Steve's sandbox

Author: Steve Evans

  • Cosmo de Bono: April in Taiwan

    Visiting a Daosit Shrine at the Lotus Pond

    台灣四月

    自上次月度報告以來發生了很多事情，包括一場地震，但是我還是選擇在本報告中重點介紹我周末的高雄之行。像往常一樣，我附上了一些照片，希望它們能讓你們對我去過的地方有一些了解。我會在下一篇報告中討論地震問題！
    這個月我決定了去一趟高雄，因為我還沒去過。高雄是台灣南部最大的城市，以其美麗的建築很有名。這是我期待已久去的地方，所以終於可以去了。幸運的是，從台北到高雄乘坐高鐵只需要大約 2.5 個小時，所以我在周五上午上完課後就離開了台北，下午就到了高雄。我在那裡住了兩個晚上，週日晚上返回台北。
    高雄給人的感覺就像一個更小、更輕鬆的台北。那裡仍然有地鐵，但比台北的地鐵小很多。那裡的老人說話的台灣口音也比台北重，但是要聽懂他們在說什麼不太難。
    週五下午，我來到了高雄的蓮花池。這是一個位於城市中央的大型人工湖，周圍有許多寺廟和佛塔。我使用免費的公共自行車環湖騎行，然後在主要的寺廟和神社停留。美麗的建築和平靜的湖面對面輝映，使這裡成為我在台灣迄今為止最喜歡的地方之一。
    在參觀一座道教神廟時，一位名叫馬克（英文名茲）的當地年輕人向我走來，解釋說他是業餘導遊，很願意免費帶我參觀！馬克帶我參觀了神廟，並教我如何利用神廟來算命。他還幫我翻譯寺廟裡的文字和雕刻，練習我的古代漢語。這樣的小經驗讓我在台灣度過了美好的時光。
    第二天，我參觀了高雄郊外的佛光山寺。這是一座巨大的佛教寺院，也是世界上最大的寺院之一。寺院中央還有一尊巨大的金色佛像。我花了一整天的時間參觀了整個寺院和遊客中心，但這是值得的。
    總而言之，我在高雄度過了一段愉快的時光。如果有機會再來台灣，我還想在那裡多待一段時間。這裡平靜的氛圍和熱帶氣候是絕妙的組合。
    陳白宇

    April in Taiwan
    A lot has happened since my last monthly report, including an earthquake, but I have chosen to focus this report on my weekend trip to Kaohsiung. As always, I have attached some photos, so I hope that they give you a sense of the places that I’ve been visiting. I will discuss the earthquake properly in my next report!
    This month I decided to make a trip to Kaohsiung as I still hadn’t been yet. Kaohsiung is the largest city in the south of Taiwan and is famous for its beautiful architecture. It was somewhere I had wanted to visit for a long time, so it was lovely to finally go. Luckily it only takes about 2.5 hours on the high-speed rail to get from Taipei to Kaohsiung, so I left Taipei after my Friday morning classes and was in Kaohsiung by mid-afternoon. I stayed there for two nights and returned to Taipei on Sunday evening.


    Kaohsiung feels like a smaller and more relaxed version of Taipei. There is still a metro but it’s a lot smaller than the one in Taipei. Older people there also speak with stronger Taiwanese accents than in Taipei, but it wasn’t too difficult to understand what they were saying.
    I spent Friday afternoon visiting the Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung. This is a large man-made lake in the middle of the city, and it is surrounded by numerous temples and pagodas. I used the free public bikes to cycle around the lake and would then stop at the main temples and shrines. The combination of the beautiful buildings and the calm lake made this one of my favourite places I’ve been to so far in Taiwan.
    When visiting one Daoist shrine, a young local man – called Mark (English name) – approached me and explained that he was an amateur tour guide and would love to give me a free tour! Mark showed me around the temple and taught me how to use the shrine for fortune-telling. He also helped me practice my classical Chinese by translating the writing and engravings in the temple. Small experiences like this are what make my time in Taiwan great.
    The next day I visited the Fo Guang Shan monastery outside of Kaohsiung. This is an enormous Buddhist monastery and is one of the largest monasteries in the world. There is also a giant golden statue of Buddha in the middle of the site. It took me a whole day to visit the entire monastery and visitor centre, but it was worth it.
    Overall, I had a lovely time in Kaohsiung. If I ever come back to Taiwan, then I would love to spend more time there. Its calm atmosphere and tropical climate are a wonderful combination.
    Cosmo

  • Maisie Palmer: La vie en France: les reformes de Gabriel Attal – March 2024

    Ce mercredi pendant mes cours économiques, nous avons arrêté la leçon pour regarder le premier ministre de la France, Gabriel Attal, parler de son plan pour réduire le budget du système de sécurité sociale français. C’est un temps intéressant pour les politiques en France. Avec les jeux olympiques à l’horizon, tous les yeux sont sur le gouvernement français en particulier comment il va dépenser le budget et les changements à la vie publique qui suivront. 

    Le parole d’Attal a été reçue par les Français avec un mélange de soutien et de mécontentement. Les gens de gauche pensent qu’ il va mettre les plus vulnérables de la société dans une position difficile. Alors que les gens du droit pensent qu’il est une étape nécessaire pour un avenir plus durable. Autour du monde, la France est connue pour son impôt plus haut et ses services sociaux expansifs. Mais quelle est la prochaine étape pour le régime de la France si ces changements vont passer? Nous attendons et nous verrons.

    This Wednesday during my economics course, we stopped the lesson to watch the Prime Minister of France, Gabriel Attal, speak about his plan to reduce the budget of the French social security system. It is an interesting time for politics in France. With the olympic games on the horizon, all eyes are on the French government in particular how they are going to spend the budget and the changes to public life that will follow. 

    The announcements about changes to social security have arrived after a report by the International Monetary Fund launched in January 2023. It advised that France needs to concentrate on improving its spending through a total reform of the system. The important contest is that France has the highest spending within the European Union and its spending grew more between the years 2020 and 2023 due to the governmental response to Covid-19.  For their recommendations, the IMF suggested that the reforms need to reduce the size of public spending in social protection, education, health and the civil service. 

    Attal’s speech has been received by the French with a mix of support and discontent. The people of the left think that it’s going to put the most vulnerable in society in a more difficult position. Whereas the people of the right think that it is a necessary step for a more sustainable future. Around the world, France is known for its high tax and its expansive social services. But what is the next step for the French regime if these changes come to pass? We will wait and see.



  • Louis Bazalgette: Montagnes/Mountains – March 2024

    Ça commença à Paris. Gare de Lyon. On a pris le train à 10h40 pour Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Un train immense, je crois qu’il y avait 18 voitures et, comme d’habitude en France, les voitures avec deux étages. Donc une immense montant des gens qui montent ensemble dans la montagne. Ce train énorme, avec ses 18 voitures, qui a traversé à 300km/h les paysages du campagne français, est finalement arrivé dans les voies de la montagne, où il a dû fortement ralentir. On est passé dans les petits villages qui ont eu presque la même longueur comme celle du train.

    Finalement arrivé dans la gare du Bourg-Saint-Maurice, il y avait Juliette, une amie à moi, qui a attendu avec sa voiture. On est monté et on a fait la partie finale du trajet, les routes montagneuses. La famille de Juliette a un appartement directement au milieu du Val d’Isère, et elle m’a offert d’y venir pour faire du ski. Quelle chance ! Pourtant, sauf les montagnes et la neige, on pourrait penser qu’on est en Angleterre là – la langage qu’on entende ici la plupart du temps c’est l’anglais. Heureusement qu’avec Juliette on parle en français et j’ai bien fait de fermer ma bouche quand j’entends l’anglais dans les télésièges !

    C’est un phénomène bizarre, ça, je trouve. Mais presque toujours quand on est à l’étrangère, on ne veut pas entendre ou être parmi des anglais. Je crois que c’est le même chose pour les allemands quand ils sont à l’étrangère aussi… mais ça arrive d’où ? Pourquoi veut-on pas voir, entendre, ou parler à nos concitoyens ? Je fais partie de ces gens-là, bien sûr…

    Mais bon, il y a de la neige, et on profite bien de ces jours spéciaux dans cet endroit si incroyable.

    It started in Paris. Gare de Lyon. We took the 10:40 train for Bourg-Saint-Maurice. A huge train, I think there were 18 carriages and, as usual in France, the carriages are double-deckers. So there was a huge number of people heading up into the mountains together. This huge, 18-carriage train, which passed through the French countryside at 300km/h, finally arrived on the mountain train-tracks where it had to slow down a lot. It passed through small villages that were almost the same length as the train.

    Once we eventually arrived at the Bourg-Saint-Maurice station, Juliette, a friend of mine, was waiting with her car. We embarked on the final part of the journey together, the mountain roads. Juliette’s family has an apartment right in the middle of Val d’Isère and she invited me to come to stay. What luck! Though – apart from the mountains and the snow – one might think this was England, for English is the language you hear most here. Fortunately, Juliette and I speak to one another in French and I do well to keep my mouth shut when I hear people talking in English on the gondolas. It’s a strange phenomenon, I think. But whenever I’m abroad, I don’t want to hear anyone speaking English or be around English people. I think the Germans feel the same when they’re abroad… But why? Why don’t we want to see, hear, or speak with our fellow countrymen? Of course, I am part of this group…

    Anyway, there’s a lot of snow and I’m making the most of these special days in this incredible place.

  • Khalida Choudhury, March 2024, Omani Hospitality

    Currently, I am preparing myself for my return to Britain. The experience in Oman is nearly coming to an end. I have made lots of friends and memories.

    I have been thinking about what I learnt during my trip. Firstly, the trip reminded me that people are kind. And secondly to trust that everything will work out.

    I want to dedicate this report to the people I met during my time in Oman. The people of Oman are known for their hospitality to their guests and I saw this. In the Sultanate of Oman there are different nationalities from around the world as well as Omanis. During my visit, my colleague from Germany invited me to stay with her and her parents before the start of my course.
    On another occasion, I contacted a taxi driver late at night about a visit to Jebel Akhdar. He was busy so he called his cousin. In the morning his cousin came to take me and my colleagues to Jebel Akhdar.
    Another time, while I was walking in Birkat Al Mouz an Omani lady invited me to her house. And in Manah, the location of the language centre, a local girl invited me to drink coffee and have dates with her and her family.

    All the people I met in Oman spent time talking to me in Arabic.
    It reminded me of the difference between London and Oman in receiving guests. One thing I learnt from the trip is to be hospitable like the people of Oman. I will smile at strangers and invite my neighbours to my house.

    عم حضر نفسي للرجع الى بريطانيا. التجربة انتهيت تقريبا في عمان. عملت الاصدقاء الجدود و الذكريات كثيرة.

    كنت تفكير ماذا درست خلال الزيارة. الاول الزيارة تذكرتني الناس اللطيفين. و ثاني, ثقة كل شي سوف يعمل.

    أريد ان اهدى هذا التقرير للناس التقيت بهم خلال وقتي في عمان.
    اهل عمان معرفون بضيافة الضيوف و رأيت هذا.

    في سلطنة عمان يعيش جنسيات مختلفة من العالم مع اهل عمان.
    في عمان زميلتي من المانيا دعتني للعيش معها ومع والديها قبل بداية دورتي.
    في مناسبة واحدة, اتصلت في الليل بسائق التاكسي لكى يأخذني الى جبل الاخضر، لكن كان مشغول فأتصل بابن عمه لكي يأخذني الى الجبل الاخضر. وفي الصباح ابن عمه أخذني وزملائي الى الجبل الاخضر.

    وقت أخرى دعتني امرأة عمانية الى بيتها لما كنت امشى في بركة الموز.
    وفي منح, موقى المعهد ،كانت دعتني من بنت العماني لشرب القهوة واتناول التمر مع عائلتها.

    كل الناس في عمان يعطوني من وقتهم للتكلم معهم باللغة العربية.
    . تذكرت كيف الفرق بين الحياة من عمان ولندن في ضيافة واستقبال الناس
    الشيء الذى تعلمته من الزيارة الى سلطنة عمان ان اكون مضيافة, مثل اهل عمان. وان أبتسم دائما الى الأغراب ودعوة جارى الى بيتي.

  • Lucas Surgeon: Le printemps arrive à grands pas – March 2024

    Le printemps arrive à grands pas et mon séjour à Bruxelles touche à sa fin. J’ai encore été très occupée au travail, à gérer un tourbillon de réunions, d’événements du calendrier Outlook et de courriels, mais j’ai tout de même beaucoup profité de mon séjour ici.

    Le mois prochain, je déménagerai à Berlin, où je terminerai mon master et où je travaillerai comme assistante de recherche dans un think tank (que mon expérience à Bruxelles m’a aidée à obtenir !). Les langues de travail de ce poste seront l’anglais, l’allemand et le français, et mon approfondissement du français ici à Bruxelles a donc été très utile, étant donné que ce poste signifie que je travaillerai sur les affaires institutionnelles de l’UE et que je construirai une série de dialogues sur la coopération internationale en utilisant les trois langues.

    Le temps que j’ai passé à Bruxelles à vivre avec des Français m’a aidé à atteindre un niveau de maîtrise plus élevé. Dans le cadre de la série de dialogues, il sera vraiment avantageux pour moi de pouvoir passer aisément d’une langue à l’autre, ce qui facilitera le travail avec les collègues français de nos organisations sœurs à Bruxelles et à Paris.

    Au cours de mon dernier mois, je continuerai à rechercher des techniques linguistiques uniques, en lisant de la littérature dans la langue et en examinant des points de grammaire plus obscurs, alors que je suis toujours totalement immergée dans un monde de langue française.

    Au mois prochain !

    Lucas Surgeon

    Spring is just around the corner, and it is nearly the end of my time in Brussels. I’ve still been very busy at work, dealing with a whirlwind of meetings, Outlook calendar events, and emails, but I have still been thoroughly enjoying my time here.

    Next month I will be moving to Berlin, completing my master’s degree and working as a Research Assistant in a think tank (which my time in Brussels has helped me secure!). The working languages of the position will be English, German, and French, and my development of French here in Brussels has therefore been really helpful, given that the position means I will be working on EU institutional affairs and constructing a dialogue series on international cooperation utilising all three languages.

    The time I have spent in Brussels living with French people has helped me obtain a higher level of fluency. In the dialogue series it will be really advantageous for my role to be able to comfortably switch between the two languages, making work with French colleagues in our sister organisations in Brussels and Paris all the more straightforward.

    In my final month I will continue to seek out more unique language techniques, reading some literature in the language and looking at more obscure grammar points whilst I’m still fully immersed in a French-language world.

    Till next month!

    Lucas

  • New Scholarship opportunity for wool/textile industry language student

    An opportunity has arisen for the John Speak Language Trust to offer a language Scholarship to one lucky student.  To apply for this scholarship you must be studying textiles/fashion design with direct connections to the UK wool industry.

    1. Are you/do you employ/do you teach a British-born citizen currently learning another language who has aspirations for a career in the wool industry?
    1. Would you/your colleague like the opportunity to study abroad?
    1. Have a desire to work in the export wool trade or related service industry?

    If the answer is “yes” to all the above questions, please read on……

     

    The Trust

    The Trust, which has been in existence since 1924, was created to assist students to improve their language skills and to further the UK export trade.

    For the past 85 years, thanks to the fund, successful students have travelled all over the world to study (and/or work) and learn the language and culture of our trading partners.

     

    The History of the Award

    In 1924 Bradford Chamber of Commerce and Industry received an anonymous donation to be used to provide scholarships abroad for suitable students. Many years later the donor was identified as Mr. John Speak, a well-known figure in the Bradford textile industry. Following his death the Fund was renamed The John Speak Foreign Languages Scholarship Trust Fund.

    Over the years scholarships have been awarded, many to students from UK Universities who have studied abroad and returned to take their place in the export markets of the UK.

    The Trust has funded many scholarships with students based in places like Argentina, Spain, Italy, Japan, China and France, benefiting from an average award of £1,870 each. Scholarships last between three and 12 months.

    Applicants for scholarships are interviewed by the Committee (most of who are past recipients of the scholarship and work in the Yorkshire area within export related industries).  All are fluent in at least one language and enthusiastically continue to carry on the work of the Trust in accordance with the wishes set out by John Speak in the original Trust Deed.

    The Fund also has a Financial Committee, experienced in the Financial Sector and who meet bi-annually to review investments and ensure the continuance of the work of the Trustees.

     

    The Scholarship

    The scholarships are awarded following a satisfactory interview with the committee of The John Speak Trust and interviews will be held at Bradford Chamber of Commerce or via Skype.  The period of the scholarship can be anything between three months and a full academic year.  The grants are usually sufficient to cover reasonable living expenses and in some circumstances, an amount towards the cost of travel.

    Application Criteria

    • Natural-born British Citizen
    • Over 18 years of age
    • Have a basic knowledge of a foreign language (Minimum GCSE / A level)
    • Have a desire to work in the export wool/textile trade or related service industry
    • Would like to spend time abroad, studying the language, learning the customs and gaining valuable experience to help with your chosen career connected to the wool industry.
    • To keep in contact with the Foundation during time abroad by sending monthly reports (written in your chosen language and English) detailing your activities and achievements
    • To obtain suitable employment whilst abroad (within the wool/textile trade) and to find accommodation within the local community rather than with other English speakers.
    • Submit a monthly report of not less than 250 words to the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

    Successful candidates would receive:-

    • A financial Award ranging from £500 up to £2,000 towards living expenses
    • An opportunity to improve language skills and learn new customs
    • Experience living abroad whilst studying a foreign language
    • Gain valuable experience to assist in a career within the wool/textiles industry
    • An individually assessed application by the John Speak Trust Committee

     

    Enquiries to

    Debra Patchett – Trust Administrator

    West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry

    Devere House

    Vicar Lane

    Little Germany

    Bradford,  BD1 5AH

    E-Mail:            john.speak@wnychamber.co.uk

    Website:          chamber-design.co.uk/

    X (was Twitter):            @johnspeaktrust

    If you fit the above criteria and wish to apply, please complete an application form

    If you have any questions, please contact us 

  • Joshua Winfield: Spring break – March 2024

    Ce mois a commencé par la Nuit Blanche à Mont Bromont. Dans le fond, il s’agit d’une nuit de ski normale, mais la montagne est ouverte jusqu’à 1 heure du matin ! Je suis allé avec mes ami.e.s et malgré une journée fatigante à l’école, on réussissait d’y rester jusqu’à minuit ! C’était une expérience incroyable de skier non seulement pendant la nuit, mais aussi de voir le coucher de soleil pendant que je descendais la montagne.

    La Nuit Blanche à Bromont

    C’était aussi le mois de la semaine de lecture de ce trimestre, qui voulait dire que j’avais toute une semaine pour faire des activités qui restaient sur ma liste de « à faire ». Mon temps ici au Canada s’avance rapidement, donc je voulais en profiter du temps libre. Pour commencer la semaine, je suis allé à Sherbrooke pour rester avec un ami québécois, qui me faisait le tour de la ville. On est allés manger la « Poutine dessert » qui est une poutine, mais fait avec du gâteau, sauce chocolat et guimauves (pour remplacer le fromage). On est aussi allé se promener sur un lac gelé près de Sherbrooke, le Petit-Lac-Magog. Qu’une expérience inoubliable ! Marcher sur un lac et regarder les personnes qui pêchaient était vraiment magique.

    Pour finir ma semaine de relâche, j’assistais aux célébrations de la Nuit Blanche à Montréal. La Nuit Blanche a lieu chaque année, et compose de plusieurs activités gratuites pour tout le monde. Il y avait beaucoup à faire, donc on avait besoin de choisir et moi j’ai choisi d’aller faire une visite guidée du studio Radio-Canada à Montréal avant d’aller à une exposition typographique à l’autre université à Montréal (UQAM). J’aimais trop toutes les activités, spécialement la visite à Radio-Canada qui était vraiment intéressante.

    This month began with the Nuit Blanche at Mont Bromont. Basically, it’s a normal ski night, but the mountain is open until 1am! I went with my friends, and despite a tiring day at school, we managed to stay up until midnight! It was an incredible experience to ski not only at night, but also to watch the sunset as I went down the mountain.

    Moi sur un lac gelé

    It was also the reading week this term, which meant I had a whole week to do activities that were still on my ‘to do’ list. My time here in Canada is flying by, so I wanted to make the most of my free time. To start the week, I went to Sherbrooke to stay with a friend, who gave me a tour of the city. We went for a ‘Poutine dessert’, which is like poutine, but made with cake, chocolate sauce and marshmallows (to replace the cheese). We also went for a walk on a frozen lake near Sherbrooke, the Petit-Lac-Magog. What an unforgettable experience! Walking on a lake and watching people fishing was truly magical.

    To finish off my spring break, I attended the Nuit Blanche celebrations in Montreal. Nuit Blanche takes place every year, and consists of lots of free activities for everyone. There was a lot to do, so I had needed to choose, and I chose to go on a guided tour of the Radio-Canada studio in Montreal before going to a typography exhibition at the other university in Montreal (UQAM). I loved all the activities, especially the visit to Radio-Canada, which was really interesting.

    Ma visite à Radio-Canada pendant la Nuit Blanche

  • Case Study: Lucas Evans – Lyon, France 2023-2024

    Lyon by night, the banks of the Saône

    I moved to Lyon in late August 2023 and spent the next six months exploring this wonderful city and all that it has to offer. Before arriving in France my level of French was adequate having studied the language since primary school up to university level, however living and studying in a foreign language is a completely different feat to navigating a foreign country as a tourist. Moving abroad was a long time coming for me: I had spent the odd week or two in France on holiday or staying with family friends however I had a real hunger for spending a significant period of time in the country to practice the language.

    I felt that I had done all I could in the classroom and now was the time to give it a go in the real world.

    I was quite apprehensive about studying at a French university as academic language can be difficult to get my head around in my mother tongue let alone in a foreign language! However, after a few weeks, I settled into the style of teaching and really started to enjoy my classes particularly those on French medieval Kings and the history of the French language. Once the language became easier to understand, the only remaining challenge were the 8am starts, a very foreign concept to a British undergraduate student!

    Views of Vieux Lyon
    My evening view

    Living with a French host family was essential to my improvement in the language. Even when you’ve just woken up in the morning or after a long day you are forced to communicate. You learn so much quicker when you are surrounded by the language, even if it just listening to other people’s conversations or the TV on in the background. You hear a word and you think, I like that, I’m going to write that down and use it. It was nice to live in a family environment particularly when you have just arrived in a new country.

    It was fitting that with the support of the John Speak Trust, I was able to live in the neighbourhood of the Croix Rousse, the centre of the French silk industry in the 18th and 19th centuries!

    Over my six months in Lyon, I tried to involve myself in as many activities as I could to truly integrate myself in the city. This involved joining the university football and table tennis clubs, and volunteering at a local music venue (as I wrote about in my January monthly report). I even bought myself a pétanque set to play with friends on autumn evenings in the many squares around the city. Pétanque is played by people of all ages around Lyon whatever the weather however I decided to stop in late November when gloves started to be required!

    Rugby World Cup at the Pétanque Club!

    One of my favourite moments in Lyon was in September at the start of the Rugby World Cup in September. Fred, my host in Lyon, invited me to watch the opening match of the tournament at his local pétanque club. Watching the match in a stuffy little clubhouse amongst some rather drunk French men was the best way to experience France beating New Zealand. In a way that sporting tournaments often do, the country was united for that brief moment until it all came crashing down against South Africa later in the month. I was also lucky enough to be in Lyon for the Fête des Lumières in December, the festival of light which attracts millions of people to the city each year.

    Thanks to the support of the John Speak Trust, I was able to take full advantage of my time in Lyon. The scholarship helped to ease the financial burden of moving to a new country, without which I would not have been able to make the most of my stay.

    I completely support the trust’s encouragement to reside in accommodation with native speakers as this was crucial to my improvement in the French language. I highly encourage other students to apply for this scholarship as it will enable you to truly profit from your time spent abroad.

  • Khalida Choudhury, February 2024 – Oman and its long trading history

    The port city of Sur

    Oman and its long trading history I visited Sur a few weeks ago. Sur is a port city in the east of Oman. It was selected as the capital of Arab tourism in 2024. Sur is definitely my favourite place in Oman. It is a seaside town, with a fresh breeze and a local atmosphere. Omanis sit on Persian rugs on the beach having picnics. I took a boat with my classmates at sunset and enjoyed the sea breeze and historic views. For dinner, I sat with my classmates on a mat and ate pizza, Omani style. The sea breeze became chilly and I suddenly understood why Omani’s called the season winter. The port city of Sur has a long trading history. I visited the “Fatah-al-khair centre” with a monument of the oldest ship from the region. Sur was known for ship building and ships travelled from the port of Sur to Africa and India to trade in spices, dates and margarine. The ship Fatah Al Khair first travelled to Basra. Then it travelled to ports in East Africa such as Zanzibar, Djibouti, Mogadishu, Mombasa, Pemba and Malawi. In the Indian subcontinent it travelled to places such as Goa, Bombay, Sri Lanka and Karachi. On display at the centre were the best known ships in the Arabian Gulf, and the types of wood used to build different components of the ship. A highlight of the tour was listening to the traditional Arabic song sung by sailors. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit

    . زرت صور قبل أسبوعين. مدينة صور تقع في محافظة جنوب الشرقية في عمان. تعتبر والية صور ميناء في شرق عمان. اختيارت والية صور عاصمة للسياحة العربية في ٢٠٢٤. والية صور افضل مكان في عمان. صور مدينة البحر سحلية مع الهواء البيئة و المحلي. العمانيون يجلسون على السجاد عل الشاطئ و للنزهة. ركبت القارب مع زماالء خالل غروب الشمس. استمتعت الهواء من البحر و المنظر التاريخية. للعشاء جلست مع زمالءي على السجادة وتناولنا بيتسا, مثال عمانيون. الهوا صبح بريد و فهمت فجاة لماذا عمانيون . .اسم الموسم فصل الشتاء الميناء في صور عندها تجارة تاريخية منذ الزمان. ذهبت الى مركز فتح الخير مع المعالم عن السفن قديمة من تلك الوالية. اشتهري صور بصناعة السفن واسفر من الميناء الى افريقيا و الهند التجارية البهارات، التمر و السمن. السفينة فتح الخير سافرت أول مراة الى البصرة و من ثم سافرت الى الموانئ في شرق افريقيا منها زنزيبا وجيبوتي و موكاديشو .مومباسا وفيمبا و ماالوي. و أما في الهند منها: كوا، بومباي، سري النكا و كاراجي تقدمون في المركز مشهور سفون في خليج العرب و نوع الخشب للمصنع السفينة. األبرز ما في زيارة كانت أستمع األغنية غني ببحار. استمتعت الزيارة كثيرة.

  • Lucas Surgeon: February 2024 – Neige à Bruxelles

    Depuis ma dernière lettre, j’ai été très occupée par mon travail, mais j’ai eu une agréable surprise le mois dernier. Pendant la période de grand froid que nous avons connu ici à Bruxelles (la température ressentie est descendue jusqu’à -12 !), je me suis réveillée un matin et j’ai vu que toute la ville était recouverte d’une couche de neige.

    L’humeur de tout le monde s’est immédiatement améliorée ! Une pause bienvenue dans l’hiver bruxellois parfois morose et mélancolique. J’ai essayé de profiter du temps et j’ai fait une longue promenade à Flagey, le long des Etangs, devant l’abbaye et finalement au Bois de la Cambre (photos ajoutées !). J’ai eu l’impression que tout le monde était dehors et profitait de la neige. Beaucoup de gens faisaient de la luge et il y avait des batailles de boules de neige partout.

    Alors qu’il ne reste plus qu’un mois d’hiver, c’était une pause agréable dans une période où nous attendons tous que les températures remontent et que Bruxelles fleurisse !

    Since I have last written I have been very busy with work, but I have had quite a pleasant surprise last month. During the time that we had very cold weather here in Brussels (for the “feels-like” temperature it went down to -12!), I woke up one morning to see that the entire city was covered in a blanket of snow.

    There was a clear and immediate lift in mood for everyone! A welcome break from the sometimes gloomy and melancholic Brussels winter. I tried to take advantage of the weather and took a long walk through Flagey, by the Etangs, past the abbey and finally at the Bois de la Cambre (adding pictures!). It felt like the whole city was out and enjoying the snow. Many people were sledding and there were snowball fights everywhere.

    With only one more month left of winter, this was a pleasant break in a period that we’re all waiting for the temperature to rise and to see Brussels in bloom!