Monday, January 11, 2010

Culture of Maldivs


Though performances of traditional music and dance are not everyday events, there is a contemporary Divehi culture which is strong and adaptive, despite foreign influences which range from Hindi movies and Oriental martial arts to Michael Jackson and Muslim fundamentalism. Western fashions, pop music and videos are visible in the capital, but on public occasions, like the beginning and end of Ramadan, the celebrations always have a distinctly Maldivian touch. There are three daily newspapers and several magazines in the unique national language, rock bands who sing Divehi lyrics, and multi-storey buildings which echo the architecture of Maldivian island houses. A bodu beru means a big drum, and gives its name to the best known form of traditional music and dance. It's what tourist resorts put on for a local culture night, and it can be quite sophisticated and compelling. Dancers begin with a slow, nonchalant swaying and swinging of the arms, and become more animated as the tempo increases, finishing in a rhythmic frenzy. There are four to six drummers in an ensemble, and the sound has strong African influences. Contemporary local rock bands often perform at resorts where they do credible covers of the usual old favourites. Performing for a local audience they may incorporate elements of bodu beru in their music, with lots of percussion and extended drum solos. Cassettes from local bands are sold in Malé music shops.

Culture of Turkey


Turkey is the successor state to the Ottoman Empire.[8] It is a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic, whose political system was established in 1923 under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I. Since then, Turkey has become increasingly integrated with the West through membership in organizations such as the Council of Europe, NATO, OECD, WEOG, OSCE and the G-20 major economies. Turkey began full membership negotiations with the European Union in 2005, having been an associate member of the EEC since 1963, and having reached a customs union agreement in 1995. Turkey has also fostered close cultural, political, economic and industrial relations with the Eastern world, particularly with the rest of the Middle East and states of Central Asia, through membership in organizations such as the OIC and ECO. Turkey is classified as a developed country[9] by the CIA and as a regional power by political scientists and economists worldwide.

Bangkok Culture


Bangkok has numerous traditional dances and theatre groups, which perform throughout the city, even though today they are more popular among foreign visitors than local people. Bangkok has It's own orchestra called the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. Western plays, with known actors from Britain and America, are put on for short. Discover Thai society and Thai culture. Bangkok Bus I n Bangkok there are several kinds of bus Common bus T heir color is red. it is a cheap way or Baht to travel through Bangkok but they are always full especially at rush working hours. There is no air conditioning inside, just all windows are open. Being in a common bus during. Country, the People, the Culture and the Language Thailand is a beautiful country and very rich in culture. Bangkok is often described as a city of contrasts in which it is very safe to stay and travel around in. The people are extremely kind and most hospitable. They have a very positive attitude to adoption

The culture of Argentina is as varied as the country's geography and mix of ethnic groups. Modern Argentine culture has been largely influenced by European immigration although there are also some Amerindian and African influences, particularly in the fields of music and art. Buenos Aires and other cities show a mixture of architectural styles imported from Europe but in the case of older settlements, and of older preserved neighborhoods within cities, modern styles appear mixed with colonial features, relics from the Spanish-ruled past. Museums, cinemas and galleries are abundant in all the large urban centers, as well as traditional establishments such as literary bars, or bars offering live music of a variety of genres.

Belgium Culture



Belgian culture is a potent combination of world-renowned art, gastronomical delights (chocolates and beer), baroque architecture and iconic literature. Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck (who gave rise to the term Flemish art) painted masterpieces here and Herge created his lovable, legendary comic character Tintin. Poet and playwright Maurice Maeterlinck won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1911. Mostly, cultural life finds expression within each of the major communities because there are no bilingual universities, except the royal military academy, no common media, and no common large cultural or scientific organization where both are represented. Folk festivals play a major role in the country's cultural life. The Carnival of Binche and Aalst, the Ducasse of Ath, the procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges, the August 15 festival in Liège, and the Walloon festival in Namur attract hordes of people and are vivid, joyous affairs. Football and cycling are popular sports and among the famous cyclists, Eddy Merckx has won five Tours de France and is considered one of the best cyclists ever. The Spa-Francoise motor-racing circuit is also considered one of the most challenging in the world and is home to the Belgian Grand Prix (a Formula One World Championship race).

Nigerian Culture


Nigerian culture is as multi-ethnic as the people in Nigeria. The people of Nigeria still cherish their traditional languages, music, dance and literature. Nigeria comprises of three large ethnic groups, which are Yoruba, Hausa-Fulani and Igbo. However there are other ethnic groups as well. Thus culture in Nigeria is most positively multi-ethnic. Culture of Nigeria gives a lot of value to different types of arts, which primarily include ivory carving, grass weaving, wood carving, leather and calabash. Pottery, painting, cloth weaving and glass and metal works. There are more than 250 languages spoken in Nigeria. English is considered to be the official language. However, it is notable that not more than about 50% of the population is able to speak in English. Every tribe has got its own language, which they prefer following as the standard mode of communication among themselves. Nigeria culture includes varieties in types of clothing as there are different groups of people living in the country. What is common in their dressing style is the conservativeness. Nigerian culture gives a lot of importance in treating the guests with utmost care and warmth. The hospitality of people represents this tradition. That is why people are not supposed to say thank you, when they are offered food. Among the games, the Nigerians enjoy soccer the most. Polo, cricket, swimming and wrestling are popular among the affluent classes. Nigerian culture is as old as 2000 years and what makes it stand out is its diversity.

The living with Parents Culture


As the population of North America ages, millions of adult children is faced with the challenge of how to help their parents make the transition to their later years of life. For elderly parents in reasonably good health for whom living on their own is no longer possible, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are becoming an increasingly popular option, ideally providing some measure of independence with varying degrees of assistance and support. The author was sixty-four years old when it became obvious that his eighty-nine-year-old mother, Ida, could no longer live alone. After considering a variety of options, including home health care assistance, he and his mother decided to sell her home, and she moved into an assisted living facility. In Assisted Living for Our Parents, Baum chronicles every step of his and his mother's journey into the world of assisted living, providing guidance for the millions of adults who face these same decisions. Baum's story is the intensely personal one of a son learning to cope with his evolving relationship with his mother, balancing his own concerns for his mother's health and safety with her desire for independence and a role in decisions about her own life. Readers follow Baum and his mother over six years, from their initial decision to move her into an ALF to discussions about her end-of-life wishes. Complicating all of these issues was the fact that Baum lived hundreds of miles from his mother, a situation he shared with seven million other adult children in North America who live more than three hundred miles away from their parents.