Labour Forces are the main driving source of economy, therefore maintenance of social guaranties is vital for secure economic stability and growth. Nowadays as people are more politically aware and socially active, the Labour Day is taking on new meanings. Meetings and demonstrations, presentations and public speeches are held on May Day around the world. Demonstrations is a powerful way to express criticism or support for the  government policy in the sphere of labour relations.  Participants using this chance to signify their demands and stretching their message so that it would reach the government. To celebrate the Labour Day is to celebrate historical achievements of labour movement which we enjoy today – eight  hour working day,  decent pay and safe working conditions.

The Orthodox Christian Easter is called Pascha. In Eastern Orthodox church Easter service starts in late Saturday evening with procession, which symbolizes “a search for the body of Christ”. At the final stage of this procession there is a cry, “Christ is risen!”. The priests display the Easter Eucharist. Procession is lightened with candles and lamps. This light symbolizes Christ as the light of the world. Before Easter there is a forty days fasting – the Great Lent. Holly week is the last week of the Lent. Holly week reflects on the last week of Jesus’ life, each day of this week has a sacred meaning and emphasizes the significance of Easter Sunday itself. The fasting is particularly strict during Holly Week, in this way Christians commemorate the suffering of Jesus Christ. Holly week provides a faith journey for people, reveals the meaning of Easter celebration – a celebration of Christ light and promise of salvation. This is the time of special services, processions and religious traditions.

Holly Week begins with Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. On this day Jesus entered Jerusalem and was welcomed by the crowds who were waving branches of palm tree.  During  church services on this day the emphasis is placed on approaching suffering and death of Jesus.
On Holly Thursday, or Maundy Thursday the Jesus had the Last Supper with his Apostles  and later that day he was betrayed by Judas. The focus of the liturgies is on communion and remembrance.
Good Friday marks Jesus arrest, trial, crucification and death. This day is a culmination of grief, a horror of sin and darkness of the betrayal.  Worshippers are morning for the Christ death and for the sins of human kind.
The Great, or Holy Saturday is the day when Jesus rested in the Tomb. This day symbolizes the life in darkness  apart from God.  This is a time to remember family and  those who have died, the time of  awaiting resurrection, forgiveness and salvation.
Easter Sunday is a day of joy and celebration of the great news that Christ has risen from the dead.  Easter signifies redemption and forgiveness of sins. It symbolizes that people died to their sins and were resurrected with Jesus Christ.

At first everything seems exciting and even much better than at home! The people are nicer, environment is cleaner and so on. This is a tourist stage when people don’t stay long enough to confront problems and experience cultural shock. All you do is enjoy the surroundings and admire new culture. Depending on a person this stage can last from couple of days to couple of months.

During next period the real problems begin. You might find some things unfamiliar and frustrating, you might feel lonely and eventually start missing home. This is the time when you look for people from your own country. You get together and complain about new culture, inconveniences, rules and regulations you are confronted with. You remember bright moments from your motherland and perceive country of your new residence through stereotypes.

Now is the time to either pull yourself together and adjust to the new environment, or to move back home. Everyone has it’s own recipes of how to deal with difficulties, but some general tips can make this process easier.
Firstly, the key to successful integration is language, language and once again language! The faster you learn it the faster you are included in the social environment. You start to understand what is going on around you and form your own opinion about it. Then you meet locals and eventually make new friends. They will admire you efforts and help you out in case you need  it. Many immigrants find it easier to integrate there own culture into the new one. It’s good as long as it does not lead to strong differentiation, after all you try to integrate not to separate. Probably the best advise is to try to stay positive!

If you are able to go through this process, you become a new person, bicultural with a an access to the wisdom and experience of both cultures. You are a tough person with a strong competitive advantage over many. Well, anyway, everyone finds their own pluses and minuses in bicultural identity.

The biggest challenge will be when you come back to your own country. The trick is that your family and friends expect you to be same old they used to know. They don’t consider how much you have went through, learned and changed. You might be misunderstood and feel like a stranger in your own country.

But if you are open-minded and curious individual, with a good sense of humor and a strong sense of self the transition will be easier for you. Don’t get scared before you tried something! There are always right people who will support you and help you out if your are in troubles.
What is life all about anyways?! Everything is worth trying!
So, are you ready?

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The Salvador Dali Museum in St Petersburg Florida USA, Dali Theater and Museum in Figueres Catalonia Spain and Espace Dali in Paris.

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Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is an ancient monastery and a holly place, a historical monument and a museum, and truly a unique creation of human genius. Stretched along the Dnieper river, Lavra’s golden domes look like ancient heroes in shining helmets. This amazing architectural complex is included in UNESCO World Heritage List.

Lavra translates from Greek as Grand Monastery and “pechera” means cave in old Russian language. According to historical manuscripts a monastery was founded in the caves. Established in 11th century the Lavra rapidly became a major center of Old Russian culture and a stronghold of the Christianity. The great number of famous engineers, architects, craftsmen were working on the Lavra construction over centuries.

The Lavra is like a small town with numerous wonders. The cathedrals and bell towers of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra differ in decoration styles with miraculous ornaments, fresco painting, iconostasis and hand-carving details, each reflects an impressive monumental character and represents a miracle in itself. The Lavra underground labyrinths – the Near and Far Caves and old underground churches with wooden iconostases attract millions of tourists all over the world. The Lavra museum exhibits the invaluable collection of early printed books, and jewelry made of precious metals and stones.

If you admire Orthodox Church Architecture and ancient art works, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is absolutely must be seen.

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According to a folk legend, 400 kilometers of the Great Wall, moved by the heartbreaking cries of a woman for her dead husband, simply crumbled.

The woman was known as Meng Jiangnu. The story goes that during the reign of the First Emperor of Qin, Meng’s husband was drafted to build the Great Wall and after three years had not returned home. His wife decided to bring him some warm clothes and traveled for days before she finally reached the construction site at Shanhaiguan, the very east end of the Great Wall, only to learn that her husband had been worked to death and was buried at the bottom of the wall. Overwhelmed with grief, she could not stop crying. Suddenly the wall fell and she found the remains of her husband. In China’s history, Meng Jiangnu is by no means the only woman left crying at the wall.

New York is exciting, passionate, straightforward and at the same time it’s friendly. When you come here you either love it or hate it. New York is a melting pot more then any other place in the USA. It’s a city where people come from all over the world to make their dreams come true. It’s really a universe in itself, with its own celebrities, numerous writers, fashion designers, upcoming new artists. All together these people create a unique social environment which makes New York so special.

Several things can characterise New York Lifestyle. Firstly, it’s about being New or trendy, therefore ‘the next big thing’ is always in high demand before it picks up.Secondly, rushy New Yorkers lacks time for daily tasks, but everything they have no time to do can be done by service providers. It is a very convenient place to live where you can get anything you want 24 hours a day delivered to your doorstep.

New York is the city which never sleeps, so the most
dynamic nightlife is here. Clubbing scene keeps changing as the public gets bored and new spots emerge. Dining and wining is another part of New York cult. Eating out in New York is a special event, a form of entertainment. You may relay on Zagat Survey to pick a restaurant for the next outing. Takeouts and door-to-door delivery are provided by nearly every place – form the cheapest fast food to a high-class restaurant.

New York is one of the cultural capitals of the world. Music is a vital part of the city’s culture. Great variety of venues provide live music options any night of the week. You can Rock New York, enjoy the

Visual Arts exhibited in the number of major art museums (25) and independent art galleries (about 600). The highlights can be seen in immensely popular Museum of Modern Art. City’s museum’s classics are presented in Metropolitan Museum of Art, in the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum and in the American Folk Art Museum. You can get familiar with movie making and productions in American Museum of the Moving Image and Museum of Television&Radio.

Traditionally  Finnish homesteads were scattered over large areas of forest. This has been instrumental in the conceptualization of Finnishness. Many city dwellers have access to a summer cottages in the middle of a forest or by a lake. At the very least, they dream of it.

After the humdrum of everyday working life, the forest soothes and rejuvenates the soul. For Finns it is essential to get away from it all’ at least for a while.

In the Spring the forest embodies rebirth.
In the Summer it enwraps you in a thousand greens.
In the Autumn it dazzles and exhales.
And in Winter it enraptures your soul.

The Finnish language. Though sparsely populated and modest on the world map, Finland still boasts its own language – suomi.Known in English as Finnish, it is distantly related to Hungarian. The language wasn’t officially recognized until the 19th century, and yet the oldest Finnish words date back 5,ooo years or more to the Finno-Ugric and Uralian periods. Perhaps one of the reason why foreigners consider Finnish so difficult is because of its versatility. Its syntax is extremely flexible, giving rise to endless nuances. Standard colloquial Finnish is freely mixed with a variety of dialects, slang and words from other languages. In fact, Finnish is so versatile that it is possible to construct new words for specific or new situations.

As in most countries, Finland enjoys many colourful, local dialects. Many families also employ their very own vocabulary or particular linguistic style. So, in Finland, a person may speak on family or individual dialects. The Finnish language is so extremely onomatopoetic. The actual resonance of the words enable the speaker to relate his message accurately and vividly.

Finns love their language. Millions of books are printed in Finnish every year. And books are still the most popular gifts for special occasions, including Christmas and birthdays.

Finns also believe in and exert the power of the spoken word. They are avid theater-goers and Finnish amateur dramatic enjoys nation-wide enthusiasm.

The Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, has been translated into several languages, as have   Mika Waltari’s “Sinuhe the Egyptian”, Tove Jansson’s “Moomin” books, etc.

The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) The swan was voted Finland’s national bird in 1981. Karelians have long held it as a holy; symbolizing purity, light and beauty. It also has a pertinent role in the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala.

Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) Wood anemones proclaim the Finnish spring with a prolific floral display. They are also often given to mums on the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day in Finland.

Sauna.

The sauna is a constant and beloved institution in Finland. It has helped shape Finland’s history and can even affect the economy of the country. Traditionally, the sauna has not only been a place for washing, but has been used as breweries, curehouses and laundries. Sauna dressing rooms have been used as living-quarters for farm hands and sons-in-law. In the wilds the sauna provided crucial hiding places. Many an elderly Finn was born in sauna. It has been the place to treat illness, give massages and go about that very Finnish tradition of cupping bad blood.

In all probability, there is not a single Finn in the world who has never had a sauna.  The sauna is not essentially erotic. It is at its best when you are there alone. The sauna can offer you a tour of your inner self. It’s a haven for feeling and listening to the basics of life. The dry wood gives off a strong smell and with each breath-in inner frustration expels. The fire in the sauna burns off any remaining anxieties. Hot stones, steam and hot air relieves stress. The aroma from the birch leaves brings with it an almost spiritual calmness. Water rinses away all that’s old. In the sauna Finns are born again.

Baking Bread in Finnish style.

Every country has its own traditions of making bread. Finland is not exception. Originally, the country was divided into two permanent areas of inhabitation: the East and the West. Both geographical areas developed their own regional kitchens. The eastern area was influenced by Slavic culture, the western by Germanic.

The traditional Finnish cottages in the east had an oven which was heated up on a daily basis during the winter. Food was prepared in clay pots in the oven, the meat was cured in a wooden trough and bread, pies and pasties were baked whenever the need arose. Soft rye bread was the daily bread of the east, an area where the preparation of food relied heavily on the oven.

In western regions the cottage was heated by a fireplace and the food cooked in a three-legged pot or a pan hanging over the fire. Outside, there was usually a separate little hut of baking bread, often huge quantities at a time. Baking days were in the autumn and the spring. The breads, which were usually circular with a hole in the middle, were dried and hung on poles that stretched across the ceiling. The bread of the west was dry rye bread, which was soaked before eating.

Rye bread still plays an important role in Finland’s impressive range of breads. It is also the bread that Finns most long for when they are abroad. Its strong taste is easy to get used to. It appearance and degree of sourness vary from region to region.

Many Finns also eat rye bread at breakfast . It definitely fills you up more then white bread. The best rye bread is still baked in a wood-fired baking oven. The rye grains are carefully ground is a stone mill. Only water, salt and sourdough root are then added into the flour. It the old days, when children were sent out from remote county houses into the big wide world, rye bread and sour milk, the staples of the Finnish diet, were always included in the rucksack.

Go fishing. Every Finn has probably been fishing at some time or other. Finland has nearly two hundred thousand lakes, an abundance of rivers and a long coastline. Summer cottages are located on the sea shore and lakes sides. Rowing boats are therefore a useful commodity. In summer evening Finns spread their nets and go out fishing. Winter’s frozen conditions present no problems for fishermen. Nets can be cast underneath the ice. Ice fishing is a very popular, even if a little peculiar, winter pursuit in Finland. Thousands of men and women dress up in extra-warm clothing and go fishing on the ice. A small hole is drilled through the ice by means of an ice drill and the intrepid ice angler just sits there fishing, sometimes for hours. This is yet another opportunity for Finns to fulfill their yearning to be at one with nature. Being able to spend time in a true winter wonderland, alone with one’s thoughts, is probably more important than the catch itself.

Nearly one hundred different species of fish swim in Finnish water. Only about twenty of them, however, end up on the dinner table.
Salmon (Salmo salar) and sea-bred rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) are the most popular fish for Finns. For the most part, salmon is still eaten in the traditional way; slightly salted. Fresh rainbow trout is on offer practically every day of the year. it is inexpensive and easy to prepare. Salmon is caught in the Baltic Sea with fyke nets. Sport fishermen go fly fishing for large and handsome migratory salmon in the rivers of Lapland.
The most prestigious fish for most Finns, however, is perch (Perca fluviatilis). It is also the most endemic, and can be found in most waters except for the petite mountain lakes of Lapland. The largest perch are caught in nets from the sea.
Pikeperch, related to perch, is also widely appreciated. Its bones are easily removed and it’s frequently favoured by restaurants.
There are many varieties of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) in Finland. It is popular too and can always be found alongside salmon and pikeperch in restaurants. Whitefish is particularly good broiled or smoked. It gives a superbly fresh taste to fish stock. Whitefish roe is a real delicacy – caviar at its best – served on top of blinis, as a filling for baked potatoes or as an ingredient for sauces.

source: Finland – Nature’s table