Laura Harker

From fast talkers to confusing new dialects, chatting with native speakers involves a steep learning curve – no matter how much you’ve been practicing in the classroom. And that’s before you’ve even gotten round to deciphering the gestures. Every language has its own unique set. Learning how they’re used throughout German-speaking countries can help boost your cultural understanding and your confidence. You may even sidestep some embarrassing social faux pas.

Every October, the English seaside town of Whitby transforms into a page taken right out of a Bram Stoker novel.
All types of subcultures—from goths clad in 19th-century corsets and bustles to steampunks sporting vintage flying goggles—descend on this quiet port for Whitby Goth Weekend, the United Kingdom’s largest goth event.
Around ten thousand festivalgoers head to Whitby to listen to alternative music, show off their finest attire, and celebrate nonconformity. Elaborately costumed attende...

Most of the time in business, we can see why certain issues occur. Perhaps a spate of poor PR has caused a downturn in sales or a period of high employee turnover caused a reduced quality in product and service. However, when it comes to brand growth, it is often not very clear why it has hit a rocky patch. If this ever happens to your brand, there’s one solution to get to the bottom of things: a digital brand audit.

Some marketers even regularly neglect brand identity, as they just don’t understand the importance of it. So, why does brand identity pose such an issue?

A review of the film People on Sunday for Litro Magazine.

Inside the town that inspired Dracula and hosts a festival for goths each year.
As a popular seaside resort nestled on the North Yorkshire Coast of Britain, Whitby is known for its sandy beaches, twinkling amusement arcades, and traditional battered fish and chips. Once the hometown of Captain James Cook, the 18th-century explorer and sailor who discovered Australia and New Zealand, the town is also rich in maritime history and was once one of England’s major whaling ports.
There’s plenty goi...

Beyond the Camera: Copenhagen — Elsewhere: A Journa...

Even though culture has slightly changed Hannibal Lecter over time, each depiction has remained remarkably similar over a 30-year course of novels, films, and a TV show.

The Fate of England's 'Infant Hercules' | Unofficia...

Nick Cave and 80s Kreuzberg. Published in the Slow Travel Berlin anthology.

Cartography is both a utilitarian and creative artform. Predominantly a way for us to understand the world, maps plot out a given in order to enable us to travel from A to B. Yet since the very first maps, they have incorporated a more subjective artistic vision...

I’d moved to Berlin in 2012, six months after completing a bachelor’s degree in German and Philosophy. The U.K. job market was still sluggish after the 2007 crash, so I hatched a plan to relocate and put my German skills to the test. I knew that Berlin’s startup scene was thriving so I thought it would be easy to find an entry-level startup job, save up for a while, and return to the U.K. with a healthy savings account and plenty of work experience.
I managed to find a generic office assistan...

Labour Must Stop Ignoring Its International Base