Culture and languages

The day I met Glen Powell

And other exciting things that happen in London even if I'm the only one to notice them.

Feb 13 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

Sad all the time

On winter drugs, fair-weather friends and linguistic determinism.

Feb 5 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

Spainsplain things to me: Christmas

Spanish Christmas explained in three iconic ads: El Almendro, el calvo de la lotería and the golden extravaganza of Freixenet.

Jan 2 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

Smile like you mean it

To cope with the anxiety of unstructured socialising as an introvert, I've developed a charismatic 'on the job' alter ego. It has totally backfired.

Dec 6, 2024 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

Have we met before?

The one where I introduce myself properly and tell you a bit more about the Abroad life.

Nov 27, 2024 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

The English language has an extraordinary capacity for elegant deceit in plain sight.

Oct 31, 2024 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

Prove your knowledge of English

After over a decade in London I've had to take an English test to confirm I know the difference between they're/their/there. Unlike some native English…

Apr 27, 2024 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

The Art of Swearing

When it comes to creative insults no one can outdo Argentinians.

Feb 26, 2024 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

Can Dry January ever work in the UK?

Short answer: No. Plus it's ruining my birthday month.

Jan 10, 2024 •

Cristina Carmona Aliaga

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts