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Did you know everyone at Ellii works remotely?

Our team is spread out across the&nbsp;US, Canada, Brazil, and Argentina, with&nbsp;contractors in even more&nbsp;countries.

As Ellii&#39;s&nbsp;videographer, having the opportunity to work from anywhere is fantastic. But having this freedom is not the most exciting part of remote&nbsp;work.

What I love the most is that I have the chance to connect and work with people from different parts of the world. Plus, I get to learn so much from my coworkers about their traditions and culture. Who knew that dinnertime is&nbsp;around 6:00 pm in the US and Canada? In Argentina, dinner around 9:00 pm. You can see why this came as a big surprise to&nbsp;me!

Discovering these&nbsp;new&nbsp;tidbits of information is the reason I enjoy working remotely&nbsp;so much. It allows me to learn something new&nbsp;at work every&nbsp;day.

The title of this blog post, &ldquo;Traveling with Ellii,&rdquo; doesn&rsquo;t just refer to the fact that Ellii allows you to travel anywhere and <a href="https://ellii.com/careers" target="_blank">take your work with you</a>. It also implies that even when I&rsquo;m home in Buenos Aires, I&rsquo;m still traveling all over the world (figuratively speaking) thanks to my amazing&nbsp;coworkers.

When I look at the&nbsp;incredible hiking pictures our director of language development, Tanya, took around Vancouver, and then I see the&nbsp;unbelievable photos of a recent snowstorm in Winnipeg taken by our VP of people &amp; culture, Marta, I get to&nbsp;learn a little bit more about this amazing world we all live&nbsp;in.&nbsp;

I love imagining&nbsp;myself in those places too. What would it feel like to smell the trees along the hiking trails or to experience a&nbsp;freezing cold&nbsp;snowstorm?

So as you can see, I&rsquo;m always discovering new places and adventures at&nbsp;work.

But recently, for the first time since I started working at Ellii, I decided to go on an adventure:&nbsp;I went to live in Madrid, Spain, for two months. My team was nothing but&nbsp;supportive and encouraged me to take this amazing&nbsp;opportunity. 
 
And I can&rsquo;t begin to tell you what an incredible, fun, and inspiring experience it&nbsp;was.

<h2>Living in Madrid</h2>

For starters, I got to spend lots of time with my sister who&#39;s currently living in Madrid. We enjoyed morning walks together in the most amazing parks. My favorite parks in Spain were El Retiro, Madrid Rio, and&nbsp;Santander.

<img alt="El Retiro, Madrid (park)" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/2449/content_Retiro_Park.png" />

Retiro Park&rsquo;s lake on a cloudy day. Photo by Lucia Padilla

<h2>Touring Segovia</h2>

I also visited other cities in Spain, like Segovia, where I saw one of the best-preserved, elevated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_of_Segovia" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Roman aqueducts</a> in the world.

Although its exact construction date is somewhat of a mystery, there&#39;s archaeological evidence that points to it being built around AD 112. It truly is an architectural masterpiece, and it&rsquo;s also in an excellent state of&nbsp;conservation.

Even though it looked small in the distance, I could still feel its powerful presence. When I got closer,&nbsp;the scale and magnitude of the construction hit me with such force that I couldn&#39;t help but feel tiny. Looking up at the aqueduct from down below, I couldn&#39;t stop thinking,&nbsp;Did someone shrink me and I didn&rsquo;t realize&nbsp;it?

<img alt="Segovia’s Aqueduct" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/2450/content_Segovia_s_Aqueduct.png" />

Segovia&rsquo;s Aqueduct. Photo by Lucia Padilla.

<h2>Celebrating in Barcelona</h2>

Another wonderful place I went to was the well-known city of Barcelona. I went there for <a href="http://www.spain.info/en/discover-spain/fiesta-sant-jordi-barcelona/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sant Jordi</a>, which is celebrated every April&nbsp;23.

During this very important holiday, it&#39;s customary for friends, families, and&nbsp;couples to exchange roses and books while they celebrate in the&nbsp;streets.

Strolling around the city during this time is like a fairytale. You&#39;ll see the stores and buildings decorated with beautiful roses. I highly recommend you visit <a href="https://www.casabatllo.es/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Casa Batll&oacute;</a>&mdash;they go all out during Sant&nbsp;Jordi!

You&#39;ll also notice the streets packed with what feels like millions of stalls&nbsp;selling books and roses to passersby. It was a truly beautiful sight that even a rainy day couldn&#39;t ruin. I have to admit I was especially impressed by the&nbsp;Catalans who didn&rsquo;t seem&nbsp;to mind the weather at all and still enjoyed the&nbsp;celebrations.

But the reason I&#39;ll never forget this day is that I&rsquo;ve never seen so many people buying so many books in my entire life! I loved it.&nbsp;I wish I had been able to take more pictures, but&nbsp;I was completely engrossed in the&nbsp;festivities.

<img alt="Raima's Stationery Store" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/2451/content_Raima_Stationery_Store.png" />

Decorations inside Raima, Europe&#39;s largest stationery store. Photo by Lucia Padilla.

<h2>The beauty of remote work with Ellii</h2>

All in all, traveling with Ellii is a wonderful experience. I can be&nbsp;home in a sweltering Argentinian summer and yet &ldquo;feel&rdquo; the chilling cold of a Canadian&nbsp;winter.

The freedom and flexibility of&nbsp;working remotely&nbsp;helps you be more empathetic and open-minded about the amazing people you work&nbsp;with.

Working remotely also transports you to other cultures and lets you experience someone else&#39;s traditions. I would not change it for the world. And yes, I do hope one day I get to see all my coworkers in person. But until that day comes, I&rsquo;ll keep learning and traveling around the world with&nbsp;Ellii.

Working Remotely: Traveling with Ellii

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These posts are written for learners of English themselves. Find learning tips and ideas for learning English.

For Students

<h2>Putting Up the Christmas Tree</h2>

Since I was a little girl, the 8th of December has always been the day when I knew Christmas was just around the corner. You might be wondering what is so special about this date.&nbsp;What does it have to do with Christmas? Well, it has everything to do with Christmas! In Argentina, the 8th of December is a national holiday called the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is also the official date when we put up the Christmas tree (or, as we call it, &quot;el arbolito de navidad&quot;). Having a day off to decorate for Christmas is as amazing and as magical as it sounds. But this date wasn&#39;t chosen at random.&nbsp;The story of why we do it on the 8th is so rich and full of myths and wonders that I have to share it with you.

According to&nbsp;legend, the actual tradition of putting up a Christmas tree in Argentina started in 1807, when an Irish immigrant decorated a pine tree on December 8 in a public park following the customs of his country. The Irish can trace this custom&nbsp;back to 1200 BC, when the Celtics would decorate a tree that represented the Yggdrasil (a mythical tree that holds up the universe) to honor&nbsp;Frey, the god of the sun and fertility. Another possible reason why we put up Christmas trees is attributed to Martin Luther. One day, while strolling through the forest, he was struck by the beauty of the lights reflected by the stars on the trees and decided to take a tree branch home.

In my family, putting up the Christmas tree has always been a time for us to come together and have fun. We like to mix it up every once in a while and make what we call &quot;arbolitos raros&quot; (weird trees). These Christmas trees are not real&nbsp;trees at all. Instead, we&nbsp;make them! In the pictures below, you can see how we made a tree out of a wooden staircase and some pieces of wood. This year&#39;s tree is made out of rusty wires. We added in some homemade decorations to keep up with the style.

<img alt="A Christmas tree made with a wooden staircase. " src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1986/content_Christmas_Traditions_in_Argentina_4.jpg" />

Lucia&#39;s 2015 Christmas tree made with a wooden staircase. Photo by Lucia Padilla

<img alt="Christmas tree made out of rusty wire." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1987/content_Christmas_Traditions_in_Argentina_3.jpg" />

Lucia&#39;s 2021 Christmas tree made out of rusty wires. Photo by Lucia Padilla

<img alt="Closer look at Christmas tree made out of rusty wire." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1988/content_Christmas_Traditions_in_Argentina_5.jpg" />

A closer look at Lucia&#39;s 2021 Christmas tree and decorations made out of rusty wires. Photo by Lucia Padilla

<img alt="Christmas decorations made out of rusty wire." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1989/content_Christmas_Traditions_in_Argentina_1.jpg" />

Photo of the making&nbsp;of the Christmas decorations. Photo by Lucia Padilla

<h2>Celebrating Christmas</h2>

Another fun fact about Christmas celebrations here in Argentina&nbsp;is that we open&nbsp;presents at midnight on Christmas Eve. So, on the 24th, we make a huge family dinner that involves lots of delicious foods like &quot;pan dulce,&quot; a white bread filled with nuts and dried fruits, and &quot;vitel ton&eacute;&quot; or, in Italian, &quot;vitello tonnato,&quot; which is a cold meat dish&nbsp;with a mayonnaise and tuna sauce. This is always a Christmas favorite!&nbsp;

But it is when the clock strikes midnight that the real magic begins. The first magical moment is the Christmas toast, marked by the sound of champagne glasses clinking together. This is the perfect time to hug your family members and tell them how much you love them. The second magical moment occurs when we go outside to watch the fireworks that cover the skies with color and lights. And the last one is the&nbsp;moment that as a kid you fought to stay awake for (which let me tell you&nbsp;wasn&#39;t an easy task)&mdash;the opening of the Christmas presents! They suddenly and magically appear under the Christmas tree! When did that happen? How did I miss Santa? What a treat that was, and still is, watching all your family happily opening presents between laughs and screams of joy (especially from the little ones). This is the best feeling in the world.

<img alt="A firework." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1990/content_Christmas_Traditions_in_Argentina_2.jpg" />

Fireworks on Christmas Eve. Photo by Lucia Padilla

<h2>Taking Down the Christmas Tree</h2>

Now, you might be thinking that if we have a day to put up the Christmas tree, we might also have a day to take&nbsp;it down. And that is exactly correct! We put away&nbsp;the Christmas tree and all the decorations the day after January 6, which is &quot;El D&iacute;a de los Reyes Magos&quot; (Epiphany or Three Kings&#39; Day). I won&#39;t go into too much detail about what this holiday entails, but you must know it involves kings, camels, shoes, grass, water, and more presents!&nbsp;

Feliz Navidad!

Lula (Motion Designer, ESL Library)

<h2>Glossary</h2>

<ul>
	<li>put up: to build or set up</li>
	<li>attributed to: named or credited as the source</li>
	<li>rusty: covered in a reddish-brown coating (iron)&nbsp;due to air/moisture</li>
	<li>toast: to celebrate with words and a drink</li>
	<li>take down: to remove something that was previously on display</li>
	<li>put away: to put in a storage area for use at another time</li>
</ul>

<h2>Sources:</h2>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.infobae.com/sociedad/2021/12/04/por-que-armamos-el-arbolito-de-navidad-el-8-de-diciembre-dia-de-la-virgen/">Por qu&eacute; armamos el arbolito de Navidad el 8 de diciembre, D&iacute;a de la Virgen</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.ambito.com/informacion-general/navidad/por-que-se-arma-el-arbolito-este-8-diciembre-n5330970" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Por qu&eacute; se arma el arbolito de Navidad este 8 de diciembre</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.infobae.com/tendencias/2017/12/08/tradiciones-de-navidad-por-que-armamos-el-arbolito-el-8-de-diciembre/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tradiciones de Navidad: por qu&eacute; armamos el arbolito el 8 de diciembre</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://vamospanish.com/discover/spending-and-celebrating-christmas-in-buenos-aires-traditions-food-things-to-do/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spending and Celebrating Christmas in Buenos Aires</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/celts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Who Were Celts</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>Leave a Comment</h2>

What about you? Do you have any traditions for putting up the Christmas tree? How do you decorate it? When do you take it down and put it away? Have you ever made an unconventional Christmas tree?&nbsp;

How do you celebrate Christmas Eve? Do you enjoy any traditional Christmas food? Please tell us where you are from and share your holiday traditions with us!&nbsp;

Christmas in Argentina

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<h1>The Sound of Thunder</h1>

While sitting on the tour bus traveling the 70-kilometer (43.5-mile) distance from El Calafate, the nearest town to Los Glaciares National Park, I was full of expectation, wonder, and anticipation. Leonardo, our amazing tour guide, did not help very much with those feelings since listening to him so lovingly describe the Perito Moreno Glacier made me want to get there even faster! Luckily, time flew by, thanks to the beautiful views streaming by my window and Leonardo&rsquo;s comforting and steady voice relating interesting information and fun&nbsp;facts.

The Perito Moreno Glacier stands in the glacial lake named Lago Argentino, and from the surface of these waters the glacier&#39;s walls can reach up to 70 meters (230 feet) high. Like me, you might not be able to grasp this scale while appreciating it from the walkways, which always happens when facing a panoramic view. But if you get closer on a boat cruise, you&rsquo;ll feel very much like an&nbsp;ant!

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1599/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_01.jpg" />

View of the Perito Moreno Glacier, taken from the walkways. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

Another fun fact about the glacier is that the water in Lago Argentino looks blue or turquoise from far away, but when you get close enough, you will be surprised to see that it actually has a milky color. This is due to the mineral particles that are so tiny they cannot settle on the bottom, and consequently they remain suspended in the&nbsp;water.

Also, if you like adventure, there are incredible trekking tours where you can walk on top of the glacier (which I highly recommend). And if you think this experience couldn&rsquo;t be any cooler, just wait! Did you know that you can bring along your empty bottle or canteen and fill it up with glacier water? Yep, it is completely safe to drink and is delicious&nbsp;too!

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier and Lago Argentino" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1600/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_02.jpg" />

Right side view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, when the sun reflects on Lago Argentino, making the water look turquoise. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

There are a lot of things that I&rsquo;ll take away from this trip&mdash;one being how lucky we are to have such beauty in our world and how much more appreciative we should be. But maybe the most important thing is what Leonardo reminded us of before we got off the tour bus.

Right when we were about to see the glacier in all its glory for the first time, he told us of the importance of taking mental pictures before digital ones. And, funnily enough, while he was saying that, I was in the middle of taking my phone out of my pocket in preparation. I was about to see this wonder through the lens of my camera first without even thinking about it! And then the bizarreness of it hit me&mdash;that someone has to remind us to not just see nature, but experience&nbsp;it.

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier from the coast" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1601/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_03.jpg" />

Left side view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, taken from the coast. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

So, when I stepped off that bus, I made a new resolution that I hope to keep from now on for all my trips: I will experience nature with my own eyes first before looking through a lens. And to tell you the truth, at least on this trip, it was so easy to do! Such powerful immensity in front of my eyes demanded that I be present and connect with my surroundings. It was at that time, in that moment, that I closed my eyes and heard the sound of&nbsp;thunder.

What does this sound mean? Was a storm coming?

This constant sound of thunder in the air is a friendly reminder of how this glacier is very much alive. There are always large chunks of ice breaking away from the glacier. This is called ice calving. If you are lucky enough to see ice calving, you will witness the most incredible show the glacier has to offer. So keep your ears open for this sound of thunder because it means ice calving is probably about to occur!

<img alt="View of the Perito Moreno Glacier from a boat" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1602/content_Lucia_Sound-of-Thunder_04.jpg" />

Left side view of the Perito Moreno Glacier, taken from the boat cruise while crossing Lago Argentino. Photo by Lucia Padilla, April 2021

This magical glacier is the only one in the world that keeps growing every day (approximately two meters, or 6.6 feet, per day). So regardless of how many ice chunks it loses, it will recuperate the same amount of mass&nbsp;lost.

As the Perito Moreno Glacier advances, every three&nbsp;to four&nbsp;years it will reach its maximum growth, and thousands of tourists will flood the walkways of the Los Glaciares National Park to witness the most incredible ice calving&nbsp;of all, known as la ruptura (the Rupture). I have never seen it in person, but there is always a lot of media coverage from Argentina&rsquo;s local news, and we can almost always watch it live from our homes. And I can tell you it&#39;s an amazing&nbsp;spectacle!

<h2>Related</h2>

<div class="whiteBox">New

<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/117/lessons/3696"><img src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/emails/monthly-newsletter/thumbs/117_Glaciers.png" /></a>

<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/117/lessons/3696">Glaciers</a></h2>

We have a new <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/117/lessons/3696">Glaciers</a> lesson in our Discovery section!
</div>

<h2>References</h2>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/perito-moreno-glacier-collapse-video-argentina-patagonia-spd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">National Geographic &ndash; Why This Massive Glacial Arch Collapses Like Clockwork</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.patagonia.com.ar/El+Calafate/524_Glaciar+Perito+Moreno+datos+t%C3%A9cnicos.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patagonia &ndash; Glaciar Perito Moreno, datos t&eacute;cnicos</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-argentina-glacier-idUSTRE51259Y20090203" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reuters &ndash; Defiant Argentine glacier thrives despite warming</a></li>
	<li class="external-link"><a href="https://elpais.com/internacional/2018/03/12/solo_en_argentina/1520859059_206125.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">El Pa&iacute;s &ndash; La rotura del Perito Moreno, uno de los mayores espect&aacute;culos del mundo, fue de noche y sin p&uacute;blico</a></li>
</ul>

VIEWING POSTS BY

Lucia Padilla

Working Remotely: Traveling with Ellii

Christmas in Argentina

A Trip to the Perito Moreno Glacier