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Weaved in tradition
The idea for this article came to my mind while I was doing the design for my previous article titled “A Linguistic Tapestry of the Balkans”. I have always been drawn to traditional clothing from different countries, especially to the often colorful and intricate designs embroidered on them. So, this was the perfect occasion to…
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VOICES April 2025
Dear reader, birds chirping on the trees, water rippling down the mountain, the wind is brushing through the trees and you feel the warmness of the sun shining on your face. Spring is starting and with it a new Voices edition full of inspiration and ideas. Spring for me is a time to reconnect with…
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United in the pot(ato)
A round vegetable, buried in the ground, covered in a brown shell. Inside, its golden flesh unlocks endless flavors and delights when harvested and well prepared. This vegetable, known as potato—or as we call it, Kartof(f)el—is often underestimated as just a side dish. Yet, it flourishes in an endless variety of dishes and tastes. So…
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Spreading Polish tradition, one “pączek” at a time
Being a foreigner during special holidays can be a bittersweet experience. While some of us have celebrated our traditions abroad before, this time felt different, more fun, more connected. On the last Thursday of February, we observed “Fat Thursday” (Tłusty Czwartek), a fun Polish tradition marking the last indulgence before Lent. This day is deeply…
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Can you justify this?
– Disclaimer! Dry text about justice ahead! – Justice – a fairly simple term for a complex construct with even more profound implications. It is easily dropped as a matter of course, like a naturality. Whether in societal discourse, amidst heated arguments or during casual conversations, justice stands out through its omnipresence and degree of…
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How to be… wild again?
Primitive human – hunting and gathering We share 99% of DNA with monkeys and chimpanzees. Beginning from the first human (2,5 mln years ago), our needs haven’t changed that much. Primitive humans had to practice hunting and gathering to survive, it was their main life area. Along with slowly disappearing sexual dimorphism and increasing the…
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Public Transport needs looksmaxxing
Fastest Shinkansen line Nozomi takes two and a half hours to cover 515 kilometres from Tokyo to Osaka and departs around a hundred times a day. Fastest train connecting Slovakia’s two biggest cities takes about five hours to cover 443 kms on a good day leaving the station 17 times a day. If you want to…
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Bad Bunny’s Ode to Puerto Rico
“There’s a lot going on. I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” Hinchcliffe, a comic, during a Donald Trump meeting. Some people view Puerto Ricans as second-class citizens, and even the government…
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Finding purpose in Southeast Asia’s backpacking culture
A one way ticket, no concrete plan, a dangerously low budget, and a complete trust in the good will of local people – such clichés and many others have been pivotal in constructing an idealised stereotype of backpacking, and the rituals that define the practice. Although these associations remain relevant, the art of backpacking itself…
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The Greatness of Africa
Although Africa is the second-largest continent on Earth, don’t be surprised that many young people outside the continent mistakenly think of it as a single country. With 54 countries and more than 1000 languages spoken across Africa, I am often surprised by how many facts are unknown to youth around the globe. As an African…
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A Linguistic Tapestry of the Balkans
The idea for this article came to my mind while writing my previous one, that in some way was also connected with linguistics. It seems like this previous article made me find again my interest in doing research about linguistics. So let’s talk about a fascinating, yet not necessarily well known topic: the Balkan Sprachbund,…
