Annually, the Independence Day in the United States of America are being held and celebrated every 4th of July and many people from all around the globe visit the said country to enjoy and celebrate with the people. There are many festivities and events that are happening on the day and there are also great food everywhere that you will surely love.
(photo source: ABC News)
Some people have this impression that celebrating 4th of July means spending too much for enjoyment but that should not be the case for all especially for those who are on a budget. You really don’t have to spend too much to celebrate.
If you wanna know more, here are the ways to have an affordable 4th of July.
Six Simple Ways To Celebrate Fourth Of July On A Budget
Have A Simple Picnic At Home
Plan a simple picnic at home for your family. You don’t really have to go out and spend in restos when you are on a tight budget. Have some picnic and eat with your family at home while watching the television so you could still feel the 4th of July vibe since every channel on your TV will surely be about celebrating the Independence day.
Go To Free Shows
There may be free concerts of fireworks show near your home so you might as well visit and celebrate with the people. There are free shows across the country so better do your research now so you won’t be late to the party!
Eat Budget Meals
People think that every meal in the United States whether there’s an event or not are very expensive but that’s not true, in fact that are stalls across the country that sells cheap meals so better get your tummies ready for an affordable yet delicious 4th of July treats!
Have A Garage Sale
So you are on a budget right? Why not sell your 4th of July inspired clothes and products? It would be beneficial for both the seller and buyer since most of them are looking for 4th of July decorations and you may have some in your home that you haven’t used for a long period of time so why not sell it right?
Buy One Firework
You don’t want your 4th of July to be boring so better buy at least one cheap but safe and great firework that you will use for the day of the event.
Swim In The Ocean
USA is filled with beautiful resorts that are free of charge so if you are looking for a relaxing yet fun way to celebrate the 4th of July then go to the beach with your whole family. Let your kids enjoy the fun of independence day!
Have A Retreat
Having a retreat is not just affordable but it can also release your stress so that you will be able to kickstart the day with enthusiasm and positivity. You can also do your own retreat at home with your family.
Author bio:
Mark Aldrin Hipolito is a writer for Kims, one of Australia’s perfect beach retreat places that offers a cluster of deluxe timber bungalows and spa villas on the beach. Mark also gives out guides and tips for people regarding on how the can enjoy their vacation and trips around the world.
Applying for your first Schengen Visa can be a daunting experience. There are many documents to put together, several confusing questions to answer, and countless clarifications to seek. Getting a Schengen Visa on an Indian passport is a complex process, and the sooner you start with it before your scheduled departure, the better.
Let’s go through some common queries that most first-timers have applied for a Schengen Visa.
What is a Schengen visa and when do I need it?
German Visa in a Belarus Passport By Coquimbano (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
A Schengen Visa is a document that allows you to travel within the Schengen area, commonly for a period of up to 90 days. Twenty-six countries make up the Schengen area, and if you plan on traveling to one or more of these countries, you will need this visa.
The countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
As an Indian, where and how do I apply for the Schengen Visa?
The Schengen countries have outsourced their visa application cells toVFS Global, a company that now handles the entire process, making it simpler and faster. There is also no requirement to go to the embassy anymore. VFS Global has five centers in India – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Puducherry, and Bengaluru.
To start off the process, log on to VFS Global’s website, and go to the bottom left of the screen, where you will see this:
After entering the appropriate details (for multi-country trips, select your “main destination”. Keep reading for more on this.), you will be directed to another screen where you will be able to download the visa form, find information on visa fees and make an appointment to submit the visa form along with supporting documents.
What do I need to take care of before my appointment?
Put all the documents you need to produce together – there are quite a few of them. You’ll find the entire list on the VFS website; while most are fairly straightforward, others require some clarification. I’ve talked about them in brief here:
Cover letter:Though this isn’t listed as one of the required documents, it is best to submit a cover letter as a comprehensive reference paper for visa officials. Start by addressing the embassy through which you are applying for the visa. The body of your letter should include the dates of your trip, the names, and professions of those accompanying you, the purpose of your travel, and a paragraph on how you plan of bearing the expenses on this journey – mention real figures pertaining to your savings, credit cards and fixed deposits. Also, list down the documents you will be submitting along with your visa application.
Hotel bookings:Unfortunately, you will have to book your flight tickets and hotels before you apply for the visa. While this in no way confirms that you will get the visa, officials need to establish that you are indeed going for tourism via your accommodation confirmations. A good hack to ensure that you don’t lose any money if your visa is denied is to book your stay throughbooking.com. This website allows you to book hotels without paying upfront. There are no hidden charges, and you can cancel (if you want) as soon as you get the visa.
Travel insurance:For emergency hospital or other medical expenses, you will have to get mandatory travel insurance worth Euro 30,000. It will keep you protected against large bills in case something goes wrong. VFS has a list of approved insurance providers on its website, and it’s best to pick from among them. You can also look at the policies onInsurance Pandit, compare prices and benefits, and finally go with a reliable company such as ICICI or Tata AIG. Once you buy it, your insurance will be delivered to your email inbox.
Financials:The country you are traveling to wants to know that you have enough money to make it through the trip and go back. For this, you will submit a bunch of your financial documents such as bank account statements for the last six months, income tax returns for the last three years, and others – a list of which you’ll find on the VFS website.
But the tricky part is getting that money in your account. If you already have lakhs and lakhs in your bank account, then you can stop reading here. If you do not have sufficient (according to the European Union) funds, then your visa will definitely be rejected. Here’s what I did – I got my parents to credit some money a month or two before my visa interview. After I got my visa, I gave them back the funds. Another thing you can do is get a letter from them saying that they are sponsoring your trip. In this case, you will need their financials as well.
While the European Union has a list stating the amount you need to have for each country, I think a good estimate of how much you need to have in your account is: Rs 1.3 lakh for 10 days, Rs 2 lakh for 15 days, and Rs 2.5 lakh for 20 days – all per person costs.
If you are unsure of anything on the visa form, leave it blank and clarify with the official at VFS before submitting it to him.
What is the estimated time for the entire process? How long will it take for the visa to arrive?
The first thing you need to remember is to schedule your appointment with VFS at least a month or a month and a half before your scheduled departure. If you can do it sooner, it will give you more time to make your real bookings at hotels or Airbnb. It will also take you a few weeks to put together all your documents, especially if you are an unorganized, working professional like me.
Once you get your appointment date, it will only take a day if you have all your documents in order. A year or two ago, you would also have an interview after submitting the documents at VFS. These days, that only happens in rare cases where they have a cause for suspicion that you don’t plan on coming back. So once you are done with VFS, you should get your visa within seven days. I got my visa to Italy in three days.
What if my visa is rejected? Will my fee be refunded?
Sadly, under no circumstance will your visa fee be refunded. If your visa is denied for some reason, you have two options: One is to appeal the decision. Since the appeal will be evaluated by someone other than the person who rejected your visa, there is a chance that the decision will be overturned. But the visa appeal process might take a few weeks or even months. Also, in India, this process is only available for Spain, Germany, and Norway. So the second and better way to go forward is to reapply through a different Schengen state embassy. Usually, a previous visa denial will not automatically lead to the refusal of a new application, and the new application will be assessed independently.
FAQs
Do I have to hand over the documents personally at VFS?
Yes, you, along with whoever you are traveling with have to be personally present while you hand over the papers. After you have successfully submitted the documents, scans of your fingerprint will also be taken (the first time you are applying for a visa).
If I am traveling to more than one Schengen country, which embassy do I apply through?
You will have to apply to the “main destination”, the country where you will be staying for the most number of days.
Do I apply through the country I am entering the Schengen area?
No, you don’t have to if you won’t be staying the most number of days there.
Should my first trip be to the country that issued the Schengen Visa?
No. You can enter any Schengen country after you get your visa.
If I’m traveling for work first and then taking a short vacation, do I tick business or tourism on my visa form?
Business. Get an invitation letter for the first few days from your foreign business partner, and then show hotel bookings for the rest of the days.
How long is the visa valid?
You are allowed to travel in the Schengen Area for 90 days within a 180-day period. These 90 days, however, do not have to be consecutive. Say you enter the area in March and stay for 50 days, and then come back in August for 20 days, this totals to 70 days in 180 days.
Can my visa be extended?
A Schengen Visa, which has already expired, cannot be extended. Even otherwise, while on paper you can extend it, an extended visa rarely comes through. But there are some clever ways you can legally stay in Europe over 90 days. Popular travel blogger Nomadic Matt talks about themhere.
Will my air tickets be refunded if I don’t get a visa?
No. To help minimize risk, book a flight ticket that is refundable to the largest amount possible.
What are the common reasons behind a visa being rejected?
There can be a few reasons why an embassy might reject your request for a Schengen Visa.
– The documents and cover letter you have provided prove inadequate in establishing the purpose of your travel and stay
– There is a mismatch between your travel itinerary and the visa period you have applied for
– Your supporting documents do not show accommodation for each night you will spend in a Schengen Area
– You do not have enough funds to support your travel
– Your travel insurance policy is not valid across the Schengen Area
– You were unable to respect Schengen Visa limitations during a previous attempt
But don’t worry, if you put everything together carefully and meticulously, and don’t have a criminal record, the chances of you getting your Schengen Visa are very high. And then this awaits, to make it all worth it:
At all Classics-it’s classy concerts, you are welcome to move and to dance, to sing along when suggested by the conductor, and to answer questions. And don’t forget to listen and watch carefully, so you don’t miss something interesting!
“When I was little, I sometimes went to “children’s concerts and almost suffered greatly! Suffered because it was always long and tediously, and most importantly, because the musicians usually played listlessly and uninterestingly. And so, when I grew up, I wanted to present for you such concerts to which you yourself would be interested in coming again and again. Because I’m sure if you like music as a child, then later in your life, you will not want to part with it.” ~ Evgeny Buskkov
So, I was at yet another performance at the NCPA. The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), based at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai is India’s first and only professional orchestra. Evgeny Bushkov serves as the Resident Conductor, taking up the role in January 2017. He is also an animateur.
The Strange Fairy Tale for chamber orchestra, soloists, and narrator was written in 2011. Efrem Podgaits simultaneously wrote both the music and the literary text of the tale. This composition continues the line started in his symphonic tale ‘Voyage to Orchestraland’ that became very popular and was performed in different cities of Russia. The emergence of this work was partially due to requests of chamber orchestra conductors, who didn’t have an opportunity to perform a large symphonic score.
Thus, at 3.00am on January 1, 2011, Efrem Podgaits seemed to hear the disturbing sounds of strings…Cellos were trembling in fear…Violas howled like the wind…Yes, this story happened in the Empire of strings and bows. The story is about two sisters, Princess Violin and Princess Cello, about Prince Viola and King Double Bass, about their hopes, sorrows, desperation, and love. This musical tale is interesting for children and adults, performers as well as listeners.
Efrem Podgaits is a Russian composer who was born in 1949. He has written 3 symphonies, 13 operas, and 26 concerti, and his music has been performed all across Russia and around the world, and he was named ‘Composer of the Year’ in 2002 by the Russian Magazine The Musical Review.
Children’s Corner
5 pieces for listeners and chamber orchestra by Mikhail Bronner
About the piece
In the performance of Mikhail Bronner’s Children’s Corner, the listeners had to be as involved as the orchestra, as the composer takes us on a trip to a fairy-tale land. The listeners got a rare opportunity to fool around during the performance, and the most courageous even got to perform a solo in the orchestra. The rest did not have an easy task they became the chorus. The listeners had to speak words, make a variety of sounds, and sometimes even stamp their feet. The beast that the author wants to portray with the help of the listeners have purely human character traits, and they were heard by the orchestra.
The piece had five movements:
Frog and sparrow
The cuckoo
Waltz of a sad little donkey
Song of an elderly goat
Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. Truly, Classics, it’s Classy!
Eid al-Fitr “festival of breaking of the fast” is an important religious holiday celebrated worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. It’s the time when relatives and friends get together and enjoy sumptuous feast. Sweets and desserts make for an important part of the feast and often take centre stage on this auspicious day. On this occasion, FunFoods by Dr. Oetker recommends tasty desserts which are mouth-watering, easy to make, and would allow you to enjoy the festival as well with your loved ones.
Delicious #recipes for Eid
Strawberry and Dates Roll Recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar, Creative Kitchen, Dr. Oetker FunFoods
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
10-12 nos. Dates, seedless
75 g (5 tbsp) Dr. Oetker FunFoods Strawberry Dessert Topping
50 g Almonds, chopped
50 g Cashewnuts, chopped
5-6 nos. Marie Biscuits, crushed
50 g (3 tbsp) Desiccated Coconut Powder
Directions:
In a blender jar, add dates and 2 tbsp strawberry dessert topping. Blend for 20-30 seconds or until you get a coarse paste.
Take out above mixture in a bowl and add nuts. Mix well, make small round balls and shape them into cigars or cylinders.
In a bowl mix together biscuits and 2 tbsp coconut powder.
Dip above rolls in remaining strawberry dessert topping and finally put them in biscuit mix to get good coating all over.
Put remaining coconut powder on top of rolls and serve cold.
Level: Beginner
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
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Shahi Lucknowi Seviyaan Recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar, Creative Kitchen, Dr. Oetker FunFoods
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
500 ml Full Cream Milk
50 g Almonds, chopped
50 g Cashewnuts, chopped
60 g Roasted Vermicelli
1 tbsp Condensed Milk
1 tbsp Sugar
50 g (3 tbsp) Dr. Oetker FunFoods Milk Shake Mix Kesar Pista
½ tsp Kewra Water
1 tbsp Pistachio, chopped
Directions:
Heat saucepan (low flame) add milk, almonds, cashew nuts and vermicelli. Let it cook for 5 minutes or until milk starts to boil.
Add condensed milk, sugar and milk shake mix. Cook for 5 minutes or until Milk shake mix is dissolved completely and mixture is thick in consistency.
Pour kewra water and mix well. Garnish with pistachio and serve.
Level: Beginner
Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
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Mayo Phirni Recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar, Creative Kitchen, Dr. Oetker FunFoods
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 Litre, Full Cream Milk
90 g (6 tbsp) Rice Flour
140 g Sugar
1 tsp Green cardamom Powder
8-10 nos. Cashewnuts, chopped
5 nos. Almonds, chopped
60 g (4 tbsp) Dr. Oetker FunFoods Veg Mayonnaise
Directions:
Heat milk in a pan (medium flame) until it comes to boil and then simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add rice flour, sugar, cardamom powder and cashew nuts. Stir continuously to prevent lumps.
Continue stirring on low flame for 6-7 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Finally take it out from flame and let it cool down.
Add mayonnaise to above mixture and mix well.
Pour the mixture into serving bowls. Refrigerate it for 2 hours, garnish it with almonds and serve.
Level: Intermediate
Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 25 Minutes
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Gulab Kheer Recipe by Chef Ranveer Brar, Creative Kitchen, Dr. Oetker FunFoods
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 Litre, Full Cream Milk
100 g Rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
100 g Sugar
1 tsp Green cardamom Powder
8-10 nos. Cashewnuts, chopped
60 g (4 tbsp) Dr. Oetker FunFoods Milk Shake Mix Rose
5 nos. Almonds, chopped
Directions:
Bring milk to boil in a large saucepan.
Add rice, sugar, cardamom powder, cashew nuts and rose milk shake mix. Simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens and the rice is cooked completely.
Pour the mixture into serving bowls. Refrigerate it for 2 hours, garnish it with almonds and serve.
