American culture

The Amish

Some basic facts ( but there are many more interesting things to know):

• ·        The Amish (pronounced 'Aahmish') are an American Protestant group with around 200,000 members descended from European Anabaptists who came to the USA more than two centuries ago to escape persecution in Europe.

• ·         The Amish believe that it's essential to keep themselves separate from the 'world', so they live in their own small communities and differ from other Americans in their dress, language, work, travel and education.

• ·        Members of the community help each other, and the whole community will work together to help a member in trouble.

• ·        They do not accept state benefits or use insurance, but rely on community support instead. The Amish stress simplicity and humility.

• ·        They avoid anything associated with self-exaltation, pride of position or enjoyment of power. Some modern 'conveniences', such as cars, electricity and telephones are avoided too.  

• ·        Amish use three languages, a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch at home, High German for worship and English with outsiders.

• ·        Amish only marry other Amish and don't divorce. They have large families averaging 7-8 children.

Register

Register

The language register is the appropriate level and style of your writing or also the language you use in specific situation depending on the people you are talking with.  It determines the vocabulary  and the structure and grammar of the text or conversation.

The three most common language registers in writing are:

• Formal
• Informal
• Neutral

The formal register is more appropriate for professional writing and letters to a boss or a stranger. 

The informal register (also called casual or intimate) is conversational and appropriate when writing to friends and people you know very well.

The neutral register is non-emotional and sticks to facts. It is most appropriate for technical writings.

To your friends: What's up? It's awesome that you came over!

To the President of the United States: Good morning, Mr. President. We appreciate your visit.

Trip to Budapest

Trip to Budapest

At the end of December 2013 I visited a friend in Budapest. If you want to travel cheap but want to experience great things, I can really recommend visiting this great city. For a train ticket from Graz to Budapest and back I paid €50. As my friend has a flat there where I could sleep, I didn’t need a hostel, but they are very cheap there. Food and drinks and metro ticket: cheap as well!! Besides being amazingly cheap, Budapest offers many interesting sights and a busy nightlife. I don´t want to make a list of all the sights now but there is a hop on/hop off bus, cheap of course, and it takes you to every place you need to see!! I had an amazing time there, trust me…

Trip to Ireland

Trip to Ireland

The task was to plan a trip with a budget of  € 2000. I decided to make an imaginary journey to Ireland, becaue I would really love to go there in real life too.

first step: book a flight from Vienna to Dublin and back, 14. of April to 24. of April,  € 250

day 1:

•    arrival in Dublin 11:45
• check into the hotel: "Castle Hotel"; 3 nights; € 250
• walking around in the city center
• food: € 20

day 2:

• sightseeing tour in Dublin
• metro ticket: € 15
• Trinity College
• Dublin Castle
• St. Patrick's Cathedral
• Temple Bar District
• food during the day: € 30

day 3:

• day trip to Wicklow Mountains Nationalpark: € 25
• walking around there
• Powerscourt gardens: € 6,50
• back to Dublin
• food during the day: 30 €

day 4:

• check out from the hotel
• with the bus to Kilkenny: €12
• city break there
• food/drinks for the day: €30
• check into hotel: "Kilkenny River Court"; 2 nights; €150

day 5:

• sightseeing in Kilkenny
• Kilkenny Castle
• old town
• St. Canice's Cathedral
• relaxing
• money for the day more or less: € 50

day 6:

• bus tour to the Rock of Cashel; Cahir Castle; Jameson Distillery plus food: €60
• then to Killarney: " Gleneagle Hotel"; 2 nights; €100

day 7:

• Killarney National Park
• food/drinks: €30

day 8:

• bus to Galway: €20
• sightseeing: Lynch Castle
• city center
• check into hotel: "Radisson Blu Hotel"; 1 night; €70
• in the evening: Pub tour; €50

day 9:

• back to Dublin
• shopping in the center plus food: €100
• hotel: "Castle Hotel"; 1 night; €70

day 10:

• check out
• 10:00; flight back



Christmas markets

    Pre-Christmas traditions in Austria                    

Part 3: Christmas markets

A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent. The history of Christmas markets goes back to the Late Middle Ages in the German-speaking part of Europe. 

In many towns in Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market. Generally held in the town square and adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food, drink, and seasonal items from open-air stalls.

Popular attractions at the market include toasted almonds, traditional Christmas cookies such as Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and Bratwurst.

For many visitors one of the highlights of the market: Glühwein!!! (hot mulled wine) 

Also many handmade items like toys and  Christmas tree decorations can be found at a Christmas Market.

How to make authentic Austrian Christmas cookies

Pre-Christmas traditions in Austria                    

Part 2: How to make authentic Austrian christmas cookie

Vanillekipferl are among the most popular and best Christmas cookies and are very common in Austria. It's a nice tradition to bake these cookies during pre-Christmas time together with the whole family. Here is a great recipe to bake original Austrian Vanillekipferl:

Ingredients:
150 grams butter
210 grams flour
80 grams ground hazelnuts or almonds
80 grams powdered sugar
one whole egg
60 grams powdered sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla sugar

·         sive the flour into a heap on a pastry board or into a large bowl

·         cut the cold butter into small pieces and mix with the flour

·         add powdered sugar, ground almonds or hazelnuts and the egg

·         rinse hands with cold water and quickly knead mixture into a crisp dough

·         Chill for half an hour

·         Form thumb thick rolls from the dough

·         cut into 1 cm wide pieces, roll and form Kipferl (crescents)

·         bake at slow to medium heat (350° Fahrenheit) for 10-15 minutes, or until very light gold        in color

·         roll the Kipferl in a mixture of powdered sugar and vanilla sugar while still hot