HUNGARY FOOD DIARY

Hello everyone.

I decided to film a short video about some examples of the Hungarian cuisine. On Saturday, the beginning of easter break, I drove to Hungary with my dad. So, I thought it'd be interesting to film a few scenes of the landscape at the beginning and at the end of the video because many of you may haven't been to Hungary before. Now, back to the actual topic, food.

I chose to show you some dishes I really love - except the gulyás soup because I'm vegetarian. ;-) My granny helped to carry out my food diary plan; she prepared the gulyás soup and lángos. Of course, I didn't eat everything on my own. The rest I bought either at a supermarket or at food stalls.

I hope you like it. If you do so, please, give the video a thumbs up. :-)

Talk to you soon,

Nicole

STRAWBERRY DREAM

Hi,

Do you like smoothies as much as I do? If the answer is yes, then you'll love the following easy recipe. I want to share a strawberry smoothie recipe with you. This smoothie isn't only delicious, but also healthy. The ingredients I used are for two to three people.

Ingredients:
three cups of almond milk (750ml)
two handfuls of strawberries
three teaspoons of chia seeds

Instructions: 
Put the ingredients into a blender and blend everything until smooth. If necessary, add more almond milk to get your desired consistency. Optionally, you can also add two tablespoons of soy yoghurt.

I hope you like the quick and easy recipe.

Bye for now,

Nicole

FIRST SEMESTER

University of Graz

Hello guys:

This blog post is all about my first semester at university. ;-) Assuming that you haven't read my post about myself, I'm studying Transcultural Communication. Link to the post HERE.

Moving away from your parents, living in your own flat, doing what you want whenever you want, sounds pretty cool, huh? Well, often it's not really. With all these – let's say – advantages come disadvantages such as goodbyes, moments of desperation, and loneliness. In the beginning, organizing all the formalities concerning uni is really confusing. Go there. Do that. Collect that. Go there. No, wrong place, the other there... How is it possible to not get confused by running from one place to the other in an unfamiliar city? Still, there were good times as well.  The first motivation pushing moment was when I got the results from my language exam – passed. This was the moment when I thought, things are getting serious now.

The first lecture was on the main campus of the University of Graz. I have been impressed by the old building the first time I saw it. In my opinion, you immediately feel like a college student in an American TV series. However, I'm not often at the main campus, because all my classes and lectures are in another building. I'm glad that I've really nice and helpful lectors. The language courses are informative and interesting indeed, as we learn a lot about culture, tradition and how to use words in the proper way. Soon after uni started, we fixed the dates for our upcoming exams. In high school or your previous school one might thinks, well four weeks until the exam is enough to study everything. In university, it's not. One is glad for every extra hour, minute or second you have. Two things I've learned in the first semester are a) time flies away way too fast b) your one and only desire is that a day has 48 hours.

However, I'm really grateful for this experience and looking forward to the next semester. Finals are here, so I better concentrate on studying. I just wanted to give you a quick first impression of how I felt. There'll be a post about Tips how to survive university as well, but you have to wait until February. ;-) Stay tuned.

Bye for now,

Nicole

BUCKET LIST

Today is my birthday yay. :-D However, my first semester at university is almost over. Now it's time to sit six exams in two weeks. This means celebrating isn't really possible. Anyway, do you think about your future sometimes? I'm sure you do. Everybody has other priorities and desires; so, bucket lists will always be individual. Thank god! I think it's quite interesting to think about specific things you want to do or achieve before you die. I would like to show you guys some objects on my bucket list. Maybe this post motivates you to make a list of goals and things you want to do in your life. :-)

#Hawaii

Waikiki beach

Hawaii has always been a dream of mine. Have you been to Hawaii yet; or have you googled it? If not, you definitely have to google it. ;-) The archipelago counts with a breathtaking landscape, beautiful orchid fields and beaches as black as ebony. I'm absolutely impressed by the pictures of the impressive volcanoes and diversity these islands offer. On top of my Hawaii list is Honolulu, Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor. By the way, did you know that Jurassic Park was filmed there? 

#Swim with dolphins

It may sound childish, but since I was a child I've always wanted to swim with dolphins. These sea creatures are so intelligent and beautiful. I haven't seen dolphins in real life yet; only in movies such as Flipper. 

#The Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis

The Northern Lights or also called Aurora Borealis appear in the Northern Hemisphere. It's a natural light display seen in the Antarctic and Arctic regions. I think the Northern Lights are one of the most amazing and magical appearances of our world. Provided that you're interested in a short documentary about the Northern Lights, click on this link. 

#New York
I'm a person who really enjoys traveling. I can't imagine staying at one place for the rest of my life. I would love to explore the entire world. New York has always been one of my favorite destinations. If I'd be in New York, there would be so many things I'd love to do. Visiting the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, 5th Avenue, and go on a Gossip Girl tour is definitely on my to-do-list. (Yes, I admit it, I'm addicted to the Gossip Girl series :D)

#Ford Mustang Road Trip

Since the Ford Mustang is one of my favorite cars, driving on the Route 66 in an old-timer Ford Mustang would be unbelievable. Of course, I wouldn't go alone. My cousin is a Mustang lover as well. We'd be listening to oldies such as Highway to Hell and enjoying the remote area. (HAHA, imagination is always better than the reality, but well, that's what we imagine :D) 

#Live next to the sea
With the sea comes better weather. I'm quite unhappy here in Austria with the weather, especially during the winter seasons. I think I suffer from winter depression regularly. :-b Living next to the sea for several years would be a dream coming true. I have been jealous of people living in the South – sea-side are. I know, living by the sea doesn't always have advantages, but I really want to live by the sea once before I die. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my bucket list. Perhaps some of my points are also true for you. Changing the subject, there is also a movie called the Bucket List starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. If you're interested click on this link which will lead you to the trailer. Other than that, I'm currently reading a book called Before I die from Jenny Downham. This book is about a girl who is dying and creating a list of things she wants to do before she dies. I'm sure it isn't everyone's cup of tea. However, I came across a critic about the book published in The Guardian which might interest you. Link HERE.

Have a great evening.

Nicole

PUMPKIN SOUP

Unfortunately, pumpkin time is over, but it is always good to have recipes in stock. Isn't it? So, here is my favorite recipe for a delicious Styrian pumpkin soup. The following ingredients depend on how many people should be served. Usually, the amount below is enough to 2-3 people.

Ingredients 

0,5kg Hokkaido pumpkin

2 large carrots

3 medium potatoes

600ml water

1 vegetable stock cube

salt, pepper and ginger (optional)

soy milk or low-fat milk to reach the desired consistency (optional) 

Prepare step by step

Step 1: Wash the vegetables and cut them into tiny cubes. You do not need to peel the pumpkin.

Step 2: Fill 600ml of water in a pot; add the vegetables and the stock cube. Put a top on the pot and let everything boil until tender.

Step 3: Use a hand blender to blend everything. If desired add additional water or milk.

Step 4: Season the soup with salt, pepper, and ginger.

Topping suggestions

pumpkin seeds

pumpkin seed oil

bread cubes

See you soon, 

Nicole

WRITING A GOOD PARAGRAPH

Knowing how to write a good paragraph is essential for every student. In this blog post, I want to give you useful guidelines on how to write a good paragraph. I will section the text into three parts: beginning, main part and ending. 

Beginning 

First and foremost it is fundamental that you brainstorm. You may think that brainstorming is a waste of time, but trust me, it is not. Brainstorming gives your text more structure. Furthermore, you will have a clue what you are writing about when you start your text. Secondly, if the topic sentence is given, do NOT write another one. There is only one topic sentence in a paragraph. Focus on getting started right away, instead. 

Main part

Brainstorming

For the main part, it is important that you say something concrete. I know how hard it is to stay focused and write meaningful sentences, but in order to produce a coherent paragraph, you have to concentrate. Learn to distinguish between important and unimportant sentences. If you do not need the sentence to explain what you are talking about, then do not write it. Also, try to include at least one word from the topic sentence. By doing this, you will surely stay on topic. 

Ending

When writing the concluding sentence, check the topic sentence once again. Did you stay everything you wanted to say? Did you stay on topic? Assuming that you agree with this questions, concentrate on the concluding sentence. Do not write new information, as nobody wants to discover something new at the end of a paragraph. Include some aspects of the topic sentence in the concluding sentence by using synonyms. Lastly, check your grammar, spelling and the function of linking words.

ABOUT ME

Hello everyone:

I noticed that I have not introduced myself yet. So, I hope you get to know me better when reading the following text. :-)

I am a 19-year-old student living in Graz. I am doing a BA program in Transcultural Communication at the University of Graz. I have courses in culture, language, and translation as part of my BA program. The reason, why I started blogging, is easy to understand. We have been told by our English lector to set up a blog for the English course. Sometimes we have to write about a specific topic. But mostly we can choose the topics ourselves.

Anyway, I am from Saalfelden, a small town surrounded by impressive mountains. I grew up bilingual and, therefore, I speak German and Hungarian fluently. In my spare time, I love meeting friends, being outside, or reading a good book. I am also hopelessly addicted to Netflix and watching TV series. Funnily enough, I hate skiing. I always had. Even though Saalfelden is situated in a well-known region for winter tourism, with many tourists every year; I am definitely a summer person. I spend most of the time thinking about the summer and the sea. In summer, I love traveling and swimming. Let us say I am obsessed with the sea. 

I think this is enough information by now. Have a nice day everyone :-)