Japan is a beautiful place to explore, visit, and work. Depending on your needs, desire, or even length of your stay, it may be incredibly helpful for you to learn Japanese. Japan uses Kanji (adapted Chinese symbols) and Katakana (for foreign words) and Hiragana (used with kanji for almost everything else) and is most definitely(…)

Spanish is a beautiful language, and learning it comes with many benefits. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that we can often be found bragging about the incredible destinations and activities throughout Spanish-speaking Latin America that deserve a spot on your bucket list. And–as we’ve been quick to point out on(…)

Saudi Arabia is a country rich in culture ­– in a land of differences you can find some of the most amazing animals (like the Oryx), as well as houses made from coral in Jeddah on the coast. The hospitality in Saudi Arabia and indeed in most Middle Eastern countries is hard to beat, so(…)

Many people often think of the ice and snow when they think of Russia, but others could argue you’ll never see a more celebrated spring and summer than in a country with a long winter. Whether you’re heading to Moscow or St. Petersburg, you’ll be happy to note that Russian accents are all roughly the(…)

Barcelona and Madrid may bring to mind sunshine, sangria, beautiful people dancing flamenco and other gorgeous Spanish sights. The food, the people and the beautiful country make this an amazing destination for tourists of every age, and the language can be one of the most beautiful parts of your trip. Though quite a few people(…)

Italian is a colourful language, as all the Latin languages are, and like every other language it has its own proverbs, expressions and idioms. Below are a few common Italian phrases to learn, so you can convince people you’re a real Italian. Non si puo avere la botte piena è la moglie ubriaca Literally translating(…)

If I type “political correctness” into my search bar, third in the list of suggestions is the phrase “political correctness gone mad”. A favourite of UK tabloid the Daily Mail, it has become somewhat of a cliché and is used to invoke hysteria about supposed policing of language. Ironically, many people would object to the(…)

I’m going to send you to Belize. If this phrase has any meaning to you apart from embarking on a tropical vacation, chances are good you’re a fan of AMC’s hit television series Breaking Bad. The phrase is used in the final season of the show as a euphemism for murder. A euphemism, of course,(…)

As a native speaker, one rarely stops to think about what it literally is that we’re expelling from of our mouths. We talk about ‘getting up on the wrong side of the bed, and being ‘under the weather’. To be honest, before it even starts we should decide whether we want to ‘call it a(…)

During my brief but notable high school career as a drama queen – err – I mean drama student, my fellow actors would offer each other a wishful greeting of “break a leg” rather than “good luck.” Due to my overwhelming popularity as “tree #1” or “rock #4,” I didn’t put much thought into the(…)