Thai greeting The wai of a Thai bride The wai has been adopted by western cultural symbols in Thailand, including Ronald McDonald. The Thai greeting referred to as the wai (Thai: ไหว้, pronounced [wâːj]) consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. The word often spoken with the wai as a greeting or farewell is sawasdee (สวัสดี, RTGS: sawatdi, pronounced [sàwàtdiː]). Waiing remains to this day an extremely important part of social behavior among Thais, who are very sensitive to their self-perceived standing in society. If one is waiied while carrying goods, or for any other reason that makes the physical act of returning a wai difficult, it is still important to recognize the show of respect and make a physical effort to wai back as best as possible under the circumstances. Origin[edit] Similar gestures in other countries[edit] In Laos and Cambodia, similar greetings—called nop (ນົບ) and satu, respectively—are also in use. It is commonly used to greet people in India
Poland Poland i/ˈpoʊlənd/ (Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave) and Lithuania to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres (120,726 sq mi),[7] making it the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. Two decades later, in September 1939, World War II started with the invasions of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (as part of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact). Etymology The origin of the name Polanie itself is uncertain. History Prehistory Historians have postulated that throughout Late Antiquity, many distinct ethnic groups populated the regions of what is now known as Poland. Piast dynasty Mieszko II Lambert (ca. 990–1034) King of Poland and Duchess Matilda of Swabia. Jagiellon dynasty
Tomar la decisión de viajar: Motivación vs Miedos Como expliqué en el post sobre los costes de mi año sabático por Asia y Oceanía, la parte más difícil de ese viaje fue la de dar el primero paso, la de tomar la decisión de marchar. Anteriormente ya había hecho algún viaje largo. En 2007, justo después de terminar mi carrera y hacer prácticas por unos meses, fui a la India y al Nepal durante 4 meses. En este post voy a hablar del paso más difícil en el proceso de un viaje: el de decidirse a hacerlo. Ya sean unas vacaciones cortas, viajar sólo o salir de Europa por primera vez, un Erasmus, trabajar en el extranjero o viajar por largos períodos de tiempo, la decisión nunca es fácil. Si te decides, puede que alguna de estas experiencias te cambie la vida o puede que no, pero seguro que te dejará un montón recuerdos geniales que nunca te arrepentirás de haber vivido. Nos pasamos meses o años pensando en hacer algo y a veces se queda en eso, en un proyecto o en una idea simplemente porque no nos atrevemos a dar el paso.
Thai culture in Bangkok Thailand is a country with rich cultural history and refined traditions, and is well known for its individuality and uniqueness. Thai culture has been passed down through the centuries, starting from the early Lanna period through to the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods to the current ‘glorious era’ of Rattanakosin. Bangkok, as the capital during some of the Kingdom’s most prosperous eras, is seat to some of Thailand’s finest cultural sites, which form one of the highlights of visit to the city. The explosion of colour that makes up Thai culture includes graceful classical dance, traditional music, beautiful costumes, striking architecture, as well as Buddhism, art, and a long tradition of handicraft. They can all be seen in most tourist places in Thailand. Perhaps one of the most memorable cultural norms in Thailand is the gracious gesture of the wai greeting; akin to praying hands. Bangkok for culture vultures The revered Thai King's 82nd birthday celebrations
Mexico Mexico ( i/ˈmɛksɨkoʊ/; Spanish: México [ˈmexiko] ( )), officially the United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos ),[9][10][11][12] is a federal republic in North America. In pre-Columbian Mexico many cultures matured into advanced civilizations such as the Olmec, the Toltec, the Teotihuacan, the Zapotec, the Maya and the Aztec before first contact with Europeans. Etymology After New Spain won independence from Spain, it was decided that the new country would be named after its capital, Mexico City, which was founded in 1524 on top of the ancient Aztec capital of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Mēxihco was the Nahuatl term for the heartland of the Aztec Empire, namely, the Valley of Mexico, and its people, the Mexica, and surrounding territories which became the future State of Mexico as a division of New Spain prior to independence (compare Latium). The suffix -co is the Nahuatl locative, making the word a place name. History Ancient cultures Archaic period Classic periods (1500 BC–700 AD)
¿Es seguro viajar por Asia y el Sudeste Asiático? Probablemente la primera pregunta que se hacen quienes se plantean por primera vez un viaje a Asia o al Sudeste Asiático suele ser: ¿Es seguro viajar por Asia? La respuesta a esta pregunta implica tener en cuenta las dos caras de la seguridad: la seguridad en aspectos criminales (security) y la seguridad en cuanto a riesgo de accidentes o enfermedades (safety). Criminalidad en Asia: Niveles prácticamente europeos Seguramente cuando la gente se plantea si un país es peligroso o seguro, primero piensa en términos de criminalidad, y concretamente, en robos. ¿Hay muchos robos o no? En el aspecto criminal se puede afirmar que Asia es bastante segura (aunque Asia Oriental y el Sudeste Asiático son muy grandes y no todos los países son exactamente iguales). Si os fijáis en las siguientes estadísticas podréis ver que la tasa anual de homicidios por cada 100.000 habitantes en los países asiáticos es, en general, igual o ligeramente más alta que en los europeos pero inferior a los americanos.
Farang The tourist hub of Bangkok's Khaosan Road is associated with farang. Farang (Thai: ฝรั่ง [faràŋ]) is a generic Thai word for someone of European ancestry, no matter where they may come from. The Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race".[1] Etymology and related words[edit] It is generally believed that the word farang originated with the Persian word farang (فرنگ) or farangī (فرنگی), meaning "Frank, European". Other uses[edit] Varieties of food/produce which were introduced by Europeans are often called farang varieties. In the Isan Lao dialect, the guava is called mak sida (Thai: หมากสีดา), mak being a prefix for fruit names. See also[edit] References[edit] Jump up ^ "พจนานุกรม ฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสถาน พ.ศ. 2542" [Royal Institute Dictionary 1999] (in Thai). External links[edit]
United States The United States of America (USA), commonly referred to as the United States (US), America or simply the States, is a federal republic[10][11] consisting of 50 states and a federal district. The 48 contiguous states and the federal district of Washington, D.C., are in central North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is the northwestern part of North America and the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also has five populated and nine unpopulated territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean. At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) in total and with around 317 million people, the United States is the fourth-largest country by total area and third largest by population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries.[12] The geography and climate of the United States is also extremely diverse, and it is home to a wide variety of wildlife. History
Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen. Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, quien al nacer recibió el nombre de Nicolae Georgescu (Constanţa, Rumania, 4 de febrero de 1906 – Nashville, Tennessee, 30 de octubre de 1994), fue un matemático rumano, estadístico y economista, mejor conocido por su obra de 1970/1971 La ley de la entropía y el proceso económico (The Entropy Law and the Economic Process, en el original en inglés), en el cual se establecía la visión de que la segunda ley de la termodinámica gobierna los procesos económicos, es decir, que la "energía libre" utilizable tiende a dispersarse o a perderse en forma de "energía restringida".[1] Su libro se considera la obra fundacional en el campo de la termoeconomía. Fue el primer economista que habló de termodinámica y entropía.[2] Datos biográficos[editar · editar código] Estudió matemáticas en la Universidad de Bucarest, donde se graduó en 1926. Fue un protegido del renombrado economista Joseph Schumpeter. Referencias[editar · editar código]
Thailand culture etiquette: What not to do Lindsay Grahaem's image for: "Thailand Etiquette what not to do" Caption: Location: Image by: Different cultures have their own set of behavioural rules, and Thailand is no exception. -Don't Insult The Monarchy- The Thais are fiercely proud of their Royal Family and will not tolerate any disrespect being shown, or derogatory comments being made about their much beloved King and his family. -Don't Point Your Feet At People- The feet are seen as the lowest, dirtiest part of the body and as such feet should ideally be kept at floor level, or if seated, tucked out of the way. -Don't Touch People's Heads- Just as the feet are seen as the lowliest part of the body, the head is considered to be the highest and cleanest part. -Don't Express Extreme Emotions- Tempting as it might be to get angry in stressful situations, a Thai person will always try to avoid this, instead practicing the principle of having a 'cool heart' and not participating in fights or acts of aggression. -Don't Dress Provocatively-
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba ( i/ˈkjuːbə/; Spanish: República de Cuba, pronounced: [reˈpuβlika ðe ˈkuβa] ( )), is an island country in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba comprises the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the capital of Cuba and its largest city. The island of Cuba was inhabited by numerous Mesoamerican tribes prior to the landing of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492, who claimed it for the Kingdom of Spain. Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, and with over 11 million inhabitants, is the second-most populous after Hispaniola, albeit with a much lower population density than most nations in the region. Cuba ranks high in metrics of health and education, with a high Human Development Index of 0.780 as of 2013. Etymology[edit] History[edit] Prehistory[edit] Sketch of a Taíno woman, also known as the Arawak by the Spanish. Spanish colonization and rule (1492-1898)[edit] On September 1, 1548, Dr.