontece no Brasil e na América do Sul. Embora a soja seja cultivada na Europa, a maioria da soja que os europeus comem vem dos Estados Unidos, da Argentina e do Brasil. Grandes estabelecimentos e restaurantes populares no Reino Unido vendem a carne dos animais que comeram a soja brasileira. O problema é que é difícil dizer se a soja vem ou não duma região desmatada: a soja vem frequentemente do Cerrado, um grande bioma ao sul da Amazônia, singularmente rico em biodiversidade. Esta savana sofre urbanização e desmatamento provocado muitas vezes pela agricultura. Certamente o desmatamento ameaça o bioma, mas oferece também risco às populações indígenas que moram no Cerrado. Mesmo que a destruição da savana seja alarmante, estas ações para criar mais espaço para cultivar a soja e outras plantas são legais no Cerrado (mesmo se não são legais na Amazônia). Por isso, as empresas podem continuar a incendiar a vegetação para subir os seus rendimentos sem enfrentar uma ação judicial.

Se você discorda com o desmatamento desta região, o que pode fazer? Alguns restaurantes no Reino

Unido compram ‘créditos’ para ajudar certas fazendas a cultivar a soja de maneira mais sustentável – um pouco como a ideia da compensação de emissões de carbono – mas não resolve diretamente o problema. É possível que a melhor maneira de reduzir o desmatamento seja diminuir o consumo de animais alimentados pela soja, diminuindo globalmente a demanda da cultivação da soja. Alimentar proteínas vegetais aos animais antes de comer a proteína animal é um sistema muito ineficiente tendo em conta a utilização do terreno e da água, em vez de comer diretamente a proteína vegetal. É talvez melhor comprar os produtos que contêm a soja europeia para evitar a possibilidade de contribuir para a desflorestação no Brasil. O presidente Macron foi confrontado com a crítica do presidente Bolsonaro quando disse recentemente que comprar a soja brasileira seria tolerar o desmatamento: o Bolsonaro constatou que a Amazônia é importante para todo o mundo, mas a Amazônia pertence aos brasileiros e não gosta da interferência da comunidade internacional. Será que os europeus têm o direito de escolher como usar as florestas e savanas brasileiras? Não há uma solução fácil porque não está bem concordado se a Amazônia e o Cerrado pertencem ao mundo e todos os humanos porque a perda dos ecossistemas afetaria todo o mundo, aos brasileiros porque os terrenos estão no território brasileiro, ou às populações indígenas que lá moram há milhares de anos? Qualquer que seja a resposta, o desmatamento continuará indubitavelmente até que a nova legislação proteja a natureza no Brasil.

Cameron Smith

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Una relació sobtada Fa quatre mesos que visc en un poble petit de Catalunya.

Quan jo vaig arribar, no sabia parlar gens el català, no sabia quasi res de la llengua. Durant la meva primera setmana aquí ho trobava molt difícil d’entendre. Però, després de passar molt de temps rodejada per catalanoparlants, vaig començar a acostumar-m’hi: la pronunciació, les frases fetes, etc. I és que quan penses en el català, és normal creure que és pràcticament igual que el castellà. Tot i que hi ha moltes semblances entre les dues llengües, no es pot oblidar que el català també té coses en comú amb altres llengües europees, com l’italià o el francès.

No obstant això, potser que et sorprengui que el català també té algunes paraules soltes que es semblen més a l’anglès que el castellà. De fet, la meva família d’acollida i jo notem això i fem una llista d’aquestes paraules. Les tenim penjades en una llista a la nevera. Mentre estigui aquí, vull fer un esforç per aprendre aquesta llengua i ho trobo interessant perquè hi ha semblances inesperades amb l’anglès.

El primer àmbit on es poden veure aquestes semblances és amb la cuina. Per exemple, al bullir l’aigua per fer pasta, vam notar que ‘bullir’ s’assembla amb ‘boil’ en lloc de ‘hervir’ en castellà. Sovint, utilitzem el castellà com a “llengua franca” però a vegades cap de les dues parts no es recorda de la paraula en castellà ’ respectivament). A la cuina, hi ha altres paraules que comparteixen semblança amb les seves equivalents angleses, com són: forquilla i taula (‘fork’ i ‘table’ en lloc de les paraules castellanes ‘tenedor’ i ‘mesa’. També,

La meva família d’acollida i jo.

tingues en compte que ‘cosina’ és un “false friend” amb el castellà, ja que no significa el mateix que ‘cocina’ en castellà, sinó que l’has de comparar amb l’anglès i trobaràs que significa ‘cousin’.

A més, hi ha d’altres paraules que tenen similitud amb l’anglès. Per exemple, en veure l’arc de San Martí, ens adonem que ‘blau’ s’assembla a ‘blue’. O esperant en fila per comprar el pa et trobaràs en una ‘cua’, com ‘queue’. O pujant una muntanya arribaràs al ‘pic’, com ‘peak’.

Potser és casualitat, potser és gràcies al veïns francesos que compartim, o potser per la divergència del castellà amb las seves arrels llatins (ja que ara s’utilitzen paraules de l’àrab com ‘aceite’, mentre que en anglès i en català diem ‘oil’ i ‘oli’) però es veritat que hi ha algunes semblances, i segur que hi ha molt més del què acabem de descobrir. No dic que el català i l’anglès siguin similars, però és important posar en relleu que el català és una llengua única, amb moltes coses interesants.

Emma Crossley

La llisa de paraules penjades en la nostra nevera.

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包⼦的奇迹

西⽅国家通常认为中国菜只有酸甜的，但实际上，中国的美⻝博⼤精深，种类 繁多，⽐如还有平时常⻅且⼤家熟知的饺⼦、包⼦和北京烤鸭等等。刚到中国时， 我发现了⼀家名为“全家”的便利店，⾥⾯有很多我从未⻅过的美⻝，我就是在那⾥ 发现了“包⼦”—这个我从未⻅过的美⻝。乍⼀看，这似乎没什么特别的，只是普通 鸡⾁包，直到我吃了第⼀⼝才体验到了在英格兰难得尝到的美味。随后我发现包⼦ 在中国很普遍，我想尝试尽可能多的包⼦，也尽可能尝试最特别的包⼦。 我记得去 上海的⼀家以包⼦闻名的餐厅时， 我点了“辣鸡”包⼦，但是辣酱让我觉得⾆头像是 着了⽕。然后我点了⼀笼⼩笼包，没想到⾥⾯还有鲜美的汤汁，我紧接着⼜点了三 个。这次经历以后，我产⽣了在中国尽可能的多尝试不同包⼦的想法。每天早上上 班前，我会吃两个“⽣煎馒头”，然后再尝试其他新的包⼦，虽然有时候很辣。慢慢 地，包⼦成为了我饮⻝中的主⻝。包⼦也有多种⻛味，有的也很甜，⽐如“奶⻩ 包”，和英国的“奶油冻”甜点类似，我尤其喜欢。健⾝之后吃“奶⻩包”和“⾖沙包”很舒 服，但是只吃⼀个就好。另外值得⼀提的是，不要犯和我⼀样的错误，那就是我在 中国时对“汤”⼀词不熟悉，常分不清“汤”和“糖”。所以当我点“汤包”时，期待的其实 是甜包⼦，但我的嘴⾥充满了⼏乎沸腾的热汤，太烫⾆头了！ 有趣的是，包⼦其实出现在中国的三国时期。⼀位名叫诸葛亮的军事战略家在 与他的军队⼀起在中国南⽅征战时，他的部队患了⿏ (181-234)。他们之所以制作 包⼦是为了供奉众神，让疫情得到缓解，因为包⼦是⼈头的象征性代表，被⻝⽤后 代表着疾病得到治愈。 回到英国后，我四处找寻正宗的中国包⼦。但不幸的是，我虽然找到了类似的 ⻝物，却再也没有看到过传统的中国包⼦。我渴望有⼀天能回到中国再⼀饱⼝福！ Lewis Harding

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Эстония, Латвия и Литва: неожиданные страны, где ты можешь попрактиковаться в русском языке

Если ты хочешь практиковать русский язык, но ты не хочешь хлопот с визой, почему бы не поехать в некоторые другие красивые русскоязычные направления? И вместо очевидного выбора, Украина или Беларусь, почему бы не попробовать восхитительную альтернативу - Эстонию, Латвию и Литву? Несмотря на то, что у всех этих стран собственные языки, русский язык еще распространенный. В Эстонии, 39% населения могли говорить, писать и читать по-русски свободно в 2006-ом году. В Латвии, это было 59%, а Литва имеет наименьшее количество 24% (Русскоязычие распространено не только там, где живут русские (demoscope.ru)). В Литве, английский язык стал лингва франка. Поэтому может быть Латвия является лучшим направлением, если ты хочешь практиковать твои язычные навыки. Но благодаря тому, что все эти страны в том же уголке Европы, это хорошая идея исследовать все три. Но что могут предложить эти страны? Во-первых, давай узнаем Эстонию. Самое очевидное место, которое ты можешь посетить - это Таллин. Таллин - столица Эстонии, и он полон средневековой архитектуры. В Тарте, ты должен увидеть «Суповой Город», где улицы названы в честь различных ингредиентов супа. Есть также некоторые замечательные национальные парки для посещения. Например, Национальный Парк Соомаа является хорошим местом, если ты хотел бы увидеть таких животных, как олени, бобры и беркуты. Чтобы исследовать, тебе нужно будет каноэ, чтобы добавить немного приключений к экскурсии. Национальный Парк Лахемаа - это ещё один отличный вариант, если ты хотела бы увидеть красивые пейзажи. Если тебя интересует история, ты должен взглянуть на несколько древних замков. Например, есть Вильяндиский орденский замок в южной Эстонии - городу Вильянди 2600 лет! Альтернативно, на севере можно посетить замок Раквере. В этом замке история оживает: можно видеть рыцарей, прогуливающихся по земле, и попробовать средневековые блюда. Однако, если ты хочешь атмосферу летнего отдыха, Пярну является идеальным. Туристы здесь любят лежать на пляже или ходить в коктейль-бар, ресторан или спа. Так расслабляет!

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Во-вторых, Латвия. Рига является столицей, и самым лучшим местом, чтобы увидеть очаровательную культуру и историю, красивую архитектуру и веселую ночную жизнь. Старый город Риги не разочарует в этом аспекте. В столице даже просто гулять по улицам - это чудесная деятельность, благодаря красивым зданиям, которые ты можешь отлично фотографировать. Между тем, если тебе нравится гулять на природе, тебе понравится Сигулду. В Эстония

Сигулде можно посетить много мероприятий на свежем воздухе, есть множество Между тем, если тебе нравится гулять на природе, тебе понравится Сигулду. В Сигулде можно посетить много мероприятий на свежем воздухе, есть множество возможностей, таких как каякинг, банджиджампинг или даже катание на лыжах и сноубординг зимой. Для тех, кто любит искусство, есть Даугавпилсский художественный центр Марка Ротко, и для тех, кто хочет узнать больше об оккупации страны в прошлом, есть Латвийский национальный исторический музей в Риге. Честное слово, если ты уже бывал в Праге и Будапеште, Рига - это идеальное место для тебя.

Латвия Наконец, что может предложить Литва? Из трёх стран, люди там говорят меньше всего по-русски, но всё равно здесь есть на что посмотреть. Чтобы познакомиться с народными сказками Литвы, отправляйся в Холм Ведьм, с 80 скульптурами, выполненными местными художниками. Если ты хочешь увидеть что-нибудь ещё завораживающее, иди к Холму Крестов, где есть много крестов и религиозных статуй. Это стало популярным местом для католического паломничества, и пережило три разрушения в советское время. Кстати, говоря про советские времена, почему бы не посетить Грутас Парк, где найдёшь коллекцию советских статуй? Ещё интересное место, которое ты можешь посетить - Заречье. Можно сравнить его с Монмартром в Париже, из-за его популярности с художниками. Это кажется волшебным! Определённо стоит посетить. Наконец, ты не можешь уйти, не попробовав традиционную медовуху, или, по крайней мере, крафтовое пиво.

Литва В заключение, все эти страны кажутся очень классными направлениями. Для практики русского языка, Латвия может быть лучшим выбором, и, конечно, в этой стране есть отличные туристические места. Но Эстония также может быть фантастическим местом из-за природной красоты и старинных замков. И по-моему, с точки зрения незабываемого и уникального путешествия, Литва является очевидным вариантом. В целом, есть так много интересных мест, которые стоит посетить в этом удивительном трио!

Georgia Boote

Could Northern England gain independence?

As linguists and keen travellers, getting off a plane, train or bus and heading through passport control will most likely be a familiar process - even if it’s one that the pandemic has stopped many experiencing recently. But could it be that soon, trips from London to Newcastle, or Birmingham to Manchester, will also include a trip through passport control?

Enter the Northern Independence Party. Currently an unregistered political party, they describe themselves as a “grassroots movement campaigning for a referendum on an Independent Northern England” on their website, the aptly named ‘Free the North’. A vote for independence would create a self-governing state, free from the United Kingdom.

The party defines Northern England as the areas that made up the Kingdom of Northumbria in the Anglo-Saxon period, which were generally North of the Humber Estuary, although precisely which areas were included differs between sources.

The independence movement has gained momentum – quickly, judging by the party’s 20k Twitter followers – as a result of perceived financial inequalities between Westminster and the areas it governs. Some of these inequalities have become apparent amidst the coronavirus pandemic, such as the government’s continued refusal to grant Greater Manchester workers furlough pay worth 80% of their wages when the area was under tougher local restrictions. However, other issues facing the North have been long-standing: dated and unreliable public transport, educational disadvantage, and fewer well-paid job opportunities since the decline of manufacturing industries.

several constituencies across the North East and North West in the 2019 General Election.

All things considered, it is unlikely that travellers will receive ‘Northern England’ passport stamps anytime soon. But that is not to deny the Northern Independence Party as a voice for the increasing number of frustrated northerners. What, if anything, could remedy this? The recent formation of the Northern Research Group, made up of 55 Conservative MPs, could be a short-term fix. The group demands increased investment to level the North-South divide, as well as supporting devolution of the government, meaning local leaders would have more power to spend funds within their respective regions.

Looking to future elections, if the Northern Independence Party registered as a political party, they could influence change much like UKIP did in the 2015 General Election, despite the differences between the two parties’ political leanings. Whilst UKIP only won one seat, they gained 12% of the popular vote, putting pressure on the Conservative Party to hold a referendum. The current government would surely be reluctant to offer a Northern independence referendum given the calls for Scottish and even Welsh independence.

However, it could pressure them to rebalance the NorthSouth investment divide – not necessarily resulting in an independent North, but presumably a more prosperous one.

Emma Walker

With this in mind, would it be fair to assume that an independent North would be a more prosperous one? Not necessarily. This assumption relies on the idea that each individual area of the South is wealthier than those in the North. Although the South East contains many of England’s most affluent areas, the southwestern county of Cornwall is amongst the poorest in Northern Europe, demonstrating how investment often gravitates towards areas that are already financially strong, such as London. This is an issue already seen in the North, which some worry would be replicated after independence, as Manchester has received much of the funding promised through the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ scheme. Furthermore, how the North would be governed is sure to be another point of contention. The pinned tweet on the party’s Twitter page states they are in favour of a ‘Democratic Socialist North’ – which surely contradicts the gains made by the Conservative Party in Newcastle

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Fast fashion in Europe The production of, and participation in, fast fashion has grown exponentially over the last few decades and is having a devastating effect on our planet. The fashion industry produces almost as many greenhouse gasses as the entire continent of Europe. While fashion, with its perpetual quest for newness, will always be at odds with a sustainable lifestyle, it is still possible to dress to a high standard and have a low environmental impact. I will be taking a look at the UK, Spain and France to see what they are doing right, and where they are going wrong.

United Kingdom In Europe, the UK is the biggest partaker of fast fashion, with every person buying an estimated 27kg of clothing a year. There is no way this quantity of clothing could be generated sustainably.

Therefore, having shopped ‘til we’ve dropped, it’s now time to drop the shops. (And yes, that does include online shops, for even three lockdowns haven’t diminished our desire for clothes).If you are not ready to cut back on buying just yet, there may be a good alternative waiting for you, nestled in amongst your favourite shops.

Because one thing that the United Kingdom has in abundance is charity shops. These provide people with an easy way to recycle old clothes. However, to make old clothes look fashionable, you may need to be creative with how you assemble or style an outfit. But fear not, this can be as simple as putting a belt around an oversized shirt. Failing that, keep hunting until you have that magic moment – discovering an item in your favourite colour and perfect size. And if you are hesitant to don a jumble sale outfit, just call it vintage chic.

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Spain Spain is the home of Inditex – the fashion retailer which pioneered fast fashion with its creation of Zara. By forging new supply chains, Inditex was able to design new clothes and deliver them to the high street with unprecedented speed and success. This pioneering approach to fashion has since been replicated by companies all over the world.While it is unlikely that Spain will abandon the very thing which has brought them immense profit, there are exciting new Spanish fashion designers who have a central focus on sustainability. One such designer is Sylvia Calvo, who specialises in turning coffee bags into clothes. Her methods should inspire the fashion world to work with other industries, transforming their waste into fabrics. This would have the dual effect of reducing both the rubbish sent to landfill, and the production of new cotton – a process which requires vast quantities of water and pesticides.

France A person’s shopping habits depend not only on their financial situation, but their attitudes towards fashion and personal style. Marie Blanchet, the Parisian CEO of William Vintage, claims that French women “are not put off if a piece doesn’t look new” because they learn to dress from their mothers (an approach which is only advisable if you’re lucky enough to be French). If this respect for individual garments could be harnessed, it would transform shopping habits, placing a higher premium on re-wearing an item than on buying a new one. Blanchet harnesses this concept through her work at William Vintage, dressing celebrities in outfits first worn decades previously. Her ambition to have a fashion company which does not make any new clothes is revolutionary. Maybe, in amongst all these ideas, the solution has been with us all along. We do not need to reinvent the wheel; we just need to learn how to wear the clothes that we already have.

Sarah Cayless

The Weird and Wonderful Traditions of Greek Culture For many, Greek culture is usually associated with summer trips to party islands like Mykonos and Zante, white houses and churches, meat wrapped in pitta bread, and - for those who are culturally aware the origins and birthplace of Halloumi. As a young British History graduate who grew up with Greek parents, my experience of Greek culture is a lot deeper than this. It was not until I was a teenager that I realised that a lot of these traditions actually date far back to Ancient Greece. Although they have been adapted to fit the Greek movement into Christianity, Greek traditions are now simply something that we continue to do. They have meaning because they are part of a wider, deeprooted culture, rather than because they are still believed to work. However, I have come to appreciate them more and in this article, I am going to share some of my favourites and some of the more obscure traditions that we still have.

Vasilopita (New Years’ Cake) Just as the Ancient Greeks would give offerings to their many often vengeful Gods, we do so in a similar way for almost every occasion. When a family member passes away, we make an offering of pomegranate seeds and nuts in remembrance. When something good happens, we make a cake as a thank you gesture and share it with exactly seven people.

My favourite, however, is the New Year’s Day cake that we make without fail every year.

This specific cake is made from almonds and oranges and it is served at midnight to mark the new year.

Baked into the cake is a coin; if you find the coin in your piece of cake, you will have good luck for the whole year!

One weird tradition happens on the day before New Year’s Eve when the cake is actually baked. Once the cake is made, the purses and wallets of the household are placed next to it alongside a glass of brandy as part of the offering. I don’t know why this is something that we still do, but the cake is delicious!

Coffee Cup Readings In every Greek family, there will be at least two people that claim they can predict the future through coffee readings. In mine, this is my Godmother and my Aunt who have been reading cups for years.

There are variations of how coffee readings work depending on where you go in the Mediterranean, as well as areas of the Middle East. In Greece and Cyprus, these often happen behind closed doors due to the heavy influence of the Greek Orthodox Church. They therefore take place during a family gathering where you won’t be judged by your local priest or Bishop.

During a coffee reading, the reader will ask you to think about what you would like to know as you drink the Greek coffee, before turning the coffee cup face down into the saucer to let the granules dry. Next, hand the cup to the reader and let them interpret any images they may see for you! Images can range from literal situations, such as people in your life, or may have a more symbolic meaning. For instance, a fish represents money and an eye usually means that someone is jealous of you!

Coffee readings do not come without their strange rules with seemingly no logic but which still have to be followed. The most prominent rule forbids coffee cups being read past sunset and we have stuck to this religiously, despite not knowing why. It is also against the rules to let more than one person read the same cup, but this is not always stuck to (I’m guilty of this!).

While our traditions vary and often can’t be explained, they have survived for over a thousand years. They are practiced by every Greek family and will continue to be practiced for many more years, with future generations probably just accepting them without question exactly like I have.

Costantina Constantinou

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Nuns, Negronis And My Nuclear Family The nearest I’ve been to a gig in these past five months is witnessing the wizened old violinist’s rendition of Edith Piaf’s greatest hits in the Giardino Degli Aranci. Or perhaps the harmonicist at the Gianicolo viewpoint (bonus points to her for the spontaneous tap dance routines whenever she senses the audience’s attention beginning to wane).

While both are charming in their own way, neither are quite what you envision whilst planning an Erasmus year abroad in Rome, having been besieged by extravagant anecdotes from pre-Covid Erasmus students of concerts, festivals and unbeatable nightlife. The same principle can also be applied to museums, galleries and exhibitions – a truly terrible lack of foresight on my part led me to think it was a good idea to “save indoor activities for rainy winter days and make the most of the September sun”. Little did I know all such places would be ordered to shut, coinciding with the arrival of the first rainy day I’d seen in Rome. “But it’s fine!” I said, undeterred, “If I can’t visit exhibitions, at least I can travel!” – as regional borders were promptly declared closed.

So what with practically all leisure activities curtailed and stereotypical student life being put on hold, I have found myself a whole lot more reliant on the company and support of small but diverse groups of people; essentially cobbling together my very own Roman family, upon whom I depend massively. Let me introduce you: on the highest branch of this motley family-tree perch my nine “Grandmothers”.

Hailing from seven countries and eight continents between themselves, this incredible community of women could be described as a self-contained family as they are, crucially, an order of Catholic nuns.

Having housed and fed me during my very first week in Rome while I hunted down a flat, they represent all that is safe, secure and reliable for me in this city.

They welcomed me with open arms (and kitchen), assured me of a place to spend Christmas day should my flight home to England have been cancelled, and continue still to extend both their hospitality and wisdom to me regularly over a number of cosy Sunday evening dinners.

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Next up I give you my “parents”, Ingrid and Alberto.

We stumbled (quite literally) across each other in a popular bar frequented almost solely by students under the age of twenty-five. Ingrid is Dutch, Alberto is Italian; and though they may divert from the average age demographic of the rest of the bar’s regular clientele, they certainly match the spirit of the place. What began as an apology over a spilt drink swiftly developed into a two-hour long exchange of stories over countless Negronis, including a gleeful recounting of their first meeting in a “properly British” London pub. Our chance encounter then led to a number of entertaining evenings shared with an eclectic cast of characters – on any given night it could be Mauro, owner of the bar in question, who arrives at the table with a tray of red, white and green shots (in honour of the Italian flag) to pull up a chair and join the conversation; other times it could be a Neapolitan actor whom they befriended many years ago, that joins the party. However, not only have they provided an array of memorable tales, they have also proved to be exceptionally kind and generous people who have taken it upon themselves to actively look out for me, routinely checking in and offering sage advice.

And lastly, we arrive at my “siblings” – the close-knit (borderline codependent) group of Erasmus students from all over the continent. It’s often said of romantic relationships that when the passion dies down and the excitement wears thin, you need to be left with someone who you fundamentally like and with whom you don’t run out of conversation, even if external stimulus runs dry. In a platonic sense, this is the case for our little Erasmus bubble. Although our yearabroad experience may not match the rich variety of adventures and feverish thrills described by previous Erasmus students who were free to roam as they wished, we have been able to fill that gap by finding a group of people who simply cherish spending time together without conversation ever running dry. And had it not been for Covid, I doubt this unconventional family would have ever been established so firmly. So there’s a silver lining for you!

Eva Lovejoy

The Three Best Countries for Vegetarians and Vegans With Veganuary just having passed, veganism seeing an increase of 132% in 2021, and 1/10 people in the UK intending to be vegetarian by the end of the year, there is no better time to have a look at some of the best countries in the world to visit as vegetarians and vegans.

Whilst many say that it can be hard to find good food abroad as a vegetarian, this article will hopefully show you otherwise!

India Being Indian myself, this has to be first on the list! It is heaven for vegetarians, and whilst there are many meat eaters, you can find over 500 million vegetarians in India.

Gujarat is the main hub for a vegetarian diet, where many Jains are based, who do not even eat root vegetables.

They believe it kills the living organisms in the plant, so the diet is heavily based on vegetables, spices, rice, and grains that grow above the ground. Head to a restaurant here and ask for a ‘thali’ and you will be greeted with a large circular plate with a variety of different dishes to sample.

However, it is the cuisine of South India that I love. My favourite Indian dish is ‘masala dosa’, usually served on a leaf. You could describe it as a massive savoury pancake with potato and onion filling, which is accompanied by a variety of chutneys. You can also sample a good one in Selly Oak at ‘Amaa Dosaa’ behind University Superstore from £2.50 (such good value, as they are massive!)

Pictured: Indian Dosa

Israel Israel has been named by many as the ‘Vegan Nation’ and is definitely up there as a country that has lots of choice for veggies and vegans. What really impressed me was that Israel produces 95% of its produce itself, and has an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables. For all of you hummus lovers, you can find hummus by the bucket in shops there. Israel, and in particular Tel Aviv, also boasts incredibly good falafel wraps, and the diet is heavily inspired by both Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.

first country to have a vegan Domino’s pizza in its stores, and Ben & Jerry’s stocked their first dairy-free ice cream there - which demonstrates that Israel really is ahead of other countries in terms of its vegan market.

If you want to experience traditional, home-cooked Israeli cuisine check out ‘Betzavta’, which means together; a company that brings travelers and locals together, to share a typical Israeli dinner, learn more about the culture and hopefully develop new friendships!

Pictured: Hummus from Israel

Italy One that is a bit closer to home and might come as a bit of a shock - and despite being known for cured meats I think Italy is a great place to visit, especially for vegetarians in Europe! It is also great for vegans, as olive oil is used instead of butter in most dishes, which is convenient.

Turin is Italy’s vegetarian hotspot, with new vegetarian and vegan-only restaurants popping up all the time, and putting their own spin on staple Italian meat dishes, by finding creative and new substitutes.

When ordering in a restaurant, some good options include: bruschetta al pomodoro - toasted bread with tomatoes; parmigiana di melanzane - a baked dish layered with aubergine, tomato sauce & cheese; pesto alla Genovese - a sauce that can be found in most British supermarkets from the region of Liguria; and of course for dessert, tiramisu! Sounds like the perfect meal to me!

Sarina Shah

Pictured: Italian Pesto

Many companies actually debut and trial their vegan products in Israel as well. For example, Israel was the

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