Cover Design: Alice McCall

Eleonore Decaux - Editor in Chief

"Languages are a waste of time" - says a Times article by Anthony Browne, a previous Children's Laureate, in which he addresses the worthlessness of learning modern languages in a world where one can "thrive with impunity as an English monoglot". He even goes on to suggest that instead of reinforcing language teaching, we should "abolish it tout de suite".

As the perhaps the overly-keen linguist that I am, I had a lot of fun picking apart Brown's arguments un-par-un. Firstly, eliminating foreign languages is depriving students from a wealth of knowledge and culture. Yes, languages are harder. They require time, effort and continual practice. Indeed, this is very probably the reason behind the decline in foreign language students at GCSE level. But where has the fascination of what's difficult gone? Languages are educational vitamins: stretching the minds of students. Learning a foreign language at a young age, is the key into making students understand the value in having that language on their CV later on. The more languages you can master, the more places you can work and therefore the better chance you have at acquiring a job.

Languages go far beyond teaching teaching you how to ask for un café or helping you on holiday in Cuba. A new dialect allows you to escape the narrowness of knowing only one language and does not sentence you to a life filled with the same expressions, phrases, and vocabulary. There is a je ne sais quoi, a great deal of satisfaction, in mastering another tongue and then being able to use it throughout your life. Browne states that "all the time we spend learning another language, we should spend instead learning something useful- like economics". But does it have to be either/or? What, may I ask, makes economics any more "useful" than German? If anything, Germany is a major economic power, a G7 country and has an incredibly rich cultural heritage. Experience of the language gives you first-hand access to all that the country has to offer. In fact, what better way to try and understand the economic situations in Europe than to know Europe's languages?

Admittedly yes, English is spoken as a second language by the “educated and those working in tourism". So, why should we be forced to learn languages for several years, with the possibility that we may only use them, as Browne states, "on a handful of occasions"? Well its simple, making the effort to speak to others in their tongue, promotes your understanding of a culture, introduces new ways of thinking, new approaches and new opportunities. It shows respect, and it’s good for us.

Caroline Stafford - Assistant Editor-in-Chief

Letter from the Editors

Hi Link Readers!

I do hope you enjoy this issue. I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for the wonderful team we have. So I’d like to take this opportunity not only to share with you how passionate I am about languages and such, but to thank the team as a whole, for yet another incredible edition!

Happy Reading!

Find the full article online: Waste your life, learn to speak a foreign language by Anthony

Browne

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CURRENT AFFAIRS..............................................✦ Palestine..............................................................✦ Brazilian Economy...............................................✦ Resignation of the Pope......................................

✦ ART AND FASHION............................................✦ Bulgari Jewellery..................................................✦ Manet................................................................... ✦Paul Klee..............................................................✦ Bokja....................................................................✦ The Largest Underwater Hotel.............................

CULTURE...............................................................✦ Chinese New Year................................................✦ La Movida............................................................✦ Das Leben der Anderen (The lives of others).......✦ Youth in Favelas...................................................✦ Women in Spain...................................................✦Russian Art...........................................................✦Spring Roll Recipe ...............................................✦Sergei Rachmaninov (Серге́й Рахма́нинов).......

EASTER.................................................................✦ Traditions.............................................................✦ In Germany..........................................................✦ In Spain...............................................................✦ In Russia.............................................................✦ In Italy..................................................................✦ Stuffed Pears Recipe..........................................✦ In Brazil...............................................................✦ In France.............................................................✦ Chocolate Soufflé...............................................

FEATURES............................................................✦ Catalonia.............................................................✦ How to Speak Japanese.....................................

CONTENTS

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Current Affairs: Palestine

The war between Palestine and Israel, has left Palestine’s status as a country very ambiguous. The argument concerns the Gaza strip and the West Bank. After years of on-and-off peace negotiation talks, Palestine has recently adopted a new method. Their plan is to individually appeal to different countries, ask ing them to recogn ise Palestine as a state of its own. This diplomatic approach seems to have helped bring Palestine one step closer to total freedom a n d i n d e p e n d e n c e . T h e President, Mahmoud Abbas, demands full independence and wants to become a full member of the United Nations.

However, with the UN unable to make a unanimous decision, Abbas was forced to lower his request : he wanted to be admitted to the UN but as a non-member observer state. On the 29th November 2012, the UN General Assembly accepted this, which was a hugely symbolic achievement for the Palestinian people.

Palestine can now participate in General Assembly debates and it s t rongly bel ieves that th is somewhat higher status will allow the country to be more active in peace talks with Israel and help settle their differences such as bo rde rs and the r i gh t fo r Palestinian refugees to return. Unfortunately, this hopeful and positive view is not shared by

Israel. Their Prime Minister’s o ffice recen t l y i ssued the following statement:

"This is a meaningless decision that will not change anything on the ground. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that there will be no establishment of a Palestinian state without a settlement that ensures the security of Israel's citizens... By going to the UN, the Palestinians have violated the agreements with Israel and Israel will act accordingly."

Despite their disagreement, this was a proud day for Palestinians, and, as Abbas put it, “Palestine is being reborn”.

By Gina El-Khoury

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Resignation of the Pope

By Angelica Tosato

On the 11th of February, the Pope Benedetto XVI announced that he would leave his position as Head of the Church starting 28th of February. The announcement, in Latin, gave reasons for his abdication. He felt his age (85) made him too old to effectively carry on leading the Catholic Church and was no longer able to deal with the stress and current problems within the church. According to a source, the election for the new pope will be held in the month of March 2013, with candidates from a wide range of nationalities and backgrounds.

Many believe it would be better if a non-Italian pope was elected, this way the church would not be involved with the internal Italian politics

and “could concentrate on their own crisis”. Abdication is something that has been seldom seen in the history of the church. The last Pope to have abdicated was Papa Gregorio XII, in 1415.

The news of the abdication of the Pope Benedetto recalls a similarity with the recent Italian movie of Nanni Moretti, “Habemus Papam”. This movie narrates the abdication of the Head of Church as a result of a lack of strength and inability to lead in a time of crisis. This analogy of the abdication of Benedetto XIV has created a significant impact on the Italian population – can Moretti tell the future?

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Brazilian Economy

By Bella Guimaro-Rowe

Brazil has the 6th largest nominal GDP in the world; it now ranks above the UK and it has the largest economy in all of Latin America and the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Brazil is also considered to be one of the fastest growing major economies in the world and is part of the BRIC group (Brazil, Russia, India and China); these are the four main emerging economies.

In the space of fifty five years (1950-2005), the population of Brazil grew from 51 million to around 187 million; an increase of more than 2 per cent per year. In order to deal with this dramatic increase in numbers, agriculture has had to step up. Brazil’s main agricultural exports are coffee, soybeans,

wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus and beef, and Brazil has some of the largest farms (equivalent to the size of countries like Switzerland) in the world which makes extensive production more practical.

The largest company in Brazil is ‘Petrobas’, an oil and gas company; its total revenue in 2011 was $138.80 billion. Aside from Petrobas, another 35 Brazilian companies appeared in the Forbes Global 2000 list, showing just how powerful the country is becoming.

Furthermore, the Brazilian economy has been predicted to become one of the five largest economies in the world in the decades to come.

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Art and Fashion: Italy

There are those l ike Amy Winehouse who showed it in on their body; Queen Victoria and Sarah Bernhardt preferred to show versions of it covered in gold and emeralds – what I am referring to, are snakes. Ever since the Original Creation story of Adam and Eve, the snake has been a source of inspiration and an accessory for people all over the world. Even in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, images of snakes were used as decoration.

Since the 1940s, the Italian house Bulgari has created haute couture jewelry, interpreting snakes in the most extravagant and luxurious ways. It all started with a series of sensuous watch-bracelets in gold and diamonds in the shape of a

snake which coil around your wrist. This snake-like bracelet was so successful during the era of La Dolce Vita, that the creation of snake necklaces and earrings has inc reased . Decora ted w i th polychrome varnishes and stained with small precious stones, the editor of American Vogue of the time commissioned a 70cm gold collier in the shape of a snake. This made the house of Bulgari, founded in 1884, into a world renowned brand known for its a n i m a l - l i k e f e t i s h a n d sophisticated use of diamonds and colour.

This year, Bulgari is launching for the first time, in the collection “Gioiel l i Alt i”, the necklace “Serpenti” in an unedited version made up of a hundred king size

e m e r a l d s a l t e r n a t e d w i t h turquoise stones and diamond roundels. This necklace coils around your neck and leaves a bit hanging in the front just like a snake. This piece of art would have been greatly admired by Liz Tay lor who a lways had an insatiable desire for this roman jewelry brand.

By Angelica Tosato

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By Evelyn Booth-Clibborn

Starting in January, the prestigious artwork by the French artist, Manet, went on display in an exhibition curated by the Royal Academy of Art in London.

This 19th century French artist, born into a respected family of the time, helped the variation from the Realist period to the Impressionist era. He was known for his much more rough style of painting, using looser brush strokes than artists before him, which gave him a modern feel. However, this initially led to many rejections in his early career.

The exhibition equally features many paintings from Paris. For example, one of my personal favourites is his painting called ‘The Railway’ or otherwise ‘La Gare Saint-Lazare’. This was painted in 1873 and shows the urban landscape of Paris in the late 19th century.

‘The Luncheon on the Grass’ is an early painting that he did which was not favoured by the critics at first. This meant he had to show it at the ‘Salon des Refuses’ (Salon of the rejected) rather than the Paris Salon, the most prestigious exhibition centre in Paris.

This exhibition is simply one of many French influences in the English capital and it has been overwhelmingly successful with over 45,000 tickets sold on the first day and lengthy queues outside. The exhibition closes in April, so get there quickly before you miss out!

German Artist - Paul Klee

By Helena Rogers

Paul Klee (18 December 1879 – 29 June 1940) is a prolific artist claimed by both the German's and the Swiss. His intense and inventive work covered everything from surrealism and cubism, to expressionism and orientalism. He was very involved with the German Expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), founded by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc in 1911. In 1920, Klee began teaching at Bauhaus, a school of architecture and industrial design which also included the study of arts and crafts. Nearly half of Klee's 10,000 works were produced during the ten years he taught at the Bauhaus, all varying widely in style.Klee's work always had a primitive aesthetic as he valued children's art highly. Personal hardship and the increasing threat of the political situation in Europe during the 1930s are reflected in the sombre tone of his late work.Later this year (15th October 2013 - 9th March 2014) the Tate Modern will display the artists work alongside important events of his life. The exhibition will bring together a collection of Klee's drawings, watercolours and paintings from around the world.

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Art and Fashion: Bokja

Bokja is a furniture company founded in 2000 by Lebanese designers Hoda Baroudi and Mar ia H ibr i . They share a common love for antiques and vintage furniture, but put a modern and unexpected twist to their own designs.

The use of colour and emphasis on craftsmanship results in beautiful pieces of furniture that truly light up a room. The designs blend art, design and function using vintage hand-woven textiles and embroideries. An essential aspect of the brand is its use of traditional techniques merged with more modern approaches. They also manage to blend different cultures from all around the world

through the use of different fabrics and prints. The steppes of Central Asia contrast well with the circular prints that evoke images of the sun and the moon in Samarkand, a s w e l l a s t h e r i c h , g o l d embroidery reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.

Bokja furniture has already been m a k i n g a n a m e f o r i t s e l f internationally after having been featured in numerous magazines including InStyle, Vogue, Vogue Living and Elle Decoration. However, currently they only have one flagship store in the Saifi area dominated by art galleries and designers in Beirut, Lebanon. Its growing success accounts for many of its supporters including m a n y i n t e r i o r d e s i g n e r s ,

connoisseurs, collectors and celebrities. Most notably, Bokja furniture is featured in all Christian Louboutin stores worldwide, as well as the Matthew Williamson store in New York.

Despite its success, the Bokja brand stays true to its roots since a percentage of its proceeds are given to local organisations that help empower local women.

By Gina El-Khoury

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The Largest Underwater Hotel

By Gina El-Khoury

Plans are being made to build the world’s largest underwater hotel in Dubai, home to record-breaking architecture including the tallest building in the world. It is difficult to think that little under a decade ago, Dubai was virtually a desert and relatively unknown outside of the Middle East. Today, the city has managed to transform itself into a modern and almost surreal tourist attraction. In fact Dubai is often referred to as the Las Vegas of the Middle East.

With the anticipated production of the largest underwater hotel in the world, Dubai is at the top of the tourist ladder. However this hotel, named The Water Discus Hotel, is also being built for protection and research of oceans and seas. It will be equipped to deal with natural disasters; the top disc designed in such a way to be detachable and able to float in case of emergency.

The structure of the hotel is quite complex; it consists of two discs connected by five legs and a vertical shaft that contains the stairs and a lift. One of these discs will be under water whilst the other one will be suspended above the water. There will be a dive centre and a bar in the disc under water, and evidently, all of the rooms will have an element that connects them with the underwater world.

Although underwater hotels already exist, they will not be able to compete with the Discus Hotel, which, in true Dubai fashion, will leave us lost for words.

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Top 10 Underwater Hotels

10. Tribolis 659. The Lifeboat Hotel8. The Apeiron Island Hotel7. Hotel Conrad Rangali Island Maldives6. The Hilton Maldives

Resort and Spa5. Poseidon Undersea Resort4. Hydropolis3. Utter Inn2. Jules’ Undersea Lodge1. Water Discus Hotel

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Culture: Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year (Year of the Snake) was celebrated on the 10th February 2013 by almost 20 percent of the world’s population. China has 1.36 billion people (of the world’s 7 billion population) and the rest reside in the Far East (such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand) and elsewhere.

For those born in 2001, this will be “your” year. The good and bad predictions for the Year of the Snake will commence on the date of your birthday. Predictions are based on a number of factors based on the year of the elements (wood, fire, metal, water and earth) you are born in – a very complicated analysis!

Unlike the western Gregorian calendar which is based on the

earth’s orbit around the sun, the Chinese calendar is a lunar calendar and is based on the moon’s orbit around earth. The lunar new year starts on the second moon after the winter solstice and takes place anytime between late January and early February each year. It is believed that this tradition goes back to the days of Emperor Huang Ti ( 2 6 0 0 B C ) w h o w a n t e d t o celebrate and welcome the Spring Harvest. The history of the animal zodiac system originated from Lord Buddha. Legend tells us that before Lord Buddha’s departure from earth, he summoned all animals before him. Only 12 an ima ls came fo rward . He rewarded each animal by naming a year in their name in the order in which these animals arrived.

In preparation for Chinese New Year, homes and offices are cleaned to “rid” the environment of evil and to welcome the new. The most important tradition of the Chinese New Year is the reunion dinner that happens on New Year’s Eve. It is a time for the family to have a meal together to await the beginning of a new year. Loud fireworks are set off to drive away the evil and red packets are given by the elders as a wishing to the young for a healthy and long life. These celebrations go on for fifteen days.

So, to all your friends who celebrate Chinese New Year, wish them all “Gong Xi Fa Cai” or “Xing Nian Kuai Le”.

By Nicole Galledari

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By Flora Scorer

Movida is not an easy word to translate. The closest English equivalent is probably ‘scene’. La Movida Madrileña was a countercultural explosion that took place mainly in Madrid during the Spanish transition to democracy after Franco’s death, between 1977 and 1985. During the long rule of the dictator a strict set of conservative social structures were enforced to preserve the traditional role of t h e f a m i l y a n d w o m e n . Furthermore, formal relations between the sexes and control of the press and other media were preserved.

‘The Madrid Scene’ came into existence at a time when Spain’s newly liberated young were getting into the habit of salir de copas – going out to drink until the early hours. By the late 1970s even the smallest cities had their own movidas; spreading to Vigo, Barcelona, Bilbao, Sevilla and many others. In parts of Madrid the changes

were drastic and extreme; certain parts erupting into a hedonistic and cultural wave of activity. Madrid was pushing the limits on fashion, sexuality, drugs, gender and aesthetics. They also began producing punk and new wave-influenced music, modernistic inspired design and Warhol-esque films such as Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios.’ Young Madrilenians started to gather at places like

Rock Ola (el ‘Templo de la Movida’) where live concerts took place and short films and paintings were displayed. It was the country’s first cultural movement of freedom in the s t r e e t s – f r e e d o m f r o m oppression and censorship, where outside influences and growth occurred after decades of isolation.

The impact of the Movida can still be felt today in Madrid’s streets and art, theatre and music. It has been immortalized in musicals, books and films. It was extraordinary for those who lived it and came after it – e m b r a c i n g e x p r e s s i o n , creativity, growth and most of all, freedom.

"It’s difficult to speak of La Movida and explain it to those who didn't live through those years. We weren't a generation; w e w e r e n ' t a n a r t i s t i c movement; we weren't a group with a concrete ideology. We were simply a bunch of people that coincided in one of the most explosive moments in the country." - Pedro Almodóvar

Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others)

By Helena RogersThis German thriller is set in 1984 and takes place in East Berlin. It was directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and released in 2006, when it became a huge box-office success. The film includes romance and an insight into what life was really like in East Germany.

A Stasi officer (Georg Wiesler) is assigned by Minister Bruno Hempf to spy on the famous playwright, Georg Dreyman to ensure he is not working against the Communist regime. As it turns out, Hempf has alternative motive for trying to pin something on Dreyman: a deep infatuation with Christa-Maria Sieland, Dreyman's girlfriend. Initially it seems Dreyman is very loyal to the state, however he increasingly becomes disillusioned with the regime and its treatment of East German writers and artists. After the suicide of a close friend, he anonymously posts an anti-establishment piece of writing in a major newspaper, which rouses the fury of government officials. Georg Wiesler, who by that stage becomes emotionally drawn into the lives of the author and his actress girlfriend, decides to protect them.

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Culture: Youth in Favelas

When favelas are mentioned, youth gangs and drug trafficking most of ten come to mind. However, this is a stereotype that has developed over the years; of course, there is a lot of drug related crime, especially amongst the youth, but this is not to say that all young people are involved in it. Brazil’s most famous favela is Rocinha, in Rio de Janeiro. It consists of four public schools where attendance is obligatory until the age of 15. The residents however, do admit that many students drop out earlier for a number of different reasons; mainly their short term thinking which makes them hungry for money, without realising the long term benefits of education.

Joel Ferreira Silvestre is 17 and has no interest in joining a gang or entering the drug business. He plans to enroll in the army, or become a bus driver like his father. All he wants, is to leave the favela where he has spent his childhood: ‘there is nothing left for me here’.

For the unfortunate ones who fall into the trap of the drug trade, there are juven i le pr isons scattered around the city. The system is as follows; any boy between the age of 12 and 18 who is sent to prison is assigned a cell depending on which favela gang he comes from. Red Command is the gang which controls Rocinha, and in one particular prison in Rio, 8 out of the 10 cells are designated for

Red Command; this showing just how powerful these groups can become.

For those who are interested in learning more about life for someone our age in a favela, there is a great blog called ‘Life in favela of Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’. It gives insight into the true realities of life in Brazil’s largest slum.

By Bella Guimaro-Rowe

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Mujeres en España

By Flora Scorer

No importa donde miras en la España de hoy verás a las mujeres en puestos de responsabilidad. Sin embargo es difícil exagerar la magnitud de la transformación del estatus de las mujeres en España - q u i z á s h a c a m b i a d o m á s rápidamente y más sustancialmente que cualquier otro país en el mundo.

En 1931, mujeres tal como Clara Campoamor y Maria Martinez Sierra, ganaron el derecho a voto, solamente 3 años después de Inglaterra y más de un década antes de Francia y Italia. Sin embargo, todos estos avances se invirtió por el General Francisco Franco, el dictador derechista de España de 1936 hasta 1975. Franco dio marcha atrás a todo – abolió el divorcio, la contracepción, el aborto y restableció el gran poder de la Iglesia Católica. Su nuevo

código civil incluyó un sistema de permiso marital que ordenó que el permiso del marido era necessario para una mujer firmar documentos legales, aceptar un empleo, o aún abrir una cuenta corriente.

Cuando murió Franco en 1975, abolió el permiso marital – 37 años después de Francia y el divorcio era legalizado en 1981 – momentos de liberación muy potentes para mujeres que habían sido reprimidos para tanto tiempo. En 1987-8, habían más mujeres en las universidades que hombres. En papel, ahora las mujeres tienen derechos iguales a los hombres sin embargo en 2003, la disparidad de salario entre mujeres y hombres haciendo trabajo igual era 28% (ILO). Muestra que mientras que las mujeres en España han recorrido un camino tremendamente largo, todavía tienen un largo camino por recorrer.

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By Flora Scorer

Wherever you look in Spain today you will see women in positions of responsibility. However it is difficult to exaggerate the magnitude of the transformation of the status of women in Spain – it has perhaps changed the quickest and most substantially of any country in the world.

In 1931, women such as Clara Campoamor and Maria Martinez Sierra won the right to vote, only 3 years after Britain and more than a decade before France and Italy. However all these advances were reversed by General Francisco Franco, the right-wing dictator of Spain from 1936 to 1975. Franco reversed everything – he abolished divorce, contraception, abortion and re-established the vast authority of the Catholic Church. His new civil code included a system of marital permission which decreed that the permission of the husband was necessary for a wife to sign legal documents, accept a job or even open a bank account.

When Franco died in 1975, the system of marital permission was abolished – 37 years after France,

and divorce was legalised in 1981 – these were powerful moments of liberation for many women who had been repressed for so long. On paper, women now have equal rights to men however in 2003, the pay gap between men and women doing the same job was 28% (ILO). This shows that while Spanish women have come a tremendously long way, they still have a long way to go.

The name Spain diverged from the word Ispania, which means the land of

rabbits.

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Russian Art is one of Russia’s most impressive achievements. It has had a significant influence on world culture with movements such as neoclassicism and romanticism.

Icon paintings from the Byzantine Empire marked the beginning of Russian art in around 988 AD. They were paintings on wood and were often small, depicting religious figures such as Christ. Icons are displayed in monasteries, churches, and the homes of religious Russian families. These help with prayers and are very eccentric due to use of gold leaf and engraved surfaces. The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow displays the most comprehensive collection of art in the world including Icon paintings.

In the early 19th Century, classical painting was becoming increasingly popular in Russia. The Russian Academy of arts was created in 1757 and upon attending, an artist would acquire an international status

of notor iety. Art ists from the academy included Dmitry Levitzky and Vladimir Borovikovsky.

Neoclassicism was the movement which described the western move away from the classical art of a n c i e n t R o m e a n d G r e e c e . Romanticism flourished around the same time and artists such as Karl Br i l luv and Alexander Ivanov focused on depicting mythological and biblical themes.

Realism dominated the 19th century. Realist artists captured Russia through its vast landscapes, which included wide rivers, forests, and birch trees. Other realists focused on displaying social issues such as poverty. Critical realism became a trend under the rule of Alexander II. Artists wanted to capture dramatic moments in Russian history and make human suffering the subject of their work. Leading realists included Ilya Repin, Vasily Surikov, and Isaac Levitan.

By the turn of the century, Russia led the “avant-garde” movement. This term was used to describe the wave of modern influences that came into Russia from about 1890 to 1930. Avant-garde covered separate but related art movements that occurred at the time - including neo-primitivism, constructivism, and futurism. It reached its height of popularity in the period of the Russian revolution in 1917.Notable avant-garde artists include Kazimir Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky, and Marc Chagall.

Some Russian artists from the 20th Century were forced to emigrate because of the Russian revolution and as a result, made their careers in Western Europe. Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, and Naum Gabo for instance, spread their work, ideas, and have impacted Russian art on a global basis.

By Anabel Arifova

Culture: Russian Art

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Sergei Rachmaninov (Серге́й Рахма́нинов)By Bella Childs

Rachmaninov is one of the most famous and well respected Russian classical composers, best known for his precision. He was also a conductor as well as a pianist. He was born on April 1st in Oneg (Russia) in 1873. Rachmaninov died in Los Angeles from melanoma (a very dangerous type of skin cancer) on March 28th in 1943. He ended his life in the US after having moved from Russia during the revolution.

His mother began to teach young Sergei piano at the age of four, but it was his grandfather who encouraged him to play, allowing Rachmaninov to

further develop his passion for music. He became very good at playing the piano as a student in St Petersburg and Moscow, but was always more interested in composing. He studied with Arensky and Taneiev, equally famous pianists. Rachmaninov had a very original style. He fell into the romantic movement of classical music and his pieces were praised – even winning medals for some of them. However, there was one unsuccessful performance which led him to lose his confidence completely and stop composing for 3 whole years. To him, it seemed as though he was not approved by most critics and

composers of his time. His problems with confidence were all solved by the help of a hypnotist called Dr Nikolai Dahl, which resulted in a flourish of new music and inspiration. His later works were more popular in style and included features such as complex chromaticism and deceptively simple harmonies.

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Russians never shake hands over a

door way, they believe it leads to arguments.

Spring Roll Recipe

Ingredients1 tbsp groundnut oil, plus extra for deep-frying200g/7oz skinless chicken breast fillets, chopped into small pea-sized pieces4 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained and finely chopped1 tbsp light soy sauce1 tbsp five-spice powder1 tsp grated fresh root ginger75g/3oz beansprouts2 large spring onions, finely sliced lengthways1 small carrot, julienned1 tbsp oyster sauce½ tbsp light soy saucesea salt and ground white pepper16 ready-made large spring roll wrappers1 egg yolk, beaten

Preparation method1. Heat a wok until smoking and add the groundnut oil, then add the chicken and mushrooms and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Season with soy sauce and five-spice powder, then remove from the wok and set aside to cool for ten minutes. Wipe the wok clean with kitchen paper.2. Place the grated ginger, beansprouts, spring onions and carrot into a bowl, then add the chicken and mushrooms and season with the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sea salt and ground white pepper. Stir well to combine.3. Lay two spring roll wrappers one on top of the other (the extra thickness will prevent the skin from breaking) and position so that the corners are pointing upwards, downwards and to the sides.4. Spoon two tablespoons of the filling into the centre of the wrapper. Brush each corner of the wrapper with thecornflour paste, then bring the two opposite corners on the sides together and, keeping your finger on those edges, bring the bottom corner towards the middle and then roll the pastry up tightly towards the top corner. 5. Tuck the top edge in and seal it with a little of the beaten egg yolk. Repeat with the remaining spring roll wrappers and filling.6. Heat the wok over a high heat and fill the wok to a quarter of its depth with groundnut oil. Heat until a cube of bread dropped in sizzles and turns golden-brown in 15 seconds. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully lower the spring rolls in small batches into the oil and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.7. Transfer the spring rolls onto a plate and serve immediately.

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Easter: Traditions

THE FLYING BELLSIn France, Netherlands and Belgium it is said that church bells fly to Rome for a few days and only return on Easter morning. The flying bells are supposed to b r ing back coloured eggs and chocolate rabbits. This tradition started because all church bells are silent as a sign of mourning Jesus for several days before Easter.

TRICK OR TREATWhen most people think of little kids dressed as witches it’s normal to immediately think of Halloween. In Sweden however, kids also trick or treat on Easter. This is because Easter usually falls very close to the Swedish tradition of Walpurgi’s

Night, which is on April 30th. Walpurgi’s Night in Sweden is celebrated by lighting bonfires in attempts to chase away evil spirits and witches.

EASTER TREEJust like the Christmas tree exists for Christmas, the Easter tree also exists! The Easter tree is a tradition in Germany started by the Kraft family. Plastic eggs and beautifully painted eggshells are placed in trees outside people’s houses.

MAKE A BUTTER LAMBThe butter lamb is a Polish tradition. Known as a Baranek Wielkanocny in Poland, the butter lamb is exactly what it sounds like: a lamb conceived entirely out of butter. The lamb

is not only used as decoration but people all around Poland actually eat it on Easter. The lamb must be consumed from the tail first, leaving the head to last.

MAUNDY THURSDAYThis tradition refers to the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion. I t ’s celebrated all over the Christian world but each different country has its own way of celebrating it. In Germany for example people usually eat spinach and other green foods as well as almonds as a remembrance of the Last Supper. In England however, the Queen gives out money to people who are roughly the same age as her.

By Gaia Brignone

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SPAIN– Semana Santa

Spain is one of Europe’s most popular family destinations during the Easter holidays. Spain celebrates Easter much more than most European countries. It is well known for its grand parades and processions that take place throughout the whole country. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, also known as the ‘Semana Santa’, street processions are held each evening. These processions include people carrying statues of saints around on floats or wooden platforms. In many of the processions, marchers wear clothes that are meant to depict the Nazareños, people from Nazareth. This is supposed to create an atmosphere of mourning, which can seem quite oppressive to onlookers. The ‘Semana Santa’ ends on Easter Sunday with a day full of light

and colour where church and cathedral bells ring throughout the whole country. The most famous Easter celebrations are held in various Andalusian towns such as, Valladolid, Toledo, Segovia, Burgos, Zamora and Cuenca.

GERMANY– Ostern

In Germany, Easter is also celebrated by holding ceremonies and parades. People in some areas, mostly in southern Germany, go out for a candle-lit parade called Emmausgang. On Easter Sunday many people attend a special church service. The churches are decorated with a range of spring flowers and some communities even hold an Easter breakfast or lunch after the church service so that they can all celebrate Easter together. Popular Easter foods include Roast lamb, scrambled eggs, cookies shaped like chicks, eggs or lambs and cakes baked in the shape of a hare or lamb. Easter eggs are given as gifts to children and many communities organize Easter egg hunts and egg races on Easter Sunday or Easter Monday. In some areas of Germany, people light Easter fires on Holy Saturday and stay up all night to watch the fire burn. For many Christians, this fire symbolizes the destruction of Jesus on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Spring flowers, eggs, chickens, hares and lambs are important Easter symbols as they symbolize both the natural world's rebirth after the darkness of winter and Jesus' resurrection after his crucifixion.

RUSSIA – Пасха

Easter is one of Russia’s most important holidays. The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Easter according to the Orthodox calendar, meaning that it could occur in either April or May. Like many countries in Eastern Europe, such as the ones already mentioned, Russians celebrate Easter with decorated eggs and traditional foods and customs. In Russia, the red of the eggs have a religious meaning; they represent the blood of Christ. Russians celebrate Easter with an Easter breakfast or Easter meal. Traditional Russian Easter foods include kulich (Russian Easter bread), pashka (a dish made from cheese and other ingredients, usually formed into the shape of a pyramid) and eggs. There are many traditions that involve the consumption of Russian Easter food, such as, the blessing of the food by the church before it is eaten and the cracking of eggs with nails, as a reminder of Christ. The Russian Easter service is held on the Saturday evening before Easter Sunday. At midnight bells are rung, the priest says, ‘Christ is risen’ and the congregation replies ‘He is truly risen!’

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Italy is a country where you would never get bored during the Easter celebrations. Religious processions are held in many towns on the Friday or Saturday before Easter and also on Easter Sunday. Many churches have special statues of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus, which play a big part in these processions. The statues are paraded through the city or displayed in the main square. Parade participants are often dressed in traditional ancient costumes. Enna, in Sicily, has a large procession on Good Friday, with more than 2,000 friars dressed in ancient costumes walking through the streets of the city. Since Easter is the end of the Lent season, food plays a big part in the celebrations. Traditional Easter foods include lamb or goat, artichokes, and special Easter breads. Pannetone bread (eaten a lot during Christmas as well), Colomba bread and chocolate eggs (with a surprise inside), are often given as gifts. On Easter Monday, some cities hold dances, free concerts, or unusual games that usually involve eggs. However, in the Umbrian hill town of Panicale, cheese is the star. Ruzzolone is a game played by rolling huge wheels of cheese, weighing about 4 kilos, around the village streets. The goal is to get your cheese around the course using the fewest number of strokes possible. Quite weird… – Buona Pasqua!

Pears Stuffed With Gorgonzola And Glazed Walnuts

Really good ingredients and simple preparation are often hallmarks of Italian cuisine. This simple make ahead Easter dessert or appetizer recipe can be made with a handful of ingredients and will really brighten up your Easter table.You can also sub pecans for the recipe, if you like.Serves 4Ingredients: 4 ripe pears1 tbsp. lemon juice, fresh squeezed3 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, room temperature1 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperatureChopped walnuts roasted with honeyHigh quality honey

Method:1. Cut the pears in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and a small amount of pear.2. Lightly brush lemon juice on each cut pear to prevent browning.3. Cream the Gorgonzola cheese and butter together. One alternate for this recipe is to add 1-2 ounces of ricotta cheese instead of butter to cream with the cheese. For a rustic touch simply use crumbled Gorgonzola without mixing it.4. Place small dollops of the cheese and butter mixture on the hollowed out pears. 5. Top the pears with roasted walnuts.6. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Drizzle with honey for extra sweetness.

Brazil - Páscoa

In Brazil, a country with many Catholic traditions, Good Friday (the death) and Easter Sunday (resurrection) are the most celebrated dates with many symbolic events.

Easter, aside from being a religious date, is also an exciting day for children. The custom in Brazil is to give chocolate eggs filled with sweets. In reality, these eggs are brought by the ‘Easter rabbit’; a rabbit is an animal that is able to reproduce very quickly, which symbolises the vocation of the church producing new disciples. The eggs are left in ‘nests’ or in baskets, and the search for this ‘treasure’ is a real party.

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Although Easter in France is not as celebrated as it is in other countries there is still an atmosphere of festivity. There are very few parades and processions however there are many rides and attractions for both adults and children. Many Christians attend special church services to celebrate Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday. Church bells are not rung on the Friday and Saturday before Easter Sunday as a sign of mourning. However, they are rung for a long time and in a celebratory manner during the church services of Easter Sunday. These are known as the Easter bells. Many people spend Easter Sunday with family members or friends eating a festive meal, which includes roast lamb with green vegetables, brightly coloured boiled eggs and omelettes. Chocolate and candy Easter eggs are often given as gifts and children are told that Easter hares, rabbits and bells deliver the gifts. In France spring flowers, lambs, birds' eggs and Easter eggs are all symbols of Easter Sunday. They symbolize both nature's rebirth and resurrection after the dark and cold winter period.

Chocolate Soufflé

For the dishes:25g unsalted butter , for greasing Finely grated chocolate

For the creme patisserie: 2 tbsp plain flour 2 tsp caster sugar ½ tsp corn flour 1 medium egg yolk 1 medium whole egg 4 tbsp milk 1 tbsp double cream 25g dark chocolate 1 tbsp cocoa powder

For the egg whites6 medium egg whites 85g caster sugar

For the ganache:4 tbsp double cream 50g dark chocolate 1 tbsp cocoa

Method:1. Take four 200ml soufflé dishes and brush them with soft butter. Then sprinkle some grated dark chocolate onto the bases and around the sides of the dishes. 2. For the crème patisserie, mix the flour, sugar and corn flour. Put egg yolk and whole egg into a bowl, stir, then beat in the flour mixture till smooth.3. Pour the milk and cream into a pan and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and beat until it is melted and smooth.4. Continue to stir the chocolate paste till a bit thicker and then return to a medium heat for five minutes and continue mixing. Take off heat and leave until cold. Occasionally beat with a whisk.5. Make the ganache: slowly warm the cream in a pan. Just before it boils, take off the heat and add chocolate. Beat the mixture and sprinkle the coca powder in until it dissolves. Allow to cool. 6. Heat oven to 190C/gas 5. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks with an electric whisk. Sprinkle in the sugar as you are mixing. Keep whisking until stiff.7. Mix crème patisserie and ganache in a large bowl. Carefully fold in the egg whites. 8. Spoon the mixture into the dishes until ¾ full.10. Sprinkle a little grated chocolate in the centre, and then bake the soufflés for 15-17 mins. 11. The soufflés should have risen by about two thirds of their original height and jiggle when moved, but be set on top.

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Features: CataloniaExamples of what Catalan sounds like:

✦My name is - El meu nom és✦ I can speak a bit of Catalan - Jo puc parlar una mica de

català✦ I live in London - Jo visc a Londres✦ I go to Godolphin and Latymer school - Vaig al escola

Godolphin i de Latymer

Catalan is a romance language which is spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, Andorra and the Balearic Islands.

This half term I had the amazing opportunity to go to a Valencian school and I had an unforgettable week. I was lucky enough to sit on a lesson of ‘Valenciana’

which was a language lesson and I was surprised by how much I could understand. Some of the words are incredibly similar if not identical to Spanish for example sun is ‘sol’ in both languages whereas some words like strawberry, ‘fresa’ in Spanish, is ‘maduixa’ in Catalan; entirely different. I was equally struck by its similarities to Italian and French for example window is ‘finestra’ in both Catalan and Italian and ‘agree’ is very similar to the French, ‘d’acord’. However, although it has very strong similarities to other romance languages, it has a very particular and different sound to the ear and I was glad to see the new generation of children who will continue to keep the language alive.

By Flora Scorer

English Latin French Italian Spanish Catalan

To eat mandvcāre manger mangiare comer menjar

Morning matvtīnvs matin mattina mañana matí

To speak parabolāre parler parlare hablar parlar

Table tabvla table tavola mesa taula

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SHow to Speak Japanese

By Francesca Tesler

How to be a pro at speaking Japanese in 5 steps.

Learn the alphabet:

As with any language, the alphabet is usually the best place to start. Japanese has 2 different phonetic alphabets –hiragana, used for writing J a p a n e s e w o r d s , a n d katakana, used for writing foreign words. Even though it’s tempting to skip this step, it’ll help your pronunciation loads, and it’s not as scary as it may seem at first.

Practice your Kanji:

JPLT N5, or the equivalent of a Japanese GCSE requires the learner to know 1,000 kanji. This is one of the most daunting prospects in learning Japanese, and is usually what puts people off. However, it can be made manageable. Start off simple and test yourself with flashcards regularly. You can even use apps like Sticky Study and JLPT study to test

yourself on your way to school. If you can get understand some of the basic kanji, it will help you significantly in the long run.

Immerse yourself in the language:

Tr y re a d i n g a J a p a n e s e newspaper or watching a Miyazaki film without subtitles. Even if you don’t understand most of it, you will find yourself picking up words without even realizing it and get a feel for how the language and sounds are used. Watch television shows in Japanese and try to repeat what they say. You might feel stupid, but trust me, it will work. Just note that not everything said might be helpful – learning most of your vocabulary from Pokemon will not be very useful in real life…

Find a speaking partner:

Practicing with a friend is not only more fun than reading textbooks, but will increase your confidence and fluency.

There are tons of Japanese social networking sites, like ambelo.jp and mixi.jp that will allow you to practice with native speakers.

Go on an exchange:

If you are brave enough. exchanges are a great way to learn another languages. Not only is it a great experience and a chance to visit and exp lore an exc i t ing new country and culture, but it’s also the best way to learn the language. Programs like JET offer a range of placements and opportunities from all over Japan.

Most importantly, practice makes perfect! As with any language, it’s only as hard as you make it. As long as you’re determined and creative with your studying, you will be speaking Japanese like a local in no time.

Hello – こんにちは

(konnichiwa)

How are you? - お元

気ですか？

（o-genki desu ka?)

Nice to meet you-　

はじめまして

（Hajimemashite)

Thank you -　ありがとう

(Arigatou)

Excuse me/Sorry -　すみません

(Sumimasen)

I’m English –私はイ

ギリス人です (watashi wa

igirisu-jin desu)

My hovercraft is full of eels – 私のホバー

クラフトは鰻でいっぱいです　

(Watashi no hoba-kurafuto wa unagi de

ippai desu)