5 USEFUL TOOLS TO PRACTICE LISTENING AND LEARN ENGLISH

If you are looking for ways to imporve english we pick some of the tool that may help you on it.

EngVid is a website that count with team with great teachers who give quite useful tips in english. The way they teach is simple and easy to understand, also you can learn a bunch of interesting information as culture, slangs and so on. So, if you really want to learn english on a good way go check it out. Or you can also find their channel on Youtube. www.engvid.com

This is a podcast avaliable on Spotly and really interesting for those who want to learn english, practice your listeniing, improve your vocabulary and learn on different way. Georgiana, the found of and hoste of the podcast, teach english on differents way, the teacher has a technic where she make a question and answer leasson and introducing the leason on a different point of views. Those two techinics help a lot to remmeber vocabulary and learn gramar on a easy way. Go check it out: www.speakenglishpod.com

Problably everyone already know Netflix, but it can be more useful than just to entertain yourself, you can use it to leran and practice your english. The only thing you need to do it to pick you favorite one and start watching it with english subtitiles then whhen you fell more confortable you start to learn it without, with the time you will realise you are waching to it naturally.

Another easy way to practice your speanking and learn english is watching native english native Youtube vídeos. On this way you are not just to learn english, you will also learn the real english spoken on that place, with slangs and idioms. Some vídeos count with subtitles if you are not that used with english yet. So, find your Youtube vídeo and go improve it.

This website count with a bunch of free english audios where you can listening and read the transciption. That is also a great leasson, once most of the leasson has interesting stories. deepenglish.com

A good way to keep practing and increasing your vocabulatry is listening to our favorites songs. Once you undertand the lyricas you will Always remmember its mening of words and how to use, and everytime ou listening or see that word again you will get it faster.

HOW IS CHRISTIMAS CELEBRATED AROUND THE WORLD: SOME INTERESTING TRADITIONS.

Chirstimas is such a special day, where people gather their Family, eat traditional chirstimas foods and spread the Christmas spirit. But did you know that Christimas is not celebrated on the same date in every country? This time we are going to discuss about some of the most interesting tradtions and costoms on this magic time of the year.

CATHOLIC CHRISTIMAS X ORTHODOX CHRISTMA

Catholics and Orthodox Christians has differents date to celebrate Christmas. It all start due the calendar, while Orthodox use the Julian calendar the Catholic follow the Gregorian calendar. Gregorian Calendar is the international one used nowdays, and replaced the Julian in 1752, but some churchs and countries still follow the old calendar what make Christimas have diffents dates. For Catholic Christimas is celebrated in 25 december, while to Orthodox it’s celebrated on 7 january. In spite of the different date some traditions are still similar. Russia, Ukraine and Belarus are some countries that celebrate Christimas in 7 January.

IT’S CHRISTIMAS EVE, HIDE YOUR BROOMS (NORWAY)

On Norway some people hide their brooms on this date. This tradition came from old time when people believed that evil spirits and witches could show out looking for brooms and ride on it on Christimas Eve. It is a interesting custom from this country.

 FOLKLORE AND CHRISTIMAS !?  (ICELAND)

During the Christmas seasson it is not just the Sant Claus who appear on Iceland. According wht the Iceland Folklore, On the icelandic montains live the Grýlal, a ogress that has a Christmas cat and 13 sons. Every Christmas, Grýla and her sons leave the monatins looking for naughty children and mischief. On this period, Children on Iceland usually place a shoe in their bedrom’s windown during 13 days. Each day a Yuletide land will vist them and fill the show with smalls gidts or rotting potatoes, depeding on how the child has behaved. That could be think as a scary tradition, but if you had a good behave you will not face any problem, and still recive some gifts.

STOP SETTING FIRE ON THE GALVE GOAT! (SWEEDEN)

 In the city of Galve, during the Christimas, is build a giant goat made from lorryload of straw with 13 meters, its skeleton is made with 1,200 mettes of Swedish pine and it take around 1 thousand hours od labour to build him. It is popular and well-known goat that have fans all over the world. This Sweedish Christams symbol started in 1966 with the main goal is to attract customers to restaurantes and shops in the southem part of the city. No doubt that it is a nice tradition and Christmas symbol, but it seems that no everyone like him. Every Christmas people, for some reason, try to burn the goat out. You can see some vídeos and image of it. So, stop to setting fire on him and let it survive the Christmas.

DO YOU KNOW ANY OTHER INTERESTING CHRISTIMAS TRADITIONS?

If you know any other Christimas traditon and facts from your contry let we know. Dont forget to follow us on instagram @friendsfr

SOME INTERESTING PLACES IN JAKARTA

Heiho!!!

Hi guys!!! What’s up!!!!

Are you ready for the next article? Because today, I would like to bring you to  the delight places in Jakarta, Indonesia. I know that some of you must be feel bored if I always give you only the formal information, don’t you??? :D

Okay, in this article I would like to inform you 10 interesting thing about Jakarta as I promise before, I would to tell you about the interesting places the capital city of Indonesia, the place that I have been lived for 25 years LOL. Oh my Lord, I just realized how old I am hahaha. Well, let’s check this out, what are the 10 interesting places in Jakarta, chop-chop…

1. Glodok (China Town in Jakarta)

Maybe, you never found this Glodok as one of the recommendation for you to be visited, so here I am introduce to you my china town in Jakarta. In here, You can find a lot of Chinese’s souvenir in here, Chinese food, cheap clothes, street food, etc.

Another interesting thing in Glodok , you can find the oldest temple in Jakarta, it is called “Cin te Yen” in Chinese language which is I don't know the Indonesia name LOL . There are always have a lot of people when the date of Chinese new year is coming. Usually, the Chinese descent who live in Jakarta come here and pray for blessing, asking for their future from their GOD by their tradition (kinda fortune teller).

It’s sound interesting actually, no matter you believe it or not, they still do their tradition, and I think that's cool, despite I don't believe it too, because they have their own way to ask about their future to their GOD, by shaking something like a bamboo thing, and waiting for the number that jump out from that bamboo, after the number has already jumped out, they are going to take a paper by that number and the paper is contain about the prediction of your luck or something like that.

And.....If you are lucky you can find “Barongsai Dance” there, It’s a kind of original Chinese dance, better you find it out on youtube, because it’s difficult to explain it here LOL.

One of the oldest tample in Glodok, usually looks crowded when the chinese new year.

Snacks Time, in here you can find a lot of kind of snacks, from the peanuts, crackers, candies, and so on. You can get a cheap price too, because it is priced by kilo grams per item. So if you guys wanna buy a lot of kind of snacks with the cheap price, you can buy it with a small kg LOL

Let's buy some chinese souvenir. As you can see on this picture 

2.  Batavia (one of the oldest museum in Jakarta)

This is the most popular museum in Jakarta, you can find the history of dutch colonial in here. Dutch building, and also there is Batavia Café in there, where you can find authentic Dutch style in with dutch vibes as well. The funny thing in here is, you can find a lot of tourists from morning until afternoon in here, but when the evening you can find a lot of local couples in here. Well,I can tell that, Batavia is not only look like museum recently, since my new governor, He made it looked like a park where people could spend their leisure time with their couple and something like that. So, do not be wonder if you found a lot of street food, or street seller in there J

This is an Indonesian Pos with Dutch Style, the oldest post office

This is Batavia Cafe where you can chill, drink, and chit-chat and also, enjoy the view on the second floor

Once of the Dutch History in here, you can find immigration office too here

Inside that museum you can find the history of Dutch Colonial

1.      3. Ancol and Dufan (beach and theme park in Jakarta)

Ancol and Dufan, one place but different vibes LOL. What are you going to find in here?

Beach view!!!!! yeahh, you can find a beach here and enjoy the nature of this earth,also you can find eco park, and sea world there. 

However if you need more fun, adrenaline games, young people place, Dufan is the best choice that you made in Jakarta. You can go buy the ticket and play all of the games there and I cannot tell what’s all of the games there obviously. Some of them are, roller coaster, Hysteria, Tornado, and Ice Ancol and Dufan (beach and theme park in Jakarta)

Welcome to DUFAN theme park in Jakarta

These are some games in DUFAN, and the dolls are the icon of DUFAN

This is ECHO PARK in ANCOL Area, you can play and rent bicycle in here, also walk and jogging in the morning. They made this Echo Park for you who love the greenery view.  

Here we go, Ancol beach. Well usually we Jakarta citizen use this beach for chilling, family vacation, and also for you are the love bird couple to enjoy the beach. And don't worry about your tummy, you can find a lot of restaurant in here such as fast food restaurant, chinese food, and of course the seafood restaurant.

If you visit in this road along the beach, you will find a lot of couple who are walking and holding their hand each other, mostly on staurday LOL. However, you also can enjoy the view too, because in here you will find a lot of the fisher boats.

Hi Sea World!!!!!!! here we are, you can find a giant aquarium in here. Also there is a diver who will feed the shark and the other fishes in this giant aquarium

Still in Sea World, in here you can step on the flat escalator which can bring you travel the aquarium above you. They are so cute, right?

1.       4.Monas (National Monument)

Here we go, one of genuine treasure of Jakarta, if you didn’t visit here you are not really come to Jakarta LOL. Why? Like my old article before, It is one of symbol of Jakarta City. Our first president was the one who always liked to visit here at that time, He said that the Monas building was so artistic under the moon in the night, so sweet yeah....... 

You also can find a huge park in there, you know what, when i was at my senior high school, my teacher usually brought us here to do some sport, like football, volley, and basketball. That was so fun could enjoy your time at outdoor with your fellas.

It also usually is used for some sport event, not only that you also can find a horse vehicle there. Oh, the other thing is, you can go inside the monas and find some history thing in there, especially you can find our first independent letter that made by our first President (Mr. Soekarno Hatta). Thennnnn, another good news is, they already have a food court in there, so you can get a rest after around the monas. So, since my latest governor Mr. Basuki Tjahya Purnama (we usually call him, Mr. Ahok), made some renovation for out Monumen National, become more tidy, more comfortable, and far far better than before.

Here we go, Monas, the Icon of Jakarta

This is the front side of Monas, you need some miles for walking and go inside to monas

You can find a little garden around the monas, and there is an enter door near there.

Look!!! around this area you can find "Delman" (the horse vehicle), and also there is a touring bus without window, so you can enjoy the view and save your energy to see around the monas :D

5. GBK (the largerst sport place in Jakarta)

Yup, here we are, welcome to GBK one of the biggest sport field in Jakarta. We often do a big event like national event, football competition, concert, and so on. If there is no event, we usually use it for jogging, the field is really huge, once you around the GBK area you are going feel really tired, trust me, unless you are a runner athletic LOL.

This is the inside of GBK, there is a huge field in there.

Look!!!! You can see there is an event in here. 

You can find a lot of people do the jogging in here. I also often do the jogging in here and some athlete do their training in here.

This is the view from above of GBK.

6. Istiqlal Mosque (one of the biggest mosque in Jakarta)

Well maybe some of you feel not interested to visit some religious place. So the reason I put this place on my article because it is one of the biggest mosque in Jakarta, the building is artistic enough, so maybe for you are muslim people you can come here, usually they having pray on every Friday.

1.      7. Tanah Abang / Brother Land (The grocery market)

Brother Land, LOL, sometimes when I heard my friend told me where are they wanna go, and the answered is Brother Land, I feel funny, it’s kinda your bother have a big land, like a big boss LOL.

Yup, it is a grocery market, the more quantity that you but, the cheaper price that you can get. If you ask me what’s the item there? I cannot tell you it all, some of them are accessories, t-shirt, pants, jeans, chinese products, etc. The interesting in here is, you can find a lot of guys who can lift a big stuffs on their shoulder from one shop to another shop. However you should be careful in here, because it’s pretty crowded, and of course there is a robbery there.

1.           

8    8. Muesum Bank Indonesia

In here, you can find the history of our money from the first released until the last one, it not too far from Museum Batavia. The museum is great enough, you can ask the guide in there to explain about the detail about the history in there.

BRAZILIAN FOLKLORE - The history of the SACI-PERERÊ

Are you planning travel to Brazil? I advise you to be careful with this young boy who likes to troll people in the Brazilian's florest. hey but don't need to be terrified, he just like to play. Just read whole article and you will understand what i'm talking about.

Saci-Pererê is a Young boy with black skin. He only has one leg, has a red cap, smokes a pipe and usually live in the forest. He uses his one leg for jumping or turn around fast until make a swirl. Saci characteristic came from the influence of the African who arrived in Brazil. Before that, he was represented as an indigenous boy with two legs, a tail and still with the red cap obviously. But now probably, you are wondering how the Saci-Pererê lost his leg???? According to the African, he lost his leg by playing Copeira, the martial brazillian art.

But why is Saci-Pererê Dangerous?

Actually we can not say that he is a dangerous boy because, he does not kill people the things, according with Brazilian folklore, Saci Pererê like to "troll" people, so he's a "JOKER", some things that he does are:

Hiding the people stuffs;

Create embarrassing things;

Scare animals also tie;

Break and drop things;

Get in a house and burn foods, when it's in the stove;

He likes to ride on horses also branding his hair;

He can show up and disappear very quick.

Saci- Pererê can be a good boy too

Some people think Saci-Pererê as a forest protector. He was known as a person who knows about the nature and the medicine that comes from such as the roots and herbs. 

So, if you see Saci-Pererê when you visit to Brazil do not be afraid of him. If you want to scare he away i'm going to give you some tips, so keep reading. First tip, take some rope or string and tie around your way. Another tip, He does not like river. So, if you go to run from him just cross the river then you will be safe. However, this last tip is for you to get rid of, and also keep him for you, so please take a pen and paper, write it down. You need a glass bottle and a sieve, after that you get all of this things, you need to approach and look for him, when you see the Saci-Pererè you have to take his cap out and trow the sieve up the swirl then grab him and put inside the glass bottle.

Actually Braszlians likes Saci-Pererè,he is one of the most famous character of our culture and also we have a special date to celebrate his day (October, 31) so don't be mean with him 😉.

That's our first article about the Brazilian folklore, if you liked it give us your comment.

See ya.