Vocalise | Issue 1 | September 2018 by vocalisezine

Vocalise

issue 1

september mmxviii

contents

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In this issue: 4 features 5 - 13 student life 14 - 19 travel 20 - 21 environment 22 - 23 food 24 - 25 fashion 26 - 29 arts

Logo design by Eugenia Kazak

Cover design by Rianna Javier WHO’S INVOLVED: Editor: Harriet Willis Writers: Christy Lau Danny Cuttell Dominique Volkovynska Isabella Troy-Williamson Jessi König

Karina Nur Herdiana Lila Alves Lucia Villegas Maria Pacheco Merve Güranç Miltiadis Farmakis Pang Hong Ling Petra Orosz Phadde Rianna Javier Tra-My Tran

Vanda Weisz Graphics: Eugenia Kazak Rianna Javier Note: Individual credits can be seen throughout the zine.

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editor’s note

Editor’s note Dear reader, Thank you very much for taking the time to read (or flick through) the first issue of Vocalise. Earlier this summer, starting up a magazine seemed like the perfect way to take my mind off of an inbox cluttered with internship and summer job rejection letters. Around two months later, I’ve finally managed to piece together the finished copy. (It was a lot harder than I thought it would be!) I am completely baffled at how I’ve managed to get so many incredibly interesting and well-written articles from so many talented people. Similarly, seeing Rianna’s intricate front cover design, and Eugenia’s thoughfully created logos for the first time got me so excited to share this little project with the world. This would not be possible without all of you, so thank you all so much for giving me this opportunity. When dreaming up the possibility of creating a zine, I knew that I wanted it to have a global theme. University papers are a fantastic way of giving students a voice, yet there are very few student-created publications that involve more than one school, nevermind schools across the world. My second ‘must’ for Vocalise, was that it needed to be a platform for students and young people to be able to voice their opinions. The large majority of news sources are written by much older people, and even publications aimed at us are still written by older people, so we need to (be given the change to) create more things for each other to enjoy. Whilst editing all of the different articles, I came across some interesting challenges with putting together an international publication. Should I correct all spellings to British English? Should I get rid of any Oxford commas? Should I change ‘fall’ to autumn’? In the end, I decided to keep the spellings and grammatical choices that the original author intended. That way, the language, thoughts and style of articles in Vocalise are unique to so many different parts of the globe. I also wanted to write everyone’s country of choice (either where they currently live, or where they were born) at the top of their articles to give you an idea of where our different writers are connected to. I hope you enjoy reading!

late nights trying to get Vocalise completed!

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features

I am enough on my own By Maria Pacheco, Columbia Growing up, we are told that finding a significant other is the highlight of your life. “Relationships will make you better, relationships will make you happier, relationships will keep you grounded.” We are told that finding someone and getting to marry that someone is the best thing that could happen to you. Not to sound like a pessimist and bring down the love wheel, but let me tell you a secret. Dating is not everything. Now, while finding love is absolutely wonderful, I support the process of individuality more. As I’m preparing for my last year of high school, I can’t count the amount of times I have heard or seen a friend or classmate talking about their partner, the partner of someone else, or their soon to be partner. The reason why I can’t count it is because it’s something that happens regularly; high schoolers feed their brains with a good cup of love live gossip in the morning. However, in my 17 years on this Earth, I haven’t had a boyfriend, and I’m part of that small population that isn’t interested in dating. I have always liked to do one thing at a time, do school, finish school, start college, finish college and then start life. So, I have acquired the belief that being on my own is not something to pity, but it is a privilege. The amount of times I have heard the phrase: “But you are so smart and beautiful, it is hard to believe that you don’t have a boyfriend.” Because apparently, relationships are a synonym for success and happiness, but I have gained all that on my own. Being on my own has taught so much about myself; it has taught me that I am hard working for the things that I want, it has taught me that I like dancing at 1 am in the morning whenever I can’t sleep because it

calms me down, it has taught me that reading a book is what I look forward to at the end of the day, it has taught me to learn from my mistakes and do better, and it has taught me to value the small things people usually overlook. So, when I skip a night out with my friends to be by myself, is not because I’m sad or I’m a debbie downer, but because I enjoy being on my own. It is not pathetic or weird to enjoy time for yourself, and it is okay to spend Friday nights on your own doing what makes you happy. You are enough on your own. You don’t need someone to get through life – your high school or college experience won’t be less gratifying if you didn’t date anyone. Your success and your happiness is your own, celebrate your success with yourself. You are beautiful and enough on your own. No amount of dates or relationships measures your worth. There is no equivalence in the world where being in a relationship makes you more worthy, more prepared, more mature. Going through break-ups and learning of them doesn’t make you more mature, life does. Contrary to popular belief, relationships are not life, dating is not as big of a deal as everyone makes it up to, and it is definitely not the end of the world if you are 20 or older and still haven’t dated anyone. Everything will be fine. I want to end this by saying that, yes, finding someone is wonderful and after reading this you can date whoever you want, because I’m not here to provide anything but advice with personal experience. Just make sure that you learn to know and love what it feels like to be on your own before you start your journey with someone else. Remember that you will still be beautiful and enough on your own.

Illustration by Eugenia Kazack

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student life

Freshers’ week advice By Lucia Villegas, UK So, you’re starting uni in September, and you have no idea what to expect. Maybe you’ve already scoured the Internet for life hacks and tips, or you’ve been avoiding the topic altogether and have stumbled upon this article by chance. Either way, I urge you to keep reading, friend. Starting uni can be daunting for so many reasons; don’t let Fresher’s Week be one of them.

1. Go to events This one may seem fairly straightforward, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to get overwhelmed by the vast amount of events going on in that first week and just end up locking yourself in your room. Definitely go out to the events fair, or even just walk around campus and see if anything catches your eye. Now is the time to try new things!

2. On the other hand, don’t do something you know you don’t like This is really important to remember. Uni, especially first year, is a time to discover who you are and what you like, to push yourself out of your comfort zone and do things you normally wouldn’t think to try. That being said, you know yourself and you know what you will or won’t like. If you’re unsure, go for it. But if you are uncomfortable (and not in a healthy way), sit it out.

3. Connect with others Everyone wants to make friends, so don’t be afraid to talk to people! I guarantee that nearly everyone is in the same boat as you are and would appreciate a friendly face to seek out later in the canteen or in class. Fresher’s Week

is sort of lawless, in that no one will think you’re weird for approaching them and introducing yourself. These people may not become your best friends, but it’s always good to have a group to hang out with during those first few weeks!

4. Take care of all your uni things With all the hullabaloo of events and new faces and going out, sometimes the administrative and academic side of things can slide into the background. Don’t let these be put on the backburner! Make sure you are able to sign up for the classes you want to take by going to an earlier sign-up session. Remember why you’re at uni – to make friends and grow as a person, but also (of course) to learn new things within your degree!

5. Be grateful Whatever path you took to get to university, remember to be grateful that you are there! Education is a gift, so don’t take it for granted. Use some free time during Freshers’ Week to think about preparations for the semester and to make any goals you may have for that time. I hope these five little tips were useful to you. The first year of uni is such a huge transitional period, and it all starts with Freshers’ Week. While some of these tips are, in my opinion, imperative, please remember that in no way does that first week, month or even semester define how the rest of the year will go. If you spend Fresher’s in your bed, homesick and sad, don’t worry. There’s so much more for you to discover and learn, so many people to meet and things to do.

Image by Stanford EdTech via Flickr Creative Commons

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student life

The transition to university life By Rianna Javier, UK ‘I can’t wait to be a university student!’ this has probably been on your mind at least once if you have decided to come to university. You see many students enjoying their student lives and ‘adulting’. Sometimes it’s hard to see what something or someone is really like when you watch and observe from afar; it’s the same with university! The other side of it is almost unseen. Despite being warned about the hard life of being a student, you still find young adults throwing themselves in the deep end. So, what does it mean to be a university student?

School vs. University University seems amazing. Especially after 11 years of education everyday from 9 am until 3 pm. University seems more relaxed; you don’t have to be in everyday and you have more freedom. During school or college, you find yourself being looked after by teachers, parents and your peers. You may not notice it, but once you get to university

you’ll soon realise that you are in fact on your own. Unlike in school or college, at university there is no one chasing after you for deadlines or missed coursework. This is the tricky part. You must be motivated to want to do your work and ensure you are organised enough to meet your deadlines without reminders. To make it a little easier what I found best for this was self-discipline. Give yourself a strict timetable of when you are going to do work and ensure that time is used efficiently – know when your leisure time is and when study time is. This creates a sense of balance and enables you to track your workload and personal time.

The Untold Part Universities are a great and fun place to be; but not for everyone. It almost seems taboo to speak about the negatives of university, but we have to face it – it’s a real thing. Many of us may feel homesick at some point, because university does get tough and sometimes you just need your family and friends around you. However, it isn’t always easy if you live hundreds of miles away from home,

How I survived med school By Karina Nur Herdiana, Indonesia Just a month ago, I took my Hippocratic Oath and now I am officially a doctor. I really can’t believe that I am here, in this stage of life. That feeling, after you have been struggling for years, and it has finally paid off, it is… epic! Now, I can wear that white coat, look gorgeous and say “Hi, I’m your doctor” to my patients. Medical school isn’t an easy thing, but it’s worth it. Once you’ve decided to go to med school, you have to commit and keep that persistence up to get through everything, because sometimes expectations don’t meet reality. I finally finished med school after six tough years. But, it’s not the same for everyone; there are some people who can’t become a doctor in six years. Some drop out of university, and some just decide to take a different route towards their end goal. Here I am, a fully-qualified doctor, ready to share my tips on surviving med school.

Be prepared You’ve probably all heard someone complaining about how they don’t have much time to hang out with friends or to go to the cinema or even to a fancy restaurant. And, how it is hard to match your schedule with your family plans to go on a vacation together. Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is me. So yeah, that is med school life. Hectic schedule, discussion session, report, laboratory, report, regular class, homework, exam, repeat. And when you are an intern, it will look like: regular shift, ten minutes for lunch, back to your shift, sneaking off for some sleep, meet patients, report, night shift, morning report, and then being exhausted the next day, repeat. I know, it starts to sound crazy to you. Crazy as heck for me too. I can’t offer too much advice for this. Just, prepare yourself for long years like this.

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so here are some tips to help make the transition a little easier to cope with! Once you start university, whether you live at university or commute it’s important to keep family close. Prop up pictures around your room, make it homely so that you can start to feel at home! Always keep in touch, make sure to give your family a call once a week or so and ensure that you keep that connection; it really does help because you don’t feel alone, and you know they are only a phone call away. Remember, you are not the first to go through this transition and definitely won’t be the last! So…get out there and mingle! When in halls or student accommodation prop your door open – this is inviting, and you can meet new people around you. Join societies and clubs to meet like-minded people, don’t worry about being shy, this is just how great friendships start. There is a wide range of societies available at different universities meaning that there is definitely something out there for you; no, it is not all about drinking either and if there isn’t a society that tickles your fancy you also have the option of creating your own one! As for all the ‘adulting’. It is wise to budget, there are apps nowadays to help watch your spending. However, even simply noting bill due dates on your calendar will suffice! You may have to start paying your own rent, bills and

Know Your Capabilities The only person who knows you well is you. You know how much you can take and how much you can handle. You are the only one who can decide how many hours you can study, and how long you should rest for.

Stay organized

student life

books, so budgeting is important if you would like some extra cash for going out! To help with pocket money, search for a part-time job as this will help you out with spending and also provide you with work experience, it’s a win-win! If none of these do the trick, ensure to reach out and ask for help. It is okay. Like I said, family and friends are there for a reason! You are not alone. However, if you can’t seek help from them universities know how hard the transition can be, therefore they have put in place services to help and guide you through your academic journey. Make sure you familiarise yourself with your university’s wellbeing service, student finance service and academic skills service. In order to feel a sense of balance and happiness, ensure that you do not overload yourself. To make the transition easier ensure that you are always looking out for yourself, self-care is vital. Make sure you have time to yourself and focus only on yourself. Indulge in whatever you love such as art, music, seeing friends or simply watching Netflix! Illustration by Harriet Willis

It is important to take some time out like this. Because a constantly stressful life can make it hard to push through the obstacles ahead. You need to refresh your mind, so you can have a clear mind to make decisions and to take action on your school life.

Think about why you started

You will need a system to make it easier to study, do your homework and reports but still have a social life. Just find a good balance.

There will be times when you feel like giving up. Remember why you started. Think about the reason why you wake up every day and go into med school. The strongest motivation is within you, it comes within yourself.

Write down everything you have to do, your goals, your schedule, deadlines, all of them. And arrange it in a system, so you can finish them on time and efficiently.

Being a med student is not that hard after all. One day, you will understand the feeling. And then feel beyond blessed cause you survived it. Be persistent.

Work hard, play harder

Illustration by Harriet Willis

It is not impossible to have several days of vacation in med school. When you get the chance, leave your med stuff behind and go somewhere, do something to feel refreshed before you have to get back to it. Go somewhere you have never been, or just go somewhere nearby, and have some ‘me time’. Treat yourself. Be blessed with what you have achieved and feel great because you survived it.

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student life

Treat yo’ self (better) With the new academic year rapidly appraoching, Isabella Troy discusses her favourite tips on how to make university life a little easier for yourself. By Isabella Troy-Williamson, UK

and will, make things easier for you.

We all know first year doesn’t actually count towards your overall degree; however, that isn’t to say you shouldn’t put in the work. Working hard first year will help you build good studying practices and may give you an advantage when it comes to applications for second year internships or other forms of work experience. It may not count ‘officially’ but it is definitely more than worth putting in the effort.

Keep a planner – don’t rely on yourself to remember everything

From experience, however, first year is hard – you’re very much thrown into the deep end and it can be difficult to adapt to a different way of learning and studying. Add in the stress of leaving home, having to form new relationships, being unsure of where you’re going, having to cook for yourself, pressure to choose a career early on and first year can be really damaging to your mental health. I struggled very much with stress and anxiety for a long while but through this I have picked up some tips and tricks that can,

This may seem pretty basic but it’s one of the most important things you can do. If you’re constantly writing what you have to do on scraps of paper or on the back of your hand, chances are you’re going to forget something. It’s far easier and will save you a lot of hassle if you invest in a planner and do your best to use it – it’s no use to you sat on your desk all the time. Personally, I use a bullet journal but any planner/year diary that works for you is ideal.

Prepare as much as you can but don’t feel bad for taking the day off After a couple of months of trial and error, I figured out the best way to prep for lectures was to take notes on the powerpoints prior to the lectures, write down what

9 the professor talked about during the lectures and then add in reading as I typed it all up neatly. This may make your notes a bit of a hasty scribbled mess but it means that you get the foundation down and have an idea of the topic prior to the lecture. This way, during the lecture you can focus on the key points of discussion rather than hastily trying to write down the powerpoint. Also, you’re forced to revise the subject when you type up/ add your reading in. This process is time consuming though, and although it’s helpful, if you’re stressed or tired there’s noo point in it. Whenever I had too much on my plate I skipped taking powerpoint notes in advance, still tried to only write was said and then added powerpoint notes around what was said when I next had a chance. It’s okay to take time off as there’s ways to adapt to recover.

It’s ok to miss a lecture once in a while, but try not to make a habit of it Most unis record lectures and post them on a virtual learning environment after. If you happen to miss one, it is therefore possible to recover and still study the subject. However, it’s not the same as being in a lecture. You’re more likely to get distracted for one and sometimes the recording is poor quality or simply doesn’t work, so you shouldn’t rely on it entirely. Getting up and going to a lecture will help your day become more productive.

saturday 15th september Do the readings that are set on time as often as possible Chapters often take a while to get through, especially if they relate to a new topic or are part of seminar preparation. As a result, in order to prevent them building up too much get them done as quickly as possible. You don’t want to be stuck with a bunch of chapters to read for each of your module as not only will that take a while to get through and be stressful but it’ll mean you have to cram it all into a short period and the reading won’t benefit you at all. Getting it out the way saves you stress and means you’re more likely to actually learn from what you read.

Professors are understanding, reach out if you need to From experience, professors (especially my seminar leaders) are very understanding; if you’re struggling with work, with horrible housemates or with anything else that is affecting your learning environment you can speak to them. There were a couple of occasions where I was concerned about a lecture topic and, after reaching out to the professor, I got all of the slides and talking points two weeks in advance so I could prepare myself. There’s no harm in seeking help if you need it, don’t struggle alone.

Push yourself but don’t take on too much Don’t feel like you have to take on ab-

Buy your books – they’re ex- solutely everything all at once. Open pensive but worth it days, academic competitions, work I can’t speak for all courses, but If you are given a reading list chances are you’re going to have to use the books at some point. In my case, we frequently had to do readings as part of our seminar prep and we would be quizzed on it. Although some books can be found in the library, relying on library books isn’t advisable. Quite often the book you need won’t be there and even when it is, you may only be able to take it out on a short time loan. The books might be expensive but they will help you and you can always sell them to the years below when you’re done.

experience weeks, academic talks and other extracurricular activities can all be beneficial, but you’ll have a melt down if you try do them all. Select a couple of things to do outside of uni that you’re passionate about and do your best to pursue these. It’s better to focus your energy on a few select things than to burnout doing everything at once.

Listen to your friends if they tell you you’re doing too much Your friends, especially close ones, are likely to pick up on changes in your behaviour and notice if you seem

student life stressed or as though you’re overwhelmed with the work you’re taking on. If they point out you may be doing too much seriously consider the possibility that they’re right. You may not notice how negatively your workload is affecting you, especially if you’re too busy working to sit down and take time to yourself.

Try new things, even if you’re scared At the start of the year nothing scared me more than public speaking. However, as a law student I knew this was something I had to get over quickly. As a result I entered debating competitions and mock trial competitions, forcing myself to speak in front of audiences that got gradually larger and larger. Although it still made me nervous I ended up winning the mock trial competition. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed and like you can’t do something, but try your hardest to not let it stop you doing things you know will benefit you in the long run.

Enjoy it, first year only happens once This is perhaps the most important one. Enjoy yourself. Go on that club night, deal with your seminar hungover, sit with different people, try to bond with your housemates (but don’t worry if you don’t) and just generally put yourself out there and make the most of university. It only gets harder from here so really try make the most of it. Image by danisabella via Flickr Creative Commons

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student life

7 habits that changed my grades (and my life) By Lila Alves, Brazil When I was in high school, I was a terrible student. I hardly ever paid attention in class, I slept all afternoon instead of doing my homework, and I made countless study plans that I never bothered to follow through. By the time I became a senior, waking up sleep deprived, miserable, and praying that the school building had burned down overnight were part of my morning routine. Somewhere along the line I realized I couldn’t keep living like this: hating my life from Monday to Friday and barely tolerating it during the weekend. The day came when I finally graduated, and with my diploma came the promise that college would be different – that it was a fresh start, and that I could turn things around. During summer break, I got more and more involved with study communities on Tumblr and Instagram, watched countless videos on productivity and studying on YouTube, and found some useful TEDTalks here and there. College

classes started, and I had a long list of tips and tricks to become a better student. I began experimenting to see what worked and what didn’t, always trying to find a way to work hard without jeopardizing my mental health, hobbies, social life, and so on. Nowadays, I’m a top student with a 4.0 GPA, and I’ve decided to share seven key habits that helped me get to where I am.

1. Get enough sleep If you’re a teenager or a young adult, you should be sleeping between seven and eight hours every night, and you shouldn’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Getting some good sleep is what makes your brain function better the next day. It’s how you’re able to stay focused, absorb more information, and remember things. Not only that, but lack of sleep can be very dangerous as it lowers your immunity, and increases stress and the risk of accidents.

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student life

don’t sit in the back. Even the most diligent students can get distracted easily if they sit too far away from the teacher.

4. ‘Later’ is your worst enemy Benjamin Franklin once said, “never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today”. Now, I suggest you take a moment to google his name and open his Wikipedia page. The man had eight different careers! He must know something about getting work done, right? As it turns out, doing your assignments as soon as you receive them can be a real life-saver. Not only you free yourself from the stress of leaving everything to the last minute, but you also get rid of work quickly and have more time for yourself! So, when in-between classes or when waiting for an appointment or as soon as you get home, try to get some work done. Your future self will thank you.

5. Find a good place to study Studying in your bedroom might not be a good idea, since it’s usually where you relax. Try finding a place in your home with good lighting and no distractions, like the living room or the kitchen. Also keep in mind that the library is your best friend – not only the silence helps you focus more on your work, but seeing people around you work hard can motivate you to keep going.

6. Take care of yourself Know when to relax. Studying an insane amount of hours a day will not do you any good. Neglecting friends or family, skipping meals, not taking breaks during study sessions, and not taking some time of your day only for yourself are all things that will harm you. Taking care of yourself should always come before studying. Your grades aren’t more important than your health, be it physical or mental.

2. Pay attention in class

7. Don’t rely on motivation

Probably the most important step to improving your grades. If you pay attention to what your teachers or professors say, you will remember the content while studying, which can be a real time-saver. Not only that, but a teacher will explain the content ten times better than any other study material such as textbooks can. Most of the time, trying to teach yourself the content will not work, since there won’t be a professional there to explain the hard parts and answer your questions.

Motivation only comes after you start working, and it is what keeps you going. But, most of the times, it’s not what drives you to start. Truth is, you are never going to feel like it. There will always be much more fun things to do other than your work, but you have to do it anyway. So, set a countdown in your head, get all your stuff out, and start. There are methods you can use to make it more bearable, like working for even as little as two minutes and then stopping if you still don’t feel like it. Usually, that’s the time needed to get you in your work flow, so when your timer goes off, you most likely won’t want to stop working.

3. Sit in the front row This is how you make sure you follow habit number two. By sitting in the front row and being closer to the teacher, you won’t be able to talk, check your phone, pass notes, etc. You will feel pressured to stay focused and ignore all distractions. If you feel uncomfortable sitting in the front row, the second row works just fine too – as long as you

Following these seven habits was a game changer for me, and I hope it’s helpful for you as well. It’s never too late to turn your academic life around, and it’s never too late to start working hard. Image by Ashraf Saleh via Flickr Creative Commons

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student life

Mastering the IB By Vanda Weisz, Hungary/Singapore After being completely finished with the first year of the International Baccalaureate (IB), I feel like I know enough to share my ideas, tips and tricks with people who are also struggling with one of the toughest education programmes in the world. If some of you were lucky enough to have not heard about the international baccalaureate programme yet, let me have the honor of introducing it to you. IB is a two years educational foundation where students are able to study six subjects of their own choices from six different subject groups: first and second language, individuals & societies, sciences, maths and arts. The maximum grade you can get in each of these subjects is a seven, although the highest score in IB is a 45. The remaining three points come from ‘Theory of Knowledge’ (TOK), a 4000 word ‘Extended Essay’ (EE) and ‘Creativity, Activity and Service’ (CAS), which are all requirements to complete your diploma. Now, after everyone has a broad understanding of what the IB is, I’ve compiled eight of my best tips that I’ve found the most useful in the past year.

Use your time wisely IB is all about time management so, what I really recommend you all do, is to make a detailed time table for every day to make sure that you don’t waste time or procrastinate. Of course, allow yourself to take a break between every study session by reading a book or going out for a walk, for instance. Your brain won’t be able to focus properly after approximately two hours (of course, this differs for each person), so having some down-time is vital.

Take notes and review them after school This really helps when you are preparing for an upcoming test, essay or assignment. I don’t like taking my notes in class, I prefer just listening to the teacher so I don’t waste time trying to understand the concept at home, alone. So what I did last year is to write down some key words in class so I don’t completely forget what we were talking about. Then I sit down after school, review these keywords, read the given chapters in the book and go through the google slides that my teacher has shared with us. After I’ve finished all that, I make my notes. (I really recommend you use different colored pens and highlighters so it makes studying a little bit more enjoyable.)

Record your teacher I started doing this at the end of the year and trust me, it really works. If you really don’t get a concept after trying to spend time on it at home or doing some research, go to

your teacher and ask them to explain it to you after class/ school. While they are explaining it start recording it with your phone so you can listen to it at home or before an exam. Make sure that you ask your teacher for permission first, not everybody likes when people record them!

Use Quizlet Quizlet is a really good website for online flashcards. You can find already existing ones, since a lot of IB students make and share their own flashcards, but you can always make your own ones. It’s quick and easy, but it really helps when you need to memorise something, like complex phrases in your second language or crucial keywords for one of the sciences.

Do past papers & go through your previous tests This was really different in previous years; we could just simply write down the correct answer with our own words and even if we didn’t necessary get the mark, you could explain your response to your teacher and voila! You have the mark. Here it is different, IB is all about mark schemes, so in the beginning of the year I used to lose half of the marks in a test because of my phrasing, just because the official mark scheme uses different words. Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean that you will never get those marks, there is a solution. And the answer is PAST PAPERS! It is easy to find them on IB websites and sometimes teachers are nice enough to share some with the class. So after you do the whole paper look at the mark scheme to see the keywords that you need to mention in each question. After a while you will get used to using these words and when making the same mistakes 10 times, trust me, you’ll get them write when it comes to actually taking that test.

Talk to your teacher Something I’ve realized in my first year in IB is that your teachers want to help you and are super happy to answer your questions if you seem really interested in their subject. So don’t hesitate to ask for their help or advice, go over your tests with them and as I mentioned before, go for that extra round to ask them to explain something to you after class. When I had my first one-to-one meeting with my math teacher, he asked me something that I will never forget and I think that pretty much summarizes the teachers’ attitude towards the students and teaching in general. He asked: “why is that that you say sorry every single time before asking a question? You should say sorry if you’re not asking them.”

Write your CAS reflections This was something for me that I really needed to get used to in the first few months. CAS is a really important part in

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the IB and no matter how hard you’re trying to avoid it, it’s always gonna be there, at the end of your to do list so you better get it done quickly. An easy way of doing that is by making video reflections. A lot of people spend hours of writing interesting and well-phrased CAS reflections, but who has time for that? You can make a 5 minutes video instead which is honest, more personal and a lot faster.

Prioritise I don’t need to explain much, but in IB, it is genuinely important to prioritize the homeworks, assignments or essays that are either more important or just simply due earlier than others. Otherwise you’ll just keep pushing the deadlines and we all know what comes next.

Sleep I’ve never in my life appreciated sleep as much as I do now. IB can be really stressful and tiring so even if you feel like you need to take a one- or two-hour nap after school,

student life

please do! You won’t be able to concentrate if your eyes keep closing from tiredness while trying to concentrate. Also, I know that sometimes you just need to stay up really late to finish an assignment that is due next day that you somehow forgot; it happens to all of us. But just make sure that it doesn’t happen too often. If you don’t sleep enough then you will be tired the next day, won’t focus in class and have to stay up late again trying to understand the things that you missed in school. And the circle starts again and again. The people I know who are the most successful in IB are the ones that don’t stay up until two or three AM, but try to get at least seven hours of sleep every day. It seems (and is) really hard, especially when everything builds up but trust me, it is worth it. Image by Zoe Zachary via Flickr Creative Commons

saturday 15th september

travel

The semi-broke students’ guide to solo travel in New York By Christy Lau, Hong Kong In our #influencer age, solo travelling can seem like the sort of thing only digital creatives with tripods and airline sponsorships can pull off – definitely not perpetually semi-broke college students. I certainly did not intend to, until my friend cancelled on our trip to New York last summer – after I had already bought my plane tickets. No big deal. I’d made it to college, I’m technically an adult, I could totally travel alone. Right? As it turned out, very right indeed. Just this summer I travelled alone again, this time to Tokyo.

backbones of a plan can already be sufficient. Have some idea of the places you want to check out but too bogged down by exams (or let’s be honest, too lazy) to figure out a proper itinerary? Here’s where Google Maps becomes your most steadfast friend.

Hack No. 1

So, how do you go about planning a solo trip during the school year? Who takes your photo as you stare wistfully at the iconic skyline? How can you minimise costs? Here I will be focusing on New York, but much of it applies to any major city.

• Look up all the places you want to visit (sights, museums, restaurants, #aesthetic photo spots for the ‘gram). • Save them in a Google Maps list. The app even has a built-in “Want to Go” function. • This way, once you’re in the city, you can wake up each day, quickly visualise which spots are near each other and visit them together. • Google Maps also lets you know the arrival time of the nearest subway train and the exit closest to your destination, so you can make instant plans in real time.

“Planning”

Saving the $

The chief comfort of solo travel is the complete and utter freedom to follow your whims – which means the barest

Broke college student jokes never get old because, well, they’re not just jokes. But as notoriously expensive as

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America’s consumerist capital can be, quite a few things worth doing there are actually free. Yup, you read that right. As a bonus, all of them are especially enjoyable when done alone.

#Awks

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge: Clichéd and touristy? Yes and… no. While the bridge is smack bang in the middle of the beaten path, it somehow still offers one of the most authentic “New York” experiences you can have. Thousands of locals depend upon it for their daily commutes, easily identifiable by their classic manic pace and full-frontal irritation. Everyone else comes from all manner of places and walks of life, as does the population of the city the term “melting pot” was coined for. At two points along the bridge, platforms jut out on either side, giving you unobstructed views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines over a surprisingly blue East River. On the Brooklyn side, snap a pic of the Manhattan Bridge bookended by two emblematically “Brooklyn” brownstones at Washington Street.

Getting the ‘gram

travel

As exhilarating as travelling alone is, some things can still feel sliiightly awkward…

Handing your phone to a stranger is scary, but sadly there really is no way around it. The bright side? This is New York! There are literally countless “Only in New York” Twitter accounts dedicated to the city’s most outrageous moments. If you ask for a photo next to some vaguely interesting graffitied garbage can, chances are a native would not bat an eyelid. Still uneasy? Tourist spots are way less nerve-wracking. Just find another tourist – and offer to take a photo for them too!

Take the Staten Island Ferry: More unobstructed views of Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights and, of course, Lady Liberty. On the island itself, the Esplanade offers yet more sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline and leads you directly to the Postcards memorial. The Borough Hall is also free to enter. Visit a museum (or two or three or four): Many museums are pay-what-you-wish, including the American Museum of Natural History and The Met. The Whitney is pay-whatyou-wish on Fridays from 7 p.m. onwards and the Guggenheim Museum on Saturdays from 5 p.m. onwards. The Museum of Modern Art is free on Fridays from 4 p.m. onwards. Take a stroll through Central Park: Fairly self-explanatory, this one. Browse a bookstore: New York has an abundance of atmospheric bookstores staffed by incredibly passionate sellers. Argosy is fully equipped with Seven-style green lampshades and wooden desks and specialises in outof-print editions. The Mysterious Bookshop has floor-toceiling shelves, sliding brass ladders and delightfully worn leather sofas perfect for a few hours’ sturdy reading after walking around Manhattan all day. Just plain walking: There is something inexplicably exciting about wandering around a foreign city and pretending you’re a local. New Yorkers love walking – and for good reason. The subway costs the same no matter how many stops you take it for, so for most distances walking is the more economical (and scenic) option. Take an amble around Chinatown, one of Manhattan’s largest and liveliest neighbourhoods, where you can find traditional cha chaan tengs right next to millennial magnets like The Good Sort (they make rainbow superfood lattes), Taiyaki (soft serve in Japanese fish-shaped pastries) and the Glossier Showroom.

Eating alone As above, this is New York, darling. Everyone’s too busy to give you a second thought, even if it feels like people are staring. I get it, though. Things that help: • Propping a book open. Bonus points if it is a critically lauded title so you can bask in your own cleverness as everybody nobody looks at what you’re doing. • A laptop if you are in a café or a brunch place. • Sitting next to a window and people-watching. And there you have it. Now you’re all ready to jet off for your solo adventure, feeling like a true adult. Good luck and – at risk of sounding corny – bon voyage! Images by Christy Lau

saturday 15th september

travel

Finding peace in Hanoi, Vietnam Tra-My Tran, Vietnam Labyrinth-like streets and alleys combined with a hectic pace of life are what Hanoi is typically known for, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t find peace in this city. Want to get away from it all? These are some of many places that make ideal hideaways for your vacation. Most touristy venues downtown open at 9 AM onwards, but regardless, to get totally engrossed in the local life, you’ll need to be an early bird for a day. Is it really worth it? It is a holiday, afterall. Well, you can make your mind up after hearing about the following activities and opportunities.

5.30 AM: The city admist the sunrise Soaring office blocks and modern skyscrapers have been one of the typical characteristics of Hanoi for the past few decades. Few of Hanoi’s inhabitants can admire the beauty of the sky, unless they live in an apartment building or are willing to pay VND 230,000 (about US $10) for a place in the Lotte Observation Deck – and it doesn’t open early enough to enjoy the wonder. However, for adventurous youngsters in Hanoi, Long Bien Bridge is not a new name on their treasure map in the hunt for views of the sunrise. The bridge, built between 1899 and 1902, is located merely four km from the city centre. It is affectionately called Hanoi’s Eiffel (although it’s not a tower – perhaps only because it was constructed by the French). As old and dusty as it may seem, Long Bien Bridge offers a stunning, sensational view of the sunrise in an early dewy morning. In combination with it are the lush green fields, full of grass, banana trees, and daisies, stretching to the horizons. Scattered in the river are some boats that are houses and means of livelihood for families. From the broad view of the bridge, you can watch both the beauty of local activities and of the natural grandeur when the sun meets the moon.

6.30 AM: Feulling up for the exciting day ahead For breakfast, Bun Moc is an absolute must-have when you visit Hanoi. Made of grilled meat balls, the noodles can be eaten with young bamboo, chicken, or pork chops, to name but a few. All ingredients are skillfully mingled to create rich broth of sweet and sour aroma. Essentially, you can pop in any eatery or pavement café to have a bowl, but the quality and price vary from place to place. Let’s head to Bun Moc Nguyen Thien Thuat inside Dong Xuan Market. In this stall, the menu includes a range of

noodles where you are spoiled for choice, the price couldn’t be more reasonable for such a full bowl, and above all, it’s near enough to Long Bien bridge for you to get away from the insane traffic at Hanoi’s morning rush hour.

7.30 AM: Egg and coffee? ‘Egg and coffee? Do they really put raw egg in coffee?’ That was the first reaction I got when mentioning Ca Phe Trung, or egg coffee – Hanoi’s legendary drink, to my Philippian friend. ‘I also heard that Hanoi’s famous for coffee,’ she continued. It’s not only famous. Hanoi’s coffee scene is inescapable, like it is across the country. Yet, Hanoi is the most famous for Ca Phe Trung. As its fame increasingly spreads in the recent time, Ca Phe Trung could be found across the city. But Café Giang still rises through the ranks as it is claimed to be where the beverage was first invented. Located on a densely populated central street and almost hidden, the venue is always packed with locals and tourists who want to sip a taste of Hanoi. Ca Phe Trung is a combination of coffee powder, egg yolk, condensed milk and butter, but that’s definitely not all. It is served either hot or cold; either way will bring you a different sense of wow through the light-tasting creamy flavor. Address: Café Giang, no. 39, Nguyen Huu Huan Str.

10.00 AM: Take shelter Not far from Café Giang is a short quiet pedestrian street that would make a perfect venue to live a slower pace of life – Dinh Le Str. The street is famous for arrays of bookstores with tens of thousands of books from locally-written ones to English language novels. Wandering down the street, you could pick yourself some books to bring back home as gifts, or just simply dig your head into these books and get away from the hectic traffic and frenzied pace of life.

2.00 PM: Check out the culture If you’re into arts, one of the places in town that you should not overlook is the Vincom Center for Contemporary Art. Newly established, the exhibition complex is well-known for its large collection of pieces of art works from Vietnam to Japan, from paintings to sculptures, which could touch the souls of both art enthusiasts and ordinary people. Exhibitions are opened throughout the year with free admission.

5.30 PM: A moment to pause It seems that the air is already full of exhaust fumes. Wanna escape? Head over to Co Ngu Quan on Thanh Nien

saturday 15th september

travel

saturday 15th september

street. To be honest, the setting and beverages at Co Ngu are not at all noticeable. Everything is out of date and unmatched. But the view compensates for all. One side of Co Ngu offers the vast view overthe golden, poetic sunset at West Lake. On the other side, you can notice the higgledy-piggledy roofs of neighboring houses and the slow flow of traffic light underneath. Off the street and above, this is the go-to spot to quietly listen to the heartbeat of the city at dusk.

7) 6.30 PM: Stomach rumbling After a long day traveling around the city, your stomach must be yelling out for something. Why not trying another local delicacy? This time, the musthave for the night is Thang Long grilled chopped fish, or Cha Ca Thang Long on Duong Thanh Street. Situated not far away from the city center, it’s definitely a handy venue to recharge your batteries. Visiting Hanoi without savouring Cha Ca will be a life-long regret. Of course, unless you revisit the city. Prevalent at family dinners in Hanoi, Cha Ca could be eaten at any time of the day, on any occasion of the year, to worship ancestors or to treat the guests of honor.

7.30 PM: Time for the soul Now that dinner’s been dealt with, head out to some of Hanoi’s famous venues where youths can mingle amongst music. You may think, ‘Urgh, I can do this anywhere.’ But for me, the music scene in Hanoi offer a unique opportunity to see the city from a different perspective. Hanoi’s Walking Street around Hoan Kiem Lake offers a variety of music from international to traditional genres.

travel

However, if you want to experience the hidden gem of Hanoi music, go straight to Tranquil Books and Coffee on Nguyen Quang Bich Street. As the name suggests, Tranquil conveys a sense of serendipity from its threshold. Every Friday and Saturday, coffee and music enthusiasts can come around to join the piano evening. Comfy tables and chairs are closely arranged in order for the audience to intimately listen to the soft melodies while sipping coffee, reading books or just idly watching pianists playing the charming tunes. On Tuesday, Tranquil hosts its famous Open Mic. Open Mic gives the café’s regulars a chance to play some tunes, to sing some notes or to simply appreciate a homely atmosphere in which there is no barrier between performers and their audiences. There are some musical instruments available there, or you can bring your own along. That’s been pretty much it for a day of exploring the city. As you might have noticed (or not), coffee was essentially the essence of the day, which is, not only because I myself am a coffee person, but also because Hanoi’s coffee scene is so diverse and remarkable that I firmly believe coffee should be considered as a delicacy of the city, like other traditional dishes. Hanoi is the most beautiful in autumn when trees are dressed in colorful gowns, the weather is not so scorching and rainy as summer, and yet still not too cold and dry as the rapidly-approaching winter. You can also visit during Tet Holiday (Lunar New Year) which is the least crowded time since most people come back to their hometowns for the New Year celebrations. Images by Malingering, Sam Sherratt and Richard Mortel via Flickr Creative Commons

saturday 15th september

travel

Hong Kong girl in the UK Hong Ling is a university student from Hong Kong, spending the summer in Brighton to conduct research. Here, she shares her experience in the UK as a newbie.

By Pang Hong Ling, Hong Kong Hiya! Are you new to the UK? Whether you are coming to the UK on an exchange, commencing your first year of uni, landing a job here or are just curious about the journey of a Hong Kong girl in the UK, you’re reading the right page! Here I’ll share with you the little surprises I encountered during my two-month stay in Brighton. There’ll be living, travelling and saving tips and you can have an idea what to expect and get better prepared. In this first issue of Vocalise I’d like to talk about food. As famously said by Julia Child, ‘People who love to eat are always the best people’. Even if we leave the cliché aside, food is still an integral part of our daily lives. Coming to the UK not only means you’re leaving behind your family and friends, but also the food you’re familiar with. You will have to cook and take care of yourself. As an Asian who grew up in Hong Kong, I had so many ‘wow’s, ‘oooh’s and ‘what?’s while I was dealing with food. Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely not a picky eater. It’s just the different grocery-shopping, dining and food options. They became one of the most unforgettable and fun parts of daily life during my stay. One of the surprises comes from the wide and cheap range of dairy products available. In Hong Kong, there’s plenty of breakfast or snack choices that cost much less than yogurt. Students usually have Hong-Kong-style bread, simple sandwiches or cereals for a quick breakfast. Also, cheese is mostly imported from faraway places like Europe and the US. So, spreading cream cheese over your bread or generously showering your pasta with moz-

zarella can be considered quite a treat to some people. You could imagine how excited I was when I saw a box of £1 Philadelphia cream cheese and a bag of £1 – £2 Sainsbury’s mozzarella cheese in a supermarket sale. If you fancy adding a bit of dairy into your diet, do look out for these ‘affordable luxuries’ in UK! Another surprise about food is the limited variety of leafy veggies available. Most Hong Kong people are used to leafy vegetables. I did not realise we are so spoiled for greens until two months ago! For the past weeks, lettuce and spinach had been my major source of fibre. Of course, I tried to adapt to the local diet and started cooking myself carrots, tomatoes, peppers and onions. In fact, the British/western diet makes much more sense now, when I think about how western meals are usually served with salad or cabbage, carrots and peas. The idea just never occurred to me before I came face-to-face with a row of colourful veggies where leafy ones take up no more than one-third of the space. Before coming to an end, I’d like to share some saving tips on food. Ah-ha! I’m sure every student loves money-saving tips. If you’re not craving a particular kind of meat, then choose chicken and eggs over beef, pork and seafood as your protein for home-cooked meals. Not only are they cheaper, but also healthier! Aside from that, remember to order your groceries online with your flat mates. Prices are in general lower and you get to have free delivery if you spend £25 or more (varies among supermarkets and postcodes). This saves on travel time (and energy for walking). Image by Pang Hong Ling

saturday 15th september

environment

Straws really do suck By Petra Orosz, Hungary If you follow the news, or you are active on social media, I am almost one hundred percent sure you will have heard about straws destroying our environment. With just one slurp through a straw, you suddenly become an animal killer and a destroyer of the natural world. Well, what if you have no other choice but to use a plastic straw remain living independently? When Starbucks decided to go strawless by 2020 – which hopes to eliminate more than one billion straws a day – everyone else jumped on the bandwagon and made this decision too. Let’s assume it was not just because of Starbucks, but because you care about our planet. And who else cares? A nine-year-old (now ten) girl, Molly Steer, who started a campaign called Straw No More. So far she had convinced 16 schools all over Australia not to use plastic straws anymore. She stands against the use of damaging plastics, and is trying to prevent them from killing wildlife. More specifically concerning the harm of plastic straws, they are known to be simply bad since they are not recyclable, but that is not the whole truth. Yes, they do pollute our oceans. Yes, they do get stuck in the throats of certain animals, or eaten by birds who mistake them for fish. If you’ve also seen that poor sea turtle video online, don’t

even try to convince me you didn’t cry, because I won’t believe you. However, plastic straws are essential for some disabled people, and for obvious reasons, there has been backlash against the government’s choice when it failed to take into account the need of certain disability groups into consideration when the universal plastic straw ban enured. The alternative choices including metal, bamboo, glass, and paper straws are not the solution, for metal and bamboo straws are rather strong, and thus not suitable for people with Parkinson’s. Jamie Szymkowiak, co-Founder of Scottish disability rights organisation One in Five, also comments that “Disabled people can take longer to drink and paper straws become soggy which is a choking hazard”. Disabled people should be mentioned in this debate, but they are not the stop sign for quitting straws. In the United States alone, 500 million straws are used every single day – an amount which could wrap around the planet four times. It is estimated that 1.15 to 2.41 million tonnes of plastic are entering the ocean each year from rivers. So obviously, reducing plastic straws is a must if we want to protect our planet. Why do we like to use straws anyway? Because they are fun? Well, you can always look for alternatives if you still want to slurp your drink. If you are fortunate enough not to

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environment

have any disabilities, which allows you to stop using plastic straws, then the least you can do is switch to an alternative. There are now even glasses in which the straw is already built in, eliminating the use of plastic straws in certain bars and cafés. Moreover, Starbucks has introduced new cup lids, which are already used in more than eight thousand stores in the US and Canada, and will be found worldwide by 2020.

sand, saying one person can’t change the world. And no, one can’t change the world, but one plus one plus one … are capable of anything. And you cannot make excuses here. Investing in reusable straw would mean the world to OUR environment in the long run and you can always bring your own straw, or you can just simply ask your drink without straw(s). Simply say no to straws, since they really do suck.

I am inclined to believe that just like in any case concerning our environment, we tend to put our heads into the

Image by Joel Bombardier via Flickr Creative Commons

Greece says goodbye to plastic

By Miltiadis Farmakis, Greece Recently, Greece has faced a huge dilemma: Should we follow the rest of the European Union (EU) in decreasing our usage of plastic bags? Or should we distance ourselves from yet another pressing environmental issue? As the rest of the world already knows, Greece is still in an almost decade-long economic crisis. This has led to major setbacks in every aspect of life here. A new policy was bound to fail, since the population doesn’t really adapt well to change anymore. However, the prime minister decided to push the new legislation, despite the expected backlash. Fortunately, the Greek population had a major environmental reality check, consequently saving the legislation from being scrapped. The only source of income that is actually growing comes from our coastline; Tourists visit Greece for its beautiful scenery and its ancient history. That said, it was a shock to realise that our source of income is endangered by plastic bags! Here are the real numbers: 50 percent of the waste in our seas is plastic bags. Also, if we do not do something about it, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans. But, the most heartbreaking

statistic that really moved people is that just last year we used the most plastic bags out of all EU countries! The only acceptable way to change is to actually… change! In an attempt to make progress, the government has put a 0,04€ charge on plastic bags since January first. Since then, we have already had a 75 percent drop in plastic bag usage. In case you were wondering where the 0,04€ go, the prime minister has declared that all earnings will directly be transferred to the Hellenic Organisation of Recycling, where it will be used to buy and distribute to the public other bags that can be used multiple times. The deputy Minister of Environment said that it is proven that ‘‘under the right legal direction, Greece can adapt to the international changes without sanctions’’. Other EU countries like France and Italy, to name just two, have put charges on plastic bags and eventually they have gotten them banned completely. In total, more than 35 countries globally have banned single use plastics. It seems that Greece has finally re-entered the environmental friendly world. Bit by bit, we can save our stunning and beautiful home. Illustration by Harriet Willis

food and drink

saturday 15th september

Vege-what?

Illustration by Harriet Willis

By Phadde, France If you don’t know why one of your friends doesn’t eat meat like you might do, or, if you are simply curious and want to learn more about the vegetarian diet, then you are in the right place. Indeed, of the billions of humans populating our planet, we are all diverse and therefore we do not eat the same things. Thus, each of us have our own preferences and tastes, which, in some cases, can be stigmatised. This article is aimed at helping getting rid of stereotypes and helping you understand more about vegetarians and the different motives behind their diet.

What is vegetarianism? First of all, what is vegetarianism? The answer is simple; basically, vegetarianism is a food trend that consists of having a diet that does not contain any meat. So, a vegetarian does not eat beef, chicken or shrimp, for example. Easy, right? But, there are many other diets that are derived from vegetarianism, like a lacto-vegetarian diet (where dairy products can be eaten but not eggs) or a macrobiodic diet (which aims to avoid the intake of toxins).

A vegetarian culture? What is interesting, is that vegetari-

anism exists in many countries and sometimes it can be part of the culture. India, for example, has the lowest rate of meat consumption in the world. But, globally Asia is a continent with a relatively low meat consumption rate, particularly in Japan, Taiwan or even China – although mean consumption has increased in recent years. However, we mustn’t forget that vegetarianism is also present in Europe as well in North America.

How I became vegetarian I have been a vegetarian for four years now, and I’d like to share with you my personal story of becoming a vegetarian. If I had to summarise my journey to becoming a vegetarian, I’d say that it was slow. First of all, whilst I was still at middle school, I gradually started consuming less and less meat, as I gradually felt less comfortable with the idea of eating a living being. Later on, I became shocked by what was going on in most slaughterhouses and the cruel conditions that animals were forced to live in. From this moment, I started to considered myself as a true vegetarian. My last step in transitioning towards a vegetarian lifestyle, was learning about the environmental impact of meal consumption. Animal farming emits more green house gas emissions that growing tofu, which further highlights the benefits of vegetarianism.

My personal experience Overall, I’ve had a positive experience with vegetarianism. Fortunately, my family understood my reasons behind my choice and it, in fact, did not change too many of my food habits. But, it was sometimes a bit difficult with my friends, and having to explain to them why I did not want to order a cheeseburger but rather, fries, potatoes or salad. I got asked a lot of questions that initially seemed futile, but, after some consideration, I realised that it was better to be asked questions and given a chance to explain my diet, rather than to be criticised and consequently stigmatised. After all, it only shows how my friends are curious and trying their best to understand my lifestyle! I really hope that you have understood (a bit more at least) vegetarianism and vegetarians. If you still have questions, I’m sure that any of your vegetarian friends would be happy to answer you – as long as you ask respectfully! The last question that you might have, is why am I not vegan? The answer is pretty short: it is too expensive. Being vegan whilst you are still a high school student in France is unaffordable, and in some cases, it can even be dangerous if you do not see a nutritionist to make sure your diet is well-balanced and contains sufficient vitamins and minerals.

saturday 15th september

food and drink

Procrasti-baking: White bread

Either as a method of procrastation or a treat for completeting a challening assignment, baking provides a deliciously brilliant form of relaxation. In this issue, Jessi Kรถnig shares a recipe for a loaf of white bread. By Jessi Kรถnig, Germany

Ingredients 1 bag dry yeast / 0.5 cube of fresh yeast 200g wheat flour 200g whole wheat flour 50g oats 25g linseeds 25g poppyseeds 1 tablespoon of honey (only when using dry yeast)

Method 1. Weigh out 400g of warm (but not hot) water and mix the yeast with the water in a bowl (remember to add 1 tablespoon of honey if using dry yeast). 2. Weigh the flours, oats, seeds & salt and place in the

bowl with the yeast and water and mix everything together. Then leave it to rest for a few minutes. 3. The dough should be wet and soggy. Knead the dough. 4. Now put the dough in a warm place for between 1 and 1.5 hours to rest. 5. Knead briefly, then bring into the desired shape (I make two small box shapes, but you can also distribute the dough around on a baking sheet). Leave for 40 minutes, after 30 minutes preheat the oven to 220 degrees convection / gas stage 9. 6. Bake it for 30-35 minutes. 7. Enjoy! Image by Jessi Kรถnig

saturday 15th september

fashion

saturday 15th september

fashion

What is the ‘true cost’ of fashion? By Danny Cuttell, UK Have you ever wondered why your top was only £3 on sale? Ever thought about how a brand can be producing such good quality products at such low prices? Have you ever thought about the ways in which consumerism interacts with the fashion industry? In simple terms, when it comes to fashion, people want a quick, cheap and easy fix. Fast fashion brands like H&M, Primark and Zara, to name a few, thrive under this type of consumer demand, which simply never ends throughout the whole year. Now, you may be wondering what we mean when we talk of ‘fast fashion’. To put it simply, fashion brands no longer have the four basic seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter each year for the arrival of new fashion pieces in high street stores. It is estimated, as outlined by the documentary ‘True Cost’ available on Netflix, that there are now fifty-two to one hundred micro-seasons of fashion each year. This has consequences not only for our environment, due to the production of millions of clothing pieces each week, but also for the people working in garment factories and those producing the natural materials in low-cost economies. The Netflix documentary ‘True Cost’ attempts, quite successfully, to expose our most beloved high street fashion brands, like H&M, who claim to be ‘ethical’ and ‘sustainable’ brands. The documentary is particularly effective in highlighting the plight of the labourer in contrast to the benefit of not only the unaware consumer, but of the seemingly unfairly overpaid fashion brand CEO. Workers in H&M factories have been found to have been illegally unemployed below the minimum wage and below the age outlined in international labour regulations for the limits on child labour multiple times. Cotton farmers in Punjab, India, as the documentary speaks of, are disproportionately impacted by their labour compared to the business owner of brands like Primark. In a 16 year period, 250,000 Indian agricultural workers committed suicide, and experts say almost all of these cases are due to the pressure placed on the male agricultural labourers by agencies owned by fashion brands trying to take as much cotton from the worker as they possibly can for as little price as possible, putting the worker in a stressful and unfair position. These are just a few examples of the ways in which we as Western consumers receive benefits from the pure exploitation of the internationally marginalised. The ‘true cost’ of all of this is the plight of the worker. Not to mention their deaths. In 2013 in Savar, Bangladesh an eight story factory build-

ing collapsed. 1,129 garment workers died in the accident, whilst they were in the process of making products for some of our favourite high street stores because the safety of the workers was not taken into account. Children whose families are involved in the cotton industry in the poorest rural areas of India are surrounded by industrial pesticides and fertilisers even before birth. An alarming proportion are mentally and/or physically disabled as a result. When we buy a t-shirt from H&M I, now, believe we are complicit in these people’s suffering. If we are to say we believe in fair pay and treatment of workers, then we must not continue to purchase from these high street brands who aren’t transparent about where their products are being made, who is making them and how much they are getting paid. So what’s the solution? Can we buy anything that is ‘perfectly ethical’? The simple answer is no. But we can buy products from companies that are aiming for not only environmental sustainability, but also for workers rights and fair payment. Companies like Everlane supply simple, basic clothing for a more affordable price than many other ethical brands are able to, they are transparent about their costs and markup of each product, have many vegan clothing options and do their best to regulate their factories globally to ensure workers are being treated as well as possible. Still too expensive for you? Well that’s okay, because there’s always second hand. Purchasing things at a charity shop or thrift shop is also an option. Going to clothes swaps, or on apps like Depop are other great options as obviously second-hand clothing has already gone through the production process and will likely go to waste if it is not purchased, and waste probably will end up in landfill which isn’t good for our planet. Sometimes, however, at the moment you cannot buy things ethically. Some people need to try things on to make sure it fits their body shape, underwear can’t be bought second-hand and sometimes we may have to give in to fast fashion brands for those essential items. But that’s okay, because there isn’t any other option in many cases at this point in time. Essentially, the information provided in this article given to us by the documentary True Cost – which is available on Netflix – is an attempt at opening the consumer’s eye to what is really happening behind closed doors in the fashion industry. We need to embrace this information and realise the severe inequality and exploitation in the industry and as consumers we need to direct our purchasing power somewhere else to show we don’t support this exploitation. Image by Tim Brockley via Flickr Creative Commons

arts

saturday 15th september

Meaningful By Dominique Volkovynska, Hungary/ Poland Since the invention of the light bulb by T.A. Edison, a lot of time has passed. We can’t deny that the speed of technological, scientifical and moral impacts are constantly developing. As usual, progress has its consequences on human lives. Modern people are constantly living at a high speed. They are easily distracted and obsessed with time management. According to some humans, there’s no place in the modern world for old fashioned institutions such as museums. Nevertheless, it is only one, pretty subjective, point of view. According to the list of “The most visited art galleries and museums in the world” that you can find on every tourist webpage, the top positions are occupied by what we can call “classical”. They have survived all historical changes and innovations, conquered progress and secured for themselves the right to be called the best. The Louvre, as an example, was first opened for visitors in 1793. Each year it records more than eight million visits. Another sample is The Metropolitan Museum of Art founded in 1870 have approximately seven million guests each year. So why do these places still exist, and what makes people want to go there? For what do they stand in never-ending queues? And, is it only for a quick selfie in front of a masterpiece that they pay the price of the entrance ticket? Maybe, the answer is hidden in the meaning of the role art institutions play nowadays. Usually, when we hear the word “museum” it creates associations with school, were it presents the cultural part of education. There are a lot of special programs for pupils to make studying more informative and fun. Also, visiting museums is a fundamental part of being a tourist. You can’t call yourself a tourist unless you have visited a good handful of museums.

“ Art and creativity in general is one of the most important components of a conscious and intelligent society which can achieve success and change the world for the better. Art never lose its relevance, it can easily adapt to new epochs change according to the innovations that evolution brings to life. Museums, galleries, cultural centers that’s what should be everywhere. I believe that it is necessary to create a cult of visiting such places.”

Sophie, aged 17

“Galleries, exhibitions and museums for me is the proof that neither you nor the world does not stand still. It’s a good opportunity besides enjoying the manifestation of human fantasy to gain more and more knowledge. Often this inspires, you can take some ideas for yourself. I like to stop near each picture, sculpture or installation and look at the details, especially if the technique is unusual. This is relaxing and allows you to notice more. I think it is very relevant, because nowadays ideas rule the world) And the more you see other ideas, the easier it is to create your own.”

Lisa, aged 18

saturday 15th september

arts

museums?

“ Such places give you the opportunity to look at the world through the eyes of another person, which incredibly expands your own horizons. Not to mention the fact that there you can often meet interesting people and make new acquaintances. Museums in particular are our history, without which there would not be us now. Such places are incredibly important in our time (at any time). Because it is culture and spirituality.”

Valeria, aged 17

“It may sound strange, but I like to go to the art gallery with a person with whom I can talk about what we see there. In fact the main thing in art is emotions which you experience, and I like that we can share this emotions and listen thoughts of each other” Anna, aged 16

However, despite the already mentioned roles, there are a lot of other ways in which art institutions can have an impact on modern life. One of these ways is closely connected with the social divide seen in society. Art gathers people of different cultures, nations and social status. In the harsh reality of continual conflicts, museums are places where you can see something you haven’t seen or realized before, analyze new thoughts and share them with your surroundings. In the other words no matter who you are – Muslim or Christian, American or European, married or single – you can go to the Louvre, see Mona Lisa and become impressed in your own, unique way. Also, art institutions support numerous research projects. These places usually help scientists to develop their professional skills and to expand their research circle. They also create a kind of “community” which means that our society can develop in a different way. As you can see, museums and other art institutions occupy very important place in 21st century. With their apparant longevity and place amongst society, there is little room left for conservatism. Museums, as well as libraries, theaters, archives etc, will have to go forward, change old standards and elaborate new additions with the help of all advantages that the 21st century can provide. Of course, everybody has his own point of view. That’s why here are presented some thoughts of young people about why they go to museums and what do they think about the importance of such places nowadays. However, the common theme of these opinions is that museums are a positive place that is still needed in the 2st century. To sum up, we can say that museums are becoming increasingly perceived as an open space for different people with different needs, either education, pleasure or the chance to be heard and understood.

saturday 15th september

arts

Kafka On The Shore By Merve Güranç, Turkey “Listen, Kafka. What you’re experiencing now is the motif of many Greek tragedies. Man doesn’t choose fate. Fate chooses man. That’s the basic worldview of Greek drama. And the sense of tragedy--according to Aristotle--comes, ironically enough, not from the protagonist’s weak points but from his good qualities. Do you know what I’m getting at? People are drawn deeper into tragedy not by their defects but by their virtues. Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex being a great example. Oedipus is drawn into tragedy not because of laziness or stupidity, but because of his courage and honesty. So an inevitable irony results.” Haruki Murakami narrates the interesting story of the ‘world’s toughest 15-year-old’ Kafka Tamura in Kafka On The Shore. The book opens with our protagonist Kafka, who desires to escape his father’s authority, and continues with the introduction of Nakata, an old man who can actually communicate with the cats. Throughout the novel, Murakami challenges the readers by using the modern versions of different myths and tales, the most significant one is the identity of Kafka Tamura, who actually is Oedipus reincarnated. Since Murakami takes the old-astime story of Oedipus and places it at the center of the novel, it is expected to come across as Freud’s ‘Family Romance’ theory throughout the whole narration as well. Kafka Tamura (which is a name given by the character himself) runs away from home at the age of fifteen, only to find himself at a private library at the other end of the country. In there, he meets with the librarian Oshima and Mrs. Saeki who runs the library. For the readers, the main storyline of Kafka Tamura begins in this part, mostly because he begins his emotional and psychological journey by revealing his deepest secret to Oshima. He says: “My father told me there was nothing I could do to escape this fate. That prophecy is like a timing device buried inside my genes, and nothing can ever change it. I will kill my father and be with my mother and sister.” Kafka, after making this confession to both the characters and the readers of the narration, becomes visible as a modern Oedipus who resists against the norms and rules that his father actually set upon himself. Another unique character of the novel, Nakata is introduced to the reader after Kafka Tamura, however his story is definitely not less important than his. Nakata is described as a middle-aged man who lives alone; he is mostly alienated from the society because he is not like the others. From the fragmented narrations we can understand that he had an

‘accident’ when he was just a kid – Nakata even describes himself with these words: “Nakata’s not very bright, you see. I wasn’t always this way, but when I was little I was in an accident and I’ve been dumb ever since.” Nakata’s journey also starts like Kafka, just with a little difference; while Kafka metaphorically killed his father to escape, Nakata literally murders an authority subject who kills the cats and collects their souls for the flute he is making. Throughout their individual journeys, unlike our expectation, those two significant characters never actually meet with each other. This tragic loneliness of the characters is inspired by the well-known theory of soulmate by the Plato. As stated in The Symposium, “Once upon a time our anatomy was quite different from what it is now. In the first place there were not merely two sexes as there are now, male and female, but three, and the third was a combination of the other two.” According to this old tale, the humans are later separated into two parts for the punishment, and during their life times, they will always keep searching for their ‘soulmate’. Kafka and Nakata, from this perspective, could be seen as the same person, only in different shapes. Another two people that reflect this duality of soulmates are Nakata and Mrs. Saeki (which, interestingly, can actually be pronounced like ‘psyche’). They share the same ending in the novel, however their journeys and personalities are more like complimentary to each other; while Mrs. Saeki represents the ‘psyche’, mind and/or soul, Nakata clearly represents the body aspect. In Kafka On The Shore, the places are as much as important as the characters in the novel. Besides the library, as one of the most important textual spaces, the forest at the end of the novel is quite significant, especially for the characters like Kafka and Mrs. Saeki. Kafka’s journey to/ from the forest (his subconscious) may seem quite familiar to the readers, mostly because it is a re-enactment of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice. Just like Orpheus, Kafka travels through the ‘underworld’ to reach his true love. However, while reading the last pages of the book, we realize their ending doesn’t have to be the same, and maybe Kafka, even though he couldn’t change his fate, could now challenge and change his future. Murakami, with introducing such interesting characters and quite fantastic storylines to the readers, actually also creates a world where anyone can witness the modern individual tragedies. That is why, Kafka On The Shore could be seen as a relatable novel, mostly because how it puts an emphasis on the subjects like memories, remembrance, tragedies and forgiveness. Illustration by Harriet Willis

arts

saturday 15th september

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