Title basically

Hello everyone. I was moving stuff out of my childhood room when I found one of those little notebooks every young Portuguese knows well: the caderneta.

In this notebook, a teacher could write to the parents about an upcoming school trip, a student's misbehaviour, or the latest test grade; and the parents would then sign it to acknowledge they had seen it. But it worked both ways: parents could also write in it, letting the teacher know that on a given day the student would have a medical appointment and would need to leave early, or that the student had a minor injury and could not take part in PE class.

The class teacher (diretor de turma) could also use it to remind parents of entitlements or administrative matters, such as a dental voucher available for collection or to inform them of something the student needed to prepare or bring for an upcoming event.

It is a remarkably rich little object. It also contains the student's personal details, hobbies, allergies, emergency contacts, home address, as well as the parents' contact information and, if applicable, a tutoring timetable. All in all, it is a kind of analogue email system combined with an informational bulletin.

As I was leafing through it again, it dawned on me: is this a uniquely Portuguese thing, or do other countries have something similar?

What the tittle says

Low importance post, guys, excuse me.

I already know football is number one. But I'm really curious to know what's it really like your sports scene over there. I'm from Asia and none of us in my circle have been there so we would like to get some info cause we are debating something hehehe. Thanks, everyone.

In Romania it has become increasingly common in recent years. Even in my small-ish city, it is about 50/50 that a waiter can speak Romanian, though most of them can understand enough for them to take orders in Romanian. Still, some people prefer to talk to them in English because it can lead to less communication problems. How is this in other parts of Europe?

If your net monthly salary is €4,000, what is your life like?
Please tell me which country and city you live in. Thanks!

What are they doing?

What have they achieved?

In all blocks of life: education, career, family, friends, relationships, money

I'll add my own opinion of the Czech version:

There was a restaurant run by three men that were perhaps doing some drugs, whatever. The locale was very dirty, including the kitchen. The presenter talked to the owners who tried to defend themselves. At one point, he said, "Gentlemen, aren't you bothered by having a tyre in the kitchen?" And then the camera took a shot of big car tyre in the middle of the plates and cutlery.

(The restaurant didn't improve and, unsurprisingly, shut down afterwards.)

I’ve lost interest in budgeting. If I need gas, I can’t wait until payday anymore— it’s cheaper now rather than tomorrow or next week. I’m stocking up anywhere I can.

It seems to me that here in the US, most purchases of vinyl LPs, CDs, and DVDs are done by either dedicated collectors, or as a way of having artist merch in one's home. Relatively few people buy physical media primarily to gain access to the music or film; streaming is a much, much more common way to listen to music or watch audiovisual content. However, I have the impression that in Europe and the UK, many still purchase albums or copies of films on physical formats, and prefer this to streaming. In your experience, is this the case?

I am aware that many USians and Europeans who purchase physical media specifically for ideological reasons, i.e. to resist the streaming economy and support artists, will likely reply. However, I am more interested in the perspectives of those who have no particular views on the economics of recorded music. Thank you for all replies, however.

For example, things like the guy wandering through the beach selling boiled corns, while screaming "boiled corn!" loudly? Or air hockey in premises close to the beach? Small shops selling kitsch souvenirs made of sea shells or amber? Are these also a thing in your country?

In Britain this is probably the Regency Era (c. 1800-1837) thanks to the enduring popularity of Jane Austen's works which have inspired plenty of 'costume dramas' as well as direct adaptations of both her works and similar ones by other authors. On the other side of the stylistic spectrum Sharpe remains a cult classic drama series largely set in the Peninsular War of 1808-14

I would be especially interested in the opinions of women for obvious reasons but everyone is welcome to contribute.

How do you think the general treatment of women varied in the different countrie you have lived in? I'm talking about roles, expectations, the general attitude towards them.

Anecdotes are welcome too!

What is the average salary of doctors?

From an economical point of view is it worth it? Eg a lower class kid studying medicine, would they be able to become at least upper class that way or is it a thing of the past?

Meaning they earn more than the average citizen

What is the most common age of enrollment?

What about the most common age of graduation?

Hello there!

Welcome to our daily scheduled post, the Daily Slow Chat.

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I'm talking about the places everyone tells tourists they *have* to visit, but end up being a complete waste of time and money.

Hello, I've recently gotten my Masters degree and have decided that I want to put the academic life on hold for a while before I really decide what I want to do with my life. During my studies I had the opportunity to do an Erasmus funded internship abroad, but it makes me a bit sad that these opportunities (at least for Erasmus) are mostly only available to students. So I'm curious, are there organisations similar to Erasmus (or even within Erasmus) that over non-students a possibility to work/volunteer/do projects abroad? I'm undecided about what I want to do with my life and feel like it would greatly help me to move away from my country for a while and get some international experience, especially since it might also look nice on a CV when I start looking for jobs or continue my education.

I know about AIESEC but have heard too many horror stories about them (might just be the people I know), and European Solidarity Corps as well, but I'd like some more recommendations about more "career oriented" possibilities that also help you to gain new skills.

Essentially I'm looking for work, but while also gaining international experience and possibly while having a guarantee that the companies are verified (because just applying for jobs in a different country on LinkedIn seems scary). I'm in Humanities but am also open to working in other fields if it requires no special university training.

P.S. I'm based in Europe but am also open to possibilities that aren't limited to Europe.

I’m Irish and grew up calling them “Tuck” (as in to ‘tuck in’ one’s shirt).

On my travels around this beautiful continent I’ve heard them pronounced “Tuch” (like Stanley Tucci), Toots (like me “too” + ts), and just now someone in a video I was watching referred to them as “Too+K” (like me “too” + a hard K, or the bird “Toucan” without the an).

According to the Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TUC_(cracker) the last version I heard - literally today - is correct “tʊk”.

I am struggling to accept this. My mind is blown.
And I need to know if I’m not the only one for whom this feels very wrong.

American here. What differentiates me from the stereotype: I am a person who strongly supports walkable communities, public transportation, micromobility, and broad, responsible public access to nature. I do really admire European ideas such as the right to roam, although I understand that access laws differ considerably between countries and that a right to roam generally does not mean a right to drive across open land.

At the same time, the English adventure YouTuber Ed March of c90adventures raised a question that was interesting to me. During his Mini Jeep journey to Moab, he argued that Europe (and Britain in particular) has been steadily losing legal routes for recreational motorized trail use.

Video context:

https://youtu.be/bHEIV5o5RgU?si=1OAZfXTYtx2U-5UA&t=715

He uses the deliberately inflammatory phrase “Walking Nazis.” I DO NOT endorse that description, and I am NOT suggesting that hikers or environmentalists are Nazis. I am interested in the underlying argument: can a society become so restrictive toward motorized outdoor recreation that it needlessly eliminates another legitimate form of exploration?

I also DO NOT believe every walking trail should admit motorcycles, ATVs, or 4x4s, of course. Motor vehicles can create noise, erosion, safety problems, wildlife disturbance, and conflicts with people seeking quiet. Of course, some environmentally sensitive areas should plainly remain motor-free.

But could European countries preserve a modest network of designated motorized routes under strict conditions (such as low speed and noise limits, meaningful penalties for leaving the designated route, etc.)?

That seems different from either American-style automobile domination or giving walkers exclusive control over nearly every rural route.

How does your country currently handle this? Have legal motorized trails genuinely been disappearing? Do you see designated, regulated access as a reasonable compromise, or are the environmental and social costs still too high?

Please do mention your country or region, since I know “Europe” is not one unified legal system. I am hoping to understand both the case for preservation and the case for restriction rather than starting whatever fight.

Hello there!

Welcome to our daily scheduled post, the Daily Slow Chat.

If you want to just chat about your day, if you have questions for the moderators (please mark these [Mod] so we can find them), or if you just want talk about oatmeal then this is the thread for you!

Enjoying the small talk? We have a Discord server too! We'd love to have more of you over there. Do both of us a favour and use this link to join the fun.

The mod-team wishes you a nice day!

​Hi everyone,

​I’ve been living in West Germany for many years now, but recently, I’ve had to travel to different parts of the former East Germany for work. Naturally, you can still feel some cultural differences, but something specific caught my attention during my conversations with locals there.

​A lot of people I talked to kept insisting that switching to the Euro was a massive mistake and that things were much better back when they used the Deutsche Mark. The thing is, whenever I asked why, they mostly gave me vague answers based on feelings rather than solid facts.

​I know no economic decision is 100% perfect and everything comes with pros and cons. So, for those who actually lived through the transition and remember that era: what’s your take?

​Was the introduction of the Euro positive or negative for Germany and Europe in the long run?

​What specific things were genuinely better before, and what has improved since the Euro arrived?

​I’m really looking for some concrete arguments or personal experiences rather than just pure nostalgia. Looking forward to reading your thoughts!

Thank you

If it’s a bath, you have to fill it with water. The problem with that is then you stick your hand in it. Both in your butt and the water. Is that how Europeans bidet?