english matters

A Question of Taste

A Question of Taste

Last week I was lucky enough to have two friends come to visit me for a few days and, being the good friends they are, I was treated to all kinds of luxuries from back home. It was like Christmas all over again. But what kind of luxuries could I be talking about? After all, Ryanair only allows a minimal amount of luggage space and weight per passenger... Well, food. And a healthy variety of it. I was treated to two packs of sausages, proper Danish bacon (smoked and unsmoked) and a block…Czytaj dalej …

Last Sunday was one of the most important days in the UK and Commonwealth countries - Remembrance Sunday. A day when people don their poppies and pay homage to those who gave their lives during WWI and WWII. Held on the second Sunday of every November, ceremonies take place around the globe and are attended by soldiers, civil dignitaries, ex-servicemen, politicians and plenty of others who wish to pay their respects. Something equally as moving for me in Poland is November 1st, when families travel to their loved ones’ graves to lay down…Czytaj dalej …

Like many foreigners arriving in a country for the first time, when I first set foot in Poland I was keen to soak up all the traditions and customs that it had to offer. Whilst there are plenty to choose from - many involving great food and long celebrations - perhaps my favourite is the tradition known as ‘All Saints’ Day’ (‘Wszystkich Swietych’). The first time I experienced this day I was blown away and completely moved - not only by the amount of respect that people had for their loved ones but…Czytaj dalej …

How many times have you heard friends or family sit down and tell you tales of far-off countries and places they’ve visited... and you sit there thinking, ‘Wow! I wish I’d been there.’ In this day and age, the opportunities are endless. There really are no excuses for not checking out those far-flung nations that once upon a time seemed completely off-limits. Armed with a back pack, a spare pair of socks and a smart phone, the world is your oyster. Some folk fancy Australia, some want to trek around Asia, while others…Czytaj dalej …
A New Age of Photos

A New Age of Photos

Remember when taking photos was something of a big deal? Lugging your camera around with you, making sure the batteries were charged and positioning your friends or family in front of the chosen site to make sure everything was inch-perfect. After all, you only had one or two chances to get it right. And that’s before you trekked down to the photo shop to get them developed - waiting days before you picked them up. Praying they turned out right, praying that everyone was looking in the right direction and that the sun…Czytaj dalej …

October is always a bit of a strange month. The schools are back in full swing, the summer holidays are long gone and it seems there’s not much to look forward to. But that need not be the case... The beginning of Autumn is in fact one of the best times of the year. It’s a time when you can still walk through the parks and enjoy what is on offer before the winter kicks in. What would you prefer? Being ankle-deep in snow, or being able to stroll around kicking the leaves…Czytaj dalej …

There are a few things certain in this life - and one of them is the brutal call of Monday morning. The alarm kicks in and the usual nine till five begins... There’s no escaping it. But hey! Let’s leap forward and look towards the weekend instead! If there was ever a tune to help us feel upbeat, then The Cure’s ‘Friday I’m in Love’ is it. Name-checking all the days of the week, the song starts off bleak but gets more and more positive - reminding us that the weekend is only…Czytaj dalej …

From time to time the tricky topic of film sequels that are better than the original gets brought up and the answers put forward depends on who you are talking too. Such a topic is completely subjective and opinions change over time. However, there are a couple of films that we have decided to stand by! When The Godfather was released in 1974, it was (quite rightly) regarded as a piece of cinematic genius. But then, just two years later, The Godfather Part II - starring both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro…Czytaj dalej …

Everyone’s got their favourite authors, and it just so happens that my top two happen to hail from Scotland. Perhaps it’s my Nordic roots, perhaps it’s my Celtic ancestry. It could just be a coincidence. I’m not sure. And as it happens, both of the authors happen to share a similar name... go figure. ‘The Wasp Factory’ by Iain Banks was an 18th birthday present from a good friend and after polishing it off, I was hooked. I Soon bought ‘The Bridge’ and ‘Complicity’ (which was turned into a great film) and I…Czytaj dalej …
Park Yourself up for a Good Time

Park Yourself up for a Good Time

In this hot weather, it would be more than rude not to cycle down to the nearest park and catch some rays! Everyone’s doing it, so let’s take a look at three of the world’s most famous parks. Hyde Park - London One of the largest parks in Britain, this place has it all from rock concerts to coffee shops. The park dates back to the 16th Century when King Henry VIll would stride around hunting boar and deer. Things might have changed a little since then, but it’s still a great way…Czytaj dalej …
← Newer Posts
Older Posts →