Language in Afghanistan

Before we traveled through Afghanistan, I felt it was important to find out what language they speak. Although we do not understand this language, I think it is interesting to tell you something more about this.

Dari, Afghan version of Persian language, is the most spoken language in Afghanistan. Official languages of Afghanistan are Dari 50%, Pashtu 35%, Turkic languages 11%, and 30 minor languages, more popular among who are Turkish languages like Turkmen and Uzbek. Most people in Afghanistan are bilingual.

The Dari Language

Dari is technically considered a dialect of the Farsi or Persian language. More specifically, Dari is the dialect of Farsi spoken in Afghanistan. In the past there has been some debate among linguists, especially those in the Middle East, as to the exact status of Dari. While it is generally agreed that Dari is a distinct dialect of Farsi, some argue that Dari and Farsi are essentially the same thing and refer to Afghan Persian simply as Farsi.

Dari is also used as the medium of instruction in Afghan schools. About 5 million people speak Dari in Afghanistan. There are also about 2.5 million Dari speakers in Iran and Pakistan.

The Pashto Language

Pashto is a member of the southeastern Iranian branch of Indo-Iranian languages spoken in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. There are three main varieties of Pashto: Northern Pashto, spoken mainly in Pakistan; Southern Pashto, spoken mainly in Afghanistan; and Central Pashto, spoken mainly in Pakistan.

Pashto first appeared in writing during the 16th century in the form of an account of Shekh Mali's conquest of Swat. It is written with a version of the Arabic script. There are two standard written forms: one based on the dialect of Kandahar, the other on the dialect of Peshawar.

Pashto was made the national language of Afghanistan by royal decree in 1936. Since then, the Pashto spelling system has been revised to some extent. Today both Dari and Pashto are official languages there.

Sources:

http://www.omniglot.com/

http://www.afghan-web.com/language/

http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/languages.html

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/afghanistan.html

The climate in Latvia

Latvia can be very hot in the summer but very cold in the winter. During our trip I noticed that the people are dressed very thick. This is also necessary in such a low temperatures in the winter.

Latvia is located in a temperate climate zone and weather conditions are determined by the Atlantic air masses, the Baltic Sea and the Riga Sea Gulf stretching deep into the country. The Latvian climate is maritime and temperate in nature, with cool summers and wet, relatively moderate winters. The four seasons are of near-equal length. Snowfall is common in the winter months.

The climate of the Latvia can be described as typical European continental influenced climate with warm, dry summers and fairly severe winters.

Winter

Winter weather can be extreme in Latvia, but this period also sees the most theatre performances and concerts and is a skier's dream. The coldest months are January and February averaging -4°C during the day. In winter snow falls from December until March. In recent years winter temperatures have tended to be milder, seldom falling below around the -5°C mark, and temperatures inland are generally lower than near the coast.

                                                                          Spring

March is the first month of spring. The river is moving away from the ice and

snow melts away. In May, becoming warmer. Warm days often alternated with periods of severe cold, which may occur on average 2-3 times a month.

Summer

Summer lasts from June to August. Hottest month is July, when air

temperatures can reach even more than +30 degrees Celsius, but the average

temperature is around +19°C.

autumn

The autumn, the beginning of the first frosts. The temperature falls below

the -10°C. The end of the growing season. Autumn's lasts until the second half of

November. Rain fall in activity increased. Cyclones from the Atlantic fetch' overcast

and rainy time.

Daytime temperatures may rise to +20°C.

Required clothing:

-      Rainwear is advisable all year.

-      Light- to medium-weights are worn during the summer months.

      Medium- to heavyweights are needed during winter. 

      Sources:

http://www.latvia.eu/

http://www.latvia.travel/en/climate-and-weather-conditions

http://www.latvia.climatemps.com/

http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Riga-weather-averages/Riga/LV.aspx