A Mikvah (or Mikveh), quite simply, can be described as a ritualistic Jew bath. Want to know more? Excellent, here we go: Used primarily by the more Orthodox Jewish communities, it is used to symbolically purify the body. According to Jewish law, a mikvah must be connected to a naturally
Kosher Food Explained
Worst airline food ever.[/caption]Apparently airlines (at least Austrian Airlines) are thoughtful enough (or afraid enough of Jewish wrath) to allow their passengers the option of a Kosher meal. En route to Israel, I had the good fortune of having been placed on the list of lucky kosher meal
Cherry Grove: The Happiest Place on Fire Island
Before I came out to this wonderland known as Fire Island I knew very little about it, and all that anyone had to say about the island was that it was a "gay island" composed entirely of speedo sporting, ab chiseling, rainbow farting men who came here to engage in activities deemed inappropriate for
Making Change In Brazil
Like HALLS and the thumbs-up, there are other things that make life here in Brazil just a little different from back in the America of North and its respective states (and I'm not just talking about the threat of monkeys). What is it now? It's pennies. I will demonstrate with the following
Brazil’s Coke Obsession
Thing I associate with the Coca-Cola brand: polar bears, Santa, Jack Daniel's, Pepsi and now, Brazil. Walking through a market here you would think that Coca-Cola was the only soft drink distributor as apart from varieties of Coke, you will usually find only Sprite, Fanta (both distributed by
How To Be On-time In Brazil
Being late can make you look fashionable. Being late can make you look rude. Being late can make you pregnant. And in Brazil, being late can make you one of the locals. So you are invited to a party (I know, it's your lucky day), and the host tells you that their Super Saturday Football Best
Learning The Metric System In Brazil
In Brazil I have discovered that when I step onto a scale I appear to be very light, but when I go to the gym I appear to be very weak; that a five-degree temperature difference is a big deal and going 100 on the freeway isn't; that keys don't always unlock doors and that measuring drinks in
Brazilian Elevator Confusion
Getting home late at night (or early in the morning) can be challenging for many reasons (crocodiles, muggers, ropes courses, etc.), but Brazil adds another level of difficulty to the problem. In every (or at least most) apartment building there are two elevators: the "social" elevator and what