Day of the Dead in Italy
Celebrating the dead is not only customary in Mexico, but also in other Catholic societies. In different areas of Italy the dead are celebrated in different ways.
Which tradition do you maintain around Christmas?
This time of the year many multicultural families struggle with finding a compromise: which tradition to maintain around Christmas, especially when you partner is used to other customs and you are living in a place where “things are done differently” from what you were used to when you were a child. I must […]
Hiking in Ticino (Southern Switzerland)
The southernmost canton of Switzerland is Ticino. It has 8 districts and borders the Canton of Uri (to the north), Valais (to the west), Graubünden (to the northeast) and Italy’s regions of Piedmont and Lombardy to the south (and it has a small Italian exclave, Campione d’Italia). In […]
Our multicultural Christmas
Every country, every culture has its own ways to celebrate traditional festivities. Some families who live abroad adopt some of the local traditions and adapt them with those they know from their own childhood or from the other places they’ve lived. Multicultural families need to agree not only […]
What is your “madeleine”?
Do you know that feeling when the smell of something or listening to music brings you back in time, reminds you of happy moments spent with dear friends or family? Smells and sounds have this effect on me. They bring me back in time and I feel exactly […]
St Nicholas and his helpers Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, Père Fouettard and Zwarte Piet
St Nicholas is celebrated in many countries of Europe, mainly in German speaking countries and throughout the territory of the Holy Roman Empire, and is usually accompained by helpers. This dark or threatening companion of St Nicholas is called Krampus in Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Friuli (North Eastern […]
Review to PressReader App (part 2)
In addition to my former review-post about the PressReader App, please find the lists of the newspapers for Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and United Kingdom available on this App (date: 15.4.2013): Belgium: De Morgen, De Standaard, Gazet van Antwerpen Kempen; Antwerpen Mechelen, Antwerpen Metropool Noord; Antwerpen […]
My multilingual journey
(updated in 2020) Some time ago I read an interesting article from a mum raising multilingual children in a multicultural environment. She told her multilingual mothering story in a very positive and encouraging way. I would like to encourage mothers, fathers, caregivers to not be afraid to speak […]
Expat Since Birth – A Life spent "abroad" 