Venice gives you the illusion that the whole city is floating on water. A lot of people think Venice was built on islets, but it really wasn’t. Venice is completely supported by platforms of wood. These wooden platforms are kept intact by more structures that are in the sea. Venice Italy is best known today for its culture and romantic canals. With the exotic way the city was construction and the backdrop of the ever-changing light caused by the waters of the canals, it has been romantically portrayed in many paintings, plays, movies, songs and operas. 

Pandora was, according to the myth, the first woman on Earth. She was created by Gods; each one of them gave her a gift, thus, her name in Greek means “the one who bears all gifts”.

Pandora was created as a punishment for mankind; Zeus wanted to punish people because Prometheus stole the fire to give it to them. Hephaestus created her from clay, shaping her perfectly, Aphrodite gave her femininity and Athena taught her crafts. Hermes was ordered by Zeus to teach her to be deceitful, stubborn, and curious.

Pandora was given a box or a jar, called “pathos” in Greek. Gods told her that the box contained special gifts from them but she was not allowed to open the box ever. Then Hermes took her to Epimetheus, brother of Prometheus, to be his wife. Prometheus had advised Epimetheus not to accept anything from the Gods, but he saw Pandora and was astonished by her beauty, thus he accepted her right away.

Pandora was trying to tame her curiosity, but in the end, she could not hold herself anymore; she opened the box and all the illnesses and hardships that gods had hidden in the box started coming out. Pandora was scared because she saw all the evil spirits coming out and tried to close the box as fast as possible, closing Hope inside.

According to Hesiod Hope indeed stayed inside because that was Zeus’ will; he wanted to let people suffer in order to understand that they should not disobey their gods. Pandora was the right person to do it because she was curious enough, but not malicious. The main purpose of the myth of Pandora though is to address the question of why evil exists in the world.

Challenges help us evolve as humans and give us experiences that we can learn from. These lessons will then help us in the future. Challenges toughen you. They also remind you that some things in life are not in your control. They also test your resolve to face them. They bring out your emotional maturity in addition to creativity in working on them.

Challenges and problems are important parts of life that give you experiences, make you learn, and help you to become wiser and stronger. Problems make us grow and shape us. The biggest problem people have is that they hope for a life without problems. This is an impossible goal and would lead to a boring life without character. We will all have problems – small or large – the difference is how we deal with the problems and challenges that occur.

So don’t run away from the problems and challenges you are facing in life. Don’t ignore them or try to hide from them. Face them. Deal with them. The greatest growth in life and the most important lessons you will learn will come when you face and deal with a serious challenge or problem. Regardless of the result, value the experience and personal growth.

The three sisters of fate, also known as the Moirai, are three goddesses who give predestined fates to mortals at birth. It was believed that the fates would appear within three days of someone’s birth to decide their fate. They were the daughters of the goddess Nyx, the night, named Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. They had immaculate power which made it impossible for even Zeus to control their decisions. Each of the three fates had different tasks, resembling their names: Clotho spun the thread of life, Lachesis measured the thread’s length, and Atropos used her shears to cut it. The fates were assigned different time periods, Atropos – the past, Clotho – the present, and Lachesis – the future. Their symbols were the Thread, the Staff, the Spindle, the Scroll, the Shears, and the Book of Fate.

Clotho, the youngest of the three sisters, is the creator. She sits on her pedestal, twisting, pulling, and spinning the threads of life. Her job begins the very moment a child is born. While she is spinning, she consults with her older sister, Lachesis. Lachesis is the middle of the three, responsible for deciding the details of our destiny. After the thread is spun and measured, it’s up to Atropos to make the final cut. Unlike the Horai, their siblings, and the goddesses of the seasons and other natural periods of time, who were always shown as youthful, beautiful women, the Moirai were depicted as ugly and old women in antiquity. Many times they were portrayed as stern, inflexible, and severe, thus making people fear their own destiny.

The Japanese short story “In a Grove” starts off with the testimonies of a woodcutter, a Buddhist priest, a policeman, and the mother of one of the victims in the case. A man has been murdered on the road to Yamashina; he was found in a clearing with cedar trees, with a single slash of a sword on his breast. Then we are met with the testimonies of the three main protagonists: Tajōmaru, Kanazawa no Takehiro, and his wife Masago. Tajōmaru is a robber who confesses to killing Takehiro and taking advantage of his wife Masago. According to his testimony, he lured the couple into the clearing after gaining their trust as a tour guide, then tied up Takehiro to a cedar tree and violated Masago. Masago then begged for Tajōmaru to either kill himself or Takehiro because she couldn’t handle having her shame seen by two men. Tajōmaru killed Takehiro, then as he turned to Masago to take her as his wife and leave together, Masago was gone. Masago’s testimony tells a different perception of the events that occurred. After being violated by the robber, Masago tried to rush to her husband’s side to help him, but the only response she was met with was Takehiro’s cold gaze towards her, which held loathing and hatred. After recovering from falling unconscious, Masago took Takehiro’s life as she couldn’t bear to let him live after seeing the shame she was put through, planning to follow with her death right after his. Due to her suicide attempts being unsuccessful she was forced to live with her shame. Takehiro’s testimony was made through a medium, in which he tells the reader his perspective of the events. According to Takehiro, he had been attempting to soothe Masago’s pain and humiliation by winking at her as Tajōmaru was talking to her. To his astonishment, Masago then asked Tajōmaru to take her with him anywhere he goes and later demanded that he kill Takehiro. Tajōmaru struck Masago down and asked Takehiro whether he wants to kill her or not, but upon Masago seizing Takehiro’s hesitance as an opportunity and fleeing the clearing, Tajōmaru untied Takehiro and left the scene. Takehiro then, out of despair, used the small sword his wife had dropped to take his own life. The ”Roshomon effect”, in psychology, occurs when a certain event is interpreted drastically differently by different individuals. In this story, the different interpretations that are presented are three of the story’s protagonists Tajōmaru, Kanazawa no Takehiro, and his wife Masago. The event may have been perceived differently by everyone because all three had different goals and priorities in the story. Tajōmaru was only focused on his own pleasure and gains; he was obsessing over Takehiro’s wife so his mind may have subconsciously altered the events that occurred to fit his sick fantasies of having Masago to himself. Masago’s feelings regarding the situation give off the impression that she was more worried about what the other two individuals thought about her than her own wellbeing. This allows for the assumption that she may have been so worried about “losing her virtue” that she convinced herself Takehiro would see/feel about her the same way she herself does. Lastly, regarding Takehiro, he may have had insecurities within himself which could have led him to believe that Masago really did want to run away with Tajōmaru. This would have been enough to drive him to take his own life.

Every individual has different needs, whether it is to feel loved, to have someone to talk to or to have self-confidence. There would be free healthcare and everyone would have access to basic necessities for survival, such as water, drink, shelter, etc. There is also stress from being pressured to do well in school or else you’re going to fail and live a miserable life. Because of this, most people just memorize what they are told to in hopes of passing their exams, but later on, in life are not able to utilize the knowledge that they were supposed to learn. If we could create a program that would actually try to help students and teach them the things they need to know in a way that would make them want to learn, we could change the world. Students wouldn’t have to go through so much stress thinking of ways to pass that one test at the end of the year that will determine their future.

The perfect environment would be a place where everyone is accepted for who they are, there are no beauty standards, no racism, homophobia, or sexism, people don’t judge others based on stereotypes, and everyone gets to be who they want to be and love who they want to love.

Բրինձը և լապշան ճապոնական սննդի երկու հիմնական բաղադրիչներն են: Բրինձը` խաշած կամ շոգեխաշած, մատուցվում է յուրաքանչյուր ճաշի ժամանակ: Լապշան լինում է բազմաթիվ սորտերի: Ամենահայտնիներից են սոբան՝ հնդկացորենի ալյուրից պատրաստված բարակ շագանակագույն արիշտա; ուդոն, հաստ սպիտակ արիշտա պատրաստված ցորենի ալյուրից; և ռամեն, բարակ, գանգուր արիշտա, նույնպես պատրաստված ցորենի ալյուրից: Սոյայի սոուսը և սոյայի այլ մթերքները նույնպես Ճապոնիայում հիմնական ապրանքներ են: Դրանք ներառում են միսոն (ֆերմենտացված սոյայի մածուկ) և տոֆուն (սոյայի կաթնաշոռ, որը նման է կրեմի): Ճապոնական սննդի այլ ընդհանուր բաղադրիչները ներառում են բամբուկի կադրերը, դաիկոնը (հսկա սպիտակ բողկ), կոճապղպեղը, ջրիմուռը և քնջութի սերմերը: Ճապոնական թթու վարունգ, որը կոչվում է tsukemono, մատուցվում է յուրաքանչյուր ճաշի ժամանակ: Այս երկրում նույնպես շատ են ծովամթերքները: Կանաչ թեյը Ճապոնիայի ազգային ըմպելիքն է, չնայած սև թեյը նույնպես հասանելի է: Շատ տարածված են նաև սակե և գարեջուր։ Երկու յուրահատուկ ճապոնական մթերքներ են սուշին (թարմ հում ծովամթերք բրնձով) և սաշիմի (թարմ հում ծովամթերք սոյայի սոուսով); երկուսն էլ ներառում են նոր բռնած ձուկ կամ ծովամթերք: Մեկ կաթսայում ( nabemeno ) պատրաստված ուտեստները տարածված են ամբողջ Ճապոնիայում։ Սուկիյակին տավարի (կամ երբեմն հավի) մսի թղթի նման բարակ կտորներից, բանջարեղենից և արգանակի մեջ եփած տոֆուի խորանարդներից պատրաստված ուտեստ է։ Shabu-shabu-ն տավարի և բանջարեղենի միս է, որը նույնպես եփում է արգանակի մեջ, բայց հետո թաթախված անուշաբույր սոուսների մեջ: Յուրաքանչյուր տարածաշրջան ունի իր սիրելի ուտեստների ընտրությունը: Սառը հյուսիսային Հոկայդո կղզում ապրող մարդիկ վայելում են կարտոֆիլ, եգիպտացորեն և խորոված միս։ Արևմտյան Ճապոնիայում մթերքներն ավելի նուրբ բուրմունք ունեն, քան արևելյանները: Ճապոնացիները հայտնի են նրանով, որ օգտագործում են շատ թարմ բաղադրիչներ իրենց ճաշ պատրաստելու մեջ։ Նրանք նախընտրում են իրենց ճաշի համար օգտագործել թարմ, սեզոնային մթերքներ՝ գնելով այն նույն օրը, երբ այն պատրաստ կլինի։ Ճապոնացիները հայտնի են նաև սնունդը գեղեցիկ տեսք ունենալու իրենց հմտությամբ։ Ճապոնիայի բնակիչները երկար կյանք են ապրում և ունեն սրտի հիվանդությունների ցածր մակարդակ՝ առողջ սնվելու պատճառով:

Հուվարյան ճամբարը շատ լավ անցավ: Միսս Իրինայի հետ շատ նախագծեր ենք արել:

Գնացինք սահադաշտ: Մեր ճամբարն ավելի հետաքրքիր դարձրեց «Խաղում ենք ՝ բացահայտելով» նախագծը: Առաջին շաբաթվա ընթացքում մեր խումբը արդեն կռահել էինք մարդասպանին։ Երբ բացեցինք վերջին ծրարը, որտեղ գրված էր մարդասպանի անունը: պարզվեց, որ մենք ճիշտ էինք:

Քննարկումներ ենք ունեցել ընկեր հասմիկի ու ընկեր Նունեի հետ: Նայել ենք մի քանի ֆիլմեր, հետո ընկեր Հասմիկի հետ քննարկել ենք: Մասնակցեցինք «Համշենի ազգագրություն» նախագծին՝ Նունե Մովսիսյանի հետ:

«Համեղ խառնաշփոթ» նախագիծը ավելի հետաքրքրի դարցրեց: Մեր խմբով պատաստեցինք պաստա:

1. Աթօռ – աթոռ
2. Ախչիկ, ախչիգ – աղջիկ
3. Աբրիգօս – ծիրան
4. Ալուր – ալյուր
5. Ամառ – ամառ
6. Արչ – արջ
7. Աքլար – աքաղաղ
8. Աաքագ-արեգակ
9. Արի-առանձին
10. Աքվա-առավոտ
11. Արփա-գարի
12. Արմուգ-արմունկ
13. Աունք, աղունք-եղունգ
14. Բադ-զանկապատ
15. Բալլի-հայտնի
16. Բաալի-թանկ
17. Բաղդօր-պղտոր
18. Բալդիս-քենի
19. Բաժքուլ-բաժանել, զատել
20. Բաղ-պաղ, սառը
21. Բազար- 1) շուկա, 2) կիրակի
22. Բախ-բեղ
23. Բադամ-նուշ
24. Բաբ-պապ
25. Բիդու-պիտանի
26. Բիբէր-տաքդեղ
27. Բէչախ-գուլպա
28. Բալգուշ-պառկել
29. Բարխ-ժայռ
30. Բաջախա-ազդր
31. Բէդէդուշ, մօն էգուշ-զբոսնել
32. Բաչ-համբույր
33. Բաչ էնուշ-համբուրել
34. Բէբուք, աչ-բողբոջ
35. Բաջանաղ-քենակալ
36. Բառավ-պառավ
37. Բէդք, լավ, սօյ-լավ
38. Բէդքութին-լավություն
39. Բէդքնուշ-առողջանալ
40. Բարագ, բարակ-թեք տեղանք, զառիվեր
41. Բաքմազ- դոշաբ
42. Դէս- պես, նման
43. Բէսպազտէցնուշ- 1) պսպղացել, 2) հղկել
44. Բէսպաղտուշ- պսպղալ, շողալ
45. Բէրբուք, բէրվուք- շուրթ, շրթունք
46. Հա- այո
47. Հայսնքուր-հարսնաքույր
48. Յարսանիք-հարսանիք

Pasta consists of flour, water, salt, and sometimes egg. Over the centuries, Italians invented a range of shapes and sauces to enhance the taste of pasta.

         Pasta in Italy is always served in small portions after the first appetizer. Only recently, North American restaurants have started serving pasta as a main course, after discovering that expensive proteins like seafood, meat sauce, and blending them with bulky pasta can stretch bacon. This basic food has now become so famous that there are several manufacturers outside of Italy, mainly in France, Germany, the USA, Argentina, and Spain just to name a few, but connoisseurs agree that Italian dry pasta manufacturers’ products are superior in taste. They use hard durum flour from Canada. De Cecco, Barilla, Del Verde are highly recommended brands. In Canada Primo, Italpasta, and Catelli are famous and represent good value.

         Pasta is a relatively simple product and can be produced at home by anyone. The difficulty of pasta production is how simple it is. There are only a few ingredients and everything must be in perfect proportions for satisfactory results.

         Over the years, pasta has evolved into an extraordinary number of varieties and shapes that people can enjoy on a night out with their friends and family.