Det är en spännande dag i Sverige idag, den 30:e april. I den engelskspråkiga versionen av denna artikel försöker jag sätta in en oinvigd utlänning i hur det svenska firandet funkar. Från hens utomstående synvinkel kan det vara nog så intressant att höra om majbrasor, folktro och den svenska mösspåtagningen, men för en sverigebo är [...]

It’s a big day today, April 30th; it is the day for scaring off witches and demons and making room for spring. Now, if spring hasn’t started already, we are obviously some place high up North—as high up as Sweden, in fact. In this country, Valborgsmässoafton is celebrated tonight, with great bonfires, drinking—and a couple of other more eccentric traditions…

This year, we’ll look at Easter from a little bit different perspective. Yes, we know that Easter is a religious holiday. However, there are very many traditions that were adopted from the pagan holidays. Which ones are the weirdest and most pagan-like ways to celebrate Easter?

I have been working in a multicultural environment for the last couple of years and the most interesting experience was not only getting to know uncommon details about other cultures but also hearing reviews about your culture from foreigners. And then we could compare them to the reality and – what’s more satisfying – compare people’s opinions in the beginning of their internships in Russia and in the end of them. To see how many stereotypes in young people’s minds you have broken with the help of your colleagues is an unspeakable feeling. I will try to explain the most informative stereotypes, whether they are just myths and on which ground they are based. Seriously I could have started a diary with our interns’ quotations a long time ago!

Последние пару лет мне довелось работать в мультикультурной среде. И я поняла, что самый интересный опыт извлекаешь не только от того, что узнаешь интересные детали о других культурах, но и слушаешь отзывы о своей собственной культуре от иностранцев. Потом это можно сравнить с действительностью, а также с колоссальным удовлетворением сравнить мнения людей в начале их [...]

Every country has their own different way of celebrating holidays. So why not take a look at how Christmas is celebrated in the Czech Republic? A lot of things are very similar, but for instance, unlike in Britain or United States, we get presents on the 24th after dinner. Unfair, isn’t it?

V každé zemi se slaví Vánoce trochu jinak. Tak se podíváme, jak se slaví Vánoce po česku. Hodně věcí je samozřejmě velmi podobných, ale narozdíl třeba od Velké Británie nebo Spojených států, dostáváme dárky už 24. večer. Nespravedlivé, co říkáte?

I Danmark er september lig med universitetsstart for gamle såvel som nye studerende. For de nye studerende, de såkaldte russere, betyder det sommerfugle i maven, nervøsitet og store forventninger. Nogle af de spørgsmål man stiller sig selv inden start er: Hvor skal jeg gå hen, vil de andre kunne lide mig og vil jeg få [...]

In Denmark, September is the month where old and new students start the university. For new students this means butterflies in the stomach, nervousness and great expectations. Some of the questions that go through your mind when starting the university are: where do I go, will people like me and will I make new friends?

What student traditions do you have in your country and at your university? In every country and at every university there are numerous student traditions that are essential and almost sacred by some…