2 . Fill your free time with these options on offer in New York City this month.

Pop & Rock

Dec. 1 at Webster Hall, Manhattan

On tour in support of her new release of Softscars, the singer and producer Nat Cmiel will play at Webster Hall on Sunday. A frequent subject of her songs is the solution to the tensions between digital and physical existence. Tickets are $25.

Family Concert

Dec. 10 at the Scheuer Auditorium, Manhattan

Joanie Leeds is adding her voice to those calling for children’s books in libraries and children’s classrooms. With a guitar and other musicians, she’ll celebrate the release of her new work, starting at 10: 30 a. m., in an hour-long concert intended to make young listeners first grow up and later sit down and read. Tickets to the concert are required to be reserved online, starting at $14. Children are admitted free.

Jazz

Dec. 20 at the Village Vanguard, Manhattan

Bold and carefree, Johnathan Blake has come to represent certain of present jazz. This week’s Vanguard stand features his My Life Matters, calling for people to let one another live and grow. Watching the performance of the band will have a lasting impression on you. Tickets are $40.

Sketch Comedy

Dec.22 at the Peoples Improv Theater, Manhattan

The Peoples Improv Theater is welcoming comedy troupes (剧团) across the country for a celebration and discussion of sketch comedy, with Birch & Caven as the opening show. Tickets start at $ 15 per show. Four-day passes are $79, and one-day passes are $30. Tickets are to be bought at the ticket office in person.

7 . Are you looking for teen volunteer opportunities for 2024 that provide a rewarding experience that will stay with you for life? Every year thousands of teens choose to volunteer abroad with International Volunteer HQ(IVHQ)-the world’s most trusted provider of safe and affordable volunteer programs for teens.

Service trips for teens are available in more than 50 destinations and there are 17 teen volunteer programs for 16 to 18 year-olds. Some of the best programs in 2024 include Turtle Conservation in Bali, Animal Care in Costa Rica and Childcare in Tanzania. Or, if you’re wanting to volunteer with a group of students from your high school, IVHQ can tailor a program for your group too!

Benefits for volunteers:

There is no doubt that volunteering as a teenager is a meaningful way to broaden your education and add experiences that will stand out on your college application.

Crossing boundaries to work with partners from different parts of the world fosters global understanding.

Living in a country different to your own means that you will be involved in a new culture, cuisine, and way of thinking.

Guaranteed support:

Chances are your parents will also want to learn more about IVHQ, whether or not they will go abroad with you. Having placed more than 130, 000 volunteers abroad, we’re always happy to speak with parents to ensure all their questions are fielded. Through our online safety training, comprehensive information brochures, on-going support from experienced program managers and round-the-clock support from our local teams, IVHQ volunteers are well supported to make the most of the time abroad.

If you’re ready to pack your bags and experience a completely different lifestyle and widen your global perspective, please contact us. IVHQ will be more than happy to offer a service.

8 . Traditions are customs and beliefs that form a part of our culture. They are practiced to remind us of our history and are passed down from generation to generation. Some traditions are interesting and widespread, while others are quite strange and practiced only by a small group of people. Continue reading to dig more into some interesting traditions from around the world.

Also known as “Wet Monday”, Smigus Dyngus is a unique tradition practiced in Poland, where people throw water at each other. It is celebrated annually on Easter Monday. The traditional way to do it is for boys to throw water at girls, and it is believed that the girl who receives the most water has the greatest chance of getting married.

There is an old tradition in Sagada where people hang their coffins in stone caves. It wa scarried out by the Igorot tribe (部落) of Mountain Province. The people there believe this custom prevents large animals from taking the dead bodies, and also purifies or blesses the departed soul.

Family members and friends of future married couples meet at dinner, and break a lot of porcelain (瓷器). The couple is then asked to clean up the entire mess. This is supposedly to teach them the importance of unity and hard work, and bring good luck. Germans think this tradition is essential in making marriages last a lifetime.

The Boryeong Mud Festival in the ROK is a fascinating and unique celebration that draws crowds from around the world. It is a major cultural event, attracting over a million visitors annually. People participate in various mud-related activities, including mud baths, mud wrestling and even a mud marathon. The festival features live music, food stalls, and wonderful street performances.

9 . BOOKSHOPS IN ROME:A QUICK GUIDE

Rome has a handful of bookshops with only English language titles. Here is our list of the main bookshops offering books in English, from old to new titles.

Almost Corner Bookshop

The Almost Corner Bookshop in Trastevere has a wide collection of fiction (小说) works and also carries books on Roman history, art, culture, poetry and many other subjects.

Via del Moro 45, tel.065836942.

Anglo American

Centrally located near the Spanish Steps, the Anglo American Bookshop only carries books in English but on request can order books in other languages. The shop has recently moved, just down the street.

Via della Vite 27, tel. 066795222.

Open Door

The Open Door Bookshop is a small shop that specialises in buying and selling quality second-hand and old books in English, Italian, French, German and Spanish, as well as some new books.

Via della Lungaretta 23, tel. 065896478.

The Little Reader

This children’s English bookshop in the Esquilino area of Rome collects books from babies to teens in English and Italian. It also has a local cafe (咖啡馆) and garden and offers a regular (定期的) programme of reading events and activities for children and their parents.

Via Conte Verde 66b, tel. 0687784678.

10 . Explore the science behind these amazing landscapes

Retracing Charles Darwin’s travels across North Wales

13 May 2024|6 days

Uncover the best of Wales as you explore the dramatic Welsh landscapes of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and examine the region geology and how it has been transformed by volcanic and glacial activity over the years.Discover the story of Charles Darwin’s 1831 and 1842 tours of Wales,and retrace his travels on this small group journey to Shrewsbury and Snowdonia.

The Rockies and the Badlands:Geology and dinosaurs in Canada

17 June 2024|7 days

Explore the majestic Rocky Mountains west of Calgary and the otherworldly Badlands to the cast,witness the stunning scenery and geology of southerm Alberta.This tour includes two visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites,where you will see first-hand the rugged peaks and glacial features of the Banff portion of Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks and the bone-riddled badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park.

Short break:Dinosaurs and Hoodoos:Alberta

23 July 2024|3 days

Visit one of the world’s premier dinosaur museums,sail all the way around a World Heritage site with outstanding dinosaur fossils and explore the multi-hued canyons and wind-sculpted hoodoos (石林)of the Alberta Badlands.Throughout this tour you will be accompanied by palaeontologist (古生物学家)Jon Noad,who will share the stories of the rocks,including tales about past oceans,swamps,rivers and deserts,the rise and fall of the dinosaurs and,more recently,ice sheets that covered Alberta and carved out spectacular landscapes.