Search Results

Spanish and Portuguese < Back Jessamy Guest Jessamy is a languages student learning Portuguese and Spanish. She was drawn to Lingo Magazine because it seemed like a great combination of appreciation of languages and cultures and an opportunity to write specifically about current events. She is particularly interested in the goings-on in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries but also global issues and international relations. The workings of the world endlessly fascinate and bemuse her. Latest Articles by this Author A Reflection on Tensions in Ukraine 15/02/22

A Story Told in Seasons: When Life Gives You Tangerines charts love, loss and family on Jeju Island Isabelle Monteiro Tuesday, 23 September 2025 A spoiler-free review of Netflix Korea's latest heart-warming and nostalgic romance When Netflix released When Life Gives You Tangerines in the spring of 2025, expectations were high. With actors IU and Park Bo-Gum headlining and Jeju Island as a cinematic backdrop, the series teased a light-hearted romance tinged with emotional weight and the tear-jerking moments, typical of a Korean drama. However, as the weeks in March passed, audiences were instead treated to something much richer — a tender, slow-burning story spanning five decades, bringing the quiet complexities of life and human connection to the screen. Written by Lim Sang Choon, who is also known for her work on Fight For My Way (2017) and When the Camellia Blooms (2019), When Life Gives You Tangerines quickly garnered both critical acclaim and audience affection. Predominantly set on Jeju Island, the series follows two romantic leads – Oh Ae-Sun (played by IU), and Yang Gwan-Sik (Bo Gum). Oh Ae-Sun, a fiercely independent “Literary Girl” who dreams of becoming a poet, falls in love with Yang Gwan-Sik - a stoic, yet deeply loyal and devoted young man. Told through a non-linear narrative, the drama frequently shifts between the characters’ youth and their later years. The older actors, portrayed by Moon So-Ri and Park Hae-Joon, ease viewers into their characters’ later lives with seamless, heartfelt performances, quietly affirming that while time may weather the body, love endures unchanged. IU also takes centre stage as she once again showcases her versatility and depth by playing both the young Ae-Sun, and her daughter, Park Geum-Yeong. Released in episodic quarters, the drama’s central storyline explores themes of community, love, family, and grief as Ae-Sun, Gwan-Sik and their children navigate the difficulties of life amid financial hardship and loss against Korea’s changing political and economic landscape. As the drama stretches across three generations, it is little wonder that it highlights the sacrifices that parents make and the hardships they endure to successfully raise their children. Its poignant reflection on parental devotion resonates with anyone who has ever grappled with the complexities of familial relationships, and the series is filled with profoundly moving lines such as “Parents only remember what they couldn’t give, while children only remember what they couldn’t receive.” Audiences are also given a glimpse into the oppression and discrimination faced by women, as Korea’s social changes are mapped on the lives of the various female characters and the expectations placed upon them. Lim Sang Choon takes her time in letting her characters breathe, their relationships unfolding naturally. For some viewers, particularly those who prefer punchier and action-filled scenes, the pacing might seem glacial at times. However, those willing to invest their time are rewarded with immense emotional resonance. The drama makes the most out of every minute, and each scene delivers either a beautiful and thought-provoking message, or a contemplative life-lesson. And although Geum-Yeong’s story occasionally took centre stage, nothing could eclipse Ae-Sun and Gwan-sik’s resilience and romance as they perfectly embody the Korean title for the series, Thank You For All Your Hard Work (Jeju: 폭싹 속았수다), in their efforts to build a better life for their children, and for each other. At its core, When Life Gives You Tangerines is a charming and compelling narrative that captures the essence of the slice-of-life genre, depicting the highs and lows of everyday life in ways that are both distinctly Korean, yet universally relatable. As it reflects on finding sweetness in life amidst the bitterness, this unforgettable drama is sure to induce both laughter and tears in those craving something soulful, poetic and quietly devastating. About the Author Hailing from Malaysia, Isabelle is a final year English student with a passion for food and the arts. She views Lingo as an opportunity to explore her interests in culture and travel, as well as to develop her writing skills. Valentine’s Day Traditions Around the World Vicki Mileson Violeta by Isabel Allende: One Hundred Years on the South American Continent Mhairi MacLeod The Rise of Foreign Language TV Holly Cromwell Images courtesy of Netflix, Pan Entertainment, Baram Pictures and K-Entertainment. 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: Culture review Korean Foreign TV Love Isabelle Monteiro Categories: Culture 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! 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

Les règles de vie en France - Dos and Don'ts of Living in France Ellie Price Sunday, 20 March 2022 To celebrate French Language Day, our Social Sec, Ellie shares her tips for living in France in our first foreign language article Vivre à l'étranger est une expérience tellement génialissime ; vous explorez tellement de nouveaux endroits, essayez une variété de nouvelles choses et vous trouvez une partie de vous-même que vous ne saviez pas qui était là avant - cliché, je sais ! Mais c'est 100% vrai, comme je l'ai trouvé moi-même. Cependant, parmi l'excitation, il y a aussi des sentiments de doute, comme vous ne savez pas à quoi vous attendre. J'ai donc compilé une courte liste de choses que vous devriez et ne devriez pas faire pendant votre séjour en France pour vous aider. Les choses à faire -Essayez de parler le plus de français possible, même si ce n’est pas parfait, les françaises apprécient l’effort ! -Voyagez, embrassez la culture et visitez autant d'endroits que vous le pouvez, c'est le moyen optimal d'obtenir la meilleure expérience et vous n'aurez peut-être plus jamais l'occasion. Je suis allée à Marseille, Bordeaux et Toulouse en un mois, ce que je n'aurais pas fait si je n'avais pas vécu en France. -Essayez la nourriture différente - et le vin ! Même si vous n'aimez pas le vin habituellement, essayez-le, vous pourriez changer d’avis ! J'ai trouvé que le Saumur blanc est divin. -Sortez de votre zone de confort. Rejoignez un club ou une salle de sport, sortez seul pour un repas, peu importe, faites quelque chose que vous ne feriez pas d'habitude, c'est une façon de rencontrer des gens et aussi de prendre confiance en vous ! Les choses à ne pas faire - Attendez-vous à tout comprendre tout de suite. Je ne pense pas que votre niveau de français à l'université soit important, discuter d'un sujet défini chaque semaine et parler français en France sont très différents. Donc, au début, cela ressemble au français que vous pensiez connaître, vous ne le saviez pas. Ce n'est pas pour vous effrayer de vouloir partir à l'étranger mais cela vous dit que c'est normal d'avoir l'impression de ne rien comprendre du tout au début, car vous apprenez si vite et finalement votre niveau de français sera tellement meilleur revenir qu'il ne le fera quand vous arrivez. Ce qui, je suppose, est le but de notre année à l'étranger. - Manger seulement des baguettes, quelque chose dont je suis très coupable ! Oui, ils sont délicieux, et oui, ils sont très addictifs, mais essayons d'autres nouveaux aliments ! -Stress. Il est facile de se sentir anxieux et de laisser la peur d'être à l'étranger prendre le pas sur votre expérience, mais ne le laissez pas, car sinon vous ne profiterez pas au maximum de votre séjour à l'étranger. Tout le monde a de mauvais jours et il ne fait aucun doute que vous en aurez quelques-uns mais assurez-vous de profiter des bons jours et de penser aussi positivement que possible ! -Oubliez de dire en toute sécurité ! Il est important de s'amuser et d'essayer de nouvelles choses, mais toujours en sécurité, restez sur des routes bien éclairées, faites savoir à vos amis si vous rencontrez quelqu'un, vous connaissez l'exercice. -Et enfin, n'oubliez pas de vous amuser et de documenter votre expérience, qu'il s'agisse de prendre une photo rien que pour vous ou de créer une page/blog/vlog Instagram pour partager votre expérience avec tout le monde ! Ce sera une expérience que vous ne voudrez pas oublier ! J'espère que cela vous a prodigué des conseils utiles et a aidé à réduire les soucis de votre année à l'étranger ! Bonne Chance ! About the Author Ellie speaks both French and Spanish, so will feel right at home as part of our committee full of talented linguists. During her year abroad, Ellie spent two months on placement in Saumur, France and then travelled to Paris for a further two months! Ellie is extremely outgoing and sociable, and was our 2022/23 Social Secretary. Barcelona’s Hidden Gems: Live like a local and escape the tourists Mhairi MacLeod 48 Hours in Seville: Spain's Sunny City Niamh Woodhouse Hungry in St Petersburg? My Top 5 Restaurants for Visitors Jess Henrys Images provided by Ellie Price. 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: French Language France Tips Living Abroad Ellie Price Categories: Travel Feature 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

Why you should visit Strasbourg Chloe Brewster Monday, 23 May 2022 Chloe, who is studying abroad in Strasbourg, wants convince Lingo readers why this Alsatian city is the perfect study and work destination, as well as why la capitale européenne is a must-see in your travels of la belle France! For my year abroad, I decided to spend both semesters at the Université de Strasbourg. At first, I wondered if I had made the right decision because most French students have worked or studied in two different cities. But living in Strasbourg has been the best decision and I couldn’t be happier to have become an adopted Strasbourgeoise since beginning my study abroad adventure last September! The best of both worlds – France and Germany (and Switzerland etc…) Strasbourg is a distinctively unique French city by being situated a mere two miles away from the German border, specifically the German town of Kehl. Throughout the year, I have frequently travelled on the tram to Kehl, mostly because grocery shopping is significantly cheaper across the border and the food selection there is amazing, especially haferbrot , a seeded and oat-based bread which is literally soul food for me (one cannot only live off baguettes!). Crossing the bridge between Strasbourg and Kehl Strasbourg is also located close to other German cities and towns, such as Stuttgart, Baden-Baden (a gorgeous spa town with some fantastic museums) and even Munich. Back in February, I hopped on a coach from Strasbourg to spend a magical weekend in Munich which I didn’t even think would be possible until I arrived in Strasbourg and realised that it is truly la capitale européenne – you can even take coaches going all the way to Prague or Vienna from Strasbourg! Schloss Nymphenburg in Munich – a golden and sparkling feast for the eyes! Aside from Germany, you can also travel on the regional Grand Est TER train to Basel, the third biggest city in Switzerland. I have gone there twice, once to visit its Christmas market and a second time in March which truly showcased its beauty against the breath-taking backdrop of the Rhine. The river also runs through Strasbourg and perhaps explains why I can never resist taking pictures of the stunning rivers and lakes in Strasbourg itself! River Rhine, Basel, Switzerland And if you thought that Switzerland and Germany were enough, you can also reach Luxembourg (via Metz) and even Belgium (via Luxembourg) from Strasbourg without resorting to air travel. Strasbourg is therefore an eco-friendly but culturally diverse and rich city to live and study in! An important European city Strasbourg is home to one of the two European parliaments and is therefore politically important in international and indeed European-related affairs. Visiting the parliament is free and is easily accessible on the E tram. Although the creation of the parliament is relatively new, nonetheless the building itself feels steeped in so much history, particularly in relation to Simone Veil, the first president of the Parliament and indeed a much treasured and remembered female figure in la construction européenne . Petite France – an Alsatian delight If there is one part of Strasbourg that you visit, it must be Petite France – this UNESCO-listed region of the city truly showcases the magic of Alsace, whose people strongly celebrate their regional identities, identifying more as Alsatian following a turbulent socio-political history (Strasbourg has been repeatedly francisé et germanisé over the years, most recently being under Nazi-rule during WW2). The area is surrounded by gorgeous rivers and quaint, colourful houses and buildings that are unique to the Alsace region; even when the sun is not shining, Petite France is still stunning and is a joy to explore, and is conveniently located in the heart of the city and, dare we say it, the heart of Alsace, too. Modern art, Alsatian life, a palace – museums galore! As one of France’s biggest cities, Strasbourg has numerous museums to offer its tourists and local people, which are free with your student card (and who can resist that?). Le Musée d’art contemporain is located next to Petite France and displays a mixture of sculptures, paintings and modern art displays which are bound to appeal to anybody’s tastes. My favourite art piece was a giant balloon-like cat (featured below) which definitely displays the diversity and playfulness of the art scene in Strasbourg. Additionally, the Palais Rohan (located next to the cathedral) boasts three museums: Beaux-Arts, archaeology, and the palace itself in which Napoleon (whom you might have heard Dr Smith talk about in first and second year!) slept. And if you thought that was enough, there is a museum devoted to Alsatian life, the statues of the cathedral, even a Voodoo museum… The cathedral – need I say more? An unmissable sight which is visible throughout most of the city, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg dates from the 12th century and demonstrates the very best of patrimoine strasbourgeois . There are no words to describe its splendour and the awe of standing in front of it! As I’m nearing the end of my study abroad, I can now proudly say that studying in Strasbourg was the best decision because there has always been something new and magical to discover here, and you won’t regret becoming a Strasbourgeoise too! About the Author Chloe is a final year French student who has studied abroad in Strasbourg and wants to share her experiences of travelling - including as a solo female - in Europe. She is particularly interested in French culture (if there is a fine arts museum around, she will find it!), but living in Strasbourg has exposed her to other cultures (German, Swiss, Luxembourgish, you get the gist...). 7 Reasons to visit Santo Domingo Millie Adams 24 Hours as an English Student in Paris: A Survival Guide Kit Sinclair Saving your centimes: How to do Paris on a Budget Francesca Wren Images provided by Chloe Brewster. 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: Chloe Brewster France Culture Strasbourg Year Abroad Categories: City Guide 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

Recipe of the week: Valentine's Focaccia Niamh Woodhouse Thursday, 9 February 2023 For this week's recipe, our editor-in-chief, Niamh puts a romantic twist on a classic Italian bread. Difficulty : 2/5 Time : 2 hours 30 minutes (including proving) Origin : Italy Delicious, simple to make and requiring a few basic ingredients, Focaccia is a popular bread across Italy and beyond. You can easily bake this in your student kitchen for all your loved ones this Valentine’s. Ingredients 500g strong bread flour , plus extra for dusting (plain flour works just fine if you don’t have any) 7g dried fast action yeast 2 tsp fine sea salt 5 tbsp olive oil , plus extra for the tin and to serve 1 pack of plum tomatoes 1 mozzarella ball or pearls Additional garnish to your taste Method Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl, with the yeast on one side and the fine salt on the other. Mix the yeast and salt into its side then mix everything together. This separation prevents the salt from killing the yeast, to begin with. Next make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil. Gradually add about 350ml lukewarm water until you have a slightly sticky dough. You may find you need a little less or a little more water. Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Place the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a towel and leave to prove for around an hour until doubled in size. Oil a rectangle, shallow tin (the one I used was 25 x 35cm). Then tip the dough out of the bowl and stretch it to fill the tin. Once again cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins. In the meantime, you can prepare your valentines decorations. To make the tomato hearts, I cut diagonally across my plum tomatoes (as shown in the photo below) then cut the larger piece in half and flipped them over to create a heart shape. I then cut the mozzarella into bite-sized pieces to place onto the dough. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Press your fingers into the dough to make dimples. Drizzle 1-2tbsp of olive oil over the dough and garnish to your taste, I used sea salt and thyme. Then decorate with your tomato hearts and mozzarella pieces. Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. And then you’re ready to serve! Focaccia goes perfectly with a pasta dish, an Italian traybake or simply as a sandwich. Let us know if you recreate this recipe! About the Author Niamh was the founder of Lingo Magazine, was Editor-in-Chief for 2022/23, and is now a Lingo alumni. Speaking French and Spanish, she has a particular interest in articles about history, culture and travel! Whilst studying in Cadiz, Niamh met other language students from universities across the UK and soon discovered that many of them write for language magazines at their universities. Seeing this gap in the market for a language magazine, she set up the magazine alongside an amazing committee for her fellow and future language students at the University of Nottingham! 48 Hours in Seville: Spain's Sunny City Niamh Woodhouse Valentine’s Day Traditions Around the World Vicki Mileson European Music Festivals to Attend This Summer Niamh Woodhouse Images provided by Niamh Woodhouse. 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: Niamh Woodhouse Bread Italian Valentine's Day Categories: Recipe of the Week 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

French and Spanish < Back Grace Whitaker Grace is a final year languages student studying French and Spanish. She is openly a member of the LGBTQIA community - an area she would love to focus on in her articles! Latest Articles by this Author Exploring Spain through Erasmus Trips 14/06/22 24 hours in... Barcelona 26/04/22 YEAR ABROAD TALES: A Reflection on Being LGBTQIA Abroad 18/03/22

International Media and Communication Studies < Back Gabrielle Wroe My name is Gabrielle and I'm a third year studying International Media and Communications. I love travelling, photography and music, I really enjoy going to concerts with my friends. I was drawn to Lingo as I love writing and wanted to expand my skills. Lingo also covers many topics that I am interested in and allows me to learn about different cultures which I find super interesting. Latest Articles by this Author Weekend Getaways: The Lake District 17/03/25

A Reflection on Tensions in Ukraine Jessamy Guest Tuesday, 15 February 2022 Ukraine and Russia have a complicated history and relationship. With tensions rising in Eastern Europe, Jessamy gives her thoughts on this current issue. By October 2021, Russia had an estimated 80,000 troops amassed along the border of Ukraine, rising to 125,000 in January. Russia has also been suspected of destabilising Ukraine using cyber warfare and bomb threats in schools and political offices. Moreover, President Putin claimed on December 9th 2021 that Ukraine’s “actions” against Russian speaking Ukrainians in the Donbas region ‘resemble… a genocide’, suggesting he may be looking for a possible pretext for war. These events culminated in President Biden declaring that an invasion was ‘imminent’, until 2nd February when this assessment was rethought. Drawn out over weeks, there is great uncertainty over whether Russia will order a military escalation. Different news sources appear to speculate on whether Russia will press forward. To me, it seems that everything rests on the whims of a single man; will he be deterred by the risks and sanctions, or, isolated by absolute power, will war-lust overcome him? Without access to Putin’s thoughts, I am unable to conclude. As a language learner, then, I would like to examine what this conflict reveals about perspectives. How does the West view the conflict? With Russia as the blatant aggressor, an unprovoked invasion would be an attack on the autonomy and democracy of a “helpless” Ukraine, as well as recklessly endangering the peace in Europe. If Russian soldiers step foot into a NATO country (four of which border Ukraine), the whole alliance would be called to its defence. In the US, politicians call for the decisive action in the name of democracy, conjuring the black and white divisions of the Cold War. In Britain, it stirs memories of the Salisbury poisonings and strengthens resolve to be tougher on the sinister Russian money that is thought to be stashed in London real estate and elsewhere. Yet elsewhere, opinions on the international players differ. In Germany, fond memories of ‘Ostpolitik’ - conciliatory relations between West Germany and the Communist East during the Cold War - have manifested in a markedly less forceful response to Russia. In Ukraine, despite the election of pro-NATO President Zelensky, many have lukewarm feelings towards the US. This may be because they feel that the US emphasizes the threats to European security over the human cost that will inevitably be borne by Ukrainians. They are also resentful and wary of Ukraine becoming a “pawn” in power play between the US and Russia. However, Ukraine has become thoroughly alienated from Russia’s aggression, having lost 14,000 of its people to 8 years of Russian-backed fighting in Eastern Ukraine. They fiercely reject Putin’s claim that Russians and Ukrainians are ‘one people’ when used to justify Russian bullying. Now, 75% of Ukrainians born after 1991 see their future with the West and not with Russia. Then there is Russia. I was intrigued by a conversation I had with a Russian friend. Despite being a liberal, having lived in Britain for a few years and despising Putin, her interpretation was that Ukraine had provoked the conflict to try and manipulate the support from the US in order to fulfil the requirements to become a NATO member. It fascinated me that for her, Russia was not automatically “the bad guy”. Perhaps, having grown up in Russia, world powers play different characters in her narrative conception of the world than in my own. Russian state-controlled media and schooling depict Russia as acting defensively and NATO as the dangerous enemy. Western media says the same of Russia. It is interesting to consider how people perceive their own countries and how the legacy of the Cold-War division continues to affect the global psyche. To conclude: even though it may be simplistic, I cannot break from the characterization that my culture has fed me. Vladimir Putin places safeguarding his own power and desire for global power status above the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians. And for all its faults and failures in the West, democracy is a system worth fighting for. About the Author Jessamy is a languages student learning Portuguese and Spanish. She was drawn to Lingo Magazine because it seemed like a great combination of appreciation of languages and cultures and an opportunity to write specifically about current events. She is particularly interested in the goings-on in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries but also global issues and international relations. The workings of the world endlessly fascinate and bemuse her. A Reflection on Tensions in Ukraine Jessamy Guest Misinformation vs Disinformation – what’s the difference? 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: Jessamy Guest Ukraine Russia Geopolitics Tensions Categories: Thought Piece Global Affairs 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

France: Culinary Masters? A Veggie's View Holly Cromwell Wednesday, 1 March 2023 The thoughts of a vegetarian on French cuisine after a few months living there, complete with tips for other veggies abroad. The first thing nearly everyone says when you say you’re going to France on your year abroad is “oh my god the food” and I’m not poopooing the patisseries – they are amazing – it’s the savoury cuisine poses an issue for me. To be fair, I’m in the north of France, in a region known for pork and seafood. I don’t eat either, and I mainly experience French food in a school canteen but even outside that it just doesn’t look appetising. Full disclosure: I haven’t heard the carnivores complaining much. French food, at the accessible everyday level, kind of looks like if medieval peasants had access to modern kitchens. They’re also not so good at adapting to other culture’s food, there’s much less diversity in the smaller towns and cities and what there is can be a little spice-less. And that is coming from a white Brit. It’s kind of bad. When it comes to eating in France, size really matters. The veggie food available in my small town limited to a four cheese panini, pizza, quiche or a crepe, and then you’re limited by opening hours could be a whole other article. In the next nearest town, which is a bit bigger, there’s more variety but not so much that I didn’t get a bit over-excited when visiting the region’s capital which had more than one Indian restaurant, so much good Thai food, and a vaguely unsettling amount of ramen shops right next to each other. Going somewhere bigger again, and Paris has international brands that you recognise. Realistically, it is really difficult to eat traditional French food and be vegetarian. It just isn’t a part of the culture here; I spent the first month half joking that I should have learnt Italian. France in general does not appear to understand vegetarianism at all. I’m working and living in a school, which has been kind enough to let me join the boarding school students in the cantine for lunch. This is great because food here is a bit more expensive than at home, and a full meal for three euros fifty with no cooking time is nothing to sniff at. That said, I was once given a plate of potatoes and showed back to the entrees counter (yes, France does entrees even in schools) to add some vegetables. That was the worst I’ve seen so far but a good meal still usually contains pasta with no sauce or couscous that somehow tastes vaguely of olive oil. They have expanded their horizons a little, I got a veggie lasagne last week, but that’s not the norm. I’ve eaten a lot of boiled vegetables. I’m tired. When I then started to try to cook at home, for variety if nothing else, veggie sausages don’t exist here. I mean that literally, the government banned vegetarian and vegan substitutes from using the names of meat products, in order to protect French industries. This doesn’t stop the small but growing number of veggies in France, it just makes it so much harder to find anything. There’s an organic section but its not all there and I only found the sausages by using click and collect and searching specific brands… For other veggies who are feeling a bit lost: Céréal Bio can be found at E. Leclerc, which I’ve also found to be a little cheaper than Carrefour. When all is said and done, I will big up my new home and shout out the Breton specialty: Galettes. They’re vaguely related to crepes but savoury and crispier and restaurants that do them normally have a goats cheese and honey galette and its just so good. There is always a good option for me here. My final tip: get the confidence to talk to your serveurs . My life got so much better once I could say “Je prends ça mais sans le poitrine – si c’est possible?” and had the confidence to branch out from my usual safe options. That said for the first few days: pizzerias, creperies and cafes are your friend, with the usual fast food brands obviously still there too. Beware though: McDonalds and co. all have different menus here. 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! Barcelona’s Hidden Gems: Live like a local and escape the tourists Mhairi MacLeod 24 Hours as an English Student in Paris: A Survival Guide Kit Sinclair YEAR ABROAD TALES: Does Distance Make the Heart Grow Fonder? Francesca Wren 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 Cuisine France Year Abroad Living Abroad Vegetarian Categories: Travel Experience 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 BA < Back Isabelle Monteiro Hailing from Malaysia, Isabelle is a final year English student with a passion for food and the arts. She views Lingo as an opportunity to explore her interests in culture and travel, as well as to develop her writing skills. Latest Articles by this Author A Beginner’s Guide to K-Dramas 16/10/25 A Story Told in Seasons: When Life Gives You Tangerines charts love, loss and family on Jeju Island 23/09/25 The Culinary Heart of Malaysia 28/05/25

YEAR ABROAD TALES: A Reflection on Being LGBTQIA Abroad Grace Whitaker Friday, 18 March 2022 This time in the Year Abroad Tales we hear from Grace as she tells us her experiences as a LGBTQIA student on a year abroad and her advice for others like her. Firstly, I’d like to preface this article by saying that I identify somewhere between bisexual and lesbian, but I’ll usually just say I’m gay. Although I am openly gay, I haven’t personally ‘come out’ to the majority of readers of this magazine, so this acts as an easy and convenient way for me to come out. My experience of being LGBTQIA abroad has differed vastly. Before starting my year abroad, there was not one part of me that considered that living in France and Spain as an openly gay woman would be at all different to that of England. Other countries like Russia or those in South America? Of course. But Western Europe? Surely not, right? I spent the first 3 months of my year abroad working in a medium-sized town called Annecy, approximately 40 minutes from Geneva and the Swiss Border, very close to the Alps and their ski resorts. It is a stunning place to live: surrounded by the most beautiful mountains and lake, it often felt like a fairy tale. It was also an incredibly rich and conservative area that inevitably incurred equally conservative attitudes and opinions. Although France legislatively maintains secularism, I knew that the Catholic church is prominent and has a firm homophobic standpoint. But since gay marriage was legalised over 8 years ago, I (maybe naively) did not believe that my sexuality would be problematic. View of Lake Annecy That was until I arrived and began working in Annecy. After a fairly seamless first couple of weeks, I was chatting with my boss and we ended up discussing the topic of marriage. Now, I had not really suspected my boss of having homophobic views, but I decided to take the plunge and ask him how he felt about the legalisation of gay marriage in France. His response was this « Je crois pas que les homosexuels devraient se marier ou avoir les enfants. » (I don’t think that homosexuals should marry or have children). An intense wave of panic hit me. He then continued by saying that for him, it was better for a child to be raised by a single parent than two parents of the same sex. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This man had no qualms in sitting in his office delivering a hate speech. From that point onwards, I proceeded to act as ‘straight’ as possible when it came to work, primarily dressing more feminine. The eyebrow slit had to grow out, my cargo pants and chain were left at home. I even had a call with the Year Abroad team later to explain the situation I found myself in. I have to say they were incredibly supportive and understanding, they most definitely reassured me. Unfortunately, views like this were not confined to the older generation. There were people of my age who held a similar level of homophobia. For instance, I met a girl who, in all seriousness, asked me whether I thought it was the ‘natural’ instinct for a woman to sleep with a man. Or there was a guy who told me I simply couldn’t be gay since I didn’t look like the lesbians he had seen in the past. Even to this day, I can’t believe I encountered such conversations. Having paused and realised that this article has become rather depressing, I will say that a) I did in fact meet some wonderful people in France who without a doubt helped me forget about all of this and b) it does get better. On the topic of getting better, let’s move on to Spain. At the time of writing, I have been living and studying in Valencia for a little over a month and it has been incredible. I had always assumed that my experience in France and Spain would be similar but the difference in attitudes here is startling. I walk around and see pride flags hanging from balconies. There is an amphitheatre and benches painted in the colours of all the different pride flags. There is a rainbow heart stuck on the door of my faculty. There’s a popular gay club that hosts drag shows. I happily hold hands with the girl I’m dating without receiving stares or comments. I feel comfortable, safe, and accepted here. It’s liberating. Amphitheatre in Valencia, with the steps painted in rainbow colours. I will say that whilst my experience in France has been tainted, I certainly did not let it ruin it. If anything, it gives me something to joke about. But for any LGBTQIA members reading this article who are on their year abroad or about to embark upon it, I know it can very mentally exhausting to not always be living your true, authentic self. Do not hesitate to reach out for support. My DMs are always open. If you'd like to share your unique experience of a year abroad, get in touch with us on Insta (@lingomag_) or send a submission into lingo.magazinesubmit@gmail.com ! About the Author Grace is a final year languages student studying French and Spanish. She is openly a member of the LGBTQIA community - an area she would love to focus on in her articles! Barcelona’s Hidden Gems: Live like a local and escape the tourists Mhairi MacLeod 48 Hours in Seville: Spain's Sunny City Niamh Woodhouse Barcelona’s must-visit Cocktail Bars Rosie Loyd Images provided by Grace Whitaker. 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: Living Abroad France Spain Grace Whitaker LGBTQIA Categories: Travel Year Abroad Tales Feature 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

"El silencio de otros": 45 years of the Amnesty Law in Spain Aidan Cross Thursday, 26 May 2022 After 45 years, amendments to the Amnesty Law may finally allow victims of the Spanish Civil War and Francoist dictatorship to get justice. Aidan, a Hispanic Studies and History third year, delves into this complicated story. Content warning: death, kidnapping In 1977, two years after the death of Francisco Franco ended the dictatorship in Spain, a law was passed to officially codify the “Pact of Forgetting” (el Pacto del Olvido). This was a political decision made by both the left and right to avoid the legacy of the Spanish Civil War (la Guerra Civil Española, 1936-1939) and Francoist dictatorship (la dictadura franquista, 1939-1975) in order to ease the transition to democracy. However, people have not “forgotten”, and the wounds of this dark period in Spain’s history have not healed, as is highlighted in Pedro Almodóvar’s 2018 documentary “El silencio de otros”. As a result of the Amnesty Law, those responsible for the horrors committed during the Spanish Civil War and the Francoist dictatorship have escaped justice. It is the fight for this justice that the documentary follows, giving a voice to victims of the dictatorship. The most heart-wrenching story is of an old woman who wants to know where her father, executed by the Franco regime when she was a child, is buried before she dies. Many of the 100,000-200,000 people estimated to be executed by the Franco regime were buried in mass graves, meaning that people do not know where their loved ones’ bodies are. Despite the Historical Memory Law in 2007 (la Ley de Memoria Histórica), only 19,000 bodies have been recovered , mostly by volunteer associations. The documentary also follows the legal case brought against Spain in 2010 by Argentinian judge, Maria Romilda Servini de Cubría, under the principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity. Despite at least 2000 cases being filed relating to the kidnapping of more than 50,000 newborn babies sold for adoption to political supporters during the Francoist dictatorship, it wasn’t until 2018 that the first case went to trial. Dr. Eduardo Vela was found guilty of stealing Inés Madrigal from her birth mother in 1969 and falsifying official records. He was acquitted due to the expired statute of limitations. This is just one example of the damage that the Amnesty Law has done. Fortunately, amendments to the Historical Memory Law and Amnesty Law have been proposed in recent years, aiming to make the central government responsible for the exhumation and identification of victims. Its purpose is also to remove the impunity of the Amnesty Law to allow crimes committed during the Spanish Civil War and under the Francoist dictatorship to be tried by the Spanish justice system. This year marks 45 years since the Amnesty Law was passed, and many who committed these crimes against humanity are now dead. Hopefully, as a result of the proposed amendments to the law, victims and their families will get justice and those wounds can start to heal. 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! A l’isoloir: what you need to know about the French Elections Niamh Woodhouse "El silencio de otros": 45 years of the Amnesty Law in Spain Aidan Cross French Connection: An Interview with a True Parisian Part 2/2 : The Long Five Years Jess Henrys 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 Spain Politics History Categories: Global Affairs 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