culture

A Sunny Break on the Playas of Peru

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By John Forrest

Beaches all along the Peruvian coast come alive as dormant condominiums, restaurants, clubs and shopping centres reopen. The renewed activity starts at New Year and runs through to April. Peruvians, as with most residents of the southern hemisphere, take their main annual holiday in the first three months of the year, if they can. For many, this means spending a week, or two, at the sun-drenched coast where growing affluence from the mining boom is bringing about radical changes.

The wealthiest Limeño families, who can usually trace their lineage back to Spain, decamp to luxurious, gated developments with private beaches stretching along 30 kilometres to the south of Lima. While mothers and children enjoy several weeks at the beach, fathers remain working in Lima and visit at the weekend. Many families bring their housekeeper, who is usually of Andean origin and may have been with the family for years. Housekeepers will cook, clean and help look after the children, and some are still expected to wear a white uniform on the beach, making them easily recognisable.

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5 recent Culture Smart! books written solely by women

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International Women’s Day –  #BalanceforBetter

International Women’s Day is a day that has been celebrated worldwide since 1911. Campaigning for women’s rights was just the starting point; but the overall meaning of this day now extends to campaigning for equality in all aspects of life, as well as celebrating the numerous achievements made by women.

This International Women’s Day, we are celebrating and taking part by sharing a list of our most recent Culture Smart! titles that were written solely by women. These women have travelled widely, have become fluent in the foreign cultures they visited and lived in, and have helped us produce resourceful guides for those following in their footsteps. To find out more about each of the authors, you can follow the link to their author page by clicking on their names.

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5 things you need to know about Norwegian culture

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Norway is an ever popular destination for visitors, drawn to its dramatic fjords and rugged coastline and the stunning spectacle of the Northern Lights. Proud of their land’s pristine nature and breath-taking beauty, Norwegians will expect visitors to respect their customs. And although they are naturally reserved they are very friendly and welcoming.

To mark the publication of a new edition of Culture Smart! Norway, here are some snippets from the guide, detailing aspects of Norwegian culture that are useful to know about before you visit. If you like what you read, you can pick up the guide here and receive 25% off the RRP throughout January with the code CSNEW25!

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How to bring in the New Year, Nicaragua style

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New Year’s Eve parties in Nicaragua are by no means mild affairs. Indeed, the celebrations are two-fold – both to welcome in the new year, and to bid farewell to the old one. Whatever the previous year might have thrown at you, for all its ups and downs, a celebration is in order, for here comes another! To mark the publication of our upcoming Culture Smart! Nicaragua, here’s how to bring in the new year, Nicaragua style. Receive 25% off the RRP in January with our CSNEW25 discount code here!

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Discover Rwanda: A Mini Guide to Rwandan Customs and Culture

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It is fair to say that Rwanda is not currently a top travel destination. The country’s tourism industry has had a fair bit of catching up to do, but with its history firmly behind it, Rwanda is quietly earning a name for itself — and for very good reason. The “Land of a Hundred Hills” offers an astonishing range of stunning landscapes and an abundance of natural beauty, making the country an exciting destination for those who like to explore off the beaten track.

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A mini guide to coffee culture in Greece

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Coffee houses are important centres of culture around the world, and Greece is no different. In fact, throughout modern history these temples of caffeine have continued to serve as daily meeting spaces where locals come together to sip from the black gold and debate on all matters under the sun: from world politics to local gossip.

The global influence of Greek coffee culture can also not be understated – indeed it was a Cretan who introduced to concept of a coffee house to England in 1864. In England, when coffee houses were first introduced, they sparked a major intellectual revolution and even the rise of newspapers.

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Wednesday Wanderlust – 10 Values and Attitudes of Central Asia

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This week’s Wednesday Wanderlust takes us to Central Asia for a look at the values and attitudes celebrated among these nations:

Uzbekistan

  • Superstitions – Ill-wishing neighbours can cause you harm by placing sand or broken needles in fornt of your house. A mullah, or any old person, can help to avert the evil eye or bad luck, cure the sick, mend a relationship, and so on, by reading a prayer in Arabic.

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