Streets are lined with busy kiosks, architectural landscapes, gothic century cathedrals, and opera theatres. The Armenian and Orthodox churches manifest the cities ambience and depict a potently evolving history. No doubt the city is officially included to the UNESCO List of World Monuments of Architecture. Lvov has always been a significant educational portal housing the famous Ivan Franko National University where I learnt to speak, read and write Russian from amiable tutors.

Lvov has one small welcoming international airport (UKLL/LWO) located a mere 6Km from the Cities hub. I personally recommend taking the Railway as it has all the comforts of traveling, tourists die for. I recall a modestly priced journey from Lvov to the Ukraine's Capital Kiev. I was immediately impressed by their railway cabins, which were amply stacked with soaps and towels, fresh smelling, scrupulously white and cozy pillows, blankets mattresses. An attendant checked on us every 2 hours to offer tea, biscuits and other local desserts.

The most comfortable hotels are located in the heart of the city and tourists are offered cheaper initiatives such as renting an apartment. The "Downtown Lvov Apartments" are only meters away from theatres, cathedrals, museums, restaurants cafes and shops. A lot of ancient fortification and religious buildings are situated around the city- Olesko castle and Pidgirtsi castle. Not far from the city itself there are balneology centers in Truskavets, Morshyn and Skhidnytsia and ski-centers in Slavsko and Tysovets. The cities inhabitants are friendly and warm towards tourists and often invite Polish tourists as till date the city houses Polish architecture. Tourists are advised to buy mineral water and speak in Russian, Ukrainian, German or even English dialect.

The market place is havoc with fresh supplies arriving from the suburbs and rural plantations in the day time. Women are often seen employed as compared to men who would rather play dominoes within the city's central square. Ukrainian women are well known throughout the world for the arduous jobs and active spirit. You will see them tediously working in restaurants, medical centers, kiosks, bars, postal houses, hostels, messes and universities. Streets are also lined with young talented artists who make paintings out of charcoal and sketch portraits for passer-bys.

A famous club known as "Split" is one of the most privileged and prestigious entertainment zones consisting of casinos, restaurants, pubs and show-bars. Busses, railways, Tramps and Taxis run throughout the day and a tramp is the most convenient and cheapest mode of transport within the city preferred by university students and employees.

A personal favorite local starter is the Russian salad and "Smitana", a drink made of rich curd-pure in quality and excellent in taste. The salad is served in various Restaurants such as "Kapriz" and "Darwin" and the "Smitana" can be purchased locally from Kiosks or the Market place. I have till date not relished upon the original salad elsewhere. Many restaurants within the city offer smoking, non-smoking areas, special family room for larger families and a warm but busy ambience.

The climate in Ukraine is temperate continental, mainly characterized by plentiful precipitation and cloudiness in winter and fall where winters are usually long and cold. Summers are short but can be pretty hot. In winter the kiosks close by 5pm as it becomes really dark and the streets become deserted. At this time it is advisable not to venture off alone and to take a taxi while traveling within the city. My overall stay for 6 months in the city only warned me about staying out doors at nights as it can be dangerous for tourists and students to wander off alone. The cities inhabitants usually retire to bed early and begin the day as soon as the cock crows. Being a winter-bird myself, I would travel to this city often during December and January. Summer-birds are advised to wear carry minimal clothing as it can become very hot and sweaty during summer. The city has forestry reserves and various natural resorts; you will be thrilled by the beauty and natural forestry throughout the city.

Before you go do not forget to learn some basics in Russian language. Some phrases like "Thank you", translated as "Cpaciba", "Excuse me", translated as "Pajalysta", "Do you speak English?" translated as "we gavariti pa angleesski?", and a handy Phrase book will help you move about the city more conveniently. Till then "La re vedere" (translated as good-bye).

First, when referring to the fascinating culture of modern Japan, there are NO basic rules or guidelines, meaning that there is nothing basic about them. When traveling for pleasure, perhaps in a large city that is familiar with tourist interaction, the standards of proper protocol are slightly more lax. To the natives that actually live in the city, they are every bit as prominent as anywhere else in Japan, but a city-dweller is more likely to recognize and accept your ignorance to their customs.

Some things, however, they will most likely hold you responsible for knowing despite how ignorantly foreign you may appear. The as-basic-as-its-gonna-get survival guidelines are as follows:

1. In Japan, cars drive on the LEFT side of the road. If you, for any reason, feel the urge to avoid Japan's fabulous, fuel-efficient and cost effective public transportation system and pilot a car for yourself, you are not likely to be easily forgiven if caught barreling down the highway into oncoming traffic, shaking your fists and cursing at the other crazy drivers going the “wrong way.” Most locations have a wide variety of inter-city travel options, such as busses, trains, trolleys, and subways designed to provide maximum mobility for even the most culturally impaired of tourists.
2. Carry a dictionary. Yes, language is an important tool for communication in pretty much every form, and no, not every member or every other country in the world knows English. If you find yourself lost, or in need of any other vital information, it is not always wise to walk up to just anyone and start asking them where stuff is in English. It is true, most Japanese citizens were required to take English as a language at some point throughout their high school education, but a surprising few have actually retained it or are exceptionally willing to use it. Japanese people may appear to be very friendly and overwhelmingly helpful, and most all of them are, but if they cannot understand what you are saying, then you are both likely to only end up frustrated and further confused. In some horrifying and rare instances, Japanese people have been known to shake off insistent, ignorant tourists by simply pointing them in a random direction without having the slightest clue what anyone was asking, just to get rid of them (*raises hand). If this happens, and you find yourself stranded in a shady part of town after dark, find a police officer (they often patrol on most major streets in large cities, making them easy to find) and ask directions from them. Most have had extensive training in English and handle confused-tourist woes all the time. Normally, if you can feed someone a few key words from your dictionary, they'll be able to figure out what you need, but the trick with that is understanding what they're saying when they've accurately assessed your needs and then try to offer help.
3. Japanese money is not American money. In Japan, they use Yen, and it is exceptionally important to become familiar with the exchange rates of Yen to dollars and reverse, and what the Yen value of certain products and services is. If you don't go in knowing what you SHOULD be paying for something, it is easy for merchants to take advantage of you and try to sell you a pack of gum for the equivalent of five American dollars.
4. Try to have a plan and know exactly where you're going before you try to get there. That's pretty much standard anywhere you go, but is especially important when navigating yourself through some of Japan's uniquely maze-like cityscapes.
5. Avoid the subway at rush hour. You will be literally “packed in” with an impossible number of sweaty strangers. It is not uncommon, quite seriously, for limbs to be broken during the transit or for babies to be smothered. If your destination is within a mile or two, do as the Japanese do and walk. You will see much more of the city that way and experience a lot more of the colorful, pleasing bouquet that is Japan. If you wish to travel a considerable distance, take a bus, trolley, or cab, if available. WOMEN!!: The subway is one of the few places where it is important to be exceptionally aware of yourself and the people (men) around you. Understanding that most men are very proud, mostly quiet and reserved, while Japanese women are meek, passive, and non-confrontational, can give you a better insight into why certain things Americans deem inappropriate, such as groping strangers on the morning transit to work, does not appear to seem inappropriate to many Japanese men. Many female tourists get violated on the trains, and if this should ever happen to you, treat the situation exactly as you would in America. Slap, kick, mace, do whatever it takes to get the point across and draw as much attention to the offending pervert as possible, and then alert the nearest authorities.
6. Avoid eating while walking. It's considered very rude. To be safe, try not to eat in public at all.
7. DO NOT LITTER. You should notice pretty quickly how amazingly clean and virtually litter-free most places in Japan are, even the big cities. They take a lot of pride in their cleanliness and frown heavily upon those who disrespect their clean streets. In Tokyo, it can be hard to find trash cans out-of-doors, as they give a bad appearance to the layout of the sidewalks, so keep that in mind while walking around.
8. Don't tip the waitress. I know that sounds off, but in Japan, waitresses will normally not accept tips, and some will consider it an insult if you try. They are paid like any other employee, so additional money is not considered a part of their fair wages. If one truly desires to show their gratitude to a waitress in a tangible manner, leave them a small gift, but it is certainly not required or expected.
9. Some tourists live and die by the way they wield their chopsticks. You probably won't be expected to know all the rules right away, but some basic ones include (1) no sucking on the chopsticks (2) no pointing at other people with the chopsticks (3) no sticking the chopsticks in rice (4) no passing food from chopstick to chopstick and (5) no serving food or passing food to another plate with the eating end of a chopstick. If you are uncomfortable with your chopstick skill level, carry your own fork with you. Not many restaurants can readily provide them, but I have never known a Japanese person to be offended by their use.
10. Some personal products are not so easily available in all of Japan. Certain items that can sometimes be tricky to find include deodorant (don't ask me why), tampons, and specific shades of makeup. Bring your own. Also, many of the hair products available, such as shampoos and conditioners, are designed for Japanese hair, which is often considerably coarser than what most Caucasians have, the result being that the Japanese products will often make your hair much more oily than what you may deem comfortable.
11. Just eat it. Don't always feel like you have to ask what's in a specific dish. Sometimes, you may not like the answer. If you open yourself up to simply try as many things as you possibly can, you are more likely to find unusual, unique dishes that you enjoy.
12. Respect the shrines. Tokyo is dotted with innumerable shrines and temples. Most of these are open to the public, but be respectful when visiting these landmarks as they are often historical and hold some religious value to many citizens.
13. Don't mess too much with the buttons on the toilets. Unless you have a taste for adventure of an unusual breed, some of the functions of the toilet require some mental preparation. Before actually “using” the toilet, fiddle a little with the control panel to find out which button does what, and mark the symbol for the button for “flush” somewhere where you can refer to it later.
14. If you are involved in an international incident of any kind, have the number to the American Consular on speed dial. If you lose your passport, or require legal assistance, they'll be your best friends.

Japan is a fascinating, beautiful, and thoroughly enjoyable country for those who have the proper common sense to survive out in the general public. Try not to let the rules and customs overwhelm you or make you hesitant to experience the country to its fullest potential. Japan has so much to offer to those who are genuinely interested in making the most of its hospitality.

• Hello/Good morning/afternoon. Sa-wa-dee kap(ka)
• How are you? Sa-by-dee-my kap(ka)
• I'm fine thank you. Sa-by-dee kap(ka)
• Thank you. Kop khun kap(ka)
• Thank you very much. Kop khun mak
• My name is …… Pom(chan) cheur ……
• What is your name? Khun cheur a-lie
• I don't understand. Pom(chan) my-cow-jy
• I understand. Cow-jy kap(ka)
• Do you speak any English? Poot pa-sa Angrit dye-my
• Excuse me/I'm sorry Kor-tort kap(ka)
• Never mind/It doesn't matter My-pen-rye
• 'Quickly!' Lee-ow! Lee-ow!
• 'Slowly!' Cha-cha kap(ka)
• Goodbye La-gorn kap(ka)
• See you again. Pop-gan-my kap(ka)
• Yes. Chy/kap(ka)
• No. My-chy kap(ka)
• I like this. Pom(chan) shawp nee
• I don't like this. Pom(chan) my-shawp nee
• Beautiful. Soo-eye! Kap(ka)
• Thailand is beautiful. Pra-tet Thai soo-eye!
• Can I have this please? Kor-nee kap(ka)
• Stop! Yoot!
• I don't want any thank you. My-ow! kap(ka)
• It is hot today isn't it? Wan-nee lorn-na
• Can you help me please? Khun choo-ay pom(chan) dy-my
• 'HELP!' "Choo-ay! doo-ay!"
• I'm tired Pom(chan) ner-ry!
• I want to sleep Hong-norn kap(ka)
• I'm drunk Pom(chan) mao
• I'm very drunk Pom(chan) mao-mak
• Good luck Chock-dee
• Cheers (as in drinking) Chon gee-ow!

Opposites

• Expensive Pang Cheap Took! 
• Big Yai Small Lek 
• Like Shawp Don't like My-shawp 
• Want Ow! Don't want My-ow! 
• Wet Bee-ak Dry Haeng 
• Sit Nang Stand Yurn 
• Drink Deurm Eat Gin 
• Come Maa Go Bye 
• Drunk Mao Sober My-mao 
• Strong Keng Weak Awn 
• Young Awn Old (people) Gair Old (things) Gow! 
• Fat Oo-un Skinny Pawm 
• Thick Naah Thin Bang 
• Near Gly! Far Yoo-gly! 
• Fast Lee-ow! Slow Cha-cha
• Day Wan Night Gan-kuern!
• Clean Sa-at Dirty Sok-a-pok
• Delicious/Tasty A-loy Not tasty My-a-loy
• Good Dee Bad My-dee
• Beautiful Soo-eye! Ugly Na-gleeut!
• Soft Nim! Hard Kaang
• Wrong Pit! Right (Correct) Took
• Left Sye Right Kwaa
• Noisy Noo-uk-hoo Quiet (silent) Nee-ap! Quiet (tranquil) Sang-up!
• Adult Poo-yai! Child Dek!
• Nice smell Homm Bad smell Men!
• Hot (temp.) Lawn Cold (temp) Now
• Hot (spicy) Pet Cold ('Things') Yen

Person to Person - Phrases

• What is your name? Khun cheur a-lie
• My name is… Pom(chan) cheur …...
• I come from (Country). Pom(chan) maa-jaak (Country)
• How old are you? Are-you-tao-rye-pee
• You are beautiful (to female) Khun soo-eye!
• You are very pretty (to female) Khun soo-eye! mak
• You are handsome (to male) Khun law-mak
• You have beautiful eyes Daa-khun soo-eye!
• I like your hair Pom(chan)shorp pom-kong-khun
• Do you have a boy/girlfriend? Khun mee-fairn ler-yang
• What would you like to drink? Durm a-lie
• Where do you work? Khun tam-ngarn you!-tee-nye
• Do you like this/that? Khun shorp-nee/nan! my
• I like you Pom(chan) shorp khun
• Do you like me? Khun shorp pom(chan) my
• You look sexy Khun doo sek-see! jing-jing
• Are you happy? Mee kwaam-suk-my
• Would you like to dance? Ten-ram doo-eye! Gan-my
• I am having a good time Pom(chan) sanuk-mak-mak
• Shall we go somewhere else? By tee-oo-en! Gan my
• I would like to stay with you Pom(chan) yak-yoo-gup khun
• Do you have a condom? Khun mee-condom-my
• I have a condom Pom(chan) mee-condom
• 'Let's go!' Ba!/By-lee-ow!
• Show me Cow doo-noi

Person to Person - Words

• Cute Na-lak 
• Mouth Baahg
• Beautiful Soo-eye!
  
• Neck Core
• Clever Cha-laad 
• Hand Murr
• Sexy Sek-see 
• Legs Kaah
• Want Ow! 
• Backside Doot!
• Don't want My-ow!
  
• Dance Den!
• Kiss (on cheek) Hom 
•  Kiss (lips) Joop
• Love Rak/Lak 
• Hug Gord
• Smile Yim 
•  Eyes Daa
• Happy Quaam-suk 
• Sad Saow
• 50/50 Ha-sip ha-sip 
• So-so Choy-choy
• Later Tee-lang!
  
• Now Dee-o-nee!
• Go away! By-lee-ow! 
• Sit Nang
• Female (adult) Poo-ying 
• Male (adult) Poo-chy

Eating and Drinking - Phrases

• I am hungry Pom(chan) hue
• I am thirsty Pom(chan) hue nahm
• Do you have ……? Mee …… my
• Can I have ……? Kor ……
• Can I have this please? Kor nee kap(ka)
• I don't like spicy food Pom(chan) my-shorp pet
• No chilli please My-ow! pet
• What is this? Nee a-lie
• This is hot! (spicy) Nee pet-mak
• This is delicious A-loy jing-jing!
• That smells good Hom-mak-mak
• I am vegetarian Pom(chan) gin-jay
• I am vegetarian (but eat eggs) Pom(chan) mang-sa-wih-rad
• Do you have vegetarian food? Mee a-han-jay-my
• Is this vegetarian? Nee-jay-my
• I am full Pom(chan) im-mak
• Can I have the bill please? Kep-tang kap(ka)
• Excuse me Kor-tort
• Can I have a beer please? Kor bee-a kap(ka)
• Can I have some water please? Kor narm kap(ka)
• Where is the toilet? Hong-narm-tee-ny kap(ka)
• Thank you Kop-khun-kap(ka)
• Goodnight Sa-wa-dee-kap(ka)
• Goodbye La-gorn

Eating and Drinking - Words

• Knife Meet 
• Ashtray Tik-ya-boo-lee
• Fork Som 
• Cigarettes Boo-lee!
• Spoon Chorn 
• Lighter Fy-chek
• Chopsticks Da-gee-ab!
  
• Plate Jan
• Bottle Koo-at!
  
• Bowl Chahm
• Glass Gee-ow!! 
• Cup Too-aye!
• Water Nahm 
• Beer Bee-a
• Cola Cola-cola
  
• Ice Nahm-keng
• Tea (hot) Chaa-lawn 
• Tea (cold) Chaa-yen
• Coffee (hot) Ga-fay-lawn 
•  Coffee (cold) Ga-fay-yen
• Tomato sauce Soss ma-kra-tet! 
•  Salt Glue-ah
• Sugar Naam-dan
  
• Milk Nom

Eating and Drinking - Foods

• Fish Blah 
• Cod Blah-gow
• Tuna Too-na!
  
• Shark Blah-cha-laam
• Squid Blah-meurk! 
• Oyster Hoy!-nang-rom
• Shellfish Hoy! 
• Crab Boo
• Lobster Gung-mang-gon 
• Prawn Gung!
• Beef Ner-ah!
  
• Duck Pet
• Pork Moo 
• Chicken Guy
• Plain Om'ltte Kye-jee-ow
• Fried egg Kye-dow
• Egg (Scram'd) Kye-kon
• Egg Kye
• Stuffed Omelette Kye-yat-sy
• Bread Ka-nom-pang
  
• Butter Ner-ee!
• Chilli Prik
  
• Jam Yam
• Sticky rice Cow-nee-ow 
• Rice Cow

Shopping - Phrases

• How much is this? Nee tao-ry kap(ka)
• This is pretty Nee soo-eye! mak
• I like this Pom(chan) shorp nee
• I don't like this Pom(chan) my-shorp! nee
• Can I look at this/that please? Kor-doo-nee/nan noy
• Do you have bigger/smaller sizes? Mee-yai/lek-gwaa-my
• Do you have different colours? Mee-ly-see-my
• Can I try this on please? Pom(chan)-lorng-dye-my
• Do you have a bag please? Mee-tung-my-kap(ka)
• Can I pick it up later? Faag-why-gorn dee-ow-ma-ow
• Do you have …… ? Mee …… my
• Can you make it a little cheaper? Rot-la-car dye-my
• That's too expensive for me Pang-noy-kap(ka)
• Can I have this please? Kor-nee-kap(ka)
• I'm just looking Chom doo tao-nun
• I'd like …… Don-gahn …...

Shopping - Clothing

• Clothing/clothes Sur-pah
• Shirt/blouse Seur-ra!
• T-shirt Seur-shirt
• Vest/singlet Seur-gam
• Dress Choot-sek
• Skirt Gra-bong
• Trousers Gang-geng
• Shorts Gang-geng-ka-san
• Suit Soot!
• Jacket Seur-a-kum!
• Hat Moo-wack!

Shopping - Toiletries

• Shampoo Yaah-sa-pom
• Hair Gel Jel-sy-pom
• Soap Sa-boo
• Razor Tee-gorn-noo-at!
• Perfume Nahm-hom
• Toothbrush Bleng-see-fan
• Toothpaste Yaah-see-fan
• Flannel Pah-chet-naa
• Sanitary towel Pah-ahn-a-my!
• Tampons Luke-jee-up
• Deodorant Low-on
• Toilet paper Gaa-daat-cham-la!
• Hair conditioner Nahm-man-sy-pom
• Hair dye Yaah-yom-pom
• Nail polish Yaah-ta-lep!
• Brush Braang
• Air freshener Nahm-yaah-blap-a-gahd
• Comb Wee
• Condom Con-dom
• Tissue Gaa-daat Tih-shoo!
• Sun block cream Low-shan-gan-daird!
• Mosquito repellant Low-shan-gan-yung!

Shopping - Footwear

• Shoes/sandals Lorng-tao
• Socks Tung-tao
• Stockings Tung-nong
• Flip-flops Lorng-tao-deh!
• Training shoes Lorng-tao-gee-laah

Shopping - Jewellery

• Gold Torng
• Silver Ngun!
• Necklace Soy-core
• Earrings Dum-hoo
• Bracelet Gam-lie-murr
• Ring Wern
• Watch Naa-lee-gaa!
• Sapphire Nin
• Diamond Pet
• Emerald Yok
• Opal Mook-dah
• Ruby Tap-tim

Shopping - Miscellaneous

• Swimwear Choot!-wye-nam
• Swim goggles Wen-daah-wye-nam!
• Spectacles Wen-daah!
• Copy (not genuine) Kong-lee-un-bearp!
• Leather Nang-sat
• Shop Raahn
• Market Ta-laahd
• Silk My!
• Cotton Ko-tohn!
• Beach towel Paah-Chet-doo-ah!
• Beach mat Sur-rah!
• Money Ngun
• Wallet/purse Ga!-pow-tang
• Handbag Ga!-pow-tur
• Rucksack Bay-sa-pie!
• Suitcase Ga-pow-dern-tang!

Medical and Health Words

• Ambulance Fie-kor-tang
• Hospital Lorng-pie-a-baan
• Doctor More!
• Pain Jep!
• Ache Boo-at!
• Headache Boo-at!-hoo-a
• Stomach ache Boo-at!-tong
• Dizzy Wee-an-hoo-a!
• (To) Vomit Oo-ahg!
• Diarrhea Tong-see-ah
• Tablets Yaah-met!
• Medicine Yaah
• Pharmacy Laahn-kye-yaah
• Emergency Huck-chern

Body Parts

• Head Hoo-ah! 
• Neck Kor
• Eye Daah 
• Nose Ja!-mook
• Mouth Baahg! 
• Teeth Fan
• Tongue Lin! 
• Arm Kairn
• Hand Murr 
•  Back Lang
• Chest Kang-naah 
•  Leg Kaah
• Spine Ga-dook-sa-lang
  
• Foot Tao

Colours

• Black See-dam 
• Brown See-nam-dam
• Blue See-fah 
• Green See-kee-ow!
• Gold See-torng
  
• Grey See-tao
• Orange See-som
  
• Red See-daeng
• Pink See-shampoo
  
•  Silver See-ngun
• White See-cow 
• Yellow See-ler-rang!
• Purple See-moo-ung
  
•  Khaki Kaa-kee

Numbers

• 1 Nung 
• 2 Song 
• 3 Saahm 
• 4 See 
• 5 Ha 
• 6 Hock 
• 7 Jet 
• 8 Paed 
• 9 Gow
• 10 Sip
• 11 Sip-et 
• 12 Sip-song 
• 13 Sip-saahm 
• 14 Sip-see 
• 15 Sip-ha 
• 16 Sip-hock 
• 17 Sip-jet 
• 18 Sip-pad 
• 19 Sip-gow 
• 20 Yee-sip 
• 21 Yee-sip-et 
• 22 Yee-sip-song 
• 23 Yee-sip-saahm
• 24 Yee-sip-see
• 25 Yee-sip-hah
• 30 Saahm-sip
• 40 See-sip
• 50 Ha-sip
• 60 Hock-sip
• 70 Jet-sip
• 80 Pad-sip
• 90 Gow-sip
• 100 Nung-roy
• 200 Song-roy
• 300 Saahm-roy
• 400 See-roy
• 500 Ha-roy
• 600 Hock-roy
• 700 Jet-roy
• 800 Pad-roy
• 900 Gow-roy
• 1,000 Nung-pan
• 10,000 Nung-meurn
• 100,000 Nung-sen
• 1,000,000 Nung-lan

Animals

• Dog Maa 
• Scorpion Maleng-bong!
• Cat May-ow! 
• Lizard Gin-gaah
• Bird Nok 
• Bat Kan-cow
• Buffalo Kwy 
• Mosquito Yung!
• Snake Ngoo 
• Butterfly Pee-ser-rah
• Spider Mang-mum 
• Ant Mot!
• Monkey Ling 
• Fish Blah!
• Elephant Chang
  
• Squid Blah-muhg!

Time

• Second Win-a-tee
• Minute Na-tee
• Hour Sher-mong!
• Day Wan
• Night Gan-kuern
• Week Ah-tit
• Month Deu-un
• Year Bee
• Today Wan-nee
• Tomorrow Prung-nee
• Yesterday Moo-wan-nee
• Next week A-tit-nah
• Last night Moo-a-kuern
  

Native Hawaiians originate from the Polynesian South Pacific and came to the islands around AD 500. The Hawaiian language is closely related to Polynesian and basically consists of 12 letters. Hawaiian speak consonants: k,l,m,n,p,w and the vowels: a,e,i,o,u. Of course, the state is English speaking, but there's a revival going on to bring back native language & culture in schools.

Today, a lot of Hawaiian words are part of the American lexicon. Here are the more recognizable ones. For a little fun, we've added our own meaning.

• Akamai- smart,brainy, "The Trusted Choice for online business."
• Alii - ancient Hawaiian royalty - Long live the king!
• Hale - a house that you will never be able to afford
• Haole- foreigner, mainlander, pays full price.
• Heiau - a pile of rocks where you leave fruit and wine coolers to ward off the wrath of the deities, "Fruit of the Gods"
• Hula - a dance, a giant hoop that made millions.
• Kahuna - the boss, the chief or gnarly surf dude
• Kamaaina - old-timer Hawaiian, your passport to island discounts
• Keiki - young child, rugrat, brat
• Lanai - veranda, porch, a room with a view for cheap/poor visitors from the mainland.
• Lei - garland of flowers, what tourists think is the word for sex
• Luau - traditional Hawaiian feast or when tourists pay $90.00 each to eat poi with their fingers and watch sexy naked locals get down.
• Mele - song or chant. Mele Christmas!
• Muumuu- loose-fitting gown or tent by Omar
• Ono- delicious, yummy, Yoko's last name
• Pupu- hors-d'oeuvres that don't stink.
• Shaka- hang loose hand greeting, not the singer
• Kapu - taboo which I have made mocking the Hawaiian gods with this piece.

Aloha!

The late Steve Irwin was an extraordinary ambassador for Australia, but many Americans and British still seem amazed to discover most Aussies don't live in the bush.

Fact: most Australians have never wrestled with a crocodile or owned a corked hat. The “Aussie Dream” is aspiring to live in a detached house on a quarter acre block. Boringly suburban, I know, but true. And yes, we do have electricity.

Myth 2: All Australians drink is beer

Although Australia is known for lagers like Foster's (which have to be drunk ice-cold, thus inspiring shivers of revulsion from most Brits.) and beers from Carlton United Breweries are the stuff of legend, our fine wines are some of the best in the world. The French would smile approvingly if they knew that wine-savvy Australians nonchalantly down a glass or two of Cabernet Sauvignon with their lamb chops. They're good value, too. Seek out wines from South Australia's Barossa Valley, New South Wales' Hunter Valley and Western Australia's Margaret River. Special occasion wines include collectables like Penfold Grange Hermitage and Henschke Hill of Grace.

Myth 3: It's always hot in Australia

Australia's climate is extremely variable. True, in the Northern Territory the average temperature rests around the mid 30s in Winter, climbing to dizzying heights of 40 + in Summer. Back on the East Coast, however, we have four genuine seasons every year. Remember, of course, that our Winter is a Northern Hemisphere Summer (hence the term Down Under). I live in Melbourne and the joke is, we have four seasons every day. No self-respecting Melbournian would go out without an umbrella.

Myth 4: Australia is cricket-mad

This is a half-truth. Australia is sport mad. Sport is the lingua franca that binds the melting-pot of this nation together. Saturday wouldn't be Saturday without the “footy” (Australian Rules Football). Footy Tipping competitions are standard in every office, our national Institutes of Sport are crammed with young talent and the whole of Australia grinds to a standstill for the AFL Grand Final in September and on the first Tuesday in November for one of the most prestigious horse-races in the world, the Melbourne Cup.

Myth 5: Australians don't speak English

Australians speak “Strine” - or Australian English. You can spot Aussies at 50 paces because they always abbreviate words: “Smoko” - smoking break, “Arvo”- afternoon, “Barbee” - Bar B Q (not the doll), “Footy” -, see 4 above. Steeped in its convict settler past, the Australian accent is a relic of English Cockney, tipped with an upward inflexion at the end of a sentence, a throwback to the Welsh lilt. However, there are regional differences. South Australians (the first free settlers) pride themselves on having a more “English” sounding accent then their Victorian or New South Wales cousins. You rarely hear Australians say: “Streuth!” or “Cobber” or “Fair Dinkum”! Such traditional demotic has almost vanished because Australian English, like RP, has become increasingly Americanised.