Why Poland will never have hygge The polish phrase that will help you through tough times Words like ‘hygge’ (Danish), ‘gezelligheid’ (Dutch) and ‘lagom’ (Swedish) have become very popular in recent years. But fans of these fuzzy-sounding concepts often miss the point that Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden are well-off, politically stable countries with excellent […]

The widows who can’t return home Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide Some of the most conservative Hindus in India believe that a woman whose husband has died should no longer live because she failed to retain his soul. Rejected by their communities and abandoned by their loved ones, thousands of destitute women make their […]

The true story behind England’s tea obsession A stiff upper lip and an almost genetic love of tea are what makes the English English. Except that the latter was actually influenced by a Portuguese woman. Imagine the most English-English person you can think of. Now I’m fairly certain that no matter what picture you just […]

In Indonesia the day tens of millions of people go home Lebaran is one of the largest temporary human migrations globally, as workers return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families and to ask forgiveness from parents and elders. A humbling experienceIn July 2016, I – along with a group of 20 scientists and […]

The country obsessed with accordions The surprising origin of Colombian folk music When I landed at Alfonso López Pumarejo airport just south of Valledupar, the capital of the César region in northern Colombia, it was the first time in 12 years that I had been back to my father’s homeland. The intense tropical heat hit […]

A bewitching town drenched in yellow What’s most striking on entering the city’s Ancient Town is that many of the buildings are bathed in a distinctive golden hue. A celebration of colour In Hoi An in central Vietnam, grand French colonial houses mingle among Japanese temples and Chinese wooden trader’s houses. But the fusion of […]

Myanmar’s tattooed Chin women Aremarkable mark of beauty Myanmar’s tattooed Chin girls In Myanmar’s mountainous and hard-to-reach Chin State, the ethnos girls square measure notable for his or her outstanding face tattoos. In Myanmar’s mountainous and hard-to-reach Chin State, the ethnos girls square measure notable for his or her outstanding face tattoos. (Credit: Dave Stamboulis) […]

The Iraq city that opens its doors. The road to Karbala Every year, millions of people – mostly Shia Muslims – fly, drive or walk to Karbala in central Iraq to see the shrine where the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Imam Hussein, is believed to be buried. During this pilgrimage event, called Arbaeen (which is Arabic […]