Cómo sobrevivir bajo el sol madrileño
Why is no one studying MFL anymore?
Is Florence for foodies?
Exploring Puglia: Italy's Best Kept
Secret for summer holidays
Committee:
Chair: Emily Mercer
Secretary: Lucy Rowen
Treasurer: Isabella Iacono
Publicity Officer: Caitlin Gaul
Creative Designer: Lucy
Bradshaw
Proofreaders: Emma Megan Crossley
Charlotte Maxwell
Editor TEAM:
Travel: Caitlin Gaul
Life & Style: Jess Haines
Culture: Emma Gardner
Current Affairs: Katy Doolan
FOOD & DRINK: mEGAN GODDARD
3
4-5 French Section: La grève des retraites en France by Chris Wilson; Les Jeux Olympiques et les problèmes liés à son installation by Nathan Farrington
6 German Section: Norddeutschland – ein Sommerziel für Alleinreisende by Hanna Pearcey
7-8 Spanish Section: Cómo sobrevivir bajo el sol madrileño by Caitlin Gaul; Vivir el mundial 2022 en Buenos Aires by Jess Glennie
9 Italian Section: Bari…la gemma nascosta del sud by Ellie Duignan
10 Portuguese Section: São Paulo - selva de pedra onde são feitos os melhores verões by Luke Kilner
11 Catalan Section: Estiu a Barcelona by Sophie Isbell
12 Mandarin Section: Year Abroad by Grace Macleod; Summer Solstice by Amani Kouassi
13 Russian Section: Грузинское лето by Charlottе Colligan
Catalan: Sophie Isbell
French: Megan Goddard
German: Tori Jackson
Italian: Emily Mercer
Mandarin: Grace Macleod
Portuguese: Dan Fish
Russian: Sophie Mash
Spanish: Lucy Rowen
14 Featured Language:
by Emma Megan Crossley
15 Life & Style Section: Studying Abroad: How Sport Can Help You Integrate by Olivia Lavelle
16 Current Affairs Section: Why is no one studying MFL anymore? by Lucy Rowen
17 Culture Section: Can watching films in different languages change your perspective of them? by Freya Richold
18 Food & Drink Section: Is Florence for foodies? by Lydia Brindley
19 Travel Section: Exploring Puglia: Italy's best kept secret for summer holidays by Isabella Iacono
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Welcome to Issue 47 of the UoB Linguist Magazine, our last issue of the academic year 2022/23! The end of exam season is in sight, and what better way to celebrate the end of the year than with a summerthemed edition!
In this edition we have a variety of fantastic articles that cover topics from all over the world, so take a break from your studies, relax, and enjoy reading The Linguist once more!
This issue’s English articles cover everything from Florentine cuisine, to how joining a sport can help you integrate of modern languages students in the UK. sections will remind everyone of how rewarding several languages, and why so many of us at languages in the first place.
For those seeking a summer
and Italian sections will undoubtedly give you section covers two opinion pieces in light of the which will surely be an interesting read for our to announce that we have a featured language proof-reader, Emma Megan Crossley, has written Moroccan food whilst travelling around Granada.
Seeing as this is The would like to thank our foreign-language proof-readers Roquais, Francesca Slomp, Federica Serra, Alessia Beccati, Sofya Tychinina, Nataliya Silvestrova, Natalya Turunova, Charlotte Fagan, Letícia Brancher, Filipa Santos and Ole Soltau. The Linguist would not be the same without you all!
It has been a pleasure to be the Chair of The UoB Linguist Magazine this year. I would like to say a huge thank you to this year’s committee, editors, and proof-readers for working so hard to produce such engaging and inspiring content. This year’s team, as well as writers, are some truly talented and motivated linguists and I am so proud of what we have achieved this year. I look forward to seeing how the magazine continues to evolve and thrive in the years to come, and I hope that the new team for 2023/24 is excited to embark on their Linguist journey! We hope you have enjoyed reading our issues this year as much as we have enjoyed creating them. Arrivederci!
J’estime que la majorité sera d’accord avec moi, traîner sur Instagram et TikTok est un peu comme un trou noir. Il suffit d’une vidéo et instamment, on y est accro pour toute la prochaine heure. Je ne peux pas dire que je me rappelle beaucoup de ce que je vois pendant ces séances de défilement désœuvrées, mais une chose que j'ai eu du mal à oublier, c'est la collection de vidéos surréelles de Parisiens indifférents dînant avec de la classe, posées dans un cadre post-apocalyptique avec des incendies et des déchets croissants, pendant que les grèves affectaient le pays tout entier.
Si vous lisez les actualités, vous saurez qu'elles font partie d'un effort de 1.28 million de personnes qui manifestent contre le plan de réforme de Macron souhaitant augmenter l'âge minimum de départ à la retraite de 62 à 64 ans. En tant que jeune Anglais, cette situation peut nous paraître absolument ridicule; et je l'admettrai, c'était mon avis lorsque j'ai vu ces nouvelles au début. C'est seulement après une lecture approfondie de plusieurs articles et une bonne discussion avec des amis que j'ai apprécié la situation plus nuancée qui a bouleversé la France.
Quand j'ai recherché les faits dans un premier temps, j'ai vu que l'âge de départ à la retraite en France (62 ans) est 5 ans plus bas que la moyenne européenne. En outre, le pays est grandement endetté: la dette représente actuellement 113.4% du PIB (le RU est à 100.2%) e qui le rend l'un des pays les plus endettés parmi l'UE. Le système de retraite actuel est en train d’agrandir la dette à cause de la population vieillissante, ce que
Macron et beaucoup d'autres personnes politiques jugent insoutenable. Cette réforme a pour objectif d'encourager les travailleurs à rester dans la main-d’œuvre plus longtemps ce qui permettrait de stimuler la croissance économique et soulager le fardeau sur les fonds de la caisse des retraites.
Cependant beaucoup croit que cette idée est très mal exécutée. Afin d'imposer cette politique plus vite, Macron s'est servi de l'Article 49.3 (un article de la Constitution Française qui permet au gouvernement de faire passer une loi sans vote par les députés dans L’Assemblée Nationale). En prenant cette approche top-down, il a mis à mal la confiance clé entre le gouvernement français et son peuple, laissant les Français se sentir ignorés et exploités.
Contrairement au RU et aux États-Unis, la plupart des gens compte sur les pensions de l'État car les employeurs doivent rarement cotiser à la pension (seulement à celles des riches). Cela mène à l'idée que cette réforme touche rarement les riches mais au contraire néglige les plus vulnérables. Beaucoup prévoient que cette réforme affectera certaines démographies de façon disproportionnée, tels que les femmes, les ouvriers à faible revenu, et ceux dans les métiers exigeants physiquement, qui devraient tous travailler plus pour avoir accès au même niveau de bénéfices que les autres.
Avec tous ces facteurs, comme toujours, ce n'est pas une problématique simple. Pour que le gouvernement de la France (voire son peuple aussi) réussisse, il faut que Macron trouve une façon de balancer la dette et la confiance du peuple tout en veillant à ce que les plus vulnérables ne soient pas pris entre deux feux.
BY Chris WilsonLa grève des retraites en France : un mélodrame, ou quelque chose de plus complexe ?
Il y a onze ans, les jeux olympiques (JO) ont été organisés à Londres, la première ville à accueillir le tournoi pour la troisième fois L’année prochaine, Paris va devenir la deuxième ville à faire cela Malgré cette réalisation, les Français commencent à se demander si c’est utile de dépenser tant d’argent pour les JO d’été En 2012, les Anglais étaient inquiets du budget des jeux et la manière dont la compétition pourrait changer le pays A ce moment-là, Sebastian Coe a souligné l’importance des JO pour les enfants à travers le Royaume-Uni Le chef du comité d’organisation a cru que les enfants regarderaient les sports olympiques et seraient inspirés Pourtant, dans un rapport écrit cinq ans après Londres 2012, Sport England a trouvé que le niveau d’activité sportif en Angleterre était resté le même qu’avant les jeux. Aujourd’hui, les objectifs du Royaume-Uni en 2012 sont partagés par les organisateurs français Tony Estanguet, le président du comité en France, espère que, « les Français fassent plus de sport grâce aux Jeux olympiques. » Le problème des deux pays est, qu’ils pensent que quand on investit dans les sports, cela devrait être fait à un haut niveau sportif De plus, il y a pleins d’équipes et d’associations qui ont besoin de plus d’argent, surtout après les effets du covid Sans investissement, les équipes vont fermer et les objectifs des organisateurs échoueront
Les JO 2024 auront lieu cent ans après les derniers JO à Paris, mais les questions sur l’effet des jeux sur le long terme est très importante.
11,5 milliards d’euros ont été dépensés malgré les restrictions à cause du Covid-19 Comment justifier ce coût pour deux semaines? Certains disent que le tourisme montera pendant les JO et après, mais Paris est déjà la ville touristique la plus populaire dans le monde. Donc, avec ou sans compétition, Paris est très populaire comme destination pour les touristes
Tandis que le gouvernement français dépense des milliards d’euros pour les JO, sous les nouvelles propositions, les gens doivent faire des sacrifices au travail et économiser Cette année, le gouvernement français a essayé de changer l’âge de la retraite et la cotisation que les travailleurs paient Selon la première ministre, Elisabeth Borne, cette initiative sauvera « 150 milliards d’euros sur les dix prochaines années » C’est alors plus facile de comprendre, les problèmes liés aux jeux olympiques en France
Le gouvernement a annoncé que les Français devraient travailler deux ans plus pour protéger le budget, mais quelques personnes voient les JO comme un gaspillage d’argent pendant un temps de crise Enfin, les éditions dernières de la compétition n’ont pas créé les avantages sportifs ou économiques espérés pour le pays hôte
by Nathan FarringtonTous les quatre ans, on apprend le coût des jeux pour le pays hôte Selon Le Monde en 2015, à Londres, le coût à la fin du tournoi était d’environ 10,8 milliards d’euros D’ailleurs, il a été dévoilé qu’à Tokyo, 5
Letzten Sommer reiste ich durch Norddeutschland
Als ich ursprünglich die Reise plante, wollte ich mit ein paar Freunden reisen Ich war noch nie allein gereist und hatte ehrlich ein bisschen Angst dafür Ich konnte nur denken, dass ich eine Frau war, und ich fühlte mich nicht sicher allein Jedoch war ich so glücklich, dass ich mich aus meiner Komfortzone herausdrängte
Mein erstes Ziel war Bremen Um weniger Angst zu haben, übernachtete ich zuerst bei einer Freundin Sie zeigte mir die Stadt und ich war überrascht, wie schön Bremen war und wieviel ich die Stadt liebte. Die Geschichte der Stadt war sehr interessant, besonders die berühmten Stadtmusikanten und das idyllisches Schnoorviertel mit kleinen Straßen Trotz der langen Geschichte war die Stadt nicht veraltet
die Stadt hatte ein junges Gefühl mit vielen interessanten unabhängigen Geschäften und Restaurants Bei Nacht verwandelte sich die Stadt vollständig Wir besuchten viele Kneipen und Bars und unsere scheinbar "entspannte" Nacht wurde zu einer Heimkehr um 7 Uhr morgens! Hamburg war mein nächstes Ziel und dieses Mal war ich ganz allein Ich kannte niemanden in der Stadt und ich musste in einer Jugendherberge übernachten. Ich war ehrlich sehr nervös, aber es gab so viel zu sehen und zu tun, deswegen füllte ich
meine Zeit mit Aktivitäten. Die Elbphilharmonie, die Landungsbrücken und natürlich ein Fischbrötchen waren alle Höhepunkte. Aber der beste Moment war die Licht- und Wassershow in Planten und Blomen In diesem Moment fühlte ich mich sehr ruhig Die Einfachheit und Zusammengehörigkeit von Musik, Wasser und Licht war wirklich atemberaubend Anschließend besuchte ich Berlin. Wenn man ein Jahr in Deutschland wohnt, muss man mindestens einmal Berlin erkunden
Das Wetter war schön, die Leute waren sympathisch und die Stadt war natürlich großartig. Ich liebe Geschichte, und die lange und interessante Geschichte von Berlin war deutlich auf den Straßen Jede Epoche der Berliner Geschichte ist in den Museen, Denkmälern und Gebäuden leicht zu entdecken Ich besuchte auch das RAF Gatow Museum, wo meine Familie in den 80er Jahren arbeiteten Es war ein besonderes Erlebnis, auf dem Gelände spazieren gehen zu können, worauf so viel von meiner Familiengeschichte liegt Insgesamt war meine Reise sehr erfolgreich, aber ich habe viel über Sicherheit als eine Frau gelernt. Hier sind meine Tipps für eine angenehme, aber sichere Erfahrung gesammelt:
Klein anfangen – Manchmal ist es einfacher, wenn ihr eine kleine Soloreise in der Nähe macht, beispielsweise in eine nahe gelegene Stadt. Ihr könnt herausfinden, wie ihr ein neues Gebiet allein erkunden könnt und was man an verschiedenen Orten mögt
In einem reinen Frauenzimmer in einer Jugendherberge übernachten
Viele Jugendherberge bieten Zimmer, die nur für Frauen sind Es hat mir sehr geholfen, mich sicherer zu fühlen und diese Zimmer sind oft auch kleiner als gemischtgeschlechtliche Zimmer
Einen Stadtführung durch die Stadt machen – Ich fand, dass diese Stadtführungen eine interessante Art waren, sich in einer Stadt zurechtzufinden und in kurzer Zeit viel zu sehen Dann könnt ihr entscheiden, was ihr nochmal sehen wollt, und ihr kennt euch in der Stadt aus. Oft kann man kostenlose Führungen zu Fuß machen
Freunde finden – Auch wenn ihr allein reist, müsst ihr nicht die ganze Zeit alleine sein! In Jugendherbergen ist es einfach Freunde zu finden, vor allem andere Alleinreisende, mit denen ihr essen geht, die Stadt erkundet und neue Freundschaften schließen könnt! Keine Angst haben – Obwohl es beängstigend sein kann, wollt ihr so viel wie möglich erleben Geht keine unnötigen Risiken ein, aber bleibt ihr auch nicht aus Angst in einem Herbergszimmer sitzen. Euer Selbstvertrauen wird immens wachsen!
Bleibt sicher und habt Spaß!
by Hanna Pearcey
Imagínese esto: Estás en la metrópoli de Madrid, la capital de España, una ciudad de renombre mundial por su arte, música, belleza, fútbol pero las calles están vacías. Completamente vacías. ¿Por qué? La respuesta es muy sencilla: es una tarde en agosto Cada verano, según Endesa, 1 de cada 3 madrileños abandonan su ciudad en busca de las brisas suaves de la costa El verano pasado, pasé el mes de agosto en esta ciudad maravillosa y, con temperaturas superiores a 40 grados, pude entender la tendencia de huir del sofocante calor Dicho esto, te ofreceré algunos consejos para disfrutar de Madrid en verano a pesar de las altas temperaturas. Mi primer consejo es: en vez de ir de compras en Gran Vía o pasear por el Parque del Retiro al mediodía, debes visitar los museos de calidad de Madrid Si eres estudiante, aprovéchate de una entrada gratuita en tanto el Museo del Prado, donde puedes ver Las Meninas por Velázquez entre otros, como el Museo Reina Sofía, en el que se sitúa la obra de Guernica por Pablo Picasso. Piérdete no solo en las obras de arte espectaculares sino también en el ambiente l l d onado) de estas
En cuanto a comer y beber, la comida mediterránea es ligera y, por lo tanto, es perfecta después de un día al sol o una tarde de siestas Existe una variedad de zonas en Madrid para obtener algunas tapas sabrosas como La Latina o Barrio de las Letras Te recomiendo tomar algo como tortilla de patatas o calamares (por los que Madrid es famosa), que no son picantes ni pesadas Para beber, un tinto de verano (una combinación de vino tinto y limonada, muchas veces con fruta fresca) es sin duda una opción ideal para refrescarte Algunas tiendas cierran durante el día, particularmente en las afueras del centro No obstante, Madrid tiene una multitud de mercados animados y auténticos Teniendo lugar cada domingo, El Rastro es un mercadillo popular en pleno corazón del barrio La Latina que no se puede dejar de conocer Pero mi advertencia es llegar allí muy temprano para evitar las multitudes y la temperatura máxima del día Además, el Mercado San Miguel es otra ubicación para probar la cocina española Bajo techo con aire acondicionado, es un sitio no solo para escapar del sol sino también es una experiencia gastronómica única.
A pesar de su falta de playas, Madrid es todavía una ciudad cultural, histórica y hermosa que puedes explorar en los meses de verano Espero que mis consejos sean útiles para tu próximo viaje a esta ciudad increíble, ¡sea cual sea la temperatura!
by Caitlin GauL
El año pasado, tuve el placer enorme de vivir y estudiar en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sé que lo que voy a decir es un cliché enorme de un intercambio en el extranjero, pero realmente fue la mejor experiencia de mi vida. Unos de mis mejores recuerdos de mi estadía en Buenos Aires fue cuando la selección argentina ganó el mundial. Sin duda alguna, es un día que nunca olvidaré.
Con mis amigos extranjeros hablado algunos días antes posibilidad que Argentina pero ninguno osó mencionarlo argentinos. Para muchos tuvo lugar durante nuestro Argentina, ¡y qué manera de terminar!
¡El día de la final llegó y la mañana pareció durar para siempre! En las calles todo el mundo tenía sonrisas de emoción incontrolable pero sutiles para evitar gafar este momento espectacular. Había filas enormes durante horas antes de la final para entrar en los bares con una pantalla, por suerte encontramos un bar chiquito a unas cuadras de nuestro piso. Durante el partido, la capital cambió entre silencio, gritos y lágrimas de alegría y derrota y finalmente una erupción de orgullo, felicidad y fiesta.
final todos pasaron el día, y siguieron también, festejando Avenida 9 de julio. La ciudad como una sola, todos en por la misma razón, y blanco. Celebraron con representar ser argentino: Quilmes y choripán. Se este momento significó algo Para muchos fue una su país y todo lo que él momento tan anhelado. significó una celebración y un cierre perfecto de todo lo que he vivido durante mi intercambio en Argentina y de un país con el que estoy totalmente enamorada.
by Jess Glennie
I mesi estivi sono ufficialmente arrivati! Quando le giornate si fanno più calde e le serate più leggere, la nostra mente si sposta sulle destinazioni di vacanza Dove andremo? Certo, gli edifici di Barcellona sono di una bellezza impressionante e la vivace vita notturna di Madrid è molto amata dai turisti. Ma che ne dite di un posto un po' diverso quest'anno? Una città piuttosto nascosta ma bellissima Che ne dite di Bari? Ho sempre desiderato visitare la Puglia: sembrava una regione davvero paradisiaca e pittoresca Così, alla fine del nostro soggiorno di studio a Bologna, io e alcuni amici abbiamo prenotato il volo per Bari - dove meglio soggiornare se non nella capitale? E non ci
volle molto prima che rimanessimo affascinati dalla sua bellezza Gli edifici avevano quel leggero aspetto rustico e incompiuto che aggiungeva carattere alla città e le strette strade laterali erano perfette per perdersi durante la passeggiata pomeridiana con il gelato
La mia parte preferita di Bari è stata "la strada delle orecchiette", dove le nonne preparano la pasta fresca fuori dalle loro case Lo fanno da sempre e si tramanda di generazione in generazione: è un respiro di autenticità ed è sempre interessante ascoltare le conversazioni in dialetto barese Eravamo così entusiasti di provare i piatti quella sera e così abbiamo ordinato le popolari ‘orecchiette alla barese’ (fatte con aglio, acciughe e rapini) e le mie preferite ‘orecchiette con cima di rapa’ (fatte con rapini, pecorino romano e peperoncino tritato). Assolutamente delizioso. Abbiamo anche approfittato del fatto che eravamo sulla costa e quindi abbiamo mangiato molti frutti di mare - erano freschissimi!
Se sarete stanchi di camminare ed esplorare la città, potrete andare in una delle numerose spiagge di Bari Potrete rilassarvi e abbronzarvi mentre vi concedete un caffè o un frullato nei chioschi vicini Noi abbiamo scelto di visitare la spiaggia di "Pane e Pomodoro", soprattutto perché volevamo una spiaggia sabbiosa, ma ci piaceva anche il suo nome
Dopo di che volevamo passare un'altra giornata in spiaggia, ma volevamo provare un posto diverso Bene, un altro vantaggio di Bari è che è a soli 34 minuti di treno da Polignano a Mare! Il treno è costato €2,70 e per un luogo che dicono "sia stato creato prima del paradiso", penso sia un affare Polignano a Mare era piena di case bianche con arredi blu, fiori luminosi e insenature
Abbiamo visitato 'Lama Monachile' L'acqua era di un blu cristallino e la spiaggia di ghiaia era tipicamente e splendidamente italiana. Mi sembrava di essere entrata in una brochure di vacanze. Era così tranquillo La camminata rocciosa verso il mare non è stata esattamente elegante per quanto riguarda noi, mentre gli italiani camminavano senza problemi, ma è stato sicuramente un ricordo divertente che ha arricchito l'esperienza Senza dubbio, ci ritornerò
Durante il nostro soggiorno a Bari, abbiamo visitato anche Alberobello (a solo un'ora di autobus). Un famoso sito patrimonio dell'umanità e una città unica, piena di trulli (tradizionali capanne bianche con il tetto a cono) Valeva sicuramente la pena di visitarla perché era una città diversa da qualsiasi
altra L'architettura era pittoresca e la gente del posto era veramente amichevole Tuttavia, dopo un paio d'ore di vagabondaggio, eravamo pronti a tornare a Bariconsiglierei una visita mattutina, quando il caldo non è troppo intenso e i turisti non sono ancora arrivati
Quindi ecco a voi. Il vostro prossimo viaggio è già programmato Dai piatti autentici e freschi alle straordinarie spiagge delle bellissime città vicine Cosa desiderare di più? Forza prenotate quel volo, prima che tutti ne sentano parlare ;)
by Ellie Duignan
Já sei o que você está pensando: Por quê é selva de pedra? Como Nova Iorque? Por quê esse título é tão clichê? Bem, deixa eu explicar.
São Paulo é a maior cidade nas Américas, com uma população de quase 13 milhões de pessoas, que faz com que ela seja a quarta cidade mais populosa do mundo Mas além das estadísticas, também é uma cidade com muito para oferecer, embora muitas pessoas não tendam a notar isso Por isso, vou vos contar aqui quais são as atracões mais deslumbrantes que deveriam visitar quando estiverem em São Paulo no verão (excluindo os bares, desculpe!)
Vamos lá!
Acho que a imagem diz tudo. Este parque é simplesmente uma maravilha, digo,
olha as fontes! Até o parque tem muito para oferecer, dado que contém monumentos, museus, jardins e também apresentações
O que realmente se destaca no parque é a arquitetura e cultura moderna, o que atrai mais de 14 milhões de pessoas cada ano! Acreditas nisso? Só imagine – você poderia andar pelo parque, apreciando o imenso espaço verde e a água azul cristalina, talvez com uma cerveja desse bar, o qual você queria visitar Brincadeira! Ou
Vou supor que agora você está a perguntar – mas, a onde podemos comer por aqui? Bem, não procure mais porque Mercadão – o mercado municipal de São Paulo –tem de tudo!
Igualmente à catedral, o mercado tem uma arquitetura estética com virais, mas em vez de contar a história religiosa do Brasil, os virais do mercado contam a história da produção de alimentos em São Paulo Em relação ao que se vende, pode encontrar frutas, vegetais, carne, assim como muitos outros produtos
principalmente porque tem uma história complexa e interessante. Dentro da catedral, você pode ver o órgão de 10 000 tubos, assim como os vitrais que contam a história religiosa do Brasil Por isso, você deveria considerar visitar a catedral, se não pela história, então para as imagens estéticas que sua arquitetura neogótica facilita – todos vão ficar ciumentos!
Uau, que visual, né? Quando você estiver em São Paulo, tem que visitar esta catedral, parcialmente porque é super estética, Claro, São Paulo tem muito mais para oferecer, mas estas atracões são algumas das melhores para que você viva o melhor momento da sua vida lá Então, para que você está esperando? Vamos lá!
Mas, se você desejar comer algo imediatamente, só tem que subir até o segundo andar onde vai encontrar muitos restaurantes de gastronomias diversas, incluindo sanduiches e pasteis gigantes – não sei o que você acha, mas agora estou com muita fome!
by Luke Kilner
Després d'haver passat un any a Barcelona, he pensat que seria bo compartir algunes de les coses preferides per a fer-ho ara i empieza a fer calor, per si estàs pensant en visitar-nos Barcelona és un destí turístic molt popular, especialment durant els mesos d'estiu, quan el clima és càlid i soleat. Hi ha un montón de coses que fer i fer a Barcelona durant l'estiu, tales com:
Visite los mercados locales: Barcelona cuenta con varios mercados locales donde se pueden encontrar productos frescos, recuerdos y otros artículos El mercat més famós és el de La Boquería, situat al centre de la ciutat
Visitar la platja: Barcelona tiene varias playas preciosas, incluida la Barceloneta, situada en el centro de la ciudad Podrà gaudir d'un dia prenent el sol, res i practicant esports aquàtics
Feu una excursió d'un dia: Hi ha diverses excursions d'un dia que pot fer des de Barcelona, com a visitar les platges properes, el monestir de Montserrat o el Museu Dalí de Figueres.
Explore l'arquitectura de la ciutat: Barcelona és coneguda per la seva arquitectura única, com els famosos edificis dissenyats per Antoni Gaudí, incloent la Sagrada Família i el Park Güell
Disfrutar de la vida nocturna: Barcelona té una vibrant escena nocturna, amb un montó de bares, discoteques i restaurants per elegir
Assistència a un festival de música: Barcelona acoge diversos festivals de música durant l'estiu, com els festivals Primavera Sound i Sónar
Recordeu hidratar-vos i utilitzar la protecció solar durant els mesos d'estiu a Barcelona, ja que les temperatures poden aconseguir els 30°C! Per desgracia, he tingut que aprendre per les males: només estem a l'abril, però ja assoleix els 25 graus
by Sophie Isbell 11
К счастью, студенты, которые в прошлом году планировали провести вторую половину своего учебного года за границей, в России, смогли завершить его в красивой столице Грузии - Тбилиси Десять студентов из Бирмингема провели месяц в Тбилиси в июне прошлого года. ТбилисиРазвивающийся город, полный культуры, красивых достопримечательностей и вкусной еды. У нас было полтора часа занятий русским языком каждый день, а остальное время мы проводили, исследуя город! Что меня особенно заинтересовало в Тбилиси, так это его смесь азиатских, советских и европейских веяний с точки зрения архитектуры и даже политики. Грузиябывшее советское государство, и население Грузии хотело вступить в Евросоюзе с 90-х годов. Однажды вечером мы наткнулись на митинг сторонников Евросоюза Мне было очень интересно наблюдать за таким значительным политическим движением для Грузии
У нас была возможность встретиться со многими русскими, которые переехали в Тбилиси после после вторжения России в Украину, нам было очень интересно услышать их истории. Из-за притока русских
в Грузию нам везде было легко разговаривать по-русски Мы также посетили несколько проукраинских мероприятий, в том числе украинский кинофестиваль
Когда думают о вине, они, вероятно, думают о Франции или Италии - но кто знал, что вино родом из Грузии? Производство и дегустация вин - важная часть грузинской культуры и популярное занятие среди туристов Однажды мы отправились в однодневную поездку на отдаленный виноградник недалеко от российской границы, это был настоящий виноградник Там мы попробовали разнообразные вина и традиционные домашние грузинские закуски. Мы также отправились на выходные в Кутаиси, третий по населённости город, расположенный на западе страны. Было очень интересно посетить такой красивый и отдаленный уголок мира, который так отличается от Великобритании. Недалеко от Кутаиси были расположены невероятные каньоны и водопады, где мы купались
Для всех нас Грузия - самая красивая и интересная страна, которую мы когда-либо посещали Я бы порекомендовала всем съездить туда, если у вас будет такая возможность!
by Charlotte Colligan
As a final year Modern Languages student, I can attest that studying abroad is daunting to even the most confident of people Irrespective of your initial linguistic capability, expressing yourself in a foreign language always starts off difficult. But rest assured, there are many ways to overcome this obstacle In my case, it was through sport
During my year abroad, I spent the first semester in France and the second in Portugal After a month in Montpellier, I became dissatisfied with my slow progress in French and my inability to converse freely with other French students This was particularly frustrating as personality is one of the hardest, but most important, things to convey in a foreign language.
Determined to change this, I decided to take initiative and join a sports club My reasoning for joining a sports club over a society was simple: I lacked confidence in speaking a foreign language, and joining a society involving lots of discussion and debate would only exacerbate the problem The difference with sports was that it didn’t matter if words failed you; you could just play Even if you consider yourself awful at sport, it doesn’t matter! When deciding which sport to participate in, beach volleyball was the only remaining one Despite never having played any form of volleyball before, I decided to give it a shot It soon became clear that I had no talent for it, and I would get overjoyed if even one ball landed over the net during training Nonetheless, I made light of my lack of skill and enjoyed myself
At first, everyone assumed I was shy as I struggled to articulate in French. Over time, however, I learnt how people communicate in groups and how to spontaneously join the conversation The act of playing beach volleyball minimised the need for small talk, but I eventually improved at that too I was invited to team meet-ups on the beach, as well as group outings to parties and clubs By the end of the semester, I had made a group of friends with whom I was sad to part ways
This wonderful experience inspired me to join a sports club as soon as I arrived in Portugal.
The contact hours at Coimbra University were fewer, so I decided to join two sports: baseball and tennis As Portuguese was my weaker language, the prospect of conversing with others seemed much more daunting I came across as even shyer than I did in France, and I found it difficult to convey any aspect of my personality My experience with the baseball team echoed my experience with beach volleyball in that I became a part of a team inside and outside of training, but sadly I did not form the same bonds with my Portuguese teammates as I did with my French ones Fortunately, my experience with tennis was both novel and worthwhile Given that tennis is more of an individual sport, I had apprehensions about how I would get to know the other club members. Undoubtedly, it was a much slower process with awkward small talk in-between rallies, but eventually things came together My tennis partner was Brazilian, and we gradually formed an intimate friendship speaking Portuguese. She even invited me to dinner parties and outings with her wife and family! The oneon-one nature of tennis also contributed to my close relationship with the coach, which was a refreshing experience. As an elder, he not only felt more at ease encouraging and correcting my Portuguese, but also acted as a role model
To my delight, I have kept in touch with both my tennis partner and her wife They, along with the friends I made through beach volleyball in France, made my year abroad truly incredible So if you are preparing to jet off to another country next year, I strongly recommend joining a sports club of some kind - you never know what lifelong friends you might meet!
by Olivia LavelleModern Foreign Languages are considered a core subject in England, but since they ceased to be compulsory at GCSE level in 2004, the number of young linguists, specifically those studying French and German, has plummeted You may have noticed this in your own school, struggled to find a sixth form that runs A level language courses, or maybe your class only had about 3 students, like my A level Spanish class.
Entries to GCSE and A level languages have hugely decreased in the last decade In 2005, French GCSE entries were at 251,706 but decreased to 124,739 in 2021. German GCSE entries followed a similar pattern: 101,466 entries in 2005 and 36,933 in 2021. Only entries to Spanish GCSE have increased, as it has become the most popular language to study in schools There has also been a similar trend with A level entries.
So why has the number of students studying languages at GCSE and A level declined so drastically?
There are a range of reasons why languages have become less popular. The main one? They’re difficult. On average, students receive a lower grade in their language GCSE than they do in any other English Baccalaureate subject (English, maths, geography, history, and the sciences) and a grade below their target grade. This has particularly been the case since the new GCSE syllabus and exam style was introduced in 2018 Receiving a low grade is demoralising, and with such high pressure on obtaining high grades to get into sixth form and university, students are not inclined to pick a subject that may damage their chance of admission
There is also the Brexit debate: can a country that supported leaving the European Union really encourage and champion young linguists?
According to past and present MFL secondary school teachers, some believe that Brexit has had a direct impact on the decline; others believe that it has exacerbated existing issues, such as England's inwardlooking island mentality that 'everyone speaks English', so why would we need to speak another language? Voting to leave the European Union has left secondary school students under the impression that European languages and cultures are not important, especially since Europe is no longer the focus of foreign trade deals
Adding to this decline is the pandemic Not only has it, along with Brexit, limited international activity such as trips and exchanges (which, for many students, is the first opportunity they get to travel abroad and see their learned languages' real-world application) but it has also affected students’ progress and confidence Due to the speaking and listening components, languages are an incredibly interactive subject Consequently, it is much harder to practise and improve these skills whilst having online classes This has led to secondary school students lacking confidence when it comes to language learning. This is a feeling that will hopefully dissipate with time but, for now, is definitely contributing to the low number of language students at GCSE and A-Level Unfortunately, our much-loved subject is seemingly not loved by all This is not an easy problem to solve, since one of the main causes is the deep-rooted attitudes ingrained in our society The government have at least identified that this is an issue and are trying to invest in solutions, but until there is a cultural shift in England, and people start understanding the value of learning about foreign languages and cultures, it will be difficult to make a real difference
by Lucy RowenIf there is one thing that students fear going into their final year, it is writing the dreaded dissertation. Fortunately, you can write it on whichever subject you wish, so long as you choose the right topic I chose to write about French subtitles for iconic British films, seeing whether or not they effectively communicate our unique culture and sense of humour
To my surprise, much of a film needs to be altered in order for it to make sense in different languages. For example, in comedy films, such as Pegg and Frost’s Hot Fuzz, a lot of dialogue needs to be changed so that the puns and wordplay still work. Most of the time, this is inconsequential to the plot, for example, instead of ‘upsetting the apple cart’ and receiving backlash for buying into the British stereotype that all country folk sell apples, Nicholas’s character ‘fait un fromage’, buying into the French stereotype that all country folk make cheese However, at other times this means changing much bigger aspects of a film, such as place and character names. The detectives, both named ‘Andrew’ have to be called ‘Colin’ in French, as the joke that they are called ‘the Andies’ only works as ‘les collines’ [the hills] in French.
Furthermore, references to other pop culture needs to be clarified or altered so that audiences from other countries will understand it For example, in Paul, Paul likes eating Reese’s Pieces, a nod to Sci-Fi classic E.T. However, due to Reese’s Pieces not being well known in France, they are subtitled as ‘les bonbecs d’E T’ [E T ’s candy]. Furthermore, many references to classic science fiction films in Paul are lost in the French version due to the quotes being translated in a different way to how they are translated in the original films - which is a shame.
The main aspects of these films which I felt did not shine through in the French subtitles were the different accents and dialects Paul contains a lot of jokes about the protagonists being British, as it is set in the United States. This means characters exaggerate their accents and vocabulary choices throughout the films to demonstrate the difference between the two dialects The very British ‘pop it on the table’ contrasts with the very American ‘you guys going on road trip?’.
However, the subtitles are all written in standard French, and we lose this aspect of the humour This loss is felt all the more in Hot Fuzz, which is set in the West Country, and London-born Nicholas struggles to understand the villagers Although they speak with strong accents, their lines are all subtitled in standard French, meaning a French audience could not appreciate the joke As multilingual media becomes more popular across the world, we need to understand how films appear differently in each language. If you read or watch a translated version of a book or film, you are reading or watching an altered version of the story Carefully selected vocabulary and turns of phrase become lost in translation, wordplay and puns must be changed. You will not be able to see the book or film through the eyes of a native speaker
by Freya Richold
When I told family and friends my destination for the second half of my year abroad, I was usually met with the response: “Wow, Florence is a beautiful city, you’ll absolutely love it!”, however, to my surprise, no one ever mentioned the food. To me, good food was associated with the entirety of Italy, so I was perplexed as to why everyone was only talking about art and architecture when I mentioned Florence While art and architecture really are such important aspects of the city that make it as remarkable as it is and nothing should ever take away from that – the Florentines also make some outstandingly delicious food Although Florence may not be famed for its pizza like Naples or its pasta like Bologna, it offers so many of its own regional culinary delights – and let’s not forget about the Tuscan wine
Florence is renowned for its high-quality meats with the most famous dish hailing from the city being the Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine steak) This Tbone steak from the Chianina breed is an absolute must try if you visit the Birthplace of the Renaissance. When you order this dish, you do not choose how you would like the meat cooked, but instead the chef serves it how they best see fit with this cut – and it never misses the mark Usually served with roast potatoes or cannellini beans, it is the perfect dish all year round.
Another notable staple of the Florentine cuisine is Lampredotto Lampredotto is primarily street food, and it is a sandwich made from tripe – the fourth stomach of a cow – and a crusty bread roll. It is made by stewing the organ with tomato, onion, carrot, celery, and a collection of herbs, and once cooked, thinly sliced, placed in the roll, and topped with spicy salsa verde While this meat may not sound like the most tantalising dish, your taste buds will be suggesting something different!
Another local delicacy you can discover in Florence is schiacciata, a type of bread that can not only be found in Florence, but throughout all of Tuscany It is very similar to focaccia except it is much crispier, chewier and flatter (schiacciata literally means flatten or squashed in Italian!) It is often used to make a variety of sandwiches using meats, cheeses, and vegetables, or is just eaten on its own as a flatbread, often topped with tomatoes and herbs. You will find this bread freshly made in most sandwich shops up and down the city for a very reasonable price - it is the perfect lunch on-the-go
And finally, I cannot talk about Florentine cuisine without celebrating Tuscan wine. Tuscany is most known for its red wines, more specifically, its Sangiovese-based dry reds These grapes make some of the most sought-after wines in the region, and across the world. For example, the Chianti Classico, the Brunello di Montalcino, and the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Any of these wines are a must-try if you are visiting Florence, especially if you are indulging in a Bistecca alla Fiorentina
In conclusion, Florence is one of the most beautiful cities of art and architecture in the world, but it is also the home of multiple regional culinary delights where there truly is something for everyone – so yes, Florence absolutely is for foodies!
by Lydia Brindley
Naples, Rome, The Amalfi Coast, Lake Como and Sicily are undoubtedly great places to holiday in Italy, but have you ever heard of the Apulia region (or Puglia as it is known in Italian)? The region has some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy (offering fierce competition for the Sicilian beaches) as well as an array of charming towns and gorgeous grottos The only tourists you will find in Puglia are Italians visiting from the North for their summer holidays - so Puglia must be good if the Italians themselves approve! If you ever decide to visit this breathtaking region, here are a handful of my favourite places that I would recommend
Grotta della Poesia is a natural rock pool situated inbetween caves located near
This was one of the most memorable spots I visited in Puglia, as I had never seen such clear, turquoise water before Castle ruins are scattered around the pool, and if you are brave enough to climb down the crumbling steps etched into the side of the cave, it can be a great place to have a summer swim!
This iconic town in Puglia traveller! Charming Alberobe white, stone houses and con little dwellings are called trul you’ll often find a symbol pai These symbols were thought to ward off evil demons If you visit one of the souvenir shops, you can pick up a map which tells you what each symbol means
After exploring the centre, head down to its picturesque beach, which is sandwiched in-between ater took my breath away and dn’t help but swim into the under the cliffs It was worth back home
allipoli
as Turkey’s Gallipoli, Puglia’s th just as much recognition n) some of the region’s most own has much to enjoy The of people . Not to memade
Another trip highlight was visiting this historic town on Puglia’s Adriatic Coast Take time to visit the cafés and restaurants in its centre - any coffee lovers should try a crema di café (a mix between an ice cream and coffee-flavoured granita)
Finally, I have to mention Lecce. If towns and beaches aren’t for you; visit the city of Lecce instead Famous for its Baroque buildings, Lecce is a great city to explore Visit the Piazza del Duomo which is surrounded by the city’s charming buildings, or roam around the Basilica di Santa Croce: Lecce’s most famous Baroque-style church!
by Isabella IaconoWhat do you wish you had known before your year abroad?
"My ad uld be to not wo only there for a ng about fitting as many new p much as possib
"My a ernational studen h societies and or rawls and club ni andmarks, which area and making
See the front cover for the winning photograph of a sunny place on your year abroad by Weronika Bialek!
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