Zambian Festivals

LIKUMBI LYA MIZE (JULY)
This ceremony takes place at Mize, the official palace of Senior Chief Ndungu, about seven kilometres west of Zambezi Boma. People of the Luvale tribe gather to celebrate their cultural heritage, bringing displays of all types of handicrafts and spicing the event with traditional singing and dancing.

SHIMUNENGA (SEPT/OCTOBER)

Held on a weekend of the full moon this traditional ceremony, held by the Ba-lla tribe at Maala on the Kafue Flats, express the people’s devotion to their divine ancestors.

Zambian Cuisine

Zambian sightseeing

Victoria Falls

Victoria  Falls Bridge

Mitanga Hill

The people of Zambia

It is said that Zambians are for the most part, very friendly people. There is no predominant ethnic culture, however, Zambians are quickly becoming westernized. There is an attempt to maintain culture with the revival of traditional ceremonies and practices throughout the country.

Clothes:
Zambia has mild winters while Summer days can get quite hot. Lightweight clothing may be worn all year round, however women for the most part, may remain dressed conservatively.





Gender Roles:
Both men and women in Zambia work hard for survival. Traditionally, women had the role of housekeeping and raising children, however, as times change women work in offices, in retail and even hold military positions. Men can work practically anywhere, and usually hold most of the power.



Education:
After primary school, some Zambians proceed to secondary school however since fees are very high some children are unable to attend. After secondary school, students have limited options for furthering their education. There are many trade colleges specializing in technical programs, such as machinery, plumbing, construction, and sewing.  There also are teaching colleges that supply professionals for the Zambian school system. There are two universities: the University of Zambia in Lusaka, which specializes in liberal arts degrees, including law and business, and the Copperbelt University, in Kitwe, which offers degrees in technical subjects, such as mining, engineering, and architecture.

Fifth Destination:Zambia

Zambia is a country in Southern Africa, east of Angola. Zambia has over 73 tribes, with a population of about 10 million.

Religion in Thailand

Thailand is one of the only places in the world where Buddhism is the main religion. About 94.6% of Thais are Buddhist of the Theravada tradition. The rest of the population of Thai range from Catholic to Hindu. Statues of Buddha were built in various places in Thailand, displaying its devotion to the religion.

Thai sports

Sports activities are a popular form of entertainment in Thailand and are enjoyed by all age groups.

Kraabi Krabong 
This traditional Thai martial art focuses on hand-held weapons techniques in conjunction with Thai boxing techniques. Displays can be seen at festivals and tourist venues.

Sepak Takraw 

Another sport indigenous to Thailand is Sepak Takraw, a different form of volleyball played with the feet and a light ball. There are several versions of the game with different rules. In the south of Thailand the game is played with a net. Only the feet and head are permitted to touch the ball.

Traditional Thai Music and Dance

The music of Thailand reflects its geographic position at the intersection of China and India, and reflects trade routes that have included Africa, Greece and Rome. The musical instruments used in Thai music are very diverse and reflect ancient influence greatly. The two post popular forms of traditional Thai music are luk thung and mor lam.

Instruments:












http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InftPD_ah-c

Thailand Cuisine

Exploring Thailand

Ko Samet Beach



Bangkok, Thailand





Chiang Mai, Thailand

Fourth Destination:Thailand

Thailand is located in the center of the mainland South East Asia. There are many amazing sights to explore in Thailand including the Ancient Capital of Ayutthaya and the Bridge of River Kwai. I hope to learn much about the Thailand culture.

Everyday life in Egypt

Climate: Egypt has a very hot, dry climate.  Egypt only has two seasons in the year.  The seasons are very hot summers and very mild (not so cold) winters.  Summers usually last from May to October and the average temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit.  This was probably the reason that the ancient Egyptians’ houses were made with open windows that didn't have any glass, so the air could flow though the windows.


Religion:The majority religion of Egypt is Islam, of which the Sunnis are the largest sect. According to official estimates, 90% of the population are Muslim and 8 to 10% are Christian. 


Government: Egypt has a Republic style government with an executive, legislative and judicial branch.  

Egyptian music and instruments

Music has no doubt shaped Egyptian culture greatly. The ancient Egyptians credited one of their gods, 

Thoth, with the invention of music, which another god,Osiris, in turn used to civilize the world. Various instruments have been founded dating back thousands of years in Egypt, many of which resemble modern Egyptian  instruments. Some popular genres of Egyptian music include Coptic, Saidi and Nubian. 

Egyptian Cuisine

      

Tabia

     Kibbeh

Fava Beans

Egyptian Sighseeing

Gulf of Aqaba





Pyramids at Giza 


Cairo, Egypt

Third Destination:Egypt

Egypt is a country in Northern Africa, extending south from the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, having developed along the Nile River. Egypt is rich with tradition and culture, much of  which captures my attention. In school, I have always been interested in learning about Ancient Egypt; however I hope to learn more of the modern Egypt that exists today. 

Everyday life of Brazilians

Religion:
In present day Brazil, there is a diversity of religion. However, in the 18th century the major religion of Brazil was Roman Catholicism. This was due to Portuguese people who were the first settlers and conquerors from Europe.  Many of Brazils population remains Roman Catholic, although other churches include Protestant, Methodist, Lutheran and Baptist. There are also small minorities of Jews, Muslims and Buddhists.

Climate:
Brazil climate is characterized by five climatic regions of Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical and subtropical. Brazil climate varies considerably from mostly tropical North to temperate zones lying below the Tropic of Capricorn. The seasons of Brazil climate are almost the reverse of the seasons in Europe and the United States.Most of Brazil experiences rainfall between 1,000 and 1,500 millimeters annually, with most rainfall occurring in summer.


Clothing:
True traditional Brazilian attire can be seen in the countryside, where men's clothing includes shirts, jeans and dresses made from inexpensive cotton. In Rio Grande do Sul, the cowboys (gauchos) wear a distinctive clothing: baggy trousers called bombachas, ponchos, wide straw hats and boots. The cowherds  in the Northeast region wear a coat, hat and leather chaps. In Amazon, the native Amerindians wear traditional tunics and paint their faces. They use  beads and feathers to decorate their bodies. They are known for their distinctive hairstyles and body painting. However, these days, many native Americans have adopted a contemporary clothing and lifestyle. In Bahia, many women prefer traditional African clothing that includes a bright colorful shawl, a long full skirt and a turban-like head scarf. 

Brazilian Music and Festivites

Music:
Brazilians are among the most musical people on the planet due to their highly developed art form. Wherever you go, you will find people playing, singing and dancing, perhaps because of its African roots. Brazilian music includes genres such as pagode, samba, frevo, foro and lambada. All of these genres have their own respective dances as well.

Festivals:
Brazil's most celebrated holiday is the Carnival which takes place in February, prior to Lent. Thousands of people parade every year among the streets, celebrating. This holiday brings many tourists every year for the extravagant carnival and parties. The festivities last four days, with Ash Wednesday proceeding. 

Brazilian Food

Casquinha de Siri


Farofa



Bacalhoada


Coxinha

Brazilian Diversity and Family Life

Brazilian Diversity
. Brazil is a mixture of races and ethnicities, resulting in rich diversity. 
. Many original Portuguese settlers married native women, which created a new race, called 'mestizos'. 

. 'Mulattoes' are descendents of the Portuguese and African slaves.

. Slavery was abolished in 1888, creating over time a further blurring of racial lines.

. Unlike many other Latin American countries where there is a distinct Indian population, Brazilians have intermarried to the point that it sometimes seems that almost everyone has a combination of European, African and indigenous ancestry.

Brazilian Family Values

. The family is the foundation of the social structure and forms the basis of stability for most people.

. Families tend to be large (although family size has been diminishing in recent years) and the extended family is quite close.

. The individual derives a social network and assistance in times of need from the family. 

. Nepotism is considered a positive thing, since it implies that employing people one knows and trusts is of primary importance.

Brazilian Scenery

 Igaussu Falls



Maragogi beach
 

Rio de Janeiro

Second Destination: Brazil

Brazil is located in South America and is the largest country in the continent. Brazil is different from other Southern American countries because its main language is Portuguese.  I was interested in researching Brazil because of its beautiful scenery. It is home to some of the worlds most amazing beaches and  exotic tropical rain forests. The country was discovered by the Portuguese in AD 1500 and got its name from the rock-hard tree known as Pau Brazil. By researching this country, I expect to learn more about its beauty and culture.

Greek Sightseeing

   Santorini Island

    Loutraki City 

Corfu Island 

Athens