The Stardom behind Iroko

Jason Njoku is the founder and CEO of Iroko Partners, the largest digital distributors of Nigerian music and movies, with a library of ~1600 licensed movies. Mr. Njoku, Iroko Partners, consist of 5 web brands; iROKOtv, iROKING, iROKtv, NollywoodLove and YorubaLove. Mr. Njoku is building a modern digital distribution infrastructure using Amazon Web Services, Ooyala and several video ad networks, to service the second largest movie industry in the world (by volume), Nollywood, or Nigerian cinema.

According to reports, Sarah Lacy, last year Iroko did eight million YouTube streams a month, with a $1 million revenue run-rate. But since then, his traffic has soared. In Njoku"s view, YouTube has become so maniacal about pleasing Hollywood and doing original, high-level US-centric programming that they just didnt care about what someone like Iroko was doing.

According to him,"We are not going to hide who we are", Mr. Njoku."We have 71 people working for us in a country with 50% unemployment. We did $1.3 million in revenues last year. We are the largest Internet company in Lagos by nearly any definition. We want to be Nigerias Netscape moment".

Earlier this year, Njoku  decided to close his YouTube channel that was generating millions in revenue in an attempt to build something even bigger. He is in the process of migrating users and content now, so his YouTube content will still be available for a bit longer.

Mr. Njoku holds a BSc, Chemistry from The University of Manchester in 2002 ,and Manchester Business School,in 2005.
He can be reached through his website http://www.jason.com.ng/

7 Ways You Can Save More Money in 2016

Knowing you need to save more and being able to do it are two different things, however. How can you set aside more money when you’re stretched thin as it is? Thankfully, saving a little extra each month isn’t as hard as it may seem. We talked to some financial experts about ways guys can keep more money in their pocket in 2016. Here are a few of their suggestions. 

1. Pay yourself first
One of the hardest parts of saving money is doing it consistently. You can make it easier on yourself by automating the process.
“Pay yourself first by setting up automatic savings through payroll deduction in your work retirement plan or through automatic transfers through your bank account,” Antonio Morello, the chief investment officer at McMahon Financial Advisors, said. Aim to save 10% to 15% of your salary every year, including contributions to your retirement plan. As an added bonus, those deductible retirement contributions will also save you money come tax time. 

2. Spend less on food
Frequent delivery orders and dinners out with friends add up quickly. Save yourself some money by being smarter about how you eat.
“Plan your meals for the week to avoid last minute take-out orders,” Willie Schuette, a financial coach with The JL Smith Group, said. You can also save by buying in bulk and saving leftovers for later rather than tossing them in the trash, Schuette suggested.

 3. Cancel subscriptions you don’t use
Do you have a gym membership you barely use or a monthly box subscription you don’t really need? Make a New Year’s resolution to cancel those recurring charges and funnel the extra money into your savings or to pay down debt. You could end up with a few hundred extra dollars in your pocket at the end of the year.

 4. Watch out for hidden fees
Investing isn’t free. Fees for your 401(k) and mutual fund investments are unavoidable, but you can save yourself big money over the long term by making sure that you’re not paying too much. Gregory Hammer of Hammer Financial Group suggests keeping an especially close eye on expense ratios — the money that comes out of your account to cover the cost of running the fund.
“They vary from fund to fund, and over time excessive expenses can cost significant amounts of money,” he said. Actively managed funds should have an expense ratio of less than 1%, Micah Hauptman, a financial services counsel for the Consumer Federation of America, told Time magazine.

5. Donate to charity
“Donating to charity is a great way to boost your deductions while helping others,” said Don Chamberlin, a Saint-Louis-based financial advisor and president of The Chamberlin Group.
You’ll need to make charitable donations before December 31 if you want to get a tax deduction when you file in April. Donations can come in the form of cash, stock, and even big-ticket items like cars, but you’ll need to itemize and keep accurate records to get the tax breaks.

 6. Keep an eye on your credit
Don’t pay more than you have to the next time you need to borrow cash. Maintaining a good credit score “can save you money when it comes to buying a car or anything else on credit, car insurance, [or] buying a home,” Herb White, a financial planner and president of Life Certain Wealth Strategies, said.
Credit scores above 700 show lenders that you do a good job of managing the money you borrow, according to Experian. You can boost you credit score by paying bills on time, not running up balances on your credit cards, and reducing your debt.

 7. Check your withholding
A big tax refund sounds pretty awesome. That is, until you realize that the government is really just paying back the interest-free loan you gave them.
“If you got a big tax refund it means you are having too much taken out of your paycheck every pay period,” Schuette said. File a new W-4 with your employer so that you get more of your money when you actually earn it. Then, shift that extra cash to savings or use it to meet another financial goal.

 Written by Megan Elliott
 Megan is a Money & Career, Health & Fitness, and Culture Writer at The Cheat Sheet. She has a bachelor's degree in cultural studies from Macalester College and a master's degree in media studies from the New School University. Her writing has appeared in the Journal of Financial Planning and other publications.

Guest Writers are needed

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I want you my viewers and readers who are writers to be guest writers for my blog for free,and i could also guest write for you also.im not going to pay you,what do you think?
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REPOSITION YOUR MINDSET

 

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your  reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
We would say to an unsaved person, ‘Be born again,’ but to a believer, we would say, ‘Be renewed in your mind.’
The most important thing that a Christian can do is to renew his mind and that’s not a onetime event, it’s a lifetime process. Renewing the mind is essential if there must be progress and success in the life of a Christian. If you choose not to renew your mind with the word of God, you have chosen to remain the same way on the same level that you are today for the rest of your life.
Nothing changes until you renew your mind with the word of God.
Verse 5 of Romans 8 says, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”
The flesh is a mindset that goes against the word of God. Anything that contradicts the word of God is flesh. Anything that does not agree with the word of God is flesh. It is a mindset; it is a way of thinking.
…for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh….it’s a mindset.
The Spirit is also a mindset; it is a way of thinking that lines up with the word of God. Basically, what this means is that if you are operating in the spirit, it is because you have a mindset to do so. If you are walking in the flesh, you have the mindset to do so.
Verse 6 …to be carnally minded is death….
A carnal mind is a flesh mind. It is a mindset that contradicts the word of God. You can be a born again Christian and still be carnal. There is such a thing that is called a carnal Christian. He is born again but has failed to renew his mind with the word of God and so he is still thinking in line with the world against the word of God. He is still carrying a mindset that disagrees with God. So, you can be born again and still be carnal and..to be carnally minded is death… if you don’t change your thinking, if your mindset is out of line with the word of God, if you are not reading the word, if you are not exchanging your thoughts and ideas with God’s thoughts and ideas, then you have chosen carnality and when you are carnal in your thinking, then you have chosen death.
Death in this case is not ceasing to breath, it is being cut off from the Father and separating from His provisions.
In Luke 15, the Father of the prodigal son said, “This son was dead…” What did he mean?
He was dead because of bad thinking. If you don’t renew your mind, coming to church becomes just a sheer waste of time. When you enter into this carnal zone, you begin like the prodigal son to make frivolous demands that centre around the “Give me, give me” attitude. All you will care about is what you can get from God.
Isn’t it amazing that what God gives to some of us we take directly to the world and squander it instead of using it to the glory of God? What has God given you that you have taken to the world? It is so sad because some, He gave singing talent and they take it to the world and the world gets more out of what God gave to us than God.
In verse 17  …and when he came to himself…. He had a thought. It was not a great miracle anointing that came out of heaven. He had a thought, he changed his mind, and he came to his right mind.
Verse 18 .. I will rise and go to my father and I will say to him, ‘Father, I’m no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thine hired servants.’
…for this my son was dead… He didn’t say, ‘My son has stopped breathing,’ because he was separated from the father and the provisions of the father.
Wrong thinking caused him to be separated from the father. It caused him to be dead. Right thinking brought him back into the presence of the father. It was nothing massively spiritual; it was a thought that changed his life. It was right thinking.
Could it be that we have a lot of saved Christians coming to church DEAD?!We have people coming to church every Sunday as zombies. They are born again but have been separated from the provisions of the Father because of wrong thinking.
If you don’t renew your mind, wrong thinking will put you in a place where you can never get a hold of the Father and the Father’s provisions. You pray and get no answer. You expect a promotion and it does not come exactly in good time .Things will never seem to be going right.
What’s going on? You begin to wonder. Wrong thinking separates you from the Father. Yes, you can be a Christian and be dead or separated from the Father. What a shame to be a Christian and never be able to be in contact with our Father.
So, whatever has to change in your thinking, change it so that you can be restored to your Father and be alive instead of being dead or separated from the Father. What causes us to be dead or separated from the father? It is wrong thinking. It is thinking that doesn’t line up with the word of God and we have got to correct that.

culled from  http://christiancommunitychurcharklow.hdpm.org

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: MY GOLIATH MUST DIE

   

Anchor scripture: 1 Samuel 17: 41-47

1.    Every wicked weapon fashioned against my life, backfire against the enemy, in the name of Jesus.

2.    Every witchcraft coven deliberating on my case, catch fire, in the name of Jesus.

3.    I loose the spirits of confusion and forgetfulness upon the satanic agents planning evil against me, in the name of Jesus.

4.    I bind and render impotent the strongman in charge of my problems, in the name of Jesus.

5.    I hide behind the cross of Calvary and fire back evil arrows, in the name of Jesus.

6.    Every power making it difficult for me to obtain favor, vanish, in the name of Jesus.

7.    O God, my Father, re-organize my presence and do not pass me by, in the name of Jesus.

8.    In the presence of those asking where is my God, arise, O God, and manifest Your power, in the name of Jesus.

9.    Every demon working in the mind of my helpers to oppose me, be roasted by fire, in the name of Jesus.

10.  I refuse to fish in a desert sea, in the name of Jesus.

11.  Every chain limiting my life, break, in the name of Jesus.

12.  Lord, brood over me by Your Spirit, in the name of Jesus.

13.  Lord, raise the altar of prosperity in my life, in the name of Jesus.

14.  My breakthroughs, come out of every satanic holding, in the name of Jesus.

15.  Every stubborn diviner, working against my life, receive madness, in the name of Jesus.

16.  I break every curse of Cain, in the name of Jesus.

17.  O Lord, release Your warrior angels to scatter the camp of the enemy, in the name of Jesus.

18.  Let my life be released from every padlock, in the name of Jesus.

19.  Every wall of Satan against my life, be broken, in the name of Jesus.

20.  O God, arise and let my head be lifted up, in the name of Jesus.

21.  The labor of my life shall prosper, in the name of Jesus.

22.  I reject every involvement of the flesh and Satan in my prayers, in the name of Jesus.

23.  O God, arise and let every evil presence around me scatter, in the name of Jesus.

24.  Every power blocking me from the will of God, fall down and die, in the name of Jesus.

25.  I pull down every stubborn stronghold protecting my enemies, in the name of Jesus.

26.  I arrest every spirit of confusion by fire, in the name of Jesus.

27.  I bring the blood of Jesus between me and the powers of darkness, in the name of Jesus.

28.  Every problem (name it), harassing my life, I break your backbone by fire, in the name of Jesus.

29.  I release myself from every evil spirit behind the problem, in the name of Jesus.

30.  Let the backbone of the strongman in charge of each problem be broken, in the name of Jesus.

31.  Every evil influence, influencing my problems, be disgraced by the blood of Jesus.

32.  I command every evil monitoring spirit to leave me now, in the name of Jesus.

33.  I renounce Satan and his hosts and declare them to be my enemies, in the name of Jesus.

34.  I exercise my authority over stubborn witchcraft and I pull down their structures, in the name of Jesus.

35.  Listen to me Satan, because of the blood of Jesus, you have no more power over me, no more place in me, in the name of Jesus.

36.  I place the blood of Jesus upon myself and my family, in the name of Jesus.

37.  I draw the bloodline of the Lord Jesus Christ around all my possessions and properties, in the name of Jesus.

38.  Any power assigned to drink my blood and eat my flesh, be drunken with your own blood and eat your own flesh, in the name of Jesus.

39.  I bind and render impotent the rulers in charge of my problems, in the name of Jesus.

40.  O thou that troubleth the Israel of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, the God of Elijah shall trouble you today.

41.  Every enemy of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, scatter, in the name of Jesus.

42.  O God, arise and uproot anything You did not plant inside the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, in the name of Jesus.

43.  Mountains Boasting aginst me, SCATTER!!! in the name of Jesus.

 44. Any power that must die for my breakthroughs to manifest, Die!!! in the name of Jesus

45.  Let the fire of revival fall upon Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, in the name of Jesus.

Culled from www.mfmhouston.com

The Brand Called You

In an era of faceless corporations and online advice, the best way an entrepreneur can succeed resides in his or her ability to market a strong Personal Brand. Individuals who market themselves as “product experts,” or whose services are not adequately unique or specialized, risk blending into the background or being replaced by larger competitors in their industry.
In the face of grim prospects and competition, some thoughtful entrepreneurs are taking a different approach by packaging themselves as the product through creative,and aggressive marketing.

As an entrepreneur, you don’t need to be told about the injustices that exist in any given industry. But Personal Branding is a fair way to tip the playing field to your advantage. To be a leader, one whose client base continues to expand even during down times and who boasts at least a mid-six-figure income, you must create your Personal Brand identity; you must turn yourself into a saleable, valued asset instead of just another face in the crowd. You must build your brand – YOU!
Take the multibillion dollar category of athletic shoes. You have Nike, the colossus. Hard on its heels you have Reebok, Adidas, Fila, and others. What’s the difference between them, other than logos and advertising? Virtually nothing. So why does Nike own the world of shoes?
Brand identity. People buy based on how a brand makes them feel emotionally. They don’t buy based on logic. If “Just do it” strikes a chord with a football player, he’s going to grab Nikes. It’s got almost nothing to do with quality. Your average American doesn’t check Consumer Reports ratings before he or she buys a pair of high-tops.

Charles Schwab was just a broker toiling on Wall Street. Then one day, he decided to turn his name into a brand. He sent the Street reeling with discount brokerage services, which brings up a powerful Personal Marketing principle: differentiation. But more importantly, Schwab turned on the marketing machine and began saturating the media with his name, face, and company identity. Years later, Schwab is perhaps the bestknown name in finance to millions of Americans.
You can do the same for your services and business. All you need to do is follow these fundamental principles when building your brand:

• Differentiate yourself. Schwab and others started out by hanging their marketing hats on something that made them different from their competitors. Whether you choose to highlight your education, your high-tech equipment, an aspect of your service, or your expertise in a certain facet of finance, pick something that sets you apart from others and begin from there.
• Create a position. Your position is the place you occupy in the minds of your prospects. You might specialize in a specific service (Jiffy Lube made millions with this concept) or focus on a specific audience (real estate people often focus on a community; others can pick a dream client with unique needs and goals). Decide what position suits your background, abilities and audience, then build your marketing around driving that position home.
• Consistent and persistent. Once you’ve determined your position and your differentiator, create your brand by advertising yourself — over and over. Use print ads, direct mail, radio, websites, speaking engagements, newspaper articles — and any medium available to communicate your name, your slogan, and your message to the target audience.
• Customize your services. Once you’ve built your brand, begin changing and evolving your services and business to fit your identity. If you preach personalized services, you need to qualify your identity by promising to offer a specified amount of one-on-one time with your clients. If you talk about your large, helpful staff, hire one. If you promise a unique specialty, back it up by offering a focused blend of products and services based on that specialty.

Written by Peter Montoya

 PETER MONTOYA is president of Peter Montoya Inc., the world’s only Personal Branding agency. Through public seminars and private presentations, Peter educates tens of thousands of professionals yearly. He delivers more than 100 speeches each year and spends half the year on the road interfacing with clients.Peter is a busy man. In addition to running an advertising agency and performing over 100 seminars per year, he is also the publisher of Personal Branding magazine and is conducting further research on the personal branding phenomenon. But his true passion is leading the personal branding revolution, transforming armies of service professionals from mere salespeople to master marketers.
Contact him on  twitter.com/PeterMontoya1,www.facebook.com/petermontoya1

Over 50million Nigerians defecate openly –UNICEF

 

THE United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has disclosed that over 50million Nigerians do not have access to toilets hence resort to open defecation.The world body also revealed that Nigeria ranks among the five countries in the world with the greatest rates of open defecation.

This was made known in a report issued yesterday by Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, UNICEF ‘A Field Office’ Communication Officer (Advocacy, Media and External Relations) on behalf of Sanjay Wijesekera, head of UNICEF’s global water, sanitation and hygiene programmes, to coincide with World Toilet Day.
The report titled, Improving Nutrition Outcomes with Better Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, pointed out the emerging evidence of links between inadequate sanitation and malnutrition among children.
Wijesekera was quoted as saying that “Nigeria loses over 150,000 children to diarrhea annually. After pneumonia, it is the biggest killer of Nigeria’s under-fives; 88 per cent of diarrhoea cases in Nigeria are attributed to unsafe water and sanitation. Where rates of toilet use are low, rates of diarrhoea tend to be high.
“Intestinal parasites such as roundworm, whipworm and hookworm are transmitted through contaminated soil in areas where open defecation is practiced. Hookworm is a major cause of anaemia in pregnant women, leading to malnourished, underweight babies.
“We need to bring concrete and innovative solutions to the problem of where people go to the toilet, otherwise we are failing millions of our poorest and most vulnerable children.

Rouhani: Creating jobs in Iran is key to combating terror

                                                        Hassan Rouhani
Iran wants to become a major exporting nation following the lifting of international sanctions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday, adding that economic growth was crucial to defeating extremism in the Middle East.
Rouhani is on a four-day visit to Italy and France, where he is looking to rebuild Iran's ties with the West and promote his country as a pillar of strength and stability in an increasingly fraught and fragmented region.
Italy unveiled some 17 billion euros ($18.4 billion) of deals with Iran on Monday and mega contracts are also in the offing in France, with EU countries anxious to cash in on the recent end of sanctions following last year's nuclear accord.
"We are ready to welcome investment, welcome technology and create a new export market," Rouhani told a business forum on the second day of his stay in Rome, saying that Iran wanted to become a regional economic hub.

"Under the new conditions, we want to export 30 percent of what we produce in Iran."
"If we want to combat extremism in the world, if we want to fight terror, one of the roads before us is providing growth and jobs. Lack of growth creates forces for terrorism. Unemployment creates soldiers for terrorists," the Iranian leader said.

Israeli 'spy vulture' captured in south Lebanon

Citizens from the town of Bint Jbeil in south Lebanon were surprised to discover on Tuesday morning a vulture carrying what they claimed was Israeli spy equipment, Lebanese media reported.
According to the reports, the vulture, which arrived in Lebanon from Tel Aviv, according to a tag on its leg band, was immediately captured in order to prevent it from attacking Bint Jbeil's citizens.
After the town's security staff assured that the vulture was not carrying any dangerous equipment, they released it.
Lebanese media reported that the incident did not mark the first time that Israeli 'spy vultures' have infiltrated Lebanon. Three months ago, a similar "Israeli vulture" was captured in the village of Kfar Kila, also in south Lebanon.

Europol: ISIS planning large scale attacks in Europe

ISIS has increased its ability to launch global terror attacks and plans to attempt more Paris-style attacks in Europe, the head of EU police agency Europol was quoted om CNN on Tuesday.
Rob Wainwright told reporters that a new report by the agency shows "how the so-called Islamic State had developed a new combat style capability to carry out a campaign of large-scale terrorist attacks on a global stage, with a particular focus in Europe."
Wainwright's comments came a day after the media center of Islamic State purported to show images and last statements of nine of the people who took part in the Paris attacks that killed 130 people on Nov. 13.

 

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Agbero menace... No end???

I GUESS SOME PEOPLE ARE ABOVE THE LAW.Look at this little scene From Lagos:
"Wey you! Wia you dey go?you don drop my moni?!" an angry voice screamed at the conductor. Passengers on the bus turned their heads collectively towards the direction from whence came the voice and were greeted with the sight of a very dark skinned young man of average build with a rakish scar lining from his right eye to his jaw half walking/half running towards the already moving albeit slowly bus. You see i had boarded the commuter bus from refinery junction in warri headed for enerhen junction. It took the duo(driver&conductor)13mins to get the bus half filled within that time the passengers had begin to grumble and threaten to highlight if they didn't hurry up. Finally he was pulling out of the bus stop when accosted by one of numerous motor park touts popularly known as Agbero . By now he had caught up with the bus and demanded in harsh tones that brokered for no argument his fee of #100 stating he would let them move only after he had gotten his money. Apologetic, the conductor pleaded to be let off to make one trip before he pays. He didn't have money on him except for gas and the bus was only half filled. Our already bristling agbero was having none of it. He quickly laid aside the empty bottle of Coca-Cola he had been drinking and roughly grabbed the worn once-white-but-now-flaky brown polo shirt of the conductor who was perched on the door of the bus angrily pulling him down. This caused the already tired shirt to tear with a loud ripping sound. Conductor saw red. He dashed for the tout grabbing a fistful of his shirt looking ferociously into his eyes demanding in high tones why he had torn his shirt. Agbero losing no time quickly responded by landing a cracking slap on the conductors face and the duel began. I watched in morbid fascination as the agbero delivered forceful punches on the slender conductor. The driver having alighted before the fight commenced was struggling to save his conductor from getting squashed. Then it happened. The forgotten Coca-Cola bottle must have resurfaced in the murky waters of his mind for the agbero whilst locked in a grapple suddenly reached down, retrieved the infamous bottle and smashed it heavily with on the head of the conductor with a sickening thud. Blood immediately pumped out of the disintegrated skull spraying the onlookers and busy bodies that had previously collected like vultures circling dead meat. The conductor was slumping. Pandemonium broke. Bus drivers abandoned their buses and came to the aid of one of their own. More touts were rushing in from different angles bearing make shift weapons ranging from spiky long woods to iron shards and more bottles. The brawl was open to all . I had seen enough. Swiftly, I fled the offending bus, hailed a keke and quitted the scene.

We bemoan our tilted society each day where the rich grow richer and oppress the poor yet before us are some sects of people spread throughout most states in the country who seem above the law. My mind keeps whirling in askance ; The money collected from hapless bus drivers and conductors struggling to make ends meet;what do they use it for? Fix bad roads? Build infrastructure? Create jobs? If not, Why are they continually ignored by each government? But...it doesn't concern us much. We don't drive buses or ride kekes.we don't get our heads split open like watermelons on hot curbs for not paying agbero; people who do absolutely nothing to earn for themselves. Things must go on the way they're re as long as we're directly not affected by them.

Written by Aghoghovwia Uririoghene

10 Things you must Not Do in Spain

When visiting a new country, we’re often looking for the best things to do while there. Well, Not To Do things are just as important as they make for some really great travel tips, ensuring your experience will be free of unpleasant surprises. Spain, just like any other country out there, has its own quirks, laws, prejudices and even bizarre customs, so here’s a list of what not to do when visiting the country of flamenco and bullfighting.

1. Don’t expect to eat early. Spain does everything late and eating is no exception. Lunchtime is usually between 13:00 – 15:30 and dinner is rarely served before 21:00.
2. Do not rush or take punctuality too seriously. Spaniards tend to have a very relaxed sense of time, so be patient and just enjoy being in Spain!
3. Do not get involved in discussions about regionalism. Spaniards are extremely sensitive to this topic and they have a very strong sense of regional pride, especially in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, where locals have their own language and cultural identity.
4. Don’t limit yourself to Costa de Sol. Surely this Andalusian stretch of coast is absolutely lovely, but parts of it can also be very touristy and expensive. Besides, there are other 12 beautiful coasts in Spain waiting to be explored, and all of them boast wonderful beaches, picturesque towns and fabulous local cuisine.

5. Do not call a Catalan Spanish. You certainly don’t want to piss off more than 7 million people who are so proud of their language, culture and history, and who currently struggle for their independence. Nothing will offend them more.
6. Do not expect to see Flamenco everywhere. Of course, this is a genuine Spanish form of art and one of the first things that come to mind when thinking of Spain. And although it has a strong tradition in many parts of the country, that doesn’t mean you’re going to see an authentic show everywhere you travel. You won’t go wrong with Andalusia, though. This is arguably the birthplace of flamenco, or at least its spiritual home, so wonderful shows are held almost daily in venues across Seville, Granada, Cadiz or Jerez de le Frontera. Madrid is also a great place to enjoy this famous Spanish tradition, offering an excellent range of tablaos. One more thing, don’t expect to see Spaniards dancing flamenco for fun (unless you’re visiting a gypsy cave in Granada), this is a performance art usually put on display in theaters and other dedicated venues.
7. Don’t bring too many clothes.Spain is a shopping Mecca with options for any budget and style out there. Not to mention chances are you’ll be tempted by their chic and delightfully accessible fashion brands such as Zara, Mango, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Blanco and so on. You can find them everywhere, and, if you have the chance to visit Spain during the sales (rebajas) periods, you’ll get some really fantastic bargains.
8. Don’t expect to see a bullfight in Barcelona or the Canary Islands. Catalonia was the second Spanish region to ban this blood sport after the Canary Islands.

 9. Don’t underestimate tapas, especially if you’re traveling on a budget. They are not just an excellent way to immerse yourself in the Spanish culture and sample the local cuisine, but also a great way to cut down on travel costs. They usually come for a small price or free when ordering a drink, like in Granada and Madrid.
 10.Don’t plan every minute of your trip. Following a schedule could be an effective way to manage your time, but who needs that in a country where art, history and local culture can be experienced almost everywhere – on the streets, at the market, in the tiny plazas, in the lively bars and even on the football stadium. Moreover, every visitor to Spain should leave some time for serendipitous opportunities; you never know what you might discover by chance in this beautiful country that bursts with treasures, excitement and creativity.

Written by Miruna Corneanu