Belly dancer Jalya was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. She started dancing at the age of eight, and went on to become a dance instructor, choreographer and performer specialising in modern and traditional Middle Eastern dance.

Since moving to London in 2003, Jalya has performed everywhere from London restaurants to the Royal Albert Hall. She also teaches belly dance and hula hoop dance at various London gyms.

Is there a long tradition of belly dance in Azerbaijan?

Not really. There is a long tradition of Middle Eastern folklore dance. We do like to dance, females and males. Our style is more similar to Persian dance.

Folklore dance is very popular. It is similar to belly dancing but not so revealing in terms of dress. They are more reserved. It’s a very graceful, beautiful, classical form of dance.

What can people expect to learn in your classes?

Different people expect different things. Every woman comes with her story. You can’t really generalise.

Some ladies come to shrink their waist; some come to lose weight; some come because they like dance and music. They all like dancing and music and doing something happy.

There are no two women the same. In the garden every flower is different, every one has its own scent.

What are the benefits of learning to belly dance?

Health, happiness, musicality. Also you get to make lots of friends and get involved in the dancing community.

Dance and music unite people, make them happier, no matter which nationality or age. It doesn’t matter if you’re Turkish, Arabic, English or Italian. It’s really just for women, it unites all of us.

When you’re not dancing, where do you go for a taste of Azerbaijan in London?

I really want to visit Baku restaurant. My friend’s been; my uncle’s been. I really want to go.

I’m going tomorrow to Novikov restaurant and I want to drop in at Baku. I know the food’s fantastic and it’s beautiful inside. I’m really looking forward to it.

Do you have more World in London recommendations? Let us know in the comments below.

Searching for Albanian culture for our World in London challenge, we came across the The Queen’s Arms pub in Kilburn, which regularly hosts Albanian bands. 

If that’s not enough to tempt you along, you might also bump into up-and-coming singing star Rita Ora, whose father runs the pub. (We’ve read that she still hangs out there when she’s in town.)

Do you know of more Albanian culture in London? Let us know in the comments below.

Next spring, the British Museum will showcase treasures from Afghanistan’s National Museum in Kabul. Here, curator St John Simpson discusses the exhibition for our World in London series.

“Although the Afghanistan exhibition doesn’t open until March 2011, we recently had a briefing for members of the press, which gave us an opportunity to introduce the incredible objects that will eventually go on show.

In the exhibition title we describe Afghanistan as the crossroads of the ancient world and I think that the 200 objects spanning 3,000 years will show exactly why that’s an appropriate description.

Its geographical position – on the edge of central Asia with India and China beyond to the east and Iran, the Middle East and the numerous cultures of the Mediterranean and the rest of Europe to the west – means Afghanistan was criss-crossed by ancient trade routes.

In many ways then, as now, it was a hub and meeting place for diverse cultures and neighbours, both near and distant, over thousands of years.

In the modern world it’s all too easy to think of Afghanistan solely as a place of conflict – and indeed the objects that will feature in the exhibition tell that story as well – but taking the long view we can see in the rich materials and ornate craftsmanship of these objects a far broader story.

Afghanistan has always been part of a complex network of cultures that doesn’t really take account of contemporary political boundaries. Long-distance travel and globalisation may seem like relatively new inventions, but the ancient world was much more connected than many of us may think. I hope we can help bring this inter-connectedness out in the exhibition.

One of the pieces on loan from the National Museum in Kabul illustrates this point particularly well: a pendant from the Tillya Tepe hoard found in the north-west of the country.

It features inlays of gold and turquoise. Two dragon-like beasts in the design suggest to some the influence of Chinese art but to others represent the heavenly horses of the Ferghana valley of neighbouring Central Asia.

The pendant also includes lapis lazuli, a type of blue stone only found in Afghanistan but coveted in the wider world for thousands of years. It crops up in the jewellery of ancient Egypt, the art of the ancient near east and as far afield as the art of the Italian Renaissance.

The fact that we nearly lost many of these stunning objects and signposts to the past to the events of Afghanistan’s recent history underlines how precious they are as well as the fragility of cultural heritage.”

Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World is at the British Museum from 3 March to 3 July 2011. Where else would you go to experience the culture of Afghanistan in London? Let us know in the comments below.

Argentinean polo player Oscar Manchini will represent Team Argentina at the Gaucho International Arena Polo match at The O2 in February 2011.

Alongside Argentina captain Nacho Figueras (pictured above) and Adolfo Casabal, Manchini will battle it out for the Bryan Morrison Trophy in a gladiatorial grudge match between Argentina and England.

Oscar Manchini and Nacho Figueras (who is also a Ralph Lauren ambassador) took some time out of their busy training schedule to answer a few questions about polo and Argentina in London for our World in London series.

Visit London: Polo seems to be having a resurgence of interest lately in London, why do you think it’s so popular?

Oscar Manchini: Polo has definitely become more popular over the last few years. Events like The Gaucho International have made polo more accessible to the general public and attracted a new audience to this ancient sport.

Arena Polo is a truly exciting form of polo played on a reduced-size pitch and with only three players per side rather than the usual four. I would encourage anyone who has not ever seen or understood the game to look into it. You don’t know what you are missing out on!

VL: Are you looking forward to competing at The O2?

OM: I’m really looking forward to playing at The O2 as this will be the first time arena polo has ever been played there. I’m hoping that with over 10,000 people expected to come to the event, the arena will be full of cheering supporters in a truly festival atmosphere.

NF: Polo is growing so quickly now and the introduction of such a great tournament to the UK during the winter off-season is a welcome addition. Arena polo is an exciting form of the game and it will be truly special to play it at such an iconic venue.

VL: Who are you expecting to see in The O2 audience?

OM: I’m hoping the Gaucho International Polo will attract lots of Argentines living over in the UK as we have some of the country’s finest players representing Argentina. However, I am also hoping the event will attract a wider audience of people who would not necessarily have watched polo before.

VL: Is there anything in London that reminds you of Argentina?

OM: Funnily enough, the architecture of typical British housing and some train stations is very similar to what you might find in the city of Buneos Aires. For example there are a number of British streets in West London that particularly remind me of neighbourhoods such as Temperley or Banfield. This is because there were many British engineering pioneers in Argentina at the beginning of the century and therefore the designs are very similar.

VL: Besides polo, what other London-Argentina connections are there?

OM: Argentines are very similar to British people in terms of music choice. Back at home, we listen to a lot of rock & roll by traditional British bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Oasis and Coldplay.

Another connection between Argentine and British citizens is that we are both very passionate about football. It is great that there are more Argentine players who are being recognised in the UK such as Carlos Tevez and Fabricio Coloccini.

VL: Can you recommend some Argentinean experiences in London?

OM: Gaucho obviously is the best place where you can find the same tender Argentine meat that you get back home.
Every Sunday during the summer months it’s really popular for members of the Argentine community to spend the day in Hyde Park and enjoy an asados (traditional Argentine BBQ).

And there is great stand at Borough Market where you can buy Mate, which is a traditional Argentine tea infusion. For all those who have never tried Mate, I would definitely recommend it!

VL: Got any top tips for other Argentinean people visiting or moving to London?

OM: I would advise other Argentines thinking of moving over to the UK to get used to the rain!

The  Gaucho International Arena Polo is at The O2 London on 24 Feb 2010. Get your tickets here.

Are you an Argentinean in London? Tell us your recommendations in the comments below.

We’ve called on freelance journalist Lisa Reinisch from Austria to tell us where to find the best bits of Austrian culture in London.

Now, Austrians aren’t exactly London’s most conspicuous group of expatriates: they don’t have a newspaper, neighbourhood or parade, and they are habitually mistaken for Germans. But there are a few great little Austrian places scattered across London, usually where you least expect them, and busy with wistful expats savouring a little bit of Austrianness in the Big City.

Stroll around the corner from Barbican Tube station, for example, and you’ll find Kipferl, an excellent delikatessen and café named after the crescent-shaped pastry first made in Austria sometime in the 13th century. Yes, the croissant is an Austrian invention! Understandably, the French do not like to be reminded of this inconvenient historical truth. Most Austrian bakeries are on a par with the best French patisseries and, as a result, the dubious quality of British bakery products is a subject Austrians can and will discuss at length.

Kipferl has great Viennese-style coffee and a deli counter with a good selection of cheeses, cold meats and patisserie. There are also a few shelves of popular sweets, preserves and drinks.

With the primary need of comfort snacking taken care of, it’s time to make your way to the Freud Museum in Hampstead and get an insight into the life of one of the legendary intellectuals of early 20th-century Vienna. The main attraction here is Freud’s old study, which contains “the couch” as well as the original oriental rugs, books and antiques the father of psychoanalysis liked to surround himself with.

Having pondered the life and work of a Viennese genius, you may want to explore a less high-brow side of Austrian culture. The Tiroler Hut in Notting Hill is just the spot: a full-blown Alpine kitsch extravaganza, complete with staff in Dirndls and Lederhosen.

Opened in 1967, this dark, vaulted restaurant and beer cellar doesn’t have the hallmarks of a celebrity hotspot by any length of the imagination. But apparently even people like Kate Moss and Hugh Grant are up for a Schnaps-fuelled Austrian dinner followed by the “legendary” Sound of Music sing-a-long and cow bell show every once in a while. One of London’s truly great, ironic nights out.

Do you have any more tips for enjoying Austrian culture in London? Let us know…

When someone says “Australians in London” to me, it tends to conjure images of backpackers in their early 20s who enjoy nothing more than drinking beers at the Walkabout, listening to pub rock at The Church and dossing on their mate’s couches.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’m not that way and nor are a lot of other Australians I know who live here.

I arrived in London during the freezing fog of Christmas 2006. I’d always wanted to live overseas and this was my second – thankfully successful – attempt to establish myself here. Like most of the people quoted below, for me London turned out to be more complex and challenging but also more exciting and rewarding than I ever could have expected. I really love it here now and feel incredibly lucky to live in London.

I asked around to see what drew some of my fellow countrypeople to London. Here’s what they said:

For many visitors travelling from Australia, London provides a fantastic base from which to explore Europe. Like many, I came for this reason, but found myself falling in love with the city itself. Constantly changing and always exciting, I find myself increasingly addicted to London’s lifestyle. While my European travels have slowed down, my love affair with London continues, and six years later I feel lucky to call it my home.
Rebecca, PR Manager, Uxbridge (ex-Sydney)

I moved to London since it’s an exciting city and, cause of cheap airlines, a great hub for the rest of Europe. I stay because the things I want to do seem easier to do here and more things happen all the time. Also the fried chicken. <– not really.
Jan, Graphic Novellist, Holloway (ex-Melbourne)

I moved to London because I was bored stiff of living somewhere where I’d not met anyone new in years and years, that never got any big bands or interesting theatre, and that was too damned hot (Perth). I’ve been here 10 years now and I love London for the culture, the huge number of things that are happening every evening, every weekend.  The variety of restaurants and bars.  But most of all, the sense that anything can happen, the possibilities, the buzz.
Julia, Web Developer, Walthamstow (ex-Perth)

I came to have a change from Sydney, to get some overseas experience and to travel Europe as much as I can. I stayed for the weather.
Ari, IT Contractor, Kentish Town (ex-Sydney)

I moved to London in 2002 in search of brighter horizons and new experiences. My choice to leave Australia was a good one; I fell in love, not only with the close proximity of the world, but also with a beautiful English boy with gentle ways. Not to mention a beautiful city where each season greets you in turn with typically English ways — Pimm’s and bikinis in the park at the merest hint of sun in summer; turning, falling leaves of magnificent plane trees in the autumn; if you’re very lucky, snow and work-free days in the winter; and daffodils and tulips in the spring.
Robyn, Office Manager, Earslfield (Ex-Brisbane)

I didn’t give much thought to why when I decided to pack up and go – it was simply a new frontier, and something to do that could offer a great launch pad for more travel. Since I’ve been here I have realised that London offers so much opportunity, from work to entertainment and everything else that is on the cards with a big city full of a vibrant mix of people. Having been here for 3-and-a-half years, I still have no plans to return.
Penny, Journalist, Dalston (ex-Sydney/Brisbane)

There are so many people in London, and that means that there is a wide range of art, music, architecture, sport, dining, hobbies and activities… It gives London an exciting urgency and cultural awareness that no other city in the world can match.
John, Project Manager, Holloway Road, (ex-Hobart)

Moved to London for work, didn’t want to come. Felt at home from day one. I love how there is always something new to discover or a new place to visit in London; unfamiliar parts of London make you think you’re in a completely different city. And the English’s amazing appreciation of good weather.
Georgie, Banker, Islington, (ex-Sydney)

I moved to London by accident. Leaving Sydney four years ago in search of adventure, the last thing I thought I wanted was to end up in London, which seemed the safe and drab option. I’ve surprised myself by the extent to which I’ve fallen for this city – I’ve even bought a house here! All of life is here, as they say, and I’m proud to be part of it.
Iain, Editor, Tottenham (ex-Perth/Sydney)

Are you an Australian in London? Tell us about it!

Second up in our World in London project, after France, is America. We’ve asked Julie, writer of  London travel blog A Lady in London, to tell us where she heads when she gets homesick for the US while in London… 

Every US expat in London gets homesick for American cuisine from time to time. Whether it’s Tex Mex, pepperoni pizza, or a glass of California Cabernet, we’ve all experienced a longing for our regional specialties.

A common American expat craving is for good southern barbecue. There are a few restaurants in London that serve American barbecue, but one stands out above the rest. It is called Bodean’s, and while it has locations in several London neighborhoods, its Soho restaurant is the best.

Bodean’s offer some of the tastiest southern BBQ outside of the United States. It specializes in Kansas City Barbecue, a style that is characterized by sweet, tangy sauce and a variety of meat from pulled pork to burnt ends.

The best barbecue dish at Bodean’s is the Pulled Pork Meal, which in addition to pork includes traditional sides of coleslaw and creamed corn. Other favorites include the ribs, burnt ends, and macaroni and cheese.

But Bodean’s isn’t just about the food. Americans love Bodean’s for its events as well. Known for being one of the best places to watch American sports, the televisions at the upstairs bar and downstairs dining room are always showing baseball, basketball, American football, and other important sporting events. There is even a private cave-like room downstairs with a TV for watching the games.

Aside from sports, Bodean’s gets back to its American roots with special events like American Thanksgiving. Homesick expats from all over London flock to Bodean’s on Thanksgiving day for a big traditional feast and the company of fellow Americans.

But it doesn’t take a 49ers game or Thanksgiving meal to get Americans to Bodean’s. From birthday dinners to casual meetings, Bodean’s is the perfect place to spend hours catching up with friends or introducing non-Americans to our country’s best southern cuisine. If that’s not enough, it’s one of the few places in London where Americans can enjoy a bottle of Coors Light without being made fun of.

That alone is reason enough to stop by.

Do you have any more ideas about America in London? Let us know in the comments below!