Immigration

I read an article in Guardian Unlimited which said that about 3 million people a year leave their homes and immigrate to an other country.
With about 1 million immigrants a year, the US is the most attractive destination to move to followed by Canada, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
The main reason for those who leave their homes behind, is the hope of a better life. An average family living in India for example, earns about 2.200 Euros a year, but if they migrate to Europe without having any skills they can work as taxi drivers which means an annual income of about 15.000 Euros, an amount of money they could only dream of in India.


Migration: population gainers and loosers


The gainers (country, population, (net migration))

United States 299,112,000 (1,005,016)
Italy 58,990,000 (294,950)
Spain 45,511,000 (282,168)
United Arab Emirates 4,937,000 (264,623)
United Kingdom 60,473,000 (223,145)
Canada 32,582,000 (214,715)
Australia 20,575,000 (112,751)
Russia 142,336,000 (106,183)
Malaysia 26,894,000 (100,315)
Germany 82,387,000 (98,864)


The loosers:

China 1,311,416,000 (-563,909)
India 1,121,788,000 (-523,512)
Mexico 108,327,000 (-411,643)
Indonesia 225,465,000 (-315,651)
Iran 70,324,000 (-281,296)
Pakistan 165,804,000 (-198,965)
Philippines 86,264,000 (-189,781)
Sudan 41,236,000 (-123,708)
Egypt 75,437,000 (-90,524)
Tanzania 37,858,000 (-68,144)

Exam

Oh my god..

Today I've written the worst exam ever in my life so far ..
Can't believe that I had such a mental blackout that I didnt even understand what I had to do in one of the vocab tasks..
Oh my god, I am really soooooooooooooo devasted, especially because I studied the vocab lists like a lunatic :(
Wish I could turn back time... :(

How not to get ripped off in France

During his stay in Paris, Paul West had to face quite a lot problems due to the cultural misunderstanding. One of those problems for example was ordering drinks in French cafés, where he inspite of ordring in French got ripped off all of the time..

However, If you plan to visit France and don't want to get ripped off, here are some advise given in Mr. West's book.....

If u want to order a drink, raise ur chin a few degrees, turn your head until you make eye contact with the waiter, and call out whichever drink you would like to have...

If you want to order a 'cafe au lait' ask for 'un crème'

If you want an 'espresso' use the word 'un express' and an 'espresso with a bit of milk' then say 'une noisette'.

For a 'week black coffee' you use the term 'un allongé'

and last but not least... BEER

'Beer' is in France not to be ordered as 'Une bière', then if you do so, you will get a huge glass which looks like a 2l flagon ;)

If you want to order a beer you say 'Un demi, s'il vous plait'!!

Hope this was an useful information for those who don't want to experience the same problems Paul did... Santé!!

Thai prawn satay with limes

I am not fond of seafod, not at all to be honest. But when it comes to prawns I change my mind in sudden bursts. I am still trying to find the answer to my question WHY I HATE fish but LOVE prawns, without any success unfortunately. I dont know why but...

I would just die for them.

Anyway, I found this nice recipe which I'm going to try out as soon as I have more time for myself. I am stuck in the middle of exam stress at the moment, so.. won't be that soon unfortunately :(

(just hope I won't fall ill like I did last time, when I made myself 'pasta al'arrabiatta..)

Ingredients

450g headless tiger prawns

1 stalk of lemon grass

3 limes

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

120ml canned coconut milk

6tbsp light soy sauce

2tsp palm or light muscovado sugar

For the Dipping Sauce:

1 baby cucumber or a 5cm piece of ordinary cucumber

50ml rice wine or white wine vinegar

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 red bird's eye chilli seeded and finely chopped

2tsp chopped roasted peanuts

8 x 15cm bamboo skewers soaked in cold water for 30 minutes


Method

1. Peel the prawns if necessary, leaving the last tail segment in place.

2. Remove the tough outer leaves from the stalk of the lemongrass and finely chop the tender core. Finely grate the lemon zest from one of the limes and squeeze out the juice. Cut the remaining limes and squeeze out the juice. Cut the remaining limes into a small wedges.

3. Put the lemongrass, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, coconut milk, soy sauce and sugar into a non-metalic dish. Add the prawns, mix together well and set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes or for up to 2 hours in the fridge.

4. For the dipping sauce, cut the cucumber in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Cut the remaining cucumber into very small dice. Mix with the vinegar, sugar and chill until the sugar has dissolved and then spoon into small serving bowls. Sprinkle over the peanuts.

5. Thread 4 prawns on to each skewer in pairs together with 2 lime wedges. Pierce through the tail of one prawn, add a lime wedge and then skewer the head end of the prawn so that it wraps itself around the lime attractively. Do this once more and repeat for the rest of the skewers.

6. Barbecue the skewers over medium-hot coals for about 1 minute on each side or until just cooked through. Serve at once with the dipping sauce, garnished with the remaining lime wedges.

Love Hurts-Incubus

Tonight we drink to youth
And holding fast to truth

I don't want to lose what I had as a boy
My heart still has a beat

But love is now a feat(as common as a cold day in LA)

Sometimes when I'm alone I wonder

Is there a spell that I am under

Keeping me from seeing the real thing

Love hurts.....

But sometimes it's a good hurt

And it feels like I'm alive

Love sings
When it tanscends the bad things

Have a heart and try me
'Cause without love I won't survive.

I'm fettered and abused

Stand naked and accused
Should I surface this one man submarine
I only want the truth

So tonight we drink to youth

I'll never lose what I had as a boy

Sometimes when I'm alone, I wonder

Is there a spell that I am under

Keeping me from seeing the real thing

Love hurts
But sometimes it's a good hurt

And it feels like I'm alive

Love sings
When it transcends the bad things

Have a heart and try me

'Cause without love I won't survive

Love hurts

But sometimes it's a good hurt

And it feels like I'm alive

Love sings

When it transcends the bad things

Have a heart and try me

'Cause without love I won't survive

Love hurts, ohLove hurts

Without love I won't survive
Love hurts, oh

Without love I won't survive

Vocab:

to transcend = to rise above; to triumph over the negative aspects

Synonym = exceed

to fetter = to restrain from motion; to put fetters on

Synonym = hamper

This catchy tune by Incubus is my absolutely favourite song at the moment. I seem not to can get enough of listening to it.. It's so fetching that I have to listen to it at least 2 to 3 times a day!!!!!!!!!

But... Form your own view on it.. There you go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxPcmi1U25g

Father's Day

As it is Father's Day today in Austria, I thought posting this lovely poem might be a good idea..

What Is A Dad?

A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall

but instead picks you up,brushes you off,and lets you try again.

A dad is someone who wants to keep you from making mistakes

but instead lets you find your own way,

even though his heart breaks in silencewhen you get hurt.

A dad is someone who holds you when you cry,

scolds you when you break the rules,

shines with pride when you succeed,

and has faith in you even when you fail...

Dad, you're everything a dad should be and some.

To my dad: Thank you for being the BEST DADDY in the world

I love you endlessly

xx yours Bo

Review - A Year in the Merde

Stephen Clarke, the author of the book ‘A Year in the Merde’ tells the story of a 27 years old British entrepreneur, Paul West, who comes to Paris in order to help a French company to open and promote English ‘tea rooms’ in France. Without speaking any French, West tries to manage his life in the city of love and that being British isn’t really a blessing there. At work most of his colleagues are ‘friendly’ but two faced, especially his boss Jean-Marie Martin, the person who West likes most when he starts working there. Only when Martin tries to persuade him to buy a suspiciously cheap cottage in the French countryside, does West realise that he is a man who is up to every evil trick and not the friendly French guy he thought he was going to be. Step by step, West gets the feeling that French people literally hate him because of his origin and feels to a greater or lesser extent like a pariah, particularly during the tense period as the Iraqi War knocks on the door.

Clarke is a British journalist and writer working for a French press group in Paris. A Year in the Merde is an ‘almost’ true story which tells things that may or may not have happened to him during the last 10 years he lived in France. The book was originally published in an edition of only 200 copies and was supposed to be sold on his website. However, after a reading in a Canadian bookshop in Paris the book turned into a surprise hit with fabulous reviews by The Times and The Mirror.

To sum up, although this book is written in basic English it is rich in great common vocabulary. It is very easy to follow and filled with Clarke’s great sense of humour. I personally would recommend it to those readers who enjoy reading funny books or to those who want to learn more about France and the French people, from the perspective of an ‘outsider’.