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When I first moved to an English-speaking country one thing that drove me crazy as a Polish expat was my colleagues asking me how I was in passing, oftentimes not even waiting for an answer. For me, as a Polish…
Like in other languages, in Polish slang, particular phrases arise spontaneously and accidentally due to hilarious social and political situations. Some of them are popularized by the media or formed on the internet. For the most part—young people create slang…
“How to say ‘hello’ in your language?” is a common question among the polyglot community. People usually breeze happily through Spanish hola, French salut, or Italian ciao. But when the time comes for Polish cześć, their eyes widen and discomfort…
I hate to say it, but before last night I hadn’t talked to my grandpa in a few months. So when I found out it was Polish-American Heritage Month in October, I was excited to have the opportunity to get…
Meeting new people and being able to have an engaging conversation are probably some of the main reasons for learning a new language. But knowing your verb conjugations or having extensive vocabulary might not be enough to prevent you from…
Memorizing new words is probably one of the most tedious processes in learning a language. This is why seeing a familiar looking word can spark a sigh of relief. However, this feeling of comfort might be quite short lived if…
My language-learning journey started when I was about three years old when my parents put me in a Greek-American preschool. While I didn’t have much choice in the matter, many of my other experiences with foreign languages like studying abroad,…
If you’re wondering how to learn a language fast and fluently, exercise could be one of your secret weapons. You probably know that working out is one of the most important activities you can do to take care of yourself….
When I was in Morocco, I got to stargaze in the Sahara desert and eat endless tajine, but my favorite memories are the moments my friends and I had with our tour guide. In Greece, I swam in underground lagoons…
The words a language uses can tell you a lot about its cultural and societal values. And language can evolve over time, taking on new meanings and growing organically to embrace challenges. That’s especially true of the ways in which…
Before you get out there and start mingling merrily, it pays to know a little cultural etiquette. Our international guide to party protocol will help you raise a glass in the most common languages and understand how to rub elbows without committing a faux pas.
When you’re popping into a holiday party, it’s considerate to bring a gift for the host or hostess. Many people choose flowers since they’re a beautiful and gracious way to extend thanks, but different flowers can have different meanings across cultures. In South Africa for instance, it’s customary to give flowers during the holidays, but in Egypt, they are only appropriate as gifts when attending a funeral.
