10 Must-Read Tips for Aspiring Singer-Songwriters

10 Must-Read Tips for Aspiring Singer-Songwriters Sign up successful 1. Find your inspiration Look into your own life, your surroundings, and people that you look up to in order to find your muse for writing lyrics. Find a subject you are passionate about, whether its set to a  love ballad or an uptempo dance song. Think about what kind of music really speaks to you, and what other listeners will  relate to. I encourage you to listen to other artists and different genres of music, but stay true to  yourself and be original! Never copy another singer-songwriters style or lyrics. 2. Write everything down Once you have found your inspiration, keep some sort of journal. You never know when lyrics may come to you   you  could be on the subway, at a park, or in school, and you don’t want to forget what comes to you! Also, I suggest having some type of recording software to record what comes to you, such as with the voice memos  on your cell phone, or with  GarageBand on your  computer.  If you keep singing a  chorus or melody line over and over your head, record it as soon as you can so you don’t lose it! 3. Shape your song Now it’s time to start crafting your song! Most  successful songs have 2-3 verses and 2-3 choruses. Anything less or more  than that may be a challenge. Make sure there is a story in your song, and that you have some sort of point coming across. What do you want people to feel and think when they hear  your songs? While there is no absolute right way to write a song, many people start out with writing meaningful lyrics, and then putting chords or melody to the words. Or you can do it the other way around, writing a beautiful melody and chord progression, and coming up with the lyrics last. Either of these approaches is acceptable. Refining Your Songwriting 4. Test your songs out live So, you think you have your song completed and ready to put out there? I suggest performing your song live at an open mic or a talent show to get all the kinks out, and to see how an audience reacts to it. Or you may want to start out simple by playing it for your friends and family, since performing original material in front of a live audience can be nerve-wracking! 5. Try recording your song After you’ve been performing the song for a few months, it’s time to record your song! First,  decide if you want to book a session in a recording studio or take a stab at recording in a home studio with the equipment you have. With technology today, it’s easy to record your own songs with the right computer software and a quality microphone. Having a recording of your song, even if it is just a demo, will open many doors, especially if you want to become a singer-songwriter for your career. You can publish your song on YouTube, iTunes, or Soundcloud so potential fans, other artists, and established people in the music business can have access to your songs. Establishing Your Songwriting Career 6. Collaborate with others It’s fun to collaborate and write with other musicians! Sometimes writing lyrics may be your strongest skill, while it may be a weak point for someone  else who is better at writing the instrumental part. Many famous singers collaborate in this way, including  Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and Ashford Simpson. By collaborating with others, you may find someone that truly understands your music perspective and where you want to take your music, which can  be an important asset for you  in your career as a singer-songwriter. Of course, make sure you discuss splitting any profits 50/50 or come to an agreement in writing if you plan to distribute your music professionally. 7. Copyright your music Getting a copyright for  your music is crucial as a songwriter, and should not be overlooked! I recommend registering your song as soon as you have the final version  of it written and recorded. You can do so easily online here at the U.S Copyright Office. For a small fee you can register any songs that you have written, by submitting lyrics and a recording of your work of art (can be a demo). Once you have paid the fee and submitted your original materials, you then  own the copyright to your song, and no one can use it without your permission. If you dont register  your works with the U.S Copyright Office, someone could steal your lyrics or your melody line, and make a whole new recording without your permission or having to pay you any royalties. 8. Look into Performing Rights Organizations Once you have submitted your works to the U.S Copyright Office, I recommend joining  a Performing Rights Organization (PRO). ASCAP, SESAC,  and BMI are organizations  that will  collect any monetary royalties on your behalf and distribute them to you in a fair and organized way. You may be earning royalties if you have songs on the radio, TV, YouTube, Spotify, or iTunes. Each time your song plays in a public place you are entitled to royalties. Some PROs are free to join while others have a joining fee, so do your research to see what’s best for you. 9. Consider writing for others Being a songwriter doesn’t mean you have to write songs just for yourself. Some of  the best singers in the world prefer to write songs for others. This could mean writing a song for the opposite gender, a song in a different language  or  a different genre, or a song that is  too high or low for your vocal range. It’s perfectly normal to be a songwriter for other artists: Lady Gaga, Sia, and Bruno Mars all started out this way! 10. Pitch your music Once you are confident in  your original song, it’s time to pitch your music to the industry! This is not easy and won’t happen overnight, but with technology today, you do have an advantage of getting your music heard and seen by important music industry professionals. One way is by submitting your music online to a music catalog. Many TV shows and commercial companies will look through these production libraries to find songs for their needs, and yours could be exactly what  they are looking for! Do your research with these, as some have fees associated with signing up, while others are free. In major cities, there are also major networking events where artists  can  pitch their songs in person to companies like  MTV and VH1 for a small fee. New York City’s “Spony” is a great opportunity for this. Being a singer-songwriter myself  (Ive  produced my own original songs and written jingles for companies), I hope that these strategies will help you create your songs and bring  them to life for yourself and others to hear! If you need help structuring your songs,  or want even more advice on how to be a singer-songwriter, Id love to work with you. Good luck! Learn more: Check out our step-by-step guide to writing songs! Post Author:  Liz T. Liz T. teaches singing, acting, and music lessons in Brooklyn, NY, as well as online.  She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, RB, and Country. Learn more about Liz here! Photo by Fredrik Rubensson,  Thomas Hawk,  JanetandPhil Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! 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Panorama of Asian Cuisine

Panorama of Asian Cuisine What’s the Difference between The Types of Asian Cuisine? ChaptersChinese CuisineThai CuisineIndian CuisineBurmese CuisineLao CuisineCambodian CookingVietnamese FoodJapanese CuisineKorean Cuisine“Chinese” restaurants in the UK often include a number of different Asian foods.In some cases, you’ll even find sushi (Japan), nem rán (crunchy fried spring rolls from Vietnam), Peking Duck and bok choy (China), and something stir fried all on the same takeout menu.Asian recipes tend to focus on bringing five main flavours together: savoury, sweet, bitter, sour, and spicy. This is why each ingredient and the way they're cooked can be hugely important.For our palettes, which are often more familiar with just savoury and sweet dishes, this can be a shock to the system. However, this is also why Asian cuisines can be so popular.Who doesn't love a bit of sweet and sour chicken dipping sauce?You don't need to wait until the Chinese New Year to eat tasty Asian food. Throughout this article, we’re going to take a trip across the different Asian cu isines and hopefully you'll be inspired to find a recipe for your next meal.Find more cookery courses London here. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsChinese CuisineIn a country as big as China, it’s hardly surprising to find out that there’s a huge amount of variety and the Chinese themselves don't cook just one type of food. We should really talk about Chinese cuisines rather than just Chinese cooking in general. If you like to eat Chinese chicken salad, get ready to have your mind blown as there's more than just one way to do anything in a Chinese kitchen.There are several styles that make up Chinese food, from Sichuan (also known as Szechuan), Shandong and Jiangsu (in the East), and Guangdong (in southern China near Hong Kong and also known as Canton). These styles are different due to the climate, geography, history, and lifestyle of the places they’re from.Chinese recipes generally include rice, noodles, and vegetables. We often find soy, tofu, and seasoning like garlic, ginger, shallot, white pepper, and sesame oil.  Soy sauce and rice vinegar are also frequently used in Chinese food.China's a very big country, so it's hardly surprising there's a huge variety of different food. (Source: Derwiki)If you want to cook Chinese dishes, you should know about the different styles. Heading from north to south, let’s have a look at some of the different types of Chinese food:Shandong: This is often known a s Lu Cuisine in China. This is where most of the vinegar is produced and you can tell by the food they make.Jiangsu: This food relies on seasonal produce. Products need to complement one another in terms of colour and shape and soup is often used to bring more flavour to dishes.Sichuan: This is one of the regions in China (in addition to Yunnan) that offers spicy food. The main ingredients used are: garlic, pepper, ginger, peanuts, and sesame.Guangdong:  This is also known as Cantonese. Given its proximity to the sea, Cantonese cuisine uses a lot of fish and seafood. Cantonese rice with char siu pork is one of the region’s most popular dishes. Dim sum and chow mein (a noodle stir fry) are also from there.Traditional Chinese medicine has helped create healthy and balanced meals, too.  Across the 8 great regional cuisines of China, food is designed to bring together taste and appearance.So whether for a meal in a Chinese restaurant or at somebody’s house, food is often seen as a w ay in China for people to socialise, unlike in the UK, where a drink is a more common way for people to hang out.You should also check out some of the best Asian food blogs for inspiration on what to make next!Thai CuisineThai cuisine focuses on the balance and precision between a variety of ingredients. Thai cuisine focuses on lighter dishes with strong aromas and a lot of different spices.They make use of five main flavours: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy.According to a CNN Travel’s “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods (Reader’ Pick)” survey of 35,000 different people, Thai food was the most popular. Thai food made up most of the most popular dishes including: tom yum, pad Thai, Som Tam, Massaman curry, nam tok.Pad Thai is one of Thailand's (and the world's) most popular dishes. (Source: Sharonang)Rice and spice are inseparable when it comes to Thai cuisine, as well as tomato, corn, papaya, pineapple, coriander, cashew nuts, and peanuts, which were imported by the Por tuguese and Spanish during the 15th and 16th centuries.Indian CuisineAuthentic Indian cuisine is famous for its sophisticated use of spice, vegetables, herbs, and fruit. Given the size of the country and the variety of climates, cultures, ethnicities, and religions, there’s a huge variety when it comes to dishes.Religious traditions have heavily influenced the way the natives eat. A large percentage of the population is vegetarian, for one.The main ingredients include starchy vegetables like the pearl millet (bajra), rice, atta flour, and a large variety of lentils like masoor, toor, and mung bean.  Dal is one of the most famous dishes to make use of lentils.Take cooking classes from Superprof's renowned tutors.Indian cuisine is great for vegetarians. (Source: BaluBFA12)Burmese CuisineBurmese cuisine is influenced by Chinese, Indian, and Thai cuisine.However, Burma has kept certain cooking techniques and unique flavours. There are many variations on the “standard” dishes.The B urmese don’t eat with chopsticks or a fork, they eat the food with their right hand. They make a ball of rice in their hands and then roll it in the different ingredients before putting it in their mouth. The Burmese eat a large variety of vegetables, fruit, and meat.Burma's home to some delicious food. (Source: Judithscharnowski)One of the most popular vegetables is the pea that grows on the Archidendron pauciflorum tree, commonly known as Djenkol, Jenkol, or Jering.  The peas are generally boiled, roasted, or soaked in salt, oil, or coconut oil. GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLao CuisineLaos borders China, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and has been heavily influenced by Cambodian and northern Thai cuisine.  Sticky rice, which is eaten with your hands, is common to most Lao dishes.Did you know that it’s the stickiest rice in the world?The Lao people are often known as luk khao niaow (the children or descendants of sticky rice).Larb is one of the most common Lao dishes and consists of raw meat or fish marinated in spices and herbs. Tam mak hoong, a spiced papaya salad, is another popular Lao dish.Lao cuisine varies by region and the produce grown there. There’s also a strong French heritage in Vientiane. There are a lot of French restaurants since the country was once controlled by the French.You won't need chopsticks in Laos or Burma. (Source: Ipegasu)Cambodian CookingCambodian food mainly cons ists of tropical fruit, rice, noodles, drinks, soups, and desserts. The dishes play with a variety of flavours, temperatures, and foodstuffs.Rice is the foundation of most dishes and can be found at every meal of the day. It’s served with fresh grilled fish, soup, and an assortment of herbs and vegetables.There are so many different rices for a variety of different tastes. Sticky rice is often eaten for dessert with slices of mango and coconut milk. Rice is also eaten as a snack: fried rice cakes with chives, spinach, or even porridge with rice.Vietnamese FoodVietnamese food focuses on the 5 main flavours and most dishes combines several or all of them. Common ingredients include fish sauce, shrimp extract, soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruit, and vegetables. Vietnamese dishes also include aromatic seasoning like lemongrass, ginger, mint, cilantro, cinnamon, pepper, and lime.Vietnamese cooking is famed for using fresh produce, complementary textures, aromatic vegetables, a lack of oil and dairy products.  This is why it’s some of the healthiest food in the world.Learn more about cooking Asian food using a wok.Japanese CuisineJapanese food is famous for using seasonal produce, high quality ingredients, and careful preparation. There is very little fat or grease in Japanese cooking. This helps the ingredients retain their natural flavours.Regional specialities (known as kyodo ryori in Japanese) often include fish. Sushi and sashimi are popular, leaving little room for meat dishes in the Land of the Rising Sun.You'll never look at sushi in the same way again. (Source: DrawsAndCooks)However, on the island of Okinawa, in south of Japan, there are different dishes due to the different climate and culture. The cuisine includes Chinese influences, such as the sweet potato, which was introduced in 1605.Traditional Japanese cuisine is a mix of Chinese and Thai influences, such as the technique for distilling Awamori, a type of alcohol from Okinawa which first came f rom Thailand.Korean CuisineKorean cuisine has prehistoric roots that have evolved due to cultural, political, and environmental factors.  Common ingredients include rice, vegetables, and meat. Most traditional dishes are served with steamed rice.Kimchi, a dish made from fermented vegetables, is served with almost every meal in Korea. It’s made of napa cabbage, radish, shallot, garlic, ginger, or cucumber.Kimchi is a side dish made from fermented vegetables. (Source: Daecheonnet)Other seasoning includes sesame oil, doenjang (soybean paste), soy sauce, salt, pepper, and gochujang (red chilli paste).Korean barbecue, or gogi gui, is the typical way to grill beef, pork, chicken, and other types of meat. These types of dishes are often placed directly on a gas grill in the middle of the table.In short:There’s way more than just one type of Asian cuisine. This would be like saying “European cuisine” and lumping British, French, Italian, Greek food together. Asian style food is as r ich and varied as the continent it's from. Since Asian dishes can include crispy vegetable dumplings or wontons, hoisin duck, chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce, sushi, chicken noodle soup, and garlic chili prawn, you're spoilt for choice!Chinese culinary tradition varies by region. It’s not usually spicy, except in regions like Sichuan and Yunnan.Thai cuisine is very spicy and varied. It’s the most popular type of food around the world. Popular dishes include pad Thai and green curry.Indian food is great for vegetarians and often includes plenty of vegetables. The country has more types of lentils can you could dream of. Samosas and curries are very common in India. You should try lassi, a yoghurt-based drink and delicacy.Burmese cuisine also includes a lot of vegetables. It often uses oyster sauce for preparing chicken and a variety of vegetables.Lao cuisine shares certain similarities with Burmese food. There’s a big French influence in the country's capital. However, you should focus on more typical dishes like pho, noodle soup, and Lao sausages.Cambodian food often uses rice as a base. You’ll probably have it with every meal if you go there.Vietnamese food is considered some of the healthiest around. You should also try caramelised pork, though not as healthy!Japanese food is also very healthy because it rarely uses grease or fat and includes a lot of seafood. In addition to sushi, Japanese also includes teriyaki, where meat is grilled with a delicious soy sauce glaze making it delicious and tender.Korean food uses rice, vegetables, and meat. Barbecued food is popular in Korea, unlike in most other Asian countries where frying meat in a wok is more common.If you visit anywhere in Asia, you’ll notice that there are certain dining customs that are very distinct to our own heritage.Check out these easy Asian recipes for inspiration!Find out how Asian cooking differs from Western cuisine.

A Beginners Guide to Computers

A Beginner’s Guide to Computers Learn All About Computers ChaptersWhat Are The Parts of a Computer?The History of ComputingUseful Computer HardwareThe World’s Most Famous ProgrammersStep-by-Step Instructions for Creating a Facebook Account“When you’re dealing with computers, you should be like ducks… Appear calm on the surface and pedal like crazy underneath.” -Richard LallementWhether you want an introduction to computers, become a software developer or take programming courses - there are many reasons you might want to known more about computers and their history. Either way, computer engineering wasn’t invented in a day and continues to require a lot of work.It’s fairly easy to naviguate the Web, but have you ever asked yourself how it is even possible? From the first electronic circuits, the building of the first computer, must-have computer gadgets, well-known coders and how to sign up to Facebook, find out everything you need to know about computers.Wikipedia is founded2004: Mozilla Firefox comes outThe shared-data era20 08: First appearance of the term MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)2009: Archos launches the first touch-sensitive tablet2010: first cloud-based data storage developed2011: smartphone sales overtake computer sales2014: more than a billion websites2016: Google Chrome surpasses Internet Explorer in market sharesA USB key: shock-resistant, lightweight and compact, it allows you to stock files and transport them anywhere from £3 for tiny (and rather obsolete) 2GB memory sticks to over £700 for encrypted keys capable of storing over 100 GB.External hard drive: to augment your computer’s memory or backup your data, you should count somewhere between £20 and £70 depending on its data storage capacity.7Learn more about IT by taking computer courses. or follow one of the many online computer courses.The World’s Most Famous ProgrammersBefore learning to program and throwing yourself heart and soul into IT, why not look at others who have shaped the history of computers. Programming suc h as we know it today could not exist without some exceptional people. Here are some of the most famous programmers.Grace Hopper: nicknamed Amazing Grace, she invented the first UNIVAC compiler in 1950. This compiler allowed computer engineers worldwide to understand the computer languages of the time.Mark Zuckerberg: founder and president of Facebook since 2004, he’s the fifth most wealthy man on the planet. Though he seems to have lost his coding edge, he was the one who wrote the first lines of code for the famous (and infamous) social media siteMaybe he should take refresher coding courses with Superprof!Margaret Hamilton: she corrected the programming for the Apollo 11 mission - by hand. Without her minutia and attention to detail, men would never have walked on the moon in 1969Louis Pouzin: French computer engineer, he developed a datagram that later allowed for the creation of the Internet. He is now helping to re-invent it!Larry Page: an American computer engineer, he desi gned the Google search engine. His father was one of the founders of eGroups, Yahoo’s forerunner.This list is, of course, far from exhaustive, but it gives you a small idea of what programming can entail: an opening for the future and a thirst for change.Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating a Facebook AccountFacebook saw the light of day in 2004 through the agencies of Mark Zuckerberg. The social network is accessible to all since September 2006. It is the third most visited website behind Google and YouTube and has passed the 2 billion user mark since July 2017.Facebook can help you stay in touch with friends and family and connect with new people. Photo on VisualHunt.comThe name Facebook comes from start-of-year handouts with pictures and names of staff and students handed out at American universities. This social network lets you post pictures, texts, videos… Its goal is to connect its users so they exchange information.Creating a Facebook account is free and easy. You just need to follow these steps after landing on the www.facebook.com page:Fill in a sign-in form with you first and last name, e-mail address, password and date of birthConfirm the account by clicking on a link sent to your e-mailFind friends already on FacebookAdd a profile picture and a header picture if you wantModify your profile by entering personal information: job, schooling, place of birth, family…Post content from your profile or your newsfeed.As you can see, you don’t need to be a programmer to create a social media account! Now it’s up to you to choose what you want to post.In summary:The central unit is the most important element to the computer’s functioning. The screen, keyboard and mouse simply serves as an interfaceComputers would be nothing without maths and particularly algorithms. Many men and women contributed to the construction of computers as we know them today.It might be useful to get a combination printer-scannerLook to programmers and computer enginee rs for inspiration: Grace Hopper, Larry Page or Bill GatesAnd finally, if you still don’t have a Facebook account, don’t panic: they are easy to create by following simple step-by-step instructions.

A Travellers Guide to Russia

A Travellers Guide to Russia How to Get the Most Out of Your Time in Russia ChaptersWhat Are the Most Famous Russian Cities?The Best Monuments to Visit in RussiaHow Much Does it Cost to Visit Russia?Where Should You Stay in Russia?“Russia has twelve different time zones just to weave its immense tapestry” - Sylvain TessonIt’s difficult to envisage a trip to Russia where you get to see everything. It’s the biggest country in the world, there’s a lot to do. Whether you’re going to Saint Petersburg, visiting Lake Baikal, reliving history on Red Square, or travelling through the Caucasus, you need to plan before you travel through Russia.Did you know that the average tourist spends around 8 days in Russia?Here’s some advice on travelling to Russia, accommodations, the sites to visit, how much money you’ll spend, and how to get visas.  The first thing to do is outline whereabouts in Russia you’re going to travel to. LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!D iscover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Are the Most Famous Russian Cities?When you travel to Russia, it’s probably a good idea to decide which cities you want to go to. This is hugely important given that it’s the biggest country in the world and you don’t want to buy any train or plane tickets at the last minute. Here are some of the most popular cities in Russia:Moscow, the Russian capital city.Saint Petersburg, one of the most westernised Russian cities.Kazan, a Tartar city.Vladivostok, an eastern city.Sochi, a beach and winter reso rt.Irkutsk, the gateway to Lake Baikal.Murmansk, an arctic city.Vladimir and Suzdal, tsarist icons.Saint Petersburg is one of Russia's most popular destinations. (Source: quinntheislander)There are tonnes of things to see in Moscow! You’ll need several days to enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Novodevichy Convent and Saint Basil's Cathedral. Some of the most popular attractions include:Red SquareThe KremlinLenin’s MausoleumThe Ostankino TowerThe Memorial Museum of CosmonauticsSaint Petersburg has a more relaxed and European atmosphere. You’ll be able to find people who speak English slightly more easily than you would in Moscow, for example. If you go to Saint Petersburg in June, you can enjoy the White Nights Festival. Some of the most popular attractions include:The Admiralty BuildingThe Saint Petersburg CanalsSaint Isaac’s CathedralThe Russian Cruiser AuroraThe State Hermitage MuseumKazan CathedralThe Church of the Saviour on BloodMariinsky TheatreOf cours e, it’s really difficult to list absolutely everything you can enjoy in Russian cities.For example, if you take the Trans-Siberian Railway, you could ice skate on Lake Baikal, for example. If you speak Russian, go to Murmansk and take a dog sledge through the tundra!So which city would you like to visit?The Best Monuments to Visit in RussiaThe number of visitors to Russia has increased by around 20% since 2000. The fact that there are so many wonderful things to visit definitely hasn’t hurt.Learn Russian faster by taking this online Russian course.Moscow is home to plenty of unmissable sights. (Source: jackmac34)The first thing you should do is think about what you can do in Russia. When you travel through Russia, you can enjoy travelling from the past to the present. There are plenty of different monuments that you have to visit and there are others that are worthwhile going out of your way to see. Here’s our list of some of the most interesting attractions in Russia:Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow.Lenin’s Mausoleum and the Ostaniko Tower, Moscow.The Monument to the Conquerors of Space, Moscow.The Saint Isaac Cathedral, the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg.Kul Sharif Mosque, Kazan.The Golden Gate, Vladimir.Immanuel Kant's Grave, Kaliningrad.Livadia Palace, Crimea.The Shisselburg Fortress, Leningrad.The Keyboard Monument, Yekaterinburg.Each of these monuments represents part of Russian history or modern Russian culture.Red Square is a symbol of Russian power. This is where military parades take place, especially on 9th May to celebrate the end of World War II.The most surprising monument is probably is Immanuel Kant’s Tomb, which is hidden behind an Orthodox monastery.The Monument to the Conquerors of Space and the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics can be visited with children.The most impressive is the State Hermitage Museum. You can easily spend over six hours visiting this place. With so much to see, you might want an English guide to make sure tha t you don’t miss anything.You should opt for limitless transport cards when you’re in the big cities like Moscow, Saint Petersburg, or Kazan. A lot of these also allow you to travel on rivers.So are you looking to have a historical, cultural, or relaxing trip? How Much Does it Cost to Visit Russia?Unlike most European countries where you can quite clearly budget your costs, Russia sometimes will have unexpected additional costs. For example, you need to pay for your tourist visa, which you can do by contacting the Russian Embassy or via certain places that work with the Russian consulate, for example.Discover the best Russian language course on Superprof.Make sure you prepare a budget for your time in Russia. (Source:Flights can cost several hundred pounds and there are trains that cost between £15 and £40 per person if you’re travelling between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Then there’s insurance...You’ll also need to consider the exchange rate, which can quickly change the entire budget for your holiday.If you’re wondering how much travelling to Russia costs, here’s some advice. Your budget should include:The essential costs we mentioned above.Accommodation and booking fees.Food and dining out.Leisure activities.Additional costs.When it comes to food, you can find lots of good restaurants at a reasonable price. There are a number of chain restaurants that offer typical Russian food:Teremok, a fast food place that does traditional Russian dishes.Lepim y Varim, specialists in pelmenis.Pelmenya, another place that does pelmenis.Varenychna N °1, for reasonably-priced specialities.Think about the activities you want to do and budget accordingly. You can easily spend £30 per person per day on leisure activities.Similarly, depending on your destination, you might want to add around £300 per trip to Russia for registration fees, transportation within cities, etc. You might want insurance that covers repatriation in the event of death, etc. Shop arou nd for different insurance policies.How are you going to calculate your budget for Russia?Where Should You Stay in Russia?Before you even get your flights, you’ll probably look for reasonably-priced accommodation in Russia. You should prioritise places that offer free cancellation so that you make planning easier. You’ll need a reservation before you can get your visa for Russia since you can’t just land in Russia with nowhere to stay.You'll want to stay somewhere with good transport links if you want to visit the whole city. (Source: Tama66)Accommodation in Russia can be a bit of a nightmare, especially if you don’t know where to look. There are several criteria that you should take into account:Dates of stayHow long you’ll spend travelling in RussiaWhere you’re staying in the Russian FederationYour budgetYour tasteYou can choose between:Hotels (independent hotels, Russian hotel chains, international hotel chains)AirbnbYouth hostelsUnusual accommodationIf you like adven ture, you could book a dacha country house complete with a typical Russian banya.So are you ready to go to Russia?Let’s go!Russia welcomes plenty of tourists every year, so make sure you've planned which regions you want to visit, got your Russian visa, made sure your passport is still valid, and you've bought your rubles.Before you travel to Russia, you might want to learn more about the basics of the language. On Superprof, you can find private tutors offering Russian lessons. There are three types of tutorials available on the platform: private tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials.Private tutorials are usually the most expensive option but they also offer the highest level of teaching and tutorials that are tailored to the individual. Online tutorials are generally cheaper as the tutor has fewer expenditures and can schedule more tutorials per day since they don't have to travel. Finally, group tutorials are even cheaper because the cost is divided among the student s but you won't get the lessons tailored to each individual student.If you're thinking about becoming a tutor, you can create a profile on Superprof. Tutors who offer quality tutorials and tailored lessons won't tend to have any problems finding students as your profile will quickly fill up with glowing reviews. If you're looking to entice students, we recommend offering the first hour of tutorials for free so that potential students can see what you're capable of and you can talk about the different types of tutoring you offer.Don't worry if your students end up going to Russia, either! You can continue tutoring them as long as you both have decent internet connections through online private tutorials.

English Expressions with the Word Rock Improve English Vocabulary

English Expressions with the Word Rock Improve English Vocabulary My word this week is ROCK. In its simplest form it represents strength and dependability. We always associate the word with these facts. Here are some English expressios with the word ROCK  for you:He was my rock.   to describe someone you can depend on 100%The wall was made of solid rock.   nothing was going to break through. English Expressions with the Word ROCK However, a simple addition of a letter (suffix “-y” ) and the meaning changes dramatically. ROCK â€" ROCKY.Rocky  now means something unstable something not so dependable.I sat down in the restaurant and asked if I could move as the table was rocky and I had spilt my drink.Of course, in those wonderful American movies Rocky  was a boxing champion who was that strength and power. He was almost invincible. So be careful how you use it and how you interpret it when you meet this word in a book or film or in speech.Rock  as a noun means solid and strong.He is my rock.   We use this expression in English as a figure of speech means someone you can rely on A rocking horse  is an old fashioned toy horse enjoyed by thousands. The child sits on it and moves backwards and forwards simulating the action of a horse. In a similar way a rocking chair  provides the same action for an older user.We can use Rocky  as an adjective to describe a garden or field that has many rocks and is perhaps  not so fertile. As already indicated rocky as an adjective can also describe an unsteady table or  indeed we use it to describe relationships that are not going smoothly.They have a very rocky  relationship. It would not surprise me if they broke up (separated).As a figure of speech we have he has hit rock bottom  meaning he has gone as low as he can, he is very unhappy.His  business failed he has no money and is not sure what to do next.You must be off your rocker.  Used to describe someone who is acting in a strange way or suggesting something really stupid.He told his friend  he was going to do a bungy jump from a high platform located in the city centr e. His friend told him  it was dangerous and that he was mad to even consider it. You must be off your rocker he said.We all love to listen to a bit of RocknRoll  don’t we? There is nothing weak about this music. Full  of life and energy. Online English Course Learn over 40 English Phrasal Verbs and English Idioms in context for FREE ENROL IN COURSE NOW FREE

Should you Crack Your Knuckles An English Listening Exercise

Should you Crack Your Knuckles An English Listening Exercise When I was young, adults used  to warn me about cracking my knuckles. I cant remember what it was supposed to do, but it was something bad. So generally, I dont crack them. But is it really bad for you? Check out the video for this weeks English listening exercise and see what you think.Watch the video below, then see if you can answer the questions.Answer the questions in comments and we will respond.1. What is happening  when you crack your joints?2. How is a knuckle crack different from a knee crack?3. What experiment did Dr. Donald Unger do?4. What did he hope to learn?5. What were the results?6. What does other research say about cracking your joints?7. Do you crack your joints? Do you think it has any health effects?

Irvine History Tutor 5 Tips to Study for a History Final

Irvine History Tutor 5 Tips to Study for a History Final Irvine History Tutoring: 5 Tips to Study for a History Final Finals week is not so far away, and students will need to study for each and every subject. Every student in middle and high school will be studying for at least one history final and will need to make sure they have their dates, VIPs, and cause effect learned by heart before they sit down to complete the exam. History is a huge a subject in that pretty much everything leading up to today is considered a part of history. Whether a student is in a highly specific course such as AP art history or a broad survey course like 9th grade US history, their study strategy will be largely the same. Theres a lot of memorization, correlation, and understanding of the personal interaction between people and cultures our private Irvine history tutors will help you score high on your history final. 1.   Dates and timelines History is made up of a giant timeline filled with tons of important dates that students have to memorize in order to ace those final exams. Its definitely essential for students to know when important things happened but also realize that there are giant spans of time in between elections, wars and conflicts, and cross-cultural connections. Just memorizing a date wont give a student a full understanding of events so they are, encouraged to read about each important historical situation and discover how it affected things that occurred later on. 2.   Correlation and cause effect There are so many things found within history that correlate with each other in some way and/or have an important cause effect. For instance, two things might have happened in different countries at the very same time that later affected the connections between those two cultures. Also, the end of one conflict might have started the beginning of another one. History is full of fascinating connections that students should understand both for their interest and for the grade on their final exam. Complicated connections may require further explanation from a classroom teacher or supplemental tutor so that students get why one event occurred and how it affected people and places within that timeframe. 3.   Understanding VIPs There are tons of critical people that students should learn about to do well on a history exam. Students should make sure they know about politicians, royalty, soldiers, and others who played a big part in moving history closer to the present. Additionally, students should take the time to learn about everyday people within history and what their lives might have been like. Dont forget, these people made up about 95% of most populations and so looking into a day in their life can give students a good understanding of what happened during that time frame and, as a result, help them understand how to answer questions on an exam. 4.   Communicating thoughts clearly In addition to understanding textbooks and handouts about historical events, students need to write about them in a series of passages, free response questions, or essays. Its essential for students of history to be able to clearly and concisely communicate their thoughts so that the reader -in this case, their teacher- understands the point the student is trying to get across. Effective writers do a great job of answering questions thoroughly but not wasting time on unnecessary words. This is an essential skill for a history student or a student of any subject at the middle or high school level. 5.   History repeats itself Its beneficial for students to know that history repeats itself, which is to say most things occur in a cycle. This will help students understand why we have one war and then another or why advancements occur during different time periods. Times are good, and then they are bad. Countries are allies, and then they are enemies. Students who can grasp this overall theory will often do a much better job of answering test questions and writing free response passages. This is another complex topic that students might want to talk about with their classroom teacher or tutor before they sit down to take their exam at the end of the year. Its never too early or too late to start prepping for your history final with the help of a private Irvine history tutor. Call us today to learn more. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Free Fluency 6 E-learning Language Courses That Dont Cost a Penny

Free Fluency 6 E-learning Language Courses That Dont Cost a Penny Free Fluency: 6 E-learning Language Courses That Dont Cost a Penny Put down your wallet.You dont need it to learn a language!Even if you’re living on a tight budget, juggling work, school and family, or feel like you don’t have another second to spare in your day, learning a foreign language isn’t out of reach.Advances in smartphone technology and the expansion of the internet have tucked all the world’s knowledge right in your pocket!E-learning language courses make fluency easier to achieve than ever.  There’s an abundance of great free resources for learning almost any language you can imagine! So if youve been looking for high-quality online language lessons to match your budget, youve come to the right place.Well show you six stellar e-learning language courses that are totally free. Pick one that matches your learning style and your schedule, and all thats left to do is get learning! The Case for E-learning Language CoursesAside from the fact that these courses are free and available to everyone, there are several significant advan tages to learning a language online:Mobility:  The greatest advantage of the internet is that you can access and use it whenever and wherever you please, on any device you choose. When it comes to learning a language online, you can practice anywhere at any time.Review vocabulary on your commute, study grammar while youre waiting in line  or listen to podcasts while youre cooking dinner!Convenience:  E-learning  courses allow you to work at your own pace, whether you only have a whole vacation dedicated to language learning or just a few minutes to spare right before bed. The flexibility of online learning means you wont feel any pressure because you arent holding anyone up if life gets hectic and you cant study for a few days. The bite-sized nature of these courses also allows you to complete lessons in a short amount of time.These types of courses are especially convenient for solo students because you can revisit the material as needed. If youre struggling with certain verbs or v ocabulary, you can study them as much as you need to, without exam deadlines or the danger of a failing grade.Customization:  Online language learning courses offer tools tailored to all different learning styles! These courses present more opportunities than a strict classroom environment, boosting your odds for successfully becoming fluent.If youre a visual learner, there are flashcards to help you drill vocabulary. If youre an auditory learner, you can explore movies and podcasts for whatever language youre studying. Kinetic learners can print off worksheets or play games to help them learn. If you enjoy reading, there are plenty of places to download foreign language e-books.The possibilities are endless, and you should be able to find a course that suits you perfectly!Free Fluency: 6 E-learning Language Courses That Dont Cost a PennyWhile there are plenty of textbooks, workbooks, traditional classes, software, private tutors and other resources available for purchase, the inter net offers some excellent free choices.These six websites offer free e-learning language courses for beginners through experts.BBC LanguagesThe BBC website offers language learning courses in 40 languages! There are quick-fix lessons to teach travelers essential words and phrases alongside full-service courses for languages like French, Spanish, German, Greek and Chinese.Lessons and resources include language learning tailored just for kids and crosswords for visual learners who prefer to work outside the box. Pair vocabulary and grammar practice with a selection of news, TV and radio links for immersion practice and cultural  study.The BBC page is archived and no longer updated, but its still a fantastic free resource that can stand alone or act as a supplement to other courses.Effective Language LearningThis website offers free lessons in Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish! Its packed with great resources to help you decide which language to choose and the best methods f or learning it.Get started with the Language Guide, which explores the background of each language, ranks how difficult they are to learn and compares how closely related they are to English regarding linguistics and culture.Click on Language Learning Tips and read through 17 great ways to get the most out of online lessons. Youll increase your odds for success with this resources helpful study ideas, such as: practice thinking in the other language, experience immersion using pop culture, break your lessons into small chunks and cut yourself some slack on mistakes.If youre curious about the quality of paid e-learning language options, visit the Language Course Reviews page for a side-by-side comparison of major software programs currently on the market.  Its a useful reference, but dont forget about the abundance of free resources available online!LanguageGuide.orgHere youll find vocabulary lessons in more than 25 languages, complete with audio recordings to help you learn pronunci ation. Listening to audio files is an important part of absorbing new  words and learning to use them correctly.The vocabulary lessons are perfect for both audio and visual learners because they incorporate images with each audio file. Some of the exercises are already set  to an advanced level by default, but you can adjust the difficulty level in your settings (click the gear in the upper right-hand corner).When it comes time to test your knowledge, be sure to use both the speaking and listening challenges!The English and French courses also offer grammar instruction and reading selections alongside the vocabulary lists. Overall, this website is a great supplemental resource for drilling vocabulary and pronunciation alongside e-learning courses that cover grammar and immersion.MyLanguagesIf youre looking for lesser studied languages, like Yiddish, Urdu or Welsh, look no further! MyLanguages.org is an excellent free resource for almost any language you can imagine, from the obscure to the widely-spoken.The website is user-friendly and very easy to navigate. Scroll through the left sidebar for links to specific pages, such as phrases, vocabulary and the radio lab, which provides links to radio stations in different languages.Youll also find unique, handy resources like virtual keyboards for foreign languages and  a transliteration generator to see phonetics for a given text in your target language. Use the dictionary, exercises and downloadable audio clips to get the most out of your learning experience.Open CultureThis educational collection brings together lessons in 48 different languages through a variety of websites, YouTube channels, iTunes audio downloads and apps. No matter what your learning style may be, youll find a match for it here.Some languages are better represented than others, but each category lists a variety of options and platforms, allowing you to match lesson formats with your preferred study method.  The courses are arranged alphabetica lly by language, which makes getting started a snap.This site also provides free cultural materials, including book and textbook downloads, movies, lectures, art, images and music. These useful supplementary materials will help you learn about the culture and history of the language youre speaking!ThoughtCoThis site is excellent for certain hard-to-find languages and unique resources, bringing together cartoons in Hebrew and Arabic alphabet practices with complete e-courses in French, Russian, German and Italian, among much more. Theres even a Latin course available if youre into dead languages!Each category features links to lessons for beginners starting at square one, covering everything from alphabet and grammar to vocabulary and culture. Several of the languages offer students more advanced lessons and resources tailored for audio and visual learners.If you still havent found what youre looking for, theres a link to the Peace Corps Language Courses Archive at the bottom of the page, which leads you to another excellent resource for less common languages.So, what are you waiting for? That elusive right time or right moment?That time is right now! Dont wait any longer.Learn a language for free, on your schedule, on any device, anywhere, at any time! It only takes a little attention each day. Make the most of your commute, drill vocabulary during commercials or swap fifteen minutes of social media for study time.Its worth the effort! Fluency in a second language boosts your competitive edge in a saturated job market. Bilingualism also teaches the brain to think in new and different ways. It improves memory, concentration, cognitive performance and helps develop various aspects of our social skills, such as  empathy and effective communication.Theres an abundance of wonderful e-learning language courses for every skill level and learning style. These courses are practical, convenient, portable and customizable. And dont forget free!Tiffany Edgecomb is a freel ance copywriter and owner of The Alphabet Soup Company. She specializes in creating blogs, newsletters and email sequences for lifestyle topics like cooking, language, real estate, travel and personal finance. And One More ThingIf you want to upgrade to infinitely expanded learning possibilities that are still budget-friendly, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.Plus, you can still try FluentU for free to make sure its right for you before committing.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Learn with FluentU on your web browser or, better yet, download the app to study on the go at the iTunes store or Google Play store.