News and Tips #26 - April 5, 2015

In this issue:

-Top Ten Easter Events in Italy 2015 | ITALY Magazine
-Surprising Easter Traditions from Around the World
-5 Spring Festivals Around the World | Have Tips, Will Travel
-The 24 Most Colorful Cities in the World
-10 Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language (Guest Post)
-Before you go (China)

Top Ten Easter Events in Italy 2015 | ITALY Magazine

Italy is famous for its spectacular celebrations surrounding Pasqua (Easter) as Italians head to church and take to the streets in parades to honour the most important week in the Christian calendar. 
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Surprising Easter Traditions from Around the World

Bunnies and chocolate eggs aside, Easter is considered to be one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar. Due to increased commercialization, this holiday is rapidly losing its religious significance in many parts of the world. However, some cultures continue to celebrate Easter in more traditional ways. We look (at) some surprising and unusual ways this religious festival is commemorated around the world.
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5 Spring Festivals Around the World | Have Tips, Will Travel

Sitting at my desk in New Jersey with the temperature hovering just below the freezing point, it's hard to believe that spring has arrived. But spring it it, and people around the world will soon be celebrating the season of renewal.

Spring is the perfect time to travel in many destinations. Not only will you find smaller crowds...
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The 24 Most Colorful Cities in the World

Cinque Terre, Italy
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10 Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language (Guest Post) | Cultural Reflections

We tried Swahili in Tanzania, we are picking up Spanish in Central America, and we speak English and Tagalog at home or when we want to have a private conversation. We get sneaky about bargaining in Latin countries and speak in Mandarin, because if we spoke in Tagalog the locals would understand the numbers (Tagalog sometimes uses the same numbers as Spanish). The Chinese even have signs for different numbers. Six is a hand that looks like the "hang loose' sign.
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Before you go (China)

Before you go:
- Decide what is is you actually want to do in China
Wandering around "The Middle Kingdom" can be a hell of a lot of fun. If you're going for a short-term holiday, figure out what you most want to see and do some TripAdvisor or Lonely Planet research to help you build an itinerary for the the time you'll have. Ask others who have been about their experiences too. One piece of advice is not to try to "do" all of China in a short space of time: it's better to stay in one area or province and get to know it well than to dash across the gargantuan landmass expending your energy, money and time whilst being unable to appreciate it fully.
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