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Beyond Creatures: Unveiling Pokémon’s Multicultural Universe Jasmine Johal Friday, 26 January 2024 Jasmine takes us on a tour of the real-world locations that influenced the game maps within the Pokémon universe. The Pok é mon franchise, a pop-cultural sensation that has captured the hearts of millions worldwide, has drawn inspiration from real-world locations, cultures and ecosystems to craft an expansive and vibrant universe. The first few generations of Pokémon were motivated by various aspects of Japanese culture. For instance, Pokémon’s Kanto region, named after and based upon Japan’s Kanto, includes cities and landmarks, such as Saffron City and Cerulean Cave, which parallel real-world locations like Tokyo and Mt. Fuji. The traditional and modern aspects coexist within this region to demonstrate the blend of cultural heritage and technological advances in Japan. Pokémon’s Unova region mirrors the vibrant energy of New York City: with places such as Castelia City mimicking Manhattan’s busy streets, the Skyarrow Bridge reminiscent of the Brooklyn Bridge and Nimbasa City resembling the vibrant lights of Times Square, Unova clearly portrays NYC’s lively energy. Kalos is a Pokémon region motivated by the romantic allure of France. Its architectural designs, landscapes and cultural elements were heavily influenced by various areas within the country. There are landmarks similar to the Eiffel Tower (in Lumiose City) and vineyard-filled areas emulating regions like Bordeaux. Kalos’ fashion, cuisine and love for art reflect France’s diverse culture, beckoning players to immerse themselves in a vibrant, French-inspired setting. The Alola region in Pokémon bears a resemblance to the exotic ambiance of Hawaii, with its sun-kissed beaches and tropical landscapes. Alola embodies both the energetic cityscape of Hau’oli City, resembling the bustling Honolulu, and the serene Melemele Island, which captures the tranquillity of Hawaiian villages. The names of the areas incorporate Hawaiian words into their titles. The video game even features traditional festivals, similar to real-life Hawaiian luaus, honouring Hawaii’s rich cultural heritage. Alola invites trainers to battle on sun-soaked shores, embracing a place that defines the heart of Hawaii. The Pokémon region of Galar is a blend of modern and historic Britain. The lively city of Wyndon mirrors the grandeur of London, with its towering buildings and cultural diversity. Meanwhile, Hammerlocke radiates an aura of medieval England with its castle-like structures and rich history. The region’s sporting culture, notably through Gym Challenges, echoes the passion for football matches found in the UK. With its mix of modern elements and respect for heritage, Galar entices trainers to discover its distinctively British-inspired environment. Based on Spain, the Paldea region demonstrates a vibrant fusion of cultural elements. The architectural landscapes evoke the charm of Spanish cities. The Academy, mirroring Barcelona’s iconic La Sagrada Familia, stands tall with spires, resonating the magnificence of the famous cathedral. Modern influences are also present, with Levincia drawing parallels to Madrid. Furthermore, Paldea extends tributes to neighbouring regions on the Iberian Peninsula, notably Portugal and Andorra. Cascarrafa and Porto Marinada, with their aquatic themes, pay homage to Portuguese coastal towns through their bustling markets and structures adorned with characteristic tiles, offering an exploration of Iberian culture within the Pokémon universe. The Pokémon world provides vivid representations of real-life locations across the globe, with each region showcasing unique cultural traits. The diverse landscapes, architecture and festivals within each game encourage players to explore its captivating universe, making Pokémon much more than just a game about catching creatures. About the Author Jasmine has lived in the UK her whole life but has been brought up in an Indian household. She can also speak Mandarin at around B2 level and this year she is learning French alongside her degree. As an engineer, she is hoping to use her passion for languages and diverse cultures to travel the globe and work on a range of different projects! Beyond Creatures: Unveiling Pokémon’s Multicultural Universe Jasmine Johal How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionising the Tourism Experience Jasmine Johal Things I Wish I Knew Before Going Interrailing Rachel Lara Hoddes Copyright free images via Unsplash. For more content, follow us on Instagram , and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team. Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here . Tags: Jasmine Johal Real-World Inspirations Gaming Culture Virtual Exploration Travel Guide Categories: Travel Share: Let us know what you think 3.0 150 Article ratings average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings WRITE A COMMENT Thanks for submitting a comment! Barbara Dawson average rating is 3 out of 5 Lovely tasty dish. Try it you won’t be disappointed. Time Published Aunty Liz average rating is 3 out of 5 Very tasty and cheap. I often have this for tea! Time Published BETTS average rating is 3 out of 5 Being a bilingual family (French mother and British father,) living in France I thought your article was extremely interesting . Have you research on bilingualism ? It seems that when the mother is British and the father French and they both live in France their children seem to be more bilingual than when the mother is French and the father is British . This is what we called mother tongue , isn't it ? Time Published Niamh average rating is 3 out of 5 Such an interesting article! Time Published LOAD MORE

What is Culture? Holly Cromwell Friday, 17 February 2023 A look at what culture actually means. Thinking a little more deeply about everything we include in the word, what we use it for and ultimately why it matters. Culture is an almost undefinable wreck; an amorphous frustration that nonetheless has a tangible effect on the world around you. I know that might seem rich coming from a girl who insists you can tell when the rolling hills of northern England become the Scottish Lowlands but, I promise, you can really feel the effects. We even have a word for that: culture shock. Finding yourself in an alien culture has a profound impact on a person, even if you’re expecting it and studied up. Most newspapers have a section for culture. If we trust them then all there is to culture are art galleries, exhibitions, books, theatre and film. As much as I love the arts, we know there’s more to it than that and it wasn’t Moli è re that left me feeling out of step. Then we have the university itself. I study history, politics and aspects of sociology under the banner of a degree that promises immersion in the “rich culture of French and Francophone countries”. But there’s a lot more to it than that; especially with the Year Abroad team taking the time to warn us about cultural differences in various countries. For France: first names for family and close friends until told otherwise, businesses and institutions with very strict opening and closing times, and fashion tending to be more conservative just to start. Then there’s the fact that even this is not consistent: in my lyc é e the teachers refer to each other by first name to the point that I don’t know a lot of their surnames. We watch our favourite shows and say, “ this is culture”. We look at bad situations and describe a “culture of harassment”. We describe people who are worldly and well-read as “cultured”. “Culture shock” leaves us not knowing where to go to pay in a restaurant, how to react to strangers or when to go to lunch. Culture is in the food we eat; the way we build our houses; the way we spend our free time and when we have it; the way we dance and what we dance to; what we watch and how we react to it; what we wear and when and why; the way we talk and what we do or don’t talk about. Where does this leave us? Culture is one of those disgustingly vague definitions: a collection of the behaviours, histories, media, actions and habits of a group of people at a particular time – even when, inevitably, some of those people are not behaving, remembering, acting, thinking, consuming or producing media in the same way. Describing a culture is like trying to pin down the exact flocking behaviours of all birds into a single, flat, permanent map. A good guess might be that culture is anything you could make an inside joke about because the only way to define culture seems to be by those borders that we stumble into when we leave our own culture in some way. So, do we care? Yes. Because culture is important. Our cultures define the way different people react to national or global problems; help us cope through isolation and crisis; and write the narratives we wish for in the future. It describes everything we choose to conform to or resist, and everything we do without thinking. An understanding of culture, however you define it, helps us to empathise with others and eases communication. Just try not to think about it too hard. About the Author Holly was our 2023/24 Culture Editor. An English and French student, Holly is interested in languages and cultures, with a particular interest in film. For her, writing for Lingo is a way to enjoy this further and be a bit more purposeful with her interests, find and share new things! The Rise of Foreign Language TV Holly Cromwell What is Culture? Holly Cromwell Why Do We All Need Subtitles Now? Holly Cromwell Images provided by Holly Cromwell. For more content, follow us on Instagram , and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team. Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here . Tags: Holly Cromwell Definition Opinion Categories: Thought Piece Culture Share: Let us know what you think 3.0 150 Article ratings average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings WRITE A COMMENT Thanks for submitting a comment! Barbara Dawson average rating is 3 out of 5 Lovely tasty dish. Try it you won’t be disappointed. Time Published Aunty Liz average rating is 3 out of 5 Very tasty and cheap. I often have this for tea! Time Published BETTS average rating is 3 out of 5 Being a bilingual family (French mother and British father,) living in France I thought your article was extremely interesting . Have you research on bilingualism ? It seems that when the mother is British and the father French and they both live in France their children seem to be more bilingual than when the mother is French and the father is British . This is what we called mother tongue , isn't it ? Time Published Niamh average rating is 3 out of 5 Such an interesting article! Time Published LOAD MORE

Karneval: Germany's obsession with Native Americans Olivia Marshall Monday, 19 February 2024 In Germany, it's common for people to dress up as Native Americans at annual Karneval parades. Is it time to put a stop to this tradition? With the passing of Ash Wednesday, Germany’s “fifth season” has come to an end, marked by Karneval , also known as Fasching in Austria and southern Germany. Karneval is celebrated by dressing up and dancing through the streets. With parades, floats, and of course drinking, traditionally allowing Christians to enjoy themselves before the start of lent. One of the Germans’ favourite costumes has turned out to be Native American dress. Thousands can be seen wearing tunics and dresses, feather headdresses and face paint. Certain costumes are legally prohibited at Karneval : notably those with overly realistic weapons, such as pirate swords; police costumes which too closely resemble the uniform of the real German Polizei ; as well as anything related to the Nazis; but dressing as other cultures is deemed to be acceptable. Due to a long tradition of wearing Native American costumes, it seems a lot of Germans don’t consider this to be problematic: but it repeatedly catches the attention of the foreign public, who are often outraged at its acceptance in Germany. So where does the tradition come from? Germans’ fascination for Native American culture is based in the widespread popularity of German author Karl May’s late 19th century adventure books featuring Winnetou, an Apache chief, and subsequent films in the 20th century. The books were so popular that the Nazis didn’t ban them, despite non-white main characters. This interest lives on in Germany, resulting in this trend that is seemingly unaffected by any criticism that it receives. Whether or not these costumes are acceptable is widely discussed in German media and routinely causes backlash from non-Germans, yet they still seem to be a firm favourite for those of all ages. This year’s Karneval caused some contention on X (formally Twitter). User @sagdocheinfach shared a photo of her Native American costume, causing heated debate in the replies and quote tweets, with some claiming it to be cultural appropriation and racist, others considering it a way to promote and share Indigenous culture. Dressing up as other cultures can often be a tricky subject nowadays and is probably best avoided, so why are Germans sticking with this tradition? Many Germans are genuinely fascinated by Native American culture and think that dressing in this way is acceptable as they are celebrating the culture. It is not their intent to make a caricature out of or mock Native Americans and so, in their eyes, they are not causing any harm. There’re no significant Indigenous presence in Germany, so they lack contact with cultures like this and there is a lack of awareness and education meaning even well-educated people genuinely see no wrong in their costumes. A big problem with these costumes is that, it can feel as though they are treating this group of people as a plaything, as if they are mythical or only existed in the past. In addition, Native Americans don’t look one specific way or have one specific culture; there are hundreds of Indigenous tribes and the costumes worn can be seen to play to stereotypes. If Germans really are so interested in Native American culture, shouldn’t they perhaps invest their time in speaking up about issues these groups face rather than simply dressing up as them, or at the very least, buy authentic Native American-made clothing and jewellery rather than wearing stereotypical costumes? About the Author Olivia was our Welfare Officer for 2023-24. After graduating with a BA in French and German with Translation in 2022, Liv is now completing an MA Translation Studies. Apart from being passionate about translation, she loves to travel, explore new places, and experience different cultures. She is looking forward to meeting others with the same interests through Lingo. Karneval: Germany's obsession with Native Americans Olivia Marshall Link to tweet: https://twitter.com/sagdocheinfach/status/1756258406732603787 Copyright free images via Pexels. For more content, follow us on Instagram , and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team. Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here Tags: Karneval Carnival Native Americans Germany Olivia Marshall Categories: Cultural Guide Culture Analysis Share: Let us know what you think 3.0 150 Article ratings average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings WRITE A COMMENT Thanks for submitting a comment! Barbara Dawson average rating is 3 out of 5 Lovely tasty dish. Try it you won’t be disappointed. Time Published Aunty Liz average rating is 3 out of 5 Very tasty and cheap. I often have this for tea! Time Published BETTS average rating is 3 out of 5 Being a bilingual family (French mother and British father,) living in France I thought your article was extremely interesting . Have you research on bilingualism ? It seems that when the mother is British and the father French and they both live in France their children seem to be more bilingual than when the mother is French and the father is British . This is what we called mother tongue , isn't it ? Time Published Niamh average rating is 3 out of 5 Such an interesting article! Time Published LOAD MORE

English with Creative Writing < Back Bethan Beddow Bethan, an English with Creative Writing student, has a passion for writing, specifically writing about things close to her heart, such as underrated Welsh culture! Latest Articles by this Author Exploring the hidden treasures of Wales 15/12/22

What makes a language “easy” to learn? Aidan Cross Sunday, 26 February 2023 Does the thought of learning a new language sound too difficult? Here’s what to look for to make it “easier” when deciding what language to learn! Today, over 7000 languages are spoken across the world, and it is estimated that more than half of the world’s population speaks more than one . As English has become a global language, it is unsurprising that it is the most common second language to learn. However, for native English speakers, what makes a different language “easy” to learn? It is generally agreed that exposure, immersion, and practice are the most important factors in successfully learning a new language. Because of this, the availability of resources in that language is something to consider when deciding what language to learn. Are there films, TV shows, or YouTube videos that you can watch in that language; books that you can read; or music that you can listen to? For example, the “ Korean wave ” and how this growing interest in South Korean culture has made a variety of Korean content accessible to English speakers with the popularity of K-dramas such as “Squid Game” and K-pop groups such as BTS. Your motivation and dedication to learning a new language is also a critical factor in determining how “easy” it is to learn. Your cultural ties to a language, through your family, community, or religion, e.g. Arabic in Islam and Hebrew in Judaism, can therefore make a language “easier” to learn. This is because it has a real, practical use and place in your life as well as that you will already have an understanding of the culture behind the language. After all, learning a language is so much more than just learning the vocabulary and grammar, the cultural context is just as important. Furthermore, you will have the advantage of knowing native speakers to practice with and learn from within your family or community. However, you shouldn’t be disheartened if this isn’t the case, and you are choosing to learn a language for study or work, for travel, or just for fun; ultimately, it is your motivation and dedication to consistent practice that will determine how “easy” it is to learn. Nevertheless, it cannot be avoided that, linguistically, some languages will just be “easier” than others for native English speakers to learn, for example, languages that use the Latin alphabet, e.g. Indonesian, and not the Cyrillic alphabet, e.g. Mongolian, or their own script, e.g. Thai. Languages with similar origins and shared histories, predominately Indo-European languages, e.g. Hindi, as well as those from the branches of this language family, particularly the Romance languages, e.g. Spanish, and Germanic languages, e.g. German will also be “easier” to learn due to their similarity to English. A language’s similarity, or dissimilarity, to English can affect how “easy” it is to learn in a number of ways: Vocabulary, e.g. 29% of English vocabulary comes from French Grammar, e.g. there is no verb conjugation in Mandarin and no articles in Russian Pronunciation, e.g. tonal languages such as Yoruba or click consonants, like in Xhosa, as well as sounds that don’t exist in English, like the Portuguese “ão” So, what languages are generally considered the “easiest” for native English speakers to learn? Unsurprisingly, it’s the Romance and Germanic languages spoken by our European neighbours: Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, and Norwegian. About the Author Aidan is one of the founding members of Lingo Magazine and has a passion for languages – never studying less than three at once, hoping to become a polyglot! – as well as the histories and cultures of the peoples and places that use them. They are especially interested in translation and the connections between different languages and cultures across the world. They are looking forward to being Lingo's Treasurer this year and making the magazine and society as inclusive, informative, and interesting as possible. As for languages, Aidan is in their final year of Hispanic Studies & History at the University of Nottingham, studying Spanish and Portuguese, and in their free time also studies Korean - and has recently started learning Italian! Translation and the Untranslatable Aidan Cross 5 podcasts to help you improve your French Niamh Woodhouse The economic value to the UK of speaking other languages: realistic or idealistic? Rosie Loyd Copyright free images via Unsplash. For more content, follow us on Instagram , and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team. Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here . Tags: Aidan Cross Language Learning Korean Media English Categories: Language and Linguistics Analysis Share: Let us know what you think 3.0 150 Article ratings average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings WRITE A COMMENT Thanks for submitting a comment! Barbara Dawson average rating is 3 out of 5 Lovely tasty dish. Try it you won’t be disappointed. Time Published Aunty Liz average rating is 3 out of 5 Very tasty and cheap. I often have this for tea! Time Published BETTS average rating is 3 out of 5 Being a bilingual family (French mother and British father,) living in France I thought your article was extremely interesting . Have you research on bilingualism ? It seems that when the mother is British and the father French and they both live in France their children seem to be more bilingual than when the mother is French and the father is British . This is what we called mother tongue , isn't it ? Time Published Niamh average rating is 3 out of 5 Such an interesting article! Time Published LOAD MORE

Translation Studies < Back Charlie Bodsworth A nerd in every sense, Charlie was our 2023-24 Language and Linguistics editor. She completed a BA in Modern Languages with Translation Studies, including a year spent in Paris, and is soon to complete her MA in Translation Studies. She speaks French and has just started learning Japanese! In her spare time, she plays video games, watches movies, and spends plenty of time with her two gerbils. Latest Articles by this Author Interview with a Polyglot 10/06/24 Words of the Year 2023 31/12/23 Japanese: One Language, Three Writing Systems 12/04/24 'A Victory for Feminism': How France Made the Right to Abortion Part of its Constitution 05/04/24 The Wonderful World of Studio Ghibli 05/04/24

4AM Kru: The crew taking the underground jungle scene to a new level Byron Taylor Sunday, 15 September 2024 4AM Kru have burst onto the music scene with energy, providing 90s rooted new jungle, and before the release of their new album 'Incognito Rhythm' Byron takes a look into their inspirations, style of production and ambitions in such a competitive industry. 4AM KRU burst onto the scene in 2020 with an energy rarely seen in mainstream music. They are masters of disguise in their music, packing clever samples into fast beats, along with graceful breaks and electronic elements that warp and expand. Their creativity in production is a standout in the nu-jungle genre, each track bringing unpredictable elements and a unique ID. They were born in London, the birthplace of Jungle in the early 1990’s, a scene that reflected a rebel spirit. The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act attempted to shut down young peoples’ energy and creativity as rave culture had always faced strong opposition due to the fear of violence and drugs, when people were just trying to have fun. Pirate radios and jungle music went hand in hand. 4AM KRU brings us a fresh, mind-bending version of jungle music reminiscent of this era. Their first track ‘King Konger’ has a rapid beat, warped sample vocals and expansive electronic breaks, heralding great things to come. ‘It’s Alright Baby’ is like a wicked jungle Christmas tune, with disconcerting samples and bells, not to mention the heavy bass and breakbeat. ‘London Girls’ is addictive, with a majestic sample, piano chords and beat that floats with ease, fading out at one point with a euphoric effect. Every beat glides beautifully, strange yet danceable. The KRU’s aesthetic is London inspired, cartoon like, and genuinely creative, with an astonishing level of detail on the cover of each single. The 4AM KRU rat is atop the shard in the cover art of their debut track , and perhaps Dalston Junction via The Moon gives us a clue of their high ambitions and potential. The ‘Good Time’ cover is a trippy take on Dali’s ‘The Persistence of Memory’ . It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into these illustrations. ‘High Time’ is their hit track, for a good reason. How they found ‘Gangsta Pat’, I don’t know; one of the finest gems of a sample I’ve seen in a while, reminiscent of MJ’s ‘The Lady in My Life’. ‘Stay Puffed’ is another great sample, injected with energy, synths and an infectious beat breathing new life into it with relentless breakbeats. They’re developing too. ‘Pianos Raining Down’ and ‘Ooh Boy’ are proof of further potential. The duo somehow bring a four-dimensional element to jungle music, playing with our expectations to twist samples, change up beats and provide luscious instrumentals throughout. 4AM Kru have already made waves: reinventing the jungle scene, and securing huge sets at the likes of Reading festival and Boardmasters recently. Their recent single ‘Ribena’, incidentally released the weekend before Notting Hill carnival. It has an 80s reggae sample of Papa Levi, bringing a party spirit and epitomising the celebration of summer. 4AM Kru's debut album 'Incognito Rhythm' was released on the 12th of September; it's even more fast-paced, sample heavy jungle to cap off summer of 2024. About the Author Writing has always been a way to express my creative interests to other people and share knowledge of lesser known culture, whether it be film or music. Lingo is a community that nurtures this aspect of life, helping students to enrich their understanding of the world and different perspectives on life, promoting creativity and celebrating culture. Throughout my articles I try to explore the cultural impact of media and richness of life, whether it be new cinema releases, 70s music or climbing. Copyright free images via Unsplash. For more content, follow us on Instagram , and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team. Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here . Tags: Music Dance Underground Culture Categories: I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy. Share: Let us know what you think 3.0 150 Article ratings average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings WRITE A COMMENT Thanks for submitting a comment! Barbara Dawson average rating is 3 out of 5 Lovely tasty dish. Try it you won’t be disappointed. Time Published Aunty Liz average rating is 3 out of 5 Very tasty and cheap. I often have this for tea! Time Published BETTS average rating is 3 out of 5 Being a bilingual family (French mother and British father,) living in France I thought your article was extremely interesting . Have you research on bilingualism ? It seems that when the mother is British and the father French and they both live in France their children seem to be more bilingual than when the mother is French and the father is British . This is what we called mother tongue , isn't it ? Time Published Niamh average rating is 3 out of 5 Such an interesting article! Time Published LOAD MORE

Medicine < Back Samah Irshad Samah is a first year medic, who studied Spanish at A-level and absolutely loved it!! She decided to join Lingo because she wanted to continue with her language journey and learn more about other cultural interests! :)) Latest Articles by this Author Salamanca – home of the world's purest Spanish 04/04/23

English < Back Jamey Heron-Waterhouse Jamey loves to travel and learn languages. Her own personal heritage is made up of many different cultures and learning languages and customs from her family has always been an interest of hers so she likes to express this interest by writing articles. Latest Articles by this Author If You Didn’t Post About It, Did It Even Happen? - The Toxic Relationship Between Tourism and Social Media 13/12/23

Celebrate Carnival this weekend with this popular Brazilian dessert - Brigadeiro. Named after a Brazilian hero and politician, they are simple to make and melt in your mouth! Recipe of the week: Carnival Brigadeiro Celebrate Carnival this weekend with this popular Brazilian dessert - Brigadeiro. Named after a Brazilian hero and politician, they are simple to make and melt in your mouth! Tags: Recipe, Food, Brazilian, Culture, Carnival, Chocolate 14th February 2022 Ingredients 3 tbsp unsalted butter , plus a little extra 400g tin sweetened condensed milk 4 tbsp cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract Plus toppings of you choice, such as: Pistachios Flaked almond Desiccated coconut Chocolate Sprinkles Method 1. In a saucepan, heat the butter, condensed milk, a pinch of salt and the cocoa, to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 mins whilst stirring constantly. You'll know the mixture is done when it is thick and shiny and starts to pull away from the bottom. 2. Stir in the vanilla and mix again until completely combined. Pour the mixture onto a buttered plate and pop into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hrs. 3. Once chilled and slightly hardened, butter your hands to prevent the mixture getting stuck to you. Then pinch off some of the dough to make small, bite-sized balls. 4. Place your toppings of choice into small bowls and roll the balls in the coating. Traditionally, Brigadeiros were coated in chocolate sprinkles but over the years they have evolved to include many different toppings - I went with chopped nuts and desiccated cocount. Place in mini paper baking cups or on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper and your Brazilian Brigadeiro are ready to go! Read our other recipes here ! Written by Niamh Woodhouse Niamh is our Editor-in-Chief and very passionate about Lingo Magazine. Speaking French and Spanish, she has a particular interest in articles about history, culture and travel!

A Taste of the Mediterranean in Nottingham: Review of Yamas Beth Walker Wednesday, 6 April 2022 Settled in the heart of Nottingham, Yamas serves up delicious Mediterranean cuisine on a student-friendly budget. Beth Walker tells us about her top picks from their menu in the first instalment of A Taste of The World in Nottingham. Last week, I visited Yamas: A Mediterranean tapas and meze restaurant on Thurland Street in Nottingham’s city centre. Established in 2008, Yamas aims to create an enjoyable experience of sharing both food and special moments together, replicating traditions of Greek Cypriot households. Well, this was apparent from the happy, warm atmosphere when I dined there last week. Despite it being a Wednesday lunchtime, the restaurant was full to the brim with groups of friends and families gathered to enjoy the fantastic Mediterranean cuisine Yamas has to offer. Lots of lunchtime choice Popular with many lunchtime diners are the 3 tapas/meze dishes for £10.95. This deal is very student-friendly and allows you to choose from a varied selection of new and exciting Mediterranean dishes. This is, in fact, what I opted for. I ordered pinchos de pollo (chicken and chorizo skewers with honey and sesame seeds), tirokroketes (Greek style cheese balls served on a bed of zingy chutney) and patatas bravas (a much-loved favourite by any tapas fan, these need no explanation). These meze dishes from Yamas did not disappoint. The cheese in the tirokroketes was the softest, lightest cheese I think I have ever tasted, encased in a crispy, breaded coating. I would absolutely recommend these. Patatas Bravas Tirokroketes My friends opted for a few different dishes, some of which included the village salad (fresh and colourful), the chicharrones de pollo (fried chicken fillets filled with soft aioli), pinchos de gambas (marinated prawns served on skewers) and the spanakopitta (feta cheese and spinach wrapped in filo pastry). We thoroughly enjoyed our choices and despite the portions being so generous, there was very little left over at the end of the meal. As you can tell, there’s a wide variety of choice on the Yamas menu – with many vegetarian and vegan friendly options available too. Pinchos de Gambas Village Salad That’s not to say that you have to order the meze dishes at lunchtime though. One of my friends opted for chicken gyros from the regular menu and they looked wonderful. Served with chips, the gyros wrap came with chicken and a generous helping of salad and tzatziki – all for less than £10! If you are on a budget but wish to go somewhere a little bit more special, I cannot recommend Yamas highly enough. Unfortunately, we were so full from our lunch that we couldn’t bring ourselves to sample any of Yamas’ selection of yummy desserts, but they looked so hearty and decadent. I can only imagine that they were of the same high quality as the Meze. The service was equally of a high standard. We were waiting a little while to receive our food, but we were one of the larger tables and it was very busy – for good reason! The waiters were very friendly and attentive. Plenty of meze options Takeaway points … If you don’t fancy dining in, Yamas also have a separate takeaway menu! I must admit, upon seeing this I was very excited as I had enjoyed the food very much and would love to order it to eat at home in the future – although I am yet to do this! Overall, I was very impressed with Yamas and will absolutely be returning. ★★★★ ☆ About the Author Beth loves languages. She studied French to A Level and still try to maintain her skills through listening to French music and reading French articles. She also studied Spanish to GCSE level, although nearly wasn’t allowed … When choosing her GCSE options, she was certain that she wanted to do both French and Spanish. However, the school didn’t allow it as they said it would be too difficult to learn two languages at the same time. She wrote two letters to the head teacher, one in each language, explaining her passion for language learning and, thankfully, he allowed her to continue studying them. As an English student she considers herself a true wordsmith. She is fascinated by how languages work, and this fascination is going to inspire much of the content she creates for Lingo. She can’t wait to start working alongside the super talented Lingo Committee to produce what she's certain will be a fantastic new languages and culture magazine. 48 Hours in Seville: Spain's Sunny City Niamh Woodhouse Hungry in St Petersburg? My Top 5 Restaurants for Visitors Jess Henrys A Taste of the Mediterranean in Nottingham: Review of Yamas Beth Walker Images provided by Beth Walker. For more content, follow us on Instagram , and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team. Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here . Tags: Restaurants Greek Food Spanish Mediterranean Beth Walker Categories: Culture Nottingham Eats Review Share: Let us know what you think 3.0 150 Article ratings average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings WRITE A COMMENT Thanks for submitting a comment! LOAD MORE

Year Abroad Tales: Working in an art gallery on the Estonian-Russian border Juliet Kennedy Tuesday, 11 June 2024 Juliet shares her experience working at an eclectic art residence in Narva, Estonia, during her year abroad. A month into my time in the frozen, still, city of Narva, nestled a little too cosily on the border between Russia and Estonia, I began to sense that overwhelming feeling of things being a little too slow, and a little too quiet. With winter looming, days drawing shorter and classes finishing at 12:30 I was left with the bewildering question of what next? In this quiet and sleepy city, how could I possibly fill three months? I had tentatively googled ‘art galleries, Narva’, keeping my hopes low because so far all I had seen were endless apartment blocks and abandoned playgrounds. But then, I stumbled across NART. It was an art residency, where artists from all over the world would come to complete a period of time working on a project inspired by Narva and its surroundings. After emailing in the morning, by that afternoon I was chatting with the director and assistant about their visions, goals for the space, what they do, what I do, being young in Narva, their staff, their artists… I felt inspired by the city, a feeling which I had been searching for amongst long Russian language classes and bowls of hot cabbage soup. The residency was huge. It spanned an entire manor house which was divided into studio flats for artists, museum spaces for the public, an exhibition room, kitchens, and messy studios with concrete walls. It was striking, with its English-style red brick. It stood, proud and alone, like something from an Emily Brontë novel on the street Joala 18. It stood out as one of the few buildings that survived the devastation of Narva during World War II, a city where 98% of its infrastructure was destroyed by bombs. Having spent my recent weeks living in one of the many Khrushchevki , apartment buildings built during the Soviet Union, it was a welcome change to work and exist in a space that was old and grand and full of a much deeper sense of history. The ‘living area’ of the residence The residence was, at its construction, the house for the director of Kreenholm Manufacture (another interesting building in Narva, a huge abandoned factory that straddles the river between Estonia and Russia), and since then has been a schoolhouse, a cinema, and now an art residence. One Friday night I helped to set up a party that was being organized by some of the residents, as one of them had made a light projection that he wanted to show off, along with a DJ set. I remember running up and down the stairs of the sprawling house, searching for mismatched glasses hidden deep in kitchen cupboards to put at the homemade bar. It was like a maze of spiral staircases, adorned with photographs and paintings. Artists were making Moroccan egg sandwiches to sell at the party, along with ginger cocktails; another was offering a flash of tattoos in the living room; and I remember texting my friend to say, hey, come tonight, there will be eggs, ginger vodka, and tattoos. She was, naturally, quite confused. But it's in that kind of madness that I remember and love NART. I ended up working on the reception desk, sitting in the airy gallery and knitting whilst I waited for the odd visitor. And when they came, I would express, in convoluted Russian, that there was indeed an interesting exhibition just through those doors but, I can’t really explain it to you because the whole thing is about oddly specific and personal Estonian words which I can’t actually read. I got a lot of strange looks from locals, but I was just happy to be surrounded by beautiful architecture and artists who slipped in and out of the grand front doors to smoke a cigarette, to do their grocery shopping, to just walk around in the large gardens and snowy air. I won’t forget the two Japanese artists, Reico Motohara and Kaori Sato. They were photographers who came to Narva with the task of completing ‘’kitchen stories’’, a photography exhibition and a cookbook. They reached out to locals, extending invitations for dinner to delve deeper into the local culture and cuisine, aiming to share heartfelt moments around a dinner table in a typical Soviet apartment. The culminating exhibition showcased a curated collection of photographs featuring classic dishes such as borscht and fish, capturing convivial moments in kitchens, accompanied by stories shared by locals about their families and histories. They returned to Japan with a collection of recipes to print and publish in a cookbook. Their exhibition and talk ended with a kind-of dinner party, where all guests were invited to bring a dish, exotic to Narva, and reminiscent of their home. Reico and Kaori made a delicious spread of sushi, and my friend and I decided to make and bring banana bread. We will never forget the moment that we saw a curious local from Narva pick up a slice of the sweet, chocolatey banana bread, only to embellish it with soy sauce, salmon, seaweed, and cucumber. Perhaps it was our oversight to place the bread next to the sushi. Sushi and other homemade dishes at the exhibition opening The residence, upstairs, boasted a large, old fashioned cinema room. There was one night where I was at the reception desk welcoming visitors and guiding them to where the film would screen. As it started rolling in came a few locals, who I had already seen around a lot. We got chatting and, after having them poke fun at my Russian and answering the usual slurry of questions that aim to understand why I would choose Russian, and did I realize how hard it was, they pulled out a bottle of some kind of home brewed vodka, from under their jacket. It was now December and my time in Narva was coming to an end. So, in a poignant and only natural farewell to the city that had taught me so much, we sat, taking shots of the bitter, burning liquid, whilst I was taught a vital, albeit unconventional crash course in Russian profanities, that I would ‘absolutely need’ to navigate life’s challenges. Amidst Narva’s frozen tranquillity and political tensions, NART emerges as a flurry of art, culture and vibrant personalities. The feeling of a cold day, four months on and long departed from Estonia, sometimes takes me back to the reception desk of the residence, the lofty ceilings and dimly lit rooms, the chattering of artists, and the sound of echoing footsteps on tiled floors. About the Author Juliet is our Culture Editor for 2024-25. She is a student of French and Russian. She is interested in art and literature, and loves writing and travelling. Taiwan Diaries: Quarantine Rosie Loyd YEAR ABROAD TALES: the highs and lows of au pairing Mhairi MacLeod Taiwan Diaries: Freedom Rosie Loyd Images provided by Juliet Kennedy. For more content, follow us on Instagram , and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to join the Lingo Team. Have an article ready to send in? Submit it here . Tags: Art Russian travel Juliet Kennedy Year Abroad Culture Categories: Year Abroad Tales Share: Let us know what you think 3.0 150 Article ratings average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, Article ratings WRITE A COMMENT Thanks for submitting a comment! Barbara Dawson average rating is 3 out of 5 Lovely tasty dish. Try it you won’t be disappointed. Time Published Aunty Liz average rating is 3 out of 5 Very tasty and cheap. I often have this for tea! Time Published BETTS average rating is 3 out of 5 Being a bilingual family (French mother and British father,) living in France I thought your article was extremely interesting . Have you research on bilingualism ? It seems that when the mother is British and the father French and they both live in France their children seem to be more bilingual than when the mother is French and the father is British . This is what we called mother tongue , isn't it ? Time Published Niamh average rating is 3 out of 5 Such an interesting article! 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