fact

As part of Foreign Fridays, we explore a different country each week through its most unusual, amusing and odd facts. If you want your country to appear, then simply get in contact with us either in the comments below or through Facebook or Twitter.

This week it is the turn of the USA:

During the weekend of the Super Bowl in 2012,
it is estimated that 1.25 billion(!) chicken
wings will be eaten in America.

This weekend is the all singing, all dancing, mega event that is the Super Bowl. On Sunday, hundreds of millions of people (literally) in America will invite their friends around, prepare the refreshments and sit down in front of the TV to watch the finalé to the American football season. They may be the only country in the world to properly understand the rules of it, but they certainly know how to put on a show.

As part of Foreign Fridays, we explore a different country each week through its most unusual, amusing and odd facts. If you want your country to appear, then simply get in contact with us either in the comments below or through Facebook or Twitter.

This week it is the turn of Australia:

Citizenship Ceremonies are a popular tradition on
Australia Day. On that single day in 2011, a massive
13,000 people took Australian Citizenship.

Yesterday was Australia Day, when Australians have an excuse to bring out the BBQ, crack open some beers and celebrate their history. Every year on the 26th January Australians remember when the first fleet of British ships first landed in 1788. These days, it is a national holiday, and there are huge celebrations throughout the country, with festivals and concerts held in almost every community. An Australian of the Year is even crowned, with The King's Speech actor Geoffrey Rush gaining the award for 2012.

As part of Foreign Fridays, we explore a different country each week through its most unusual, amusing and odd facts. If you want your country to appear, then simply get in contact with us either in the comments below or through Facebook or Twitter.

This week it is the turn of China:

On the first day of Chinese New Year, many people, particularly
Buddhists, abstain from eating meat as they believe
that it will ensure they enjoy a long life.

We have reached the final New Year related Foreign Fridays Fact, in what has been a busy January, full of celebrations. And this week we have possibly the most famous of them all- Chinese New Year. 

In China the New Year's celebrations last for 15 days, with New Year's Day counting as day 1. During this time most people take time off work to be with family and friends, and many travel back to their home town or village. Trains, buses, roads, and planes all become packed out with people travelling across the country.

As part of Foreign Fridays, we explore a different country each week through its most unusual, amusing and odd facts. If you want your country to appear, then simply get in contact with us either in the comments below or through Facebook or Twitter.

This week it is the turn of Russia:

Much of Eastern Europe is celebrating Old New Year tonight. In Russia,
they traditionally celebrate by drinking vodka and champagne,
and by eating Mandarin oranges.

January is the month of a thousand New Year's Eves. Well, maybe not a thousand, but certainly a few different ones other than the traditional British 31st December, and today is Old New Year. This confusingly named festival is celebrated by Eastern European countries where the Orthodox Church is still prevalent. The reason it falls on January 13th, is due to the use of the old Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the modern calendar.

As part of a brand new version of Foreign Fridays, we will be exploring a different country each week through its most unusual, amusing and odd facts. We will post it right here on the blog, as well as on the all new Foreign Fridays page. If you want your country to appear, then simply get in contact with us either in the comments below or through Facebook or Twitter.

As we enter in to 2012, the fact for Foreign Fridays this week had to be related to New Year's really didn't it? Well we've come up with a cracker for Japan.

At midnight on New Year's Eve in Japan, Buddhist temples strike a gong 108 times, with each ring representing one of the 108 types of human weakness that must overcome to achieve nirvana.