December 13th – Santa Lucia Day – The Story of Saint Lucia stretches back to the time of the Vikings and the Roman Empire. According to legend, Lucia was a brave young woman from the island of Sicily. When Lucia heard about the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Diocletian, she gave one Christian family her entire dowry. This so angered her betrothed husband, that he told authorities that Lucia secretly practiced Christianity. Lucia, who died a martyr’s death, was much admired for her courage, generosity and faith. Viking sailors heard of the story of a young girl living in Italy, who had died for her Christian beliefs. The Vikings, who were also Christians, were so moved by Lucia’s story that they brought it home with them to Scandinavia. The Vikings imagined Lucia to be a shining figure, surrounded by light. In traditional celebrations, Saint Lucia comes as a young woman with lights and sweets. It is one of the few saint days observed in Scandinavia. In some forms, a procession is headed by one girl wearing a crown of candles (or lights), while others in the procession hold only a single candle each.
Posts Tagged “lancaster pa”
Kids & Cultures Taste the World Coupon Book
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
Kids & Cultures has a FANTASTIC Taste the World Coupon Book for sale. It is full of coupons for free samples as well as discount coupons for a variety of cultural restaurants in Lancaster. You get more than $40 worth of FREE SAMPLES and much more in discount coupons when you purchase a meal at one of the participating restaurants. They are a one-of-a-kind book and make a great gift! Go to www.kidsandcultures.com to find out more and to purchase one. Or you can stop by the Kids and Cultures table at the Aternative Gift Fair this Saturday from 10 – 4 to buy one.
Turkey – It’s not just a meat!
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
Turkey is a melting pot of cultures and a bridge between continents. How much do you know about this Western-oriented, rapidly modernizing, and Mediterranean travel destination?
The ancient city of Ephesus (Turkish: Efes), located near the Aegean Sea in modern day Turkey, was one of the great cities of the Greeks in Asia Minor and home to the one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Today, the ruins of Ephesus are a major tourist attraction, especially for travelers on Mediterranean cruises. Ephesus is also a sacred site for Christians due to its association with several biblical figures, including St. Paul, St. John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary.
Which of the seven ancient wonders can be found in this city?
This city received its name from the saffron which is native there. The powder obtained from its flower is a very strong dye. Used in very small quantities, saffron adds a delicate flavor, distinct aroma and a very unique color to deserts and other food in the Turkish Cuisine. It is also used for some Turkish carpets as a unique dye. Also unique in this city are the famous Çavus grapes with their extremely thin skin and sweet flavor.
What city gets its name from this well known spice?
Turkish yachts are attractive, traditional wooden vessels. They are hand-crafted from carefully chosen wood, offering high ceilings, wide corridors, spacious, airy cabins and a plenitude of cushioned lounging areas. These vessels have a crew who plan the voyage, navigate and sail the ship and do all the work, including the cooking which may include the fresh catch of the day and cleaning. The captain creates a warm sociable atmosphere, whilst you discover the breathtaking Aegean and Mediterranean coastline. You can help to crew if you wish, but the relaxation of the forward sun deck or snorkeling in the beautiful bays and the delights of a cool and crystal clear sea are far more attractive to most. Few other sailing vessels similar in size can claim this degree of comfort.
What is the name of these wooden Turkish yachts?
The underground cities of Cappadocia are worthy of a visit. Take Derinkuyu for example. The one time home of up to 20,000 people, its 18 stories descend into the Anatolian plateau 50 kms south of Goreme. Stop and think about that for a while. A large, market town sized community digging a settlement out to guarantee themselves a degree of protection. There are 8 floors of tunnels open to the visitor and this is enough to give you an idea of the sensation of living in a labyrinth like this. The ventilation shafts, circular and descending from the surface to the lower levels, bring home the scale of the enterprise while the massive circular doors – which were rolled across the passages and sealed from the inside – remind you of the motivation for moving underground in the first place. Derinkuyu is by no means the only such city you can visit here.
How many of these subterranean cities exist in Turkey?
Find the answers to these questions about Turkey on the blog at www.yourlanguageconnection.com
1. Temple of Artemis
2. Safranbolu
3. Gulets
4. 36
2nd Annual Latino Education Forum and Young Latinos Leadership Institute
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
Saturday, October 24; McCaskey East High School, Lancaster, PA
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Coordinated by: ¡Adelante!
This FREE one‐day event will provide the opportunity for students, parents, educators, community leaders, and those who work for and on behalf of Latino students to engage in dialogues that will generate an agenda to proactively address the needs of our Latino students. Workshops and panel discussions will focus on issues of critical interest, especially those related to student leadership development, parental involvement, higher education opportunities, cultural awareness and drop‐out prevention.
Please email michelle@yourlanguageconnection.com for more information and a registration form.
What is the only Spanish speaking country in Africa?
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Can you name the only country in Africa where the official language is Spanish?
• French is also an official language of this country.
• This country has a population just over 500,000, with beautiful beaches, a rainforest and traditional African villages.
• Underwater oil was recently discovered here.
• Sorcerers are still among the most important community members.
• The abira, a ceremony that helps cleanse the community of evil, is among the country’s most fascinating celebration.
• Hiking in search of gorillas is a popular tourist activity.
The only Spanish speaking country in Africa is Equatorial Guinea, on the southern border of Cameroon.
Where in the world would you speak these languages?
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
The total number of languages in the world is between 5,000 and 10,000. There are quite a few spoken right here in Lancaster County. English is NOT the language that is spoken by the most people in the world, in fact it is the third most spoken language. Do you know the top 2 most spoken languages? They are listed below. But first, what country would you go to if you wanted to hear these languages? These languages are each spoken by millions of people.
1. Malagasy – more than 10 million
2. Oromo – more than 17 million
3. Karen – more than 3 million
4. Khmer – more than 20 million
5. Mandingo (also called Mandinka) – more than 5 million
6. Tagalog – more than 17 million
7. Amharic – more than 25 million
8. Tamil – more than 66 million
9. Urdu – more than 60 million
10. Wu – more than 77 million
The top 2 languages spoken are Mandarin and Hindi.
Below are the countries where you would need to go to hear the languages listed above.
1. Malagasy – Madagascar
2. Oromo – Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya
3. Karen – Burma
4. Khmer – Cambodia
5. Mandingo – The Gambia, Mali, Senegal
6. Tagalog – Philippines
7. Amharic – Ethiopia, Eritrea
8. Tamil – India, Sri Lanka, Singapore
9. Urdu – Pakistan, India, Fiji
10. Wu – China
4 Ways to Celebrate Diversity
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
1. Taste the World
Friday, August 28, 5 to 8 p.m.
Join Kids and Cultures for a walking and sampling tour of cultural restaurants in downtown Lancaster, Pa. Show your ticket at each of nine restaurants and receive a sample of their specialty!
The samples are generous enough that 2 can share a ticket and still have the opportunity to taste the many delicious foods of Lancaster City.
Go to www.kidsandcultures.org for more information.
2. First Thursday Latino
Thursday, September 3, 6 – 9pm (monthly on the 1st Thursday)
This networking gathering is for everyone interested in:
Meeting diverse people; Recruiting diverse professionals; learning about Latinos in PA; growing your own business; reaching out to community leaders; building stronger communities and organizations.
Please confirm your attendance at: FirstThursdayLatino@yahoo.com
3. Native American Autumn Festival
Saturday, September 26th and Sunday, September 27th
The 27th Anniversary of the Native American Autumn Festival will be celebrated at Indian Steps in York, PA, Saturday, September 26th, 12 noon until 8 p.m. and carried over on Sunday, September 27th, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Interpretations of drumming, singing and dancing representative of early American indigenous nations will be held throughout these days. Vendors will be selling Native American crafts featuring bead work, jewelry, statuary and the like. Special stands will provide food and beverages to meet a wide variety of tastes. Admission and parking are free.
Go to www.indiansteps.org for more information.
4. YWCA Day of Commitment
Wednesday, November 4th
Groups of 3 people from diverse backgrounds, who’ve never met before, will commit to getting to know one another over a meal so they can bridge the ethnic divisions within our community. They will meet for breakfast, lunch or dinner at a restaurant of their choice. There is no fee; you just pay for your own meal. Several teachers and translators of Your Language Connection will be participating. You must register by October 1st to participate. Please call the YWCA at 393-1735×229 or go to www.ywcalancaster.org.
Join YLC for dinner at Home Plates Restaurant
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Taste 10 different Latin American foods for just $15. Come try a vareity of traditional Latin American dishes, with a beverage, for just $15. This is NOT a buffet, but you will get plenty to fill you up! (Young children can share a plate) You can come any time between 5 – 7:30 pm on Wednesday, August 19th to get delicious, authentic Puerto Rican and Dominican food. You will get to sample 10 foods especially selected and prepared for guests of Your Language Connection. You MUST send your RSVP by email or call 371-9144 no later than Wednesday, August 12th to participate in this event.
T/F Quiz: How Much Do You Know about Japan?
Monday, August 3rd, 2009
1. Japan is located to the East of the Asian Continent.
2. Japanese mainland is consisted of three islands.
3. Japan is almost the same size as Texas.
4. Japanese population is almost the same as California.
5. There are three alphabets.
6. The Japanese units of measure are the same as in the US.
7. In Japan, December is winter.
8. It is the custom to take your shoes off before entering a house.
9. It is the custom to tip (ex. Restaurants, porters, taxis etc)
Answers
1. True. Korea is located about 40 miles west of Japan.
2. False. The mainland consists of four islands. Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. Okinawa is an island, but not considered to be a part of the mainland.
3. False. Japan is about 146,000 square miles. Texas is 269,000 square miles. Montana is about the same size as Japan with 147,000 square miles.
4. False. The Japanese population is 127 million. California’s population is 36 million.
5. True. They are Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.
6. False. Japan uses the metric system, celsius for temperature, meters for length, grams for weight and liters for volume.
7. True. Japan also has four seasons and its climate is very similar to Pennsylvania.
8. True.
9. False.
Submitted by Rie Moore
Summer Spanish Camp Final Day
Sunday, August 2nd, 2009
We ended the week of Spanish camp with a dress up race. The children had to dress in the clothes listed on each card.
Then they sang for their families and friends and presented some of what they learned through dialogues.
This ends 6 great weeks of Language camps! Check out the fall schedule for the classes for children, families and adults.
Registration for summer 2010 will begin in March.
Muchas Gracias!