THE COLLEGE VIEW’S ARTS & LIFESTYLE SUPPLEMENT
THE SUSS
The transformation of
Arts
return as
SUSSED
BY AOIFE HORAN
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hen Gorillaz first began teasing at their new LP with the multimedia story “The Book of Noodle” back in October 2016, it’s doubtful anyone could have predicted the shape their fifth album “Humanz” would take. “The Book of Noodle” chronicled the tale of the fictional band’s guitarist Noodle and her journey after Phase Three of the band’s career. They went on to publish the story of each member with all roads leading to its bassist and leader Murdoch’s new London apartment, a marked separation from their previous recording location on the island of Plastic Beach. The album, which boasts 26 tracks on the deluxe edition, comes after a five-year hiatus and will be released on April 28th. It hosts a wealth of collaborators from Grace Jones and old time collaborators De La Soul, to Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist Popcaan. In January we were treated to “Hallelujah Money”, a protest song released the day before Trump inauguration and their first release in six years. Its sound is not completely disparate to that of their most recent works on “Plastic Beach” and the “The Fall” but is yards away from their most recognizable charting tunes. In true Gorillaz form, it is a collaboration with artist Benjamin Clementine who performs the eerie tune which is a tale of power,
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money, and humanity, the song is carried by the sounds of band member 2D also performing on the track. The protest track caused controversy with casual listeners shocked by political statements coming from a band composed of four cartoon characters - but since the band’s inception in 1998 this has been a core part of the band’s function. Gorillaz was born from roommates Damon Albarn’s and Jamie Hewlett’s distaste for the lack of substance in the popular music of the time. The idea of a cartoon band was something they wished to use as a vehicle to comment on that, with the band originally seeing itself as “guerilla” music. These founding themes of social commentary and criticism are what Albarn and Hewlett wished to bring to Gorillaz latest endeavour. “We’re in transition, we’re turning into something else,” Albarn said in a BBC Radio One interview on the reasoning behind “Humanz”. The four band members have received a makeover from Hewlett in the promotional art - a far more dimensional, realistic illustration than we’ve seen before. “The album kind of came from this dark fantasy, which I suppose came into my head the beginning of last year… Just imagine the weirdest, most unpredictable thing happening that changes everything about the world. How will you feel on that night? How will you kind of
Page 1;pitchfork; Page 2: Google imagesE; Page 3: wikipedia, twitter Page 4:Beauty & the Beast Page 5: Jaws; Page 6: Laura Duffy; Page 7: ABronwyn O’Neill; Page 8: stillforhill.com
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BY MICHELLE TOWNSEND
go out? Will you go and get drunk? Will you stay home and just watch TV?” Albarn said. He also spoke of the album’s parallels to the Trump election, while explicitly stating it wasn’t about Trump, the album written several months before his presidential victory. With the album still a month away, four songs were released in the past week, “Saturnz Barz” featuring Popcaan, “Andromeda” featuring D.R.A.M., “Ascension” featuring Vince Staples and “We’ve Got The Power” featuring Jehnny Beth and Noel Gallagher. The sound is contemporary and aligns itself differently with a direct and pointed move towards club and party music, yet stays closely connected to bands previous works maintaining the dark fantasy that is a Gorillaz essential.
“Saturnz Barz” was released along with a six-minute long 360-degree music video which featured the band venturing to their new haunted, space-traveling home. The visuals stayed in tune with the band’s body of work, eerie, gruesome, dark, and unsettling. Popcaan provides the verses in his Jamaican patois adding something fresh to a song that has a very similar sound to the iconic songs such as “Feel Good Inc” and “Clint Eastwood” with 2D providing the vocals for the chorus. The album seems to be a dark exploration of what it means to be alive in the 21st century and being a cartoon band created in a time before social media it is apt that after such a dry spell, this shift in the world is what is shaping “Humanz.”
Arts
Festival Line-ups BY EMER HANDLY Summer 2017 is set to be an unforgettable festival extravaganza. It’s time to dust off your sunnies, buy some hunzo shorts in Penneys and grab a few Tesco cans. As festival season approaches more and more events are revealing their line-ups. Here is a look at what to expect. Life Festival / 26-28 May / Belvedere House and Gardens / €149 Always the most anticipated festival for those with a love of electro and house music. So far the line-up announcements have been incredible, including acts like Nina Kraviz, Eats Everything, Duke Dumont, Rudimental, DJ EZ and Gorgon City. Definitely not one to miss! Forbidden Fruit Festival / 3-5 June / IMMA- Royal Hospital Kilmainham / €59.50+ A festival that takes place on the grounds of a modern Art museum, Forbidden Fruit combines music, art and food to create a fantastic 3-day event. An impressive line-up has been announced, with acts like Snakehips, Jax Jones, Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus and The Staves playing across the weekend. However the cherry on the cake is the Monday headliner, Bon Iver. The 1975 / 17 June / Malahide Castle / €49.50 Ok I know, this one isn’t technically a festival. BUT... The 1975’s indie tunes, in the beautiful Malahide Castle grounds, on a hot June Summer’s day, with an ice cold drink and your mates singing by your side, you can’t deny it will have some pretty great festival vibes. And who wouldn’t want to see Matty Healy with his shirt off? Body and Soul / 23-25 June / Ballinough Castle / €135+ A unique festival experience, Body and Soul focuses on atmosphere and culture. With performances of music, spoken word, theatre and ‘holistic escapes’, it is more like an arts retreat than a festival. Acts include Metronomy, Lambchop, Vitalic, Kelly-Anne Byrne and King Kong Company. Whether you’re going to “find yourself” or just to experience something different, you’re in for a treat. Sea Sessions / 23-25 June / Bundoran / €49.50+ It’s one of the smaller Irish festivals but it still has a lot to offer. Sea sessions is known for its fantastic line-up, and this year proves no different. The event roped in some impressive headliners: Sigma, The Coronas and Primal Scream. All Tvvins, Little Hours, Foy Vance and Kormac along with others will play across the weekend. If music combined with sun, sea and surfing appeals to you then Sea Sessions is your Festival. The Summer Series at Trinity College / 6-11 July / €44.05+ MCD announced that they would be holding a 6-day summer series in Trinity College this year. This got major attention and excitement. When they announced the six acts, minds were blown. The acts are: Gregory Porter, James Vincent McMorrow, Bell X1, Pixies, Two Door Cinema Club and Alt-J. They are all separate concerts on separate days, but MCD sure did pull out all the stops in securing once-off gigs from acts who could be festival headliners. Trinity is
known for its lovely grounds, and if July weather prevails then Summer vibes will make these performances something special. Longitude / 14-16 July / Marlay Park / €69.50+ Opinions about Longitude line-ups always vary, but it is still one of the most popular festivals in Ireland. Only some of this year’s line-up has been revealed. Headliners include Stormzy, Mumford and Sons, The Weeknd, Skepta, Jack Garratt and Picture This. Across the weekend there are some major acts playing too; Catfish and The Bottlemen, Dua Lipa, Mac Miller, Kaleo, Glass Animals and Milky Chance. With more acts to be announced, Longitude 2017 is expected to be a weekend to remember. Vital Festival / 26 August / Boucher Road Playing Fields Belfast / €50.80 approx The line-up for Vital festival was announced last week and it is phenomenal. Tiesto, Clean Bandit, Robin Shulz, Sigala and Disciples will all be there in Belfast to give you a one day festival that will have you dancing and singing like crazy. You simply cannot miss this one. Electric Picnic / 1-3 September / Stradbally / SOLD OUT Electric Picnic, the number 1 Irish festival, is sold out as usual. The problem with EP is that tickets sell out before any acts are even announced. The 2017 line-up is extremely disappointing compared to previous years. The XX, A Tribe Called Quest and Duran Duran are the Headliners (like what?). There are obviously some good acts, such as London Grammar, Annie Mac, Father John Misty and Rag’n’Bone Man. Maybe the next round of announcements will prove to be better, but EP 2017 will not go down in history. These are just some of the top festivals in Ireland, but there are plenty more. Live at the Marquee, Iveagh Gardens, Indiependence, Metropolis, Castlepalooza and Groove Festival are also ones that will fulfil your festival needs. So go soak up the sun, enjoy the music, and make amazing memories.
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Arts
Beauty & the Beast BY BRONWYN ONEILL
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he live action imagining of Beauty and the Beast proved itself to be a tale as old as time, living up to and possibly surpassing the much loved Disney classic. The anticipation of this film almost sent Disney fans crazy and making a childhood favourite film for many come to life was a hard feat but made possible by the classic music of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman and the perfect cast headed by Emma Watson. The reimagining stays true its predecessor, whilst expanding on the backstories of its beloved characters, adding new, swelling Broadwaylike musical moments and changing the Beast from a spoilt child to an intellectual equal of Belle. Unlike the other live action remakes Disney has recently undertaken, Beauty and the Beast kept it iconic songs, making it first and foremost a musical. The star studded cast hold their own against the swelling orchestral tunes. Emma Watson, although perfectly cast as Belle in her beauty and intelligence, falls short on her vocal skills. Her sweet, soft voice lags behind the powerful vocals from the rest of the cast, especially Luke Evans and Dan Stevens. Ewan McGregor’s French
Pippin E
Review
a Disney aversion, perhaps this movie isn’t for you, but it is one of the best movies of 2017 and has changed the way Disney will make live action movies in the future.
BY BRÍON HOBAN
very year DCU Drama stages a large and expensive musical. Every year the cast and crew face the unenviable task of topping the wonders performed by the previous production. Pippin was performed for three nights in the St Pat’s Auditorium between the 20th and 22th of March. Those lucky enough to procure tickets witnessed a spectacle more impressive than any that had come before. Telling the story of the first born son of Charlemagne, Pippin follows the hero’s quest to discover meaning in his life. His mantra ‘There must be something more than this’ leads him to spurn power, wealth and eventually love. Despite the running themes of existentialism, this is a production far more concerned with entertaining the audience. Trapeze acts, intricate dances and bawdy jokes are just some of the tools employed to do just that. Kevin Cleary gives a breath-taking lead
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accent may be a bit all over the place, but his vocal skills never missed a beat, reprising his skills from Moulin Rouge! The film also expands on what happened to Belle’s mother, why the Beast is as selfish and vain as he is and why the seemingly innocent livein servants were also cursed. It covers plot holes that were found in the original, making the film even more magical. There was a lot of hype about certain things in the movie during the press tour, from Belle being an inventor to LeFou being the first canonically gay Disney character who has an “exclusively gay moment”, that could have been expanded more during the 2 hour run time. Although CGI was obviously relied on to bring the cursed objects to life it never once took away from the realness (as real as a cursed castle can be) of the magical movie. The stunning creation of the Be Our Guest sequence highlights the leaps and bounds we have come in technology. It’s a magical, singing, dancing, heart-warming extravaganza that every musical and Disney fan will enjoy, especially with Broadway veteran Audra McDonald as the narcoleptic, opera singing wardrobe. If you’re one of those people with
performance as the titular hero. A first year with impressive vocal range, he is an enrapturing presence from the first moment he steps out to greet the audience. Regardless of the surrounding spectacle, all eyes are instinctively drawn to Cleary’s Pippin whenever he graces the stage. Convincing the audience that this is a young man with an extraordinary destiny is not at all a hard sell for Cleary. Similarly riveting is the performance given by Hannah Rose as the play’s eventual saviour Catherine. It is a shame she is only gets to take centre stage in the play’s second act. Pippin plays boldly with meta-textual elements, with the finale involving the literal tearing down of the set and the silencing of the orchestra, all serving to underscore the musical’s odd contradictions of tone. The trappings of spectacle, usually employed to delight an audience, are instead designed to unsettle the hero. Another odd contradiction is that this is
simultaneously the most risqué musical DCU Drama have performed in recent years, while also featuring a much less graphic sex scene than their previous two productions. In fact, one marked criticism of the play is its questionable choice to portray two of the leading female characters as being incestuously inclined towards their son and grandson respectively. This small discomfort is, however, a mark against the source material rather than this particular production. The strong performances of Aideen Ní Chonchúir and Maisie Gorman go a long way to alleviating this issue. In fact the entire ensemble cast is strong across the board. Though a slightly smaller cast than recent DCU Drama musicals, they did not struggle to command the stage. The play’s director Jack Reardon, its producer Kate Canavan and the rest of its production team have much to take pride in. For three nights in Drumcondra audiences witnessed magic.
Arts Arts
machine LAOISE prepared to tell me about her continuing journey through the world of music and entertainment. LAOISE’s relationship with music goes as far back as her early childhood, coming from a musical family. “I started playing the fiddle when I was about 5. My Mum comes from a traditional background and my Dad taught himself guitar in his late teens”. She followed in her father’s footsteps and taught herself guitar and would go on to have piano, guitar and synth at her disposal. Currently studying music at Bimm Dublin, she began writing music at the age of 15, citing a wide range of influences from Bob Dylan to Fleetwood Mac to 80s pop. LAOISE released her first single YOU in 2016. Minimalist yet euphoric, the synth driven YOU has since obtained over 165,000 plays on Spotify while the live music video which was published In January has already obtained 1,900 views on YouTube. While the pulsating power track maintains a professional and polished sound, LAOISE recorded it in extremely modest conditions: “I recorded it with my boyfriend Sean. He had just started up kind of a studio in his house and that’s where we recorded it, just on one laptop with one mic.” LAOISE admits that she has always wanted to pursue a career in entertainment, saying that she always wanted to perform – but she originally wanted to pursue acting. The Galway performer acknowledged the struggle that came with putting her music out into the public. “I set up my [Facebook] page profes-
I guess at times my motivation is panic.But sometimes it’s just hearing a song or hearing something cool and thinking ‘right I wanna do that too
Dublin dreams for Galway’s
LAOISE BY IAN MANGAN
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hen we think of singer/songwriters with around 11,000 monthly listeners on Spotify we tend not to imagine 20-year-olds still studying in college. LAOISE isn’t like most 20 year olds. Sitting in a quirky city-centre café, the silver haired young talent sat with a freshly brewed Americano with a drop of soy milk on the side. Surrounded by all of 5 other customers and the sound of a noisy coffee
sionally when I was just coming out of school. If I tried to push it too much in school I would have been scared”. She also believed both being young and living in Ireland could possibly be a factor that discourages people from expressing themselves saying “I think that we’re too hard on ourselves sometimes.” LAOISE has lived in Dublin for over a year now and the move has been beneficial, paving the way for live performances in roooms such as The Workman’s club and Whelans. Comparing Dublin to Galway, LAOISE talks about how “It’s a different music scene. There’s just more room for different genres.” LAOISE is vocal about all the other components of her art that extend beyond music. The confident yet reserved singer has collaborated with other artists and friends that have experience in fields like photography, videography and musical performance all of which have helped to bring another dimension to her music . No stranger to hard work, LAOISE admits that she needs to be kept busy. “I definitely need to keep tipping away and know that I’m progressing.” How she stays motivated? “I guess at times my motivation is panic,” she jokes, “But sometimes it’s just hearing a song or hearing something cool and thinking ‘right I wanna do that too’.” Along with her band mates LAOISE is preparing for the release of her EP ‘Halfway’ and although she admits that she doesn’t like looking too much into the future, there is no doubt that big things lie ahead for LAOISE, and there’s no chance she’ll be slowing down anytime soon. LAOISE’s new single “Halfway” is out now
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Arts Lifestyle
Pre-drinking: essential or enough? BY AMY LAWLOR
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f you have a few drinks at home before heading out for the night with your friends, you’re definitely not alone. According to a recent national survey, published in the Drug and Alcohol Review Journal, Ireland is the biggest nation of ‘pre-drinkers’ in Europe. A significant 85 % of Irish people pre-drink, while almost half of those surveyed admitted to heavily drinking. Is this simply a normal part of our culture, or is it something more serious? There are a number of factors why people pre-drink in Ireland, money being the predominant one. Many college students have ‘pres’ as an annual night out ritual, in order to save on spending their
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you have to tackle price and availability and here is where the problem lies. The alcohol industry would argue that the recession already drove down consumption – in actual fact, alcohol consumption, which had been dropping from a record peak, is estimated to have increased through the recession to 11.9 litres of pure alcohol per adult according to a survey carried out by Alcohol Ireland. To put that into perspective, if every adult was drinking at their low-risk drinking limits, then we would be drinking around two litres less of pure alcohol. In an induced alcohol social environment that has enclosed Ireland, young people can sometimes feel pressurised
into drinking. It’s only normal to want to feel a sense involvement and like you belong. If you don’t want to drink whether it be pre-drinking or on a quite night in, you shouldn’t have to. Part of being yourself involves making decisions based on what’s best for you. It can mean you take ownership and responsibility for what you do and how you think. It doesn’t mean you can’t be part of the group, you might even find that your mates or the people you work with appreciate you having your own perspective on things. So, don’t collapse under the pressure and drink because others want you to, stay true to yourself and take a stance against are self-driven unhealthy alcohol climate.
Slam Poetry
f you have a few drinks at home before heading out for the night with your friends, you’re definitely not alone. According to a recent national survey, published in the Drug and Alcohol Review Journal, Ireland is the biggest nation of ‘pre-drinkers’ in Europe. A significant 85 % of Irish people pre-drink, while almost half of those surveyed admitted to heavily drinking. Is this simply a normal part of our culture, or is it something more serious? There are a number of factors why people pre-drink in Ireland, money being the predominant one. Many college students have ‘pres’ as an annual night out ritual, in order to save on spending their weekly allowance on overpriced
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weekly allowance on overpriced nightclub alcohol. Although a reasonable explanation to pre-drink, this early interaction with consuming large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time can have huge impacts on your health. Liver failure, heart failure, high cholesterol and addiction are some of the health consequences. The impacts are severe and the over consumption is clear in Ireland. The World Health Organisation is pretty unequivocal. Alcohol is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the developed world. If you want to reduce alcoholrelated harm, then you have to reduce consumption. If you want to reduce consumption, then
BY GABIJA GATAVECKAITE
nightclub alcohol. Although a reasonable explanation to pre-drink, this early interaction with consuming large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time can have huge impacts on your health. Liver failure, heart failure, high cholesterol and addiction are some of the health consequences. The impacts are severe and the over consumption is clear in Ireland. The World Health Organisation is pretty unequivocal. Alcohol is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the developed world. If you want to reduce alcohol-related harm, then you have to reduce consumption. If you want to reduce consumption, then you have to tackle price and availability and here
is where the problem lies. The alcohol industry would argue that the recession already drove down consumption – in actual fact, alcohol consumption, which had been dropping from a record peak, is estimated to have increased through the recession to 11.9 litres of pure alcohol per adult according to a survey carried out by Alcohol Ireland. To put that into perspective, if every adult was drinking at their lowrisk drinking limits, then we would be drinking around two litres less of pure alcohol. In an induced alcohol social environment that has enclosed Ireland, young people can sometimes feel pressurised into drinking. It’s only normal to want to feel a sense involvement
and like you belong. If you don’t want to drink whether it be predrinking or on a quite night in, you shouldn’t have to. Part of being yourself involves making decisions based on what’s best for you. It can mean you take ownership and responsibility for what you do and how you think. It doesn’t mean you can’t be part of the group, you might even find that your mates or the people you work with appreciate you having your own perspective on things. So, don’t collapse under the pressure and drink because others want you to, stay true to yourself and take a stance against are self-driven unhealthy alcohol climate.
What to wear for an internship
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summer is nearing, for many of us that means summer internships. As this is just another step forward in our careers, some of us are struggle to identify what is appropriate to wear yet remaining stylish and chic. First thing before entering the professional workforce, there are a few tips when choosing your outfit. Simple clothing and colours is key when on an internship. I would avoid any bold or outrageous colours. Colours
BY NIAMH DUNNE such as black, white, grey, camel or baby
blue are perfect for office wear. For an internship, I would recommend culottes any day of the week. Culottes are an outfit essential for work wear. Not only are they very professional, they are also incredibly stylish. Culottes are a very versatile piece that you can style almost anything with. Pair them with a white frill
blouse or even a grey turtle neck jumper. Now if culottes aren’t your forte, then why not try black jeans. Black jeans look formal and professional for an internship. Much like the culottes you can style them with various blouses, shirts, or a classic turtle neck. Button down skirts with tights are also ideal they are a chic clothing item to wear to the office. Again, the same with jeans, don’t wear denim as black is more professional and appropriate. For guys, a simple shirt with a pair of chinos is the ideal outfit for the office. Throw on a pair of black or brown shoes and you’re good to go.
Succeed in Getting a Summer Job
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BY MICHELLE MARTIN
hether you’re staying at home this summer, or jetting off stateside, the dreaded job interview is an unavoidable process. Preparation is key, so before you head out the door take a look at our three tips to rocking your one on one. Dress to impress
they’d be thinking ‘lack of effort, they clearly don’t take this seriously’. So stick on a nice blouse for skype, even if your still in your PJ bottoms. In person there’s no need to buy fancy slacks, simply wear your clean and presentable Sunday best. Brain Map your CV
One thing I was told that stuck with me was that what you wear won’t get you the job, but it could stop you from getting it. No employer is going to see someone in a Ralph Lauren blouse and go ‘wow, amazing shirt. Probably an amazing person’. But I can guarantee if you turned up in a tracksuit
Whether you’ve had twenty or two past employers it doesn’t matter. Quality not quantity, isn’t that what they say? The interviewer is hoping to hear about your work ethic and personality through how you discuss your past roles. So instead of ‘yep, correct, I worked there’, be able to discuss your roles
responsibilities and what your time was like there. If you can, prepare an anecdote that either showcases initiative you took or how you were a great (and friendly) team player. Be yourself A lot of the time for retail and service industry jobs the person interviewing you could be your floor manager for four months. Of course they want someone that they don’t have to baby and get straight to it, but keep in mind that their checklist could also be finding someone who is easily tolerable (and potentially enjoyable) to have around for the summer months.
Arts Lifestyle
Bus Strike Blues BY ROSIE MCGAGH With Bus Éireann Strike disrupting travels last week and word of Dublin Bus and Iarnróid Éireann joining in on the action, we have to look at other methods of getting home for the weekend so those dirty sheets can get washed. The strike is taking place due to management at Bus Éireann wanting to implement severe cuts in an attempt to ensure the companies survival. The changes due to be implemented include pay cuts, overtime cuts and changes to bus routes. Unions representing workers at Bus Éireann aren’t happy with the measures proposed by management to save the company. Although they accept that ‘efficiency changes’ must be made, they say that the proposed changes disproportionately affect drivers. Students, workers and anyone who commutes are pretty stuck as a result of the strike. With public buses being the most popular form of transport, especially for rural areas. The next most popular mode of transport is probably trains but considering that Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Tyrone and Fermanagh don’t have a rail service it’s not exactly accessible for everyone. Getting to a train station often takes a drive in a car, which a lot of people don’t have access too. Private bus services might be our only salvation. Luckily there’s plenty of them covering the main towns in most counties. They are available on The National Journey Planner.
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Arts Lifestyle
The American Dream BY CIARA MORAN
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s the final few weeks of college rush in, many final year students are left staring into the abyss we call ‘life after graduation’. No longer will “I am a student” work as an excuse to be unemployed, or will your Tuesday nights end with the Eastenders theme song at Shite Night. For those students not interested in continuing on immediately to do a Master’s degree, many take part in Graduate Programmes or decide to travel. But what if you could combine the two? If the idea of sticking around in Ireland working a 9am to 5pm job does not appeal to
you, but you are afraid at the same time if you jet off you will find it harder to land a career in your chosen field, why not look into a 1 year-long Graduate Visa to the USA (while stocks last..). The visa allows you to do an internship in the US related to your degree. It is great for people with itchy feet (it is a saying, trust me), wanting to get out there and see new places and experience new things, while at the same time gaining valuable work experience in an overseas company. You can apply for the visa within 12 months of graduating, meaning if you finish college in May 2017 but don’t graduate until November 2017,
you have until November 2018 to enter the US with the visa, where you can stay for up to 12 months thereafter. In order to apply, you go through an issue company, for example, USIT, who sort out your visa. Although it is quite expensive, with USIT offering the visa from €3,160, this covers your one-way flight, Sevis fee, insurance, DS 2019 work documents and more. As well as being able to travel for up to 30 days before or after your internship, the visa also allows you 90 days to find a position upon arrival, so you are not totally relying on countless emails and Skype interviews. However, securing a job before-
hand will obviously relieve a lot of pressure, which is helpful given you are already faced with the task of looking for accommodation and settling into your new American life. Finances can also be a struggle. Upon entering the US you must show you have access to $1000 (€930) a month if your internship is unpaid. However, the graduate visa is certainly an option worth considering for those of you who have not yet decided on life after graduation, as it also could be one of your last years of total freedom. Check out www.usavisa.ie for more information.
Travel Tips for the Middle East With summer fast approaching, the time has come to book your holiday plans. Emily Sheahan believes you should not be shy when it comes to The Middle East, and shares her tips for staying there.
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any people have an ingrained sense of negativity, and even fear, regarding The Middle East. For many westerners, a lot of caution lies in traveling there for the first time. While this is not completely without reason, this scary caricature of unfamiliar accents and dress, veils and beards, is built up by Western media. The Middle East is a region everyone should have on, and check off, their bucket list. The vast majority of people in the Middle East are Muslim. In the tradition of Islam, they will greet you openly and share their
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culture and values with you. They will do so while ensuring you are made to feel safe in their home. Hospitality is an important value in their culture and religion, and this should not be repaid in fear. Take the time to understand that. If you are travelling to one of the more modern areas such as Dubai or Qatar, do not dedicate all your time to the skyscrapers, beaches, and malls. Enjoy them, but remember these are not what makes The Middle East special. Spend time in the older areas -the markets and soukseat the street food, and haggle for scarves and knock-off bags.
Visit a mosque, a Bedouin camp, interact with a local family. Only then will you truly have a chance at understanding what Middle Eastern culture is really about. Sensitivity is important to consider when travelling. If you are travelling to Saudi Arabia, for example, you will have to be willing to cover up. In public women have to wear abayas and men are expected to dress modestly, meaning shoulders and knees are to be covered. If you are a woman, take into consideration you will not be able to drive. Make sure to research the laws of whichever country you are visiting, as they are likely to
differ from those here. Make sure not to assume what is considered acceptable in Ireland is equally acceptable everywhere else. While there are many countries in the Middle East that are safe to travel to, in the current state of things unfortunately there are some you would be wise to avoid. Research the country you plan to visit thoroughly. You can be adventurous, but do not land yourself in the middle of the Libyan crisis. Wherever in The Middle East you choose to visit, make sure to embrace every aspect of the unique culture. Do not disregard it because of fear.