1. Notes for CultureGrams & World Conflicts Today Users
2. Did You Know?
3. Holiday Focus/Upcoming World Holidays
4. Teaching Idea
5. Quiz
6. Recipes
7. In the News
8. Email Service Information & Newsletter Forwarding

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• Ireland's constitution prohibited divorce until 1995, when voters chose by a margin of 1 percent to legalize divorce. The current law permits Irish couples to divorce after four years of separation.
  
  
• In Germany, nearly every occupation, from mechanic to waiter to accountant, has a school or program designed specifically for it. Because of this training, salaries of most workers are much higher than those of their counterparts in the United States.
  
  
• Almost half of the population of Switzerland skis regularly (both cross-country and downhill).
  
  
• Pets outnumber children in France and receive special attention; the average French family has one or two children.
  
  
• Liechtenstein has not had an army since 1868 and has avoided war since the end of the 18th century.

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Some Upcoming World Holidays

Malawi – Martyrs' Day – March 3
Honors those who gave their lives in 1963 in the quest for independence.

Belize – Baron Bliss Day – March 9
Honors a Portuguese noble who left his wealth to the country and its people.

Kingdom of Lesotho – Tree Planting Day – March 21
This holiday is important because Lesotho is subject to soil erosion and has virtually no forests. The government sponsors tree-planting projects to provide future building and fuel supplies and to guard against further erosion.

Kazakhstan – Nauriz – March 22
Traditional Kazakh New Year and Spring Festival. Many communities have a street festival with Kazakh food, music, and dancing.

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National Standards for Foreign Language Education (developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)--

Standard 2.1: Gain knowledge and understanding of other cultures. Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.

McRel Geography Standards--

Standard 6: Understands that culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.

Level IV [Grade 9–12] Benchmark 1:
Understands why places and regions are important to individual human identity and as symbols for unifying or fragmenting society (e.g., sense of belonging, attachment, or rootedness; symbolic meaning of places such as Jerusalem as a holy city for Muslims, Christians, and Jews).

• CultureGrams World Edition: France Report
  

1. Begin with an explanation of national identity and its components, including things like flags, national anthems, historical traditions, language, holidays, values, etc.
   
   
2. Have students read the France CultureGrams report looking for factors that might cause cultural tension (e.g. the introduction of Islam, the proposal to lengthen the workweek, the growing number of fast food restaurants, etc.) or serve as a source of national pride (e.g. language, food, recreation, arts, value of leisure time, farming, etc.).
   
   
3. Using the CultureGrams report as background, introduce the following recent events that exemplify this cultural struggle:
   
   
4. Riots in Parisian suburbs: Weeks of riots prompt intense concern about racism toward minorities and the class divide that keeps many children of immigrants unemployed and without other opportunities.
   
   
5. Lance Armstrong winning the Tour de France: Perhaps a sign of U.S. American dominance in other areas, Armstrong's victory was not celebrated by the French.
   
   
6. Protests against genetically modified food: In an attempt to protect France's farmers and avoid possible health hazards, France opposes importing and consuming the genetically modified food common in the United States.
   
   
7. Anti–fast food and globalization movements: Proud of its traditional, world-famous cuisine, France does not welcome the fast food chains that come with globalization.
   
   
8. Changes in the Académie française: The Academy represents the French desire to keep their language “pure.”
   
   
9. In a short position paper, have students a) present one of the above issues, b) discuss France's national identity and how their chosen issue affects or challenges that identity, and c) offer their opinion on what--if anything--should be done about the issue.

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1. The Iberian Peninsula is occupied by which two countries?
   
   
2. What Western European country surrounds two independent nations?
   
   
3. Which country is home to artists such as Rembrandt Van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and Vincent Van Gogh?
   
   
4. In 1989, in a move that encouraged political reforms in Eastern Europe, the Hungarian government tore down the barbed-wire fence along its border with which country?
   
   
5. Which country claims to have invented french fries?

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Main Dish from Austria
Wiener schnitzel
Breaded Veal or Pork Cutlets

Note: The Viennese adopted this dish from Italy during the Austro-Hungarian period.

Ingredients:

1 cup lard, heated in skillet until hot
4 to 6 veal or pork cutlets
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Mix eggs and milk. Dip cutlets into flour. Dip cutlets into egg-milk mixture. Carefully coat with bread crumbs, but not too heavily. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to seal coating.

2. Deep-fry cutlets until browned on both sides, about 3 or 4 minutes. Turn cutlets several times during cooking. Do not pierce. Remove cutlets from lard with tongs, and drain over pan for a few seconds before removing to absorbent paper.

Dessert from Spain
Natillas y Flan
Spanish Flan

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 quart whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Caramelize sugar in flan pan.

2. In a separate bowl, beat six eggs until they're lemon colored. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

3. Pour mixture into the pan, on top of the caramelized sugar. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour, or until your knife comes out clean. It should be smooth and light.

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