Learning Nugget March 2019
Knowin’ in the wind Last weekend you may have found yourself doing something unexpected, like snatching a lawn chair out of the air or making sure your chihuahua wasn’t blown up into the clouds. This was because as storm Eberhard blew its way across Germany, it brought winds that topped the 100 km/h mark in some places […]
Learning Nugget February 2019
Clogs were made for walking A trip to Amsterdam Besides teaching people that they “do” their homework (and not “make” it), there’s little that the TIP TOP team loves more than seeing new places and learning new things. Case in point, one of our trainers just got back from an excursion to one of Europe’s top destinations: Amsterdam, Holland. […]
Learning Nugget January 2019
Tales of Three Manmade Barriers As many of you know, the U.S. government has hit a wall. However, for those of you not in the loop, we’ll give you a little background. In late 2018, President Trump – a Republican – told the U.S. Congress he would not approve any spending bill unless it allocated over five billion dollars to construct […]
Who’ll deliver the goods?
Dwindling numbers of German truck drivers a cause for concern Take your car onto any German highway at almost any time of day, and you’re nearly certain to see a line of semitrucks in the right lane . Still, as hard as it may be to believe, Germany is facing a growing shortage of truck […]
Trick or treat, give us something good to read!
Trick or treat, give us something good to read! Clouds passing quickly over a full, yellow moon. Bare tree limbs waving in a bitter wind over an ancient graveyard. Children dressed like goblins, princesses, and Star Wars characters ringing doorbells and asking for candy before going home to be pleasantly frightened by their parents’ best […]
“Fall” in love with a new game!
“Fall” in love with a new game! The temperatures are falling, and it’s starting to feel more and more like Fall in Germany. With all the cakes being made from this year’s huge fruit harvest, the new wine, the onion cake, the Oktoberfest beers, we thought people might be looking for a fun way to […]
The Nahe rocks
The Nahe rocks Take a few steps out of TIP TOP’s office, and you’ll get a magnificent view of a famous site in the Bad Kreuznach area: the Rheingrafenstein. This rock formation has many reasons for its fame. It has a 1000-year-old castle perched on its peak which legend says was built by the Devil […]
The Great Wall of China? The Pyramids of Giza? No! It’s Liverpool!
The Great Wall of China? The Pyramids of Giza? No! It’s Liverpool! The name conjures up a thousand images – the Beatles, Liverpool football club, a glorious past as trading port and industrial city, not one, but two majestically different Cathedrals, scouse, fish and chips and of course the famous ferry across the Mersey. Standing […]
All Double Dutch and upside down?
All Double Dutch and upside down? “That wazzock dared to gazump me; I’m gobsmacked by this sticky wicket full of codswallop that’s gone pear-shaped!” This sentence may not sound serious, but the situation that it describes is! The person is talking about the negotiations involved in buying a house. Translated into standard English, it would […]
Misaotra betsaka
Misaotra betsaka Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa, is the fourth largest island on earth. A jewel in the Indian Ocean, it is an incredible place with vibrant colours, stunning landscapes and unique and fascinating wildlife. The people divide into eighteen tribal groups each with their own traditions. The country has a varied and […]