Wessex Scene World Issue

World Issue University of Southampton’s Student Magazine

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Trump is time ‘person of the year’ accurate reflection of his influence on 2016 or endorsement of hate-fuelled politics? page 10

Welcome

ALICE HEARING Editor WESSEX SCENE TEAM Want to write for us?

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Editor ALICE HEARING

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HEAD OF IMAGERY BETHANY WESTALL image@wessexscene.co.uk

Features NATáLIA JOPLING TANSER features@wessexscene.co.uk

Features ELLEN JENNE

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Opinion CARLY MAY-KAVANAGH

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Politics KIERAN HYLAND

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Science & Environment SEBASTIAN STEELE science@wessexscene.co.uk

Lifestyle TALLULAH LYONS

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What a wonderful world To all our readers, Wessex Scene wishes you a very Happy New Year and a comfortable settling back into university life.

We’re starting off the year with a whole issue focusing on the world we live in.

In this issue we look at countries around the world from Peru to China - and not forgetting the United States with Donald Trump beginning his first term as President on January 20th. Our dedicated writers look at the past, present and future of a world where many things are uncertain as we bowl head first into 2017.

On page 16, our very own Science Editor, Seb Steele, also looks at the Earth as a whole. During a time where many of the world’s population are fearful of what the future might hold, it is almost soothing to take a step back and realise that we are merely no more than a tiny particle in comparison to the vast expanse that is the universe.

This time of year is also one for attempting to keep up with your new year’s resolutions (and probably failing if you’re a normal human being). But, if you’re sick of going to the gym come February, and fed up of declining pizza because you’ve got to save money, here’s something to take away from this issue that you can probably keep for the rest of the year and longer: take time each day to think about and appreciate the world we live in. Most things aren’t as bad as they seem and most things you’re worried about, aren’t as big as they might seem. Exams are not the be all and end all so take a break! Grab a cuppa and have a read!

Alice

International CAMERON RIDGWAY

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Travel FREYA MILLARD

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Sport JAMES MOSELEY

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Sport TOM MORGAN

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Pause TOM RANDALL

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News ZéLIE SEDDON

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News Ela Crapnell

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News SAMUEL TYLER

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INVESTIGATIONS HARRIET MARTIN news@wessexscene.co.uk

MARKETING MOLLY EVANS

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VP DCI Cameron meldrum

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FRONT COVER IMAGE BY HEATHER RANKINE WELCOME

LIFESTYLE 22 An International Style Affair - By Lydia Hawken. Image by Abigail Barthee.

WORLD ISSUE

FEATURES

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Plastic surgery trend in south korea

04

the international war of drugs: escobar’s legacy

06

the pale blue dot

16

LIFESTYLE

OPINION

why do we only care about terrorism when it’s close to home?

09

Trump is time ‘person of the year’: Accurate reflection of his influence on 2016 or endorsement of hate-fueled politics?

10

POLITICS

is the european union really in crisis?

12

china: a state in decline

14

a celebration of international cuisines!

20

an international style affair

22

INTERNATIONAL

2017: events to watch out for

24

TRAVEL

the story of the incas through the four faces of peru

26

from europe to america: 32 days in the south

28

SPORT

wait... that’s a sport?

30

a look at the sporting globe

32

PAUSE

wessexscene.co.uk

the pause guide to international drinking

34

@wessexscene fb.com/wscene @officialwessexscene WELCOME

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THE PLASTIC SURGERY TREND IN SOUTH KOREA WORDS BY HANNAH BEESON IMAGE BY SELINA HAMILTON

In a recent Buzzfeed video, three South Koreans saw what they would look like if they conformed to the nation’s physical ideal, via plastic surgery. South Korea is considered the plastic surgery capital of the world. Why is it such a big thing over there, and why do so many citizens feel the need to alter their appearance?

As of 2014,

South Korea has the highest plastic surgery rate in the world per capita. This concentration is due to the fact that the country has the most plastic surgeries per capita on earth, with over 980,000 recorded operations in 2014. It was estimated that as of 2012, 20% of women in Seoul had had some form of cosmetic surgery.

The reason most often given for their plastic surgery is that it’s considered a good career move. In South Korea, looks are considered highly important throughout the country. In most job applications a photo of the employee is included, indicating that appearances are considered very influential in whether an applicant will get the job or not. If the job is between two people of the same calibre, it is assumed that employers will hire the person considered most attractive.

In the recent Buzzfeed video, three people, Maggie, Ashly and Eugene, all of whom have South Korean heritage, discussed the plastic surgery trend and how it has affected them. Ashly regretfully admitted that ‘everyone there talks about beauty constantly and they tell you straight to your face that you’re ugly or that you should get plastic surgery’. While that kind of attitude may seem unusual and shocking to some of us, for South Koreans it’s simply a reality.

In the video, they consulted a surgeon who told them which surgical procedures he would advise in order to conform to conventional South Korean beauty standards. Using computer software, images were shown on screen, to show what each individual would look like if they chose to go under the knife.

The surgeon recommend a standard double eyelid operation for all 3 participants and suggested the additional following for each individual:

Maggie: jaw shaving.

Ashly: shave down ‘the hump at the top’ and alter the tip of the nose and remove the fatty tissue on the lower part of her face.

Eugene: alter the distance between the eyebrow and lash line, thin the nose and make the jaw smaller.

THE VERDICTS: Maggie firstly described the transformed version of her as ‘derpy’ as she laughed at the image. She didn’t think it looked like her at all, and said it was like an ‘evil doppelganger’.

Ashly said that she thought she would have looked hotter, and said she didn’t want to risk the surgery to look ‘5% more hot’. Ashly said that when she was previously in Korea she had thought about plastic surgery, but after seeing the transformation she realised that the things about her that had

been changed were what made her unique.

Eugene decided that if it meant someone was still recognisable as a person, then there was nothing wrong with the plastic surgery. However, he raised the problem that perhaps Koreans were changing the way they thought they should look, and that he didn’t think they should believe that the altered version of himself looked better than the natural version.

Overall, Maggie, Ashly and Eugene decided that ideals of Korean beauty needed to diversify, and that people needed to get used to recognising the unique features about themselves.

But it’s not just South Korea that has a high rate and focus on cosmetic plastic surgery. Across the world, places such as Dubai, Thailand, India, Brazil and Iran are notably focused on plastic surgery too.

Within the US, the ideal is considered the ‘mommy makeover’.

This includes a whole list of procedures, such as tummy tucks, breast implants and liposuction, which are all designed to return women back to their pre-pregnancy bodies.

In India, the procedure on the rise the most is limb lengthening.

This painful procedure can add as much as 3 inches to a person’s height, and is thought to increase marriage and career prospects. The industry is unregulated, and if the procedure is done wrong, it can cause bones that refuse to fuse together which leads to amputation of limbs.

Brazil was one of the biggest performers of plastic surgery in 2014, and the majority of plastic surgery operations focus on the ‘bum, tum and boobs’ combination, a very common ideal across the country.

In Iran, 60% of the 40,000 annual cosmetic procedures are nose jobs. This is likely due to the more modest clothing trends in that country, meaning that accentuating facial features is one way to increase beauty.

However, in the UK, plastic surgery declined in 2014 for the first time in 10 years. Breast enlargement surgery fell by 23% in 2013, probably caused by the PIP scandal. The UK differs from South Korea in the attitude towards plastic surgery; rather than wanting people to notice the differences, it’s more about subtlety.

What this all really means is that beauty is less about being unique and more about conforming to stereotypical ideals.

Rather than appreciating the differences between one another, there is a culture of anxiety surrounding looking like specific models or having a certain type of body or appearance. Really, it’s sad that society no longer values our uniqueness. We need to start appreciating those differences, and recognising that those are what make us beautiful, not conforming to an image of what we think is beautiful.

Features

THE INTERNATIONAL WAR OF DRUGS:

ESCOBAR’S LEGACY WORDS BY ELLEN JENNE IMAGE BY ROBERT LEWIS

Drugs. No stranger to your average university student. But whereas the eager fresher may see it as an opportunity to let loose and have fun, there’s a whole other world that we seem to forget about. We forget that drugs are not just seen as a way to self-medicate, to enjoy yourself, or as a serious addiction. It’s a means of life for many. With the sudden purge of drug dealers in the Philippines under President Duterte, we are reminded that although we may perceive drugs as something recreational, there is a whole other grizzly world we forget about.

When an Ohio Police Department released a harrowing photo last year of a four year old boy sitting in the backseat of a car whilst his parents suffered a heroin overdose, the furore of the rest of the world could not be ignored. Their emaciated bodies, slumped over in their seats, were found in broad daylight and their image became a worldwide sensation, sending shock into the hearts of many. The photo, that struck so many, reminded us of the horrors of what substance abuse can do; whether it may be something on this type of scale, or a naïve teenager taking a pill at a house party or festival. Whilst these effects are damning, the network and its legacy had to start somewhere…

Columbia has been notorious for being known as the heart and soul of the world’s most infamous drug trade since the rise of Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, or Pablo Escobar to you and me, since the 1970s. You hear of brother turning on brother, informing on friends to save their own skin, the barbarous nature of the torture and deaths that some people endure, the constant fear that people live in. It may seem unimaginable to us. Escobar’s Medellin Cartel rose to prominence in the mid 1970s, starting out by distributing cocaine between Colombia and Panama, along smuggling routes into the United States, where there seemed to be a growing demand as the years went along. This opportunity allowed Escobar to propel his trade, but also allowed him to establish himself as a political 6

figure. Not only did his position as a member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia, a part of the Colombian Liberal Party elevate his status within society, but also served to widen his trafficking network, going beyond the continent, to reach the likes of Spain. Sometimes known as “The King of Cocaine” he became the wealthiest criminal in history, with an estimated net worth of US $30 billion by the early 1990s.

And if you think that’s substantial, it is now equivalent to about $54 billion in 2015. It is evident that the Medellin Cartel had grips on more land, and possibly people, than we care to realise, seeing as during the height of its operations, the Medellin Cartel brought in more than US $70 million per day, estimating roughly $22 billion in a year. Smuggling 15 tons of cocaine per day, worth more than half a billion dollars, into the United States, the cartel spent over US $1000 per week purchasing rubber bands to wrap the stacks of cash, storing most of it in their warehouses.

From both contemporary and past reactions to drug trafficking, it is evident that no action goes unnoticed. Whether you’re reading about the soaring number of deaths on the streets of the Philippines, or if you’re watching the renowned Netflix series Narcos, or the occasional BBC Three documentary, you get a sense of just how colossal these networks are.

Forget about the shady dealer you may have heard about that FEATURES

Features

hangs about around your local student dives, and just think… somewhere out there, there are people putting their lives on the line to stay alive, under conditions we can’t even begin to imagine, with workers of all ages.

The notoriety of the Latin American drug trade didn’t seem to stop there, even after the dramatic death of Escobar, who along with his bodyguard were chased and killed by Colombian National Police. With the not too recent prison break of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, it is evident that drug cartels still reign with significant prominence through-out Central America. Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel transports multiton cocaine shipments from Colombia through Mexico to the United States, now considered to be the world’s top consumer.

The organization has also been involved in the production, smuggling and distribution of Mexican methamphetamine, weed, ecstasy and heroin across both North America and Europe. By the time of his 2014 arrest, El Chapo had exported more drugs to the United States than anyone else, seeming to surpass Escobar’s glorious legacy, with more than 500 tons of cocaine transported to the U.S. alone.

loss by the recent crackdown on drug trafficking by Rodrigo Duterte. As of December 2016, the death toll has risen to just under 6,000 lives. Whilst Duterte insists that he is not a killer, his regime poses questions that we ourselves may find difficult to answer. Can the idea of just stop taking drugs, be a realistic option? Is it easier to say, rather than to do? Who’s the real bad guy- the man trying to stop a dangerous network with violent methods? Or the masterminds behind the networks, who started it all? Where will it really stop?

This is only a tiny percentage of the Central American drug trade, both past and present, and has affected many lives in the process, as well as taking them. We have seen this tragic FEATURES

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WHY DO WE ONLY CARE ABOUT TERRORISM WHEN IT’S CLOSE TO HOME? WORDS BY ANA BOND ESPARRAGUERA IMAGE BY BETHANY WESTALL

Globally terrorism is on the rise but not in Western countries.

In 2014 the Global Terrorism Index recorded almost 18,000 deaths last year, a jump of 60% from 2012. There were four groups were responsible for most of them: Islamic State (Isis) in Iraq and Syria; Boko Haram in Nigeria; the Taliban in Afghanistan; and al-Qaida in various parts of the world. But do we really pay attention to the atrocities which happen in other countries and not on Western soil?

The answer to that is that when terrorist attacks happen close to home, the situation becomes more serious and realistic. In the 7/7 bombings in London, I can distinctly remember hearing the sirens of the Police, Ambulance and Fire Brigade racing into an unknown and dangerous situation. For many people, it is much harder to relate to a country on the other side of the globe which has been victim of terrorist attacks.

After the terrorist attacks in France in November 2015, the world cried out with anguish and mourned those who were tragically killed. But what about those who are killed everyday from airstrikes in Syria? Where is the national mourning and outrage expressed when those innocent lives are lost and hospitals bombed? Why does this horror and injustice not provoke the same response by the mainstream media when terrorist attacks are carried out in different countries? Apparently, we simply do not care. What about the fifteen civilians who were burned alive by a caliphate in Fallujah, Iraq or the suicide bombing in Diffa, Niger, why are those lives not mourned or cared about?

The media often fails to report the extent and crisis which terrorism is in other countries; too much emphasis is placed on the effects of terrorism in western countries. The mainstream media places emphasis on individuals who instigated the attack, contributing to a rising anti-immigration rhetoric which perpetuates and exacerbates extremist views. For example, a disconcerting amount of emphasis was placed upon the driver of the truck who ploughed into the Berlin christmas market as being OPINION

a ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum seeker’. Yes, it is the media’s responsibility to act as a fourth estate but it is also responsible for inciting hatred and fear.

The recent attacks in Berlin and Ankara have shocked and frightened a population, but we must remain resilient and strong in the face of terror. Both radical terrorist groups such as ISIS, and the populist right wing media are working together to exacerbate hatred and divide the people. Nigel Farage tweeted on the 20th December, “Terrible news from Berlin but no surprise. Events like these will be the Merkel legacy.” Owen Jones has struck out at Farage’s comments, ‘What kind of contemptible individual mixes horror with vindication?’ as Farage has attempted to use Angela Merkel’s open border policy to divide and shift the blame onto Muslims and refugees who are fleeing persecution. Donald Trump has also used this tragic event to attempt to galvanise support for his Muslim ban in the United States, a disastrous, terrifying and authoritarian policy.

In the face of a world full of the horrors of terrorism, we must rise up and let love triumph. The media is quick to blame refugees and asylum seekers. Using innocent people who are fleeing persecution as a tool for persecution has been seen throughout most of 2016. If we continue to harbour hate, our views will become more extreme and we will all suffer; terrorism must be recognised as a global crisis, reported thoroughly and monitored.

But also, we need to make sure that we protect our people from terrorism. More security measures need to be put in place as the UK is now on a severe level threat as seen through increased security measures around Buckingham Palace.

All human life is equal and we need to make sure that terrorism in third world countries is treated with the same levels of seriousness that it is for the western world. In the face of terrorism and polarisation, the world needs to work together as a collective to ensure that terrorists are brought to account and punished, but also that we tackle the core of the problem.

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Opinion

Trump is Time ‘Person of the Year’ accurate reflection of his influence on 2016 or endorsement of hate-fuelled politics?

WORDS BY NELLY MAIR IMAGE BY HEATHER RANKINE

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OPINION

Opinion

D

onald Trump was recently named Time’s Person of the Year for 2016. This has understandably caused outrage, as Trump’s electoral campaign was based around ostracising minorities in an attempt to win the support of mainly white, heterosexual Americans, who have struggled to acclimatise to the World’s changing climate.

Trump’s success is intertwined with regressive attitudes as demonstrated by the rise in hate crime since his election.

With this fraught political context, is it justifiable to call him ‘The Person of the Year?’

Time defines this award as an indicator of the person who has had ‘the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year.’

Previous winners include Adolf Hitler in 1938, Joseph Stalin in 1939 and 1942 and Vladmir Putin in 2007, all of whom the magazine took pains to clarify they did not support. On defending Putin’s win, the magazine stated that the title was ‘not an honour…not an endorsement’ but rather a simple reflection of the person who instigated the most change that year. From that viewpoint, the title is fairly deserved as it is undeniable that Trump has shaped 2016. Even the most politically uninterested have an opinion on Trump and his antics. He has sparked debate about what it means to be part of the ‘political elite’, shocked many through his rise from joke candidate to President-elect, and uncovered the true levels of bigotry within modern America. Trump, although an overwhelmingly negative force, has revealed much about our society and caused discussion and if that is truly all what is at stake at here, then he is a worthy winner.

choose to have an abortion. In his Government he has chosen Steve Bannon, a white supremacist and anti-Semite, as his campaign leader. Meanwhile, his Vice President is opposed to both same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination laws and even supports conversion therapy, a practice aiming to ‘cure’ homosexuality. For the marginalised people affected

by Trump’s words and decisions, seeing him on the cover of an extremely popular magazine does not represent an accurate depiction of the most influential person in 2016, but rather a society which increasingly seeks to ostracise them. Whilst Trump complained about parts of his depiction in Time’s article, he called the title ‘a great honour’ which demonstrates how, in the eyes of many, this title is not just a neutral indicator of someone who sparked conversation, but rather something complimentary. When Martin Luther King won in 1963, he called it a victory not just for himself, but for the whole Civil Rights movement. It does not seem a stretch, therefore, to assume that the same rhetoric would apply to Trump’s supporters on reflecting upon this title. Time may not intend for this to act as endorsement, but they should be aware that in the eyes of the public, that is exactly what it is.

Time defines this award as an indicator of the person who has had ‘the greatest influence, for better or worse, on the events of the year.’

However, whilst that may be what the magazine intends to say, the reality of choosing such a divisive and offensive figure is much more intimidating. The deeply impersonal argument used to justify the choice fails to recognise the impact decisions like this will have on minorities. Many do not have the privilege of remaining so blissfully distant from the very real repercussions of Donald Trump’s influence.

Whilst Trump has launched attacks against numerous groups of people, POC, Muslims and LGBTQ+ members are at particular risk from what this new political landscape represents. The promises Trump made in his campaign include forcing the Mexican Government to build a wall to keep out Mexican immigrants, barring Muslims from entering the United States and punishing women who OPINION

Ultimately, giving this title to Trump and making him a focus of a photo shoot and article works to initiate him slowly into the foreground of liberal media. The award may, to people acquainted with it and its history, purely represent influence, but it is dangerous of Time to make a decision which can be so misinterpreted, by both supporters of Trump and those he attacks. Media works to shape the way we view society and regardless of the intentions behind the decision, Trump becoming Person of the Year represents a normalisation of Trump’s radical politics and the attitude it encourages. In an increasingly hostile and divisive political climate, the liberal media should be aligning themselves with the marginalised rather than giving more attention to those who are ostracising them, and as such, Time’s decision is a disgrace.

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Politics

IS THE EUROPEAN UNION REALLY IN CRISIS? 2016 was an unsettled year for the European Union. While Euroscepticism has grown within the hearts and minds of European citizens for decades, Europe has experienced unprecedented levels of anti-EU sentiment throughout 2016.

Although, evaluating the causes of such hostility is anything but straightforward, the increase in the number of acts of terror across Europe, and poignant images of attacks in Paris and Berlin have undoubtedly multiplied fear and a feeling of insecurity amongst the citizens of countless western European states.

These images, coupled with pejorative headlines on the refugee crisis in Syria and the migrant jungle in Calais by numerous right wing publications, have been strewn across both old and new media platforms. This has resulted in greater antagonism between alienated citizens across European democracies and the established political elite. Individuals within several states have consequently turned their attention to questioning the effectiveness of the European Union in safeguarding the rights and security of their citizens, and the scaremongering ability of these individuals has proven particularly paramount in the resurgence of the far right. The outcomes of the British and Italian referenda, coupled with the ambiguity surrounding France’s and Germany’s 2017 Presidential Elections amid the rise of nationalist parties, will undoubtedly have ramifications for the future of the EU. However, the threat of the far right towards the continued existence of an international organisation is not an unknown phenomenon. Comparisons are frequently drawn to the dissolution of the League of Nations in the 1930’s, where the authoritarian regimes of Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s

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Italy were seen as increasingly effective at maintaining state security and economic stability in contrast to a Britain and France severely inhibited by the Great Depression. However, comparisons between the League of Nations to the EU today are not entirely representative; as the League of Nations was not solely a European institution and was also particularly undermined in Asia by Japan.

Accusations of ineffectiveness in Europe’s regional institutions today are evidently not without merit. As in the 1930’s, populist individuals on the right wing have capitalised on public dissatisfaction. Through the use of propaganda, these individuals have effectively been able to convince citizens of a better alternative to the European Union through a return to state sovereignty. The outcomes of Britain and Italy’s referendums serve as a testament to these trends. While it is evident that the resurgence of the far right is not universal in Europe today, as seen in Austria, the rise of the right wing in Europe was by no means unanimous in the 1930’s before the dissolution of the League.

POLITICS

Politics

WORDS BY KIERAN HYLAND IMAGE BY ALICE CLARK

With Europe plagued by extensive political discord and cultural differences throughout the twentieth century, the first question which should be examined is whether the EU was destined to fail from the start. It was founded with the core objectives of peace, collective security, solidarity and mutual respect amongst all citizens. Europe’s belligerent history and rivalry between former superpowers meant such utopian ideals were always going to be difficult to achieve. The fragility of the EU’s utopian vision is most clearly illustrated when acknowledging that these ideals undermined state sovereignty and the antagonism this would cause in the affected states.

The Brexit vote undoubtedly acted as a catalyst for the growth of the far right, not simply in Europe but also on a global scale. The United Kingdom’s referendum over the continued membership of the EU provided a particularly significant example of the causes of antagonism against the EU. Several commentators viewed the leave vote as little more than a protest against the European political elite disregarding their concerns, particularly in regard to the free movement doctrine.

Yet, despite such disharmony, the collapse of the EU is by no means inevitable. While there is still uncertainty over what deal the United Kingdom will be able to secure from its negotiations with the EU (either a ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ deal), the exit alone will have a relatively minor political impact on the EU. Similarly, the outcome of Italy’s referendum is predicted

POLITICS

to cause greater political and economic problems on the domestic rather than international front. While Matteo Renzi, the Italian Prime Minister, resigned in the aftermath of the election, his successor has already been appointed and has formed a cabinet filled with politicians from the centre-right of the political spectrum. Italy is expected to experience a severe recession, and while several commentators contend that such recession could affect the Eurozone, it is unlikely this will cause a prolonged economic crisis such as that which shook the Eurozone in 2009.

It is unlikely any western state will attempt to follow Britain out of the EU in the immediate future. Indeed, France could be the next state to fall to the radical right, with President François Hollande polling at 4% at the end of 2016. His decision not to stand for re-election in 2017 has surprised few. In the buildup to the first round of voting Marine Le Pen, the right wing National Front leader, has emerged a surprise frontrunner for President, and is widely expected to be successful in the first round. While there is little consensus surrounding Le Pen’s electability beyond this point, Trump’s election in the US will undoubtedly have energised Le Pen’s campaign to believe that the right wing might pull off another upset. 2016 has highlighted the danger of discrediting political outsiders, and upsets in France and Germany might further threaten the stability of the EU.

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Politics

CHINA:

A STATE IN DECLINE WORDS BY MADDY ELL IMAGE BY EMILY BEASLEY

2016 has seen major upheaval in the Western world. We have experienced the recent rise of nationalism and far right ideals across countless Western democracies, whilst the decline of the left fails to act as an effective tool of mitigation. By contrast, the Chinese economy has relatively stabilised following the 2015 stock market crash, yet the outflow of foreign capital into the country will undoubtedly prove a grave cause for concern in the New Year.

While the 2016 Chinese New Year indicated that the 2015 stock market crash might escalate further, China’s economic instability showed clear signs of stabilisation as the year progressed. Following a series of announcements in August 2015 reporting a sharp decline in the Chinese Stock Market, with the main Shanghai stock exchange falling an estimated 8% and then 7% over the 24th and 25th respectively, in the final 4 months, there was evidence of a Chinese economic recovery. However, January 2016 signalled that recovery was only temporary. As China’s stock market collapsed again, with the ‘Wall Street Journal’ measuring a decline of 18% between the 4th and 15th. While figures collated by ‘The Economist’ in October 2016 appear to suggest that China’s economy has grown at a fixed rate of 7% throughout the year, questions have been raised regarding the legitimacy of these statistics, and consequently the extent to which Chinese recession can be submitted to the history books is a more contentious discussion.

The inauguration of Trump will undoubtedly pose further challenges for the People’s Republic of China, as the U.S. is likely to adopt an anti-China policy in 2017 and beyond.

Tensions between the two ‘super powers’ have already arisen in the dispute over the South China Sea, and Trump will no doubt further exploit these tensions. The actions of the US have recently caused the Chinese media to post that the state should attempt to take Taiwan through military force. The Global Times, a state run tabloid, often reflects the views from within the Communist party. The paper stated that China’s stance towards Taiwan should be to ‘make the use of force as a main option and carefully prepare for it’, and ‘the Chinese mainland should display its resolution to recover Taiwan by 14

force’, highlighting a potential diplomatic crisis on the cards for China in 2017 Historically, the US switched its recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1971, yet the impending Trump administration has already indicated its intention to invert away from this established policy towards one of Taiwanese independence. If the media does reflect the views of the Chinese government, this will no doubt plunge the global order into disarray due to Taiwan’s ‘grey’ status. Taiwan is not formally recognised by the United Nations as an independent entity and currently the status quo is under the ‘one china, two systems’ policy that fragilely maintains the peace between the two entities.

Although this idea may seem a little far-fetched to some, the earlier election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen this year has seen China’s communist regime take a tougher stance against Taiwan.

Indeed Trump has alienated PRC politicians by speaking directly to Taiwan’s President, the first time a President has done this since 1979. The President-elect has said he may use the One China policy as a bargaining chip in future negotiations, which would be a dramatic blow for relations between the two countries, as in order to form diplomatic relations with Beijing, the country must switch their recognition from Taipei to Beijing. With tensions between the PRC and the US administration already precarious, it looks likely that the Trump presidency could become a real danger for the continued stability of China and the greater East Asia region. While 2016 has been relatively quiet for China, it seems as though the fragile stability in East Asia is likely to be threatened in 2017.

POLITICS

WORDS BY SEBASTIAN STEELE IMAGES NASA/JPL

This magazine is a celebration of the world and of the people in it. It is also an opportunity to reflect on our place within it and on our effect upon it, and there is no more effective means to gain perspective of our place in the world than through the overview effect.

It

is Valentine’s Day, 1990. NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is hurtling through space somewhere in the vicinity of Neptune when, at the instruction of the late Carl Sagan, it captures a “family portrait” of the planets of our Solar System. What results is pictured on the opposite page - the infamous image after which this piece is named: The Pale Blue Dot. Can you see it? The blueish-white speck halfway down the brown band to the right of the photo? That’s us. You, me, everyone you’ve ever known and everyone who’s ever lived, all contained in less than a pixel from a camera six billion kilometres away.

As soon as you think at that scale it strikes you: The folly of wars, of international politics. Every mass murder, genocide, river of blood – all for corners of a blue speck without borders.

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Bludgeoned with Perspective December 24th 1968 saw Apollo 8 cross the far side of the moon. For the first time in the history of mankind, the crew witnessed an awe-inspiring sight: The Earth rising above the Moon.

This same crew described what has now come to be known as the overview effect. They described the cognitive shift experienced after witnessing our planet ‘hanging in the void’. Reported by most of the few, fortunate people to have visited space, this state of mental clarity is said to bring about total awe of the fragility of life on our planet with its paper-thin atmosphere. NASA astronaut Ron Garan explained in his book The Orbital Perspective: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Science & Technology

Space race 2.0 With the Space Race 2.0 currently underway, it is only a matter of time and money before space access is opened up to more and more people. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not these pioneers will experience the overview effect, but since among the first to go will be the world’s most rich and powerful, I believe it may well have a meaningful impact on mankind. We have been seeing the potential for incredibly wealthy philanthropists such as Bill

Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to dramatically improve living conditions for millions of people worldwide for many years now. While this is nothing new, perhaps more would-be-philanthropists will be inspired by experiencing the overview effect first-hand.

There are, of course, numerous issues worldwide which threaten the stability of the planet. From international relations between China, Russia and the USA, to mounting tensions between groups in society in the wake of the refugee crisis, which may well worsen in the decades to come: Though it is far from certain, climate change may displace many millions of people living in some of the poorest areas on Earth. Perhaps all of these issues would benefit from a dose of humanitarian perspective; a view of the world without borders or politics. One where we’re all in it together (although to what end is, of course, not clear).

The power of the overview effect to unify people and to inspire greatness is a force for good whose possibility is immensely exciting. People often question the need for funding space programs, and beyond all of the technological advances, beyond the sheer adventure of reaching into the expanses of the void, there is the perspective of humanity that we stand to gain. At the heart of all this is the chance to truly grasp just how important our tiny blue jewel and its inhabitants, the only life we know about, are. Hopefully that counts for something.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

17

Lifestyle

A CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL CUISINES! SINCE WE’RE LOOKING AT ALL THINGS INTERNATIONAL, IT WOULD RUDE NOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE SCRUMPTIOUS FOOD THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER. ALTHOUGH, WE MAY CONSUME THE LIKES OF FROZEN PIZZAS OR THE STANDARD CHEESY PASTA WHEN YOU CAN’T BE BOTHERED TO PUT IN THE EFFORT, OR THE STANDARD ARRAY OF CURRIES YOU GET WHEN YOU TAKE A LATE NIGHT TRIP TO MANZILS, WE’RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE… RECIPES FROM BBC GOODFOOD

VIETNAMESE PRAWN PHO INGREDIENTS: • 4 birdseye chillis, chopped • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed • 1 stick of lemongrass, cracked • 2cm piece of ginger, squashed slightly • 4 spring onions, sliced • 600mls of fish or vegetable stock • 3 tbsp of fish sauce • handful of coriander leaves • handful of mint leaves • 150g cooked king prawns • 150g rice noodles • 100g bean sprouts • 1 lime, cut into wedges

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METHOD: 1. Pour the stock into a medium size pan, add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger and two of the chillis and briskly boil for about 15 minutes to create the basic broth. Turn down the heat, cover the pan and leave to simmer for a further 15 minutes.

2. Add the prawns to the soup and add three of the spring onions, the fish sauce and the herbs (whilst reserving a little of each herb for garnishing). Put the lid back on the pan, and leave it whilst you carry out step 3.

3. In a pan of boiling water, cook the beansprouts for 1-2 minutes or until they are just tender. Drain them and add them to the soup. Place the rice noodles in the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes (or less if using straight-to-wok noodles). Remove the lemongrass, ginger and garlic from the soup.

4. Divide the cooked noodles between two deep bowls. Pour the soup over the noodles.

Garnish with a little of the coriander and mint leaves, a few slices of red chilli and spring onion. Serve with a wedge of lime.

LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle

WORDS BY ELLEN JENNE IMAGE BY HEATHER RANKINE

SPANISH CHURROS WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE INGREDIENTS: • 50g butter, melted • ½ tsp vanilla extract • 250g plain flour • 1 tsp baking powder • about 1 litre sunflower oil • few chunks of bread FOR THE SAUCE:

• 200g bar dark chocolate, not too bitter, broken into chunks • 100ml double cream • 100ml whole milk • 3 tbsp golden syrup • ½ tsp vanilla extract FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR:

• 100g caster sugar • 2 tsp cinnamon

METHOD: 1. Boil the kettle, then measure 350ml boiling water into a jug and add the melted butter and vanilla extract. Sift the flour and baking powder into a big mixing bowl with a big pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre, then pour in the contents of the jug and very quickly beat into the flour with a wooden spoon until lump-free. Rest for 10-15 mins while you make the sauce.

2. Put all the sauce ingredients into a pan and gently melt together, stirring occasionally until you have a smooth shiny sauce. Keep warm on a low heat.

3. Fill a large deep saucepan one-third full of oil. Heat until when a cube of bread browns in roughly between 45 seconds – 1 min. Cover a tray with kitchen paper and mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together.

4. Fit a star nozzle to a piping bag, 1.5-2cm wide is a good size. Fill with the rested dough, then pipe 2-3 strips directly into the pan, snipping off each dough strip with a pair of kitchen scissors.

5. Fry until golden brown and crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the kitchen paper-lined tray. Carry on cooking the rest of the dough in batches, sprinkling the cooked churros with some cinnamon sugar as you go.

6. Once you’ve cooked all the churros, toss with any remaining cinnamon sugar and serve with the chocolate sauce.

CHINESE CRISPY CHILLI BEEF INGREDIENTS: • 350g thin-cut minute steak, very thinly sliced into strips • 3 tbsp cornflour • 2 tsp Chinese fivespice powder • 100ml vegetable oil • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced • 1 red chilli, thinly sliced • 4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated

LIFESTYLE

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed •thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks • 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce • 2 tbsp tomato ketchup • cooked noodles, to serve (optional) • prawn crackers, to serve (optional)

METHOD: 1. Put the beef in a bowl and toss in the cornflour and five-spice. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry until golden and crisp.

2. Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp of oil.

3. Add the pepper, half the chilli, the white ends of the spring onions, garlic and ginger to the pan. Stir-fry for 3 minutes to soften; but don’t let the garlic and ginger burn.

4. Mix the vinegar, soy, chilli sauce and ketchup in a jug with 2 tbsp water, then pour over the veg. Bubble for 2 minutes, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.

5. Serve the beef on noodles (and with prawn crackers, if you like) scattered with the remaining chilli and the green parts of the spring onions.

6. Hopefully these simple recipes get you inspired to try something new, and stretch your skills a bit further afield!

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AN INTERNATIONAL

style affair WORDS BY LYDIA HAWKEN IMAGE BY ABIGAIL BARTHEE

Lifestyle Part of the beauty of the Fashion industry is that it’s an unpredictable mistress.

What I currently claim to be the ‘world’s most fashionable cities’ will most likely be irrelevant in a few years time. However, there is one thing that can be said for its ever-evolving nature. This industry, which spans over hundreds of countries throughout the world, is united in its seasonal trends and how fashion enthusiasts interpret them as law every year. Filtering down from the designers themselves, to the high fashion editors, to the bloggers (with the thousands of followers), to the stores where we’re able to achieve whatever trend takes our fancy, it involves us all.

W

riting about how ‘the internet has changed everything’ often makes journalists sound like a broken-record, stating the obvious. But, hear me out; because everything about the way we consume fashion on an international basis has changed in the past twenty years alone.

When Florence was once considered the fashion capital of the world in the 1930s, customers had to wait for stock to become available to see what trends were in store for the new year. 19th Century aristocratic American and English women would quite often venture to Europe on their honeymoons to stock up on their Summer/Winter wardrobes. It was then when they returned home, donning the latest styles that their social circle would see what was in style internationally-speaking.

Even as little as 10 years ago, Vogue was still heralded the ‘Fashion Bible’ – containing all the commandments you would need for the year of dressing ahead. It was up to the editors of magazines to inform its dedicated readership of what was in store from season to season. It’s only now, since designers have realised just how profitable social media can be, that Fashion Houses are deciding to broadcast their shows live on the internet, for any consumer, wherever they are in the world, to see. Topshop Unique and Burberry are at the cutting edge of this streaming service and others are sure to follow.

Pinterest, Instagram, and the world-wide reach of ASOS means that there’s no longer a definitive style for any one class of people in any one particular place. The fashion industry’s international outreach has changed how we shop almost beyond recognition. When it was founded in 2000, ASOS stood for ‘As Seen On Screen’. I remember first stumbling upon the site aged fourteen and the idea was that you entered a starlet’s name into the search bar and the site would provide you with a list of inspired items for you to buy. Back in those days, the cast of ‘Pretty Little Liars’ was my inspo du jour so my early ASOS purchases were largely formed of noughties LIFESTYLE

headbands. Cringe. But now, when you look at the modernday equivalent, YouTube stars and the cast of Made In Chelsea etc, you are able to buy their endorsed clothes straight from their social media feeds. It seems that, on an international scale, we prefer to buy the wardrobes of so-called ‘relatable social media figures’ over the emulated costumes of our favourite TV shows and films.

Pinterest, in particular, is incredible at providing an overview of what is trending all over the world and allowing you to engage with other users in what styles to emulate. Love it or hate it – the internet has allowed us the freedom to explore our style online if we so wish. Pinterest boards, labelled ‘Fashion Inspiration’, free returns on ASOS (so we can try out that dress that seems a little more daring than usual) or even watching endless numbers of Lookbooks on YouTube, the international outreach of the internet means we can channel whatever style we fancy, whenever we want.

So, writing about international fashion is near-impossible to pin down. From a general knowledge stand-point, when you think of a ‘Parisian woman’ you envision a put-together woman wearing all-black and red lipstick, who also looks like she’s made zero effort at all. In other words, everything I aspire to achieve in my wardrobe; but just can’t because I’m not French (read the self-help book, ‘How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are’ for more details). Equally, stereotypical London girls supposedly dress like Kate Moss whereas most true New York women would argue that, no they don’t aspire to look like Blair Waldorf whilst eating their lunch on the steps of the MET. That’s so 2007, after all. Instead, international fashion means having the ability to play around with clothes and enjoying the style you love whilst reaping the benefits of the internet age. Just don’t forgot to Instagram your #OOTD.

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2017: Events to watch out for WORDS BY IVAN MORRIS POXTON IMAGE BY BETHANY WESTALL

2016 has been an eventful and unpredictable year, shaped very much in the UK by Brexit, and in the wider world by Donald Trump’s successful US Presidential Election campaign. What might 2017 hold in store?

1st January

António Guterres succeeds Ban KiMoon as UN Secretary-General

Can the experienced former prime minister of Portugal revitalize an increasingly bypassed and weakened UN? His decade long experience as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees may prove useful should there be further exoduses of civilians from both the Syrian and Yemeni Civil Wars.

20th January

Trump officially becomes president of the USA

From this point onward, President Trump will not only have access to the nuclear codes, but will also need to implement the detail to his vague vision to ‘Make America Great Again’. Among the many actions promised on Day 1 of his presidency include the USA’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and marking his “drain the swamp” of Washington government efforts, banning top officials from lobbying within 5 years of leaving office.

ongoing

south korean presidential crisis

Following a far-reaching corruption scandal, President Park Guenhye has now been suspended from office after a 234-56 vote in the South Korean Parliament to impeach her. However, as her lawyers have indicated their refusal to recognize the vote the process now moves on to the South Korean Constitutional Court, which must agree with Parliament by 7 June for her to be permanently removed.

If this occurs, then Presidential elections must be held within 60 days. It remains to be seen if after impeachment, Ms Park herself will face corruption charges.

ongoing

syrian civil war

Although very difficult to know whether the year might see an end to this prolonged conflict, how this and to a lesser extent, the Yemeni Civil War, will develop will indisputably shape high-level international relations in 2017.

late summer

German federal elections

This year will overdose on major European elections just like this writer did on mince pies at Christmas, with major elections in France, The Netherlands and possibly Italy. The German Federal elections are the pick of the bunch, however. Angela Merkel has chosen to remain as leader of the centre-right CDU and will be seeking a fourth term as Chancellor.

Undoubtedly key to the EU’s uncertain future, it would be a

significant blow to remaining European political stability if ‘Mutti’ (German term for mother), as she is popularly nicknamed, were to lose power. As a response to the European Migrant Crisis in 2015, Merkel’s open-door policy towards refugees fleeing conflict in the Middle East has dented to her popularity and prompted the rise of the populist right, anti-refugee and anti-immigration party, Af D. The CDU remains the largest party in opinion polls, making a fourth term as Chancellor for Merkel likely, although some awkward coalition-building may be required to keep her in power.

26 october th

release of remaining jfk files

A day for conspiracy theorists as the last hidden President John F. Kennedy files collected by the Assassinations Records Review Board in 1992 are finally released. Expect revelations about US Spy Agency relationships during the height of the Cold War, but might it reveal pressure from some top officials to prevent a thorough investigation of the assassination of JFK? Only time will tell.

december

first human head implant?

Although Phase 2 trials of a possible future commercially available HIV vaccine may turn out to be the more significant medical breakthrough of 2017, this too, if successful, would be a stunning medical achievement. It will be performed in China by Italian neuroscientist Sergio Canavero and Xiao-Ping Ren, who has performed a thousand head transplants on mice.

The patient who volunteered is Russian Valery Spiridonov, who suffers from the muscular degenerative condition of WerdnigHoffman’s. Tissue from the neck and spinal cord will be cut and fused onto the donor body in the estimated 36 hour-long operation.

Spiridonov will then be induced into a coma for a month and given drugs to stop the body rejecting the new head. Canavero believes if successful the patient will be able to speak once he is woken and will be walking within a year.

And finally,

‘brexit’

triggering of article 50, no later than 31 march (in theory)

Enjoy the greatest political blockbuster of 2017: the beginnings of the UK’s negotiation to leave the EU. In January the Supreme Court will rule on the government’s appeal to the High Court’s ruling that Parliament must be consulted on the triggering of Article 50.

The timetable for triggering it has already been agreed by the Commons, so provided no further legal challenges appear, we will finally be on the path of ‘Brexit’ by 31 March. Expect every minor detail leaked from negotiations to be analysed minutely by the media as signs of a ‘Hard’ or ‘Soft’ Brexit materializing during the expected minimum two year negotiation process.

Travel

WORDS BY NUALA MCBRIDE IMAGE BY BETHANY WESTALL

Peru is one of those countries that most British people probably know very little about. It’s associated with Paddington Bear and of course coffee; but it has a lot more to offer than just that…

Historically, it was a country ruled by the Incas; one of the most powerful civilisations of all time – before the Spanish Conquest. The Incas managed to inhabit and flourish in the range of testing terrains that Peru has to offer. Even today, over 500 years later, the Inca’s legacy is still weaved through the landscape and culture.

This story starts long long ago, high up in the city of Cuzco; which was the capital of one of the largest empires ever seen in the world – the Incas. Nowadays, Cuzco is a tourist mecca, with it being the gateway to green expanses of the Andes (where notably Machu Picchu is tucked away). Despite the 26

fact the Spanish burned and destroyed most of the main buildings; there are still clues to Cuzco’s once glorious past and the legacy that the Inca’s left. The layout of the city still reflects the power that the Inca’s imposed over the landscape, with the four main roads leading out of the central plaza. If you find yourself stumbling into one of the magnificent plazas of the city, it can transport you back hundreds of years to a time when the Incas walked the earth.

From Cuzco, there’s only one place the go – Machu Picchu (arguably what Peru is known for). A winding journey through the Andes mountains, then a walk or train ride will bring you to this breathtaking UNESCO world heritage site – it’s a once in a lifetime place to visit. For the more adventurous traveller, a testing uphill climb as dawn breaks (or a short bus ride) will lead you to the perfect vantage point of Machu Picchu. The sheer size of the site can be appreciated from here, tucked away in between soaring peaks. But, it’s not until you wander through the site that the intricacy of all the masonry TRAVEL

Travel

the story of the incas through The Four Faces of Peru

work by the Inca’s can be fully appreciated. How on earth did they manage to build this? Machu Picchu is a real tribute to the Incas and how advanced their culture was.

A world away from Cuzco and Machu Picchu is Lake Titicaca.

The islands out on the lake still house people living the traditional way of life, albeit not the Inca life. It’s said that these people choose to originally locate out to these remote islands to escape the Inca rule. The islands are characterised by people who follow a traditional way of life by wearing the traditional dress and living off the land. Despite the people of these Islands removing themselves from the Inca rule they are the closest insight one can get into how the Incas lived.

Their culture stems from a culture that was around at the same time as the Incas and has been relatively unaffected due to the isolated location to the rest of Peru.

be said that the Inca’s legacy is fading into the background here. Yet, throughout the city there are little pockets of ruins, usually fenced off – a nod from the government for preservation of these vital keys to history. They’re not widely appreciated or noted by many tourists and locals alike; but they’re a little remembrance of the civilisation that once lived.

The Incas are still highly regarded and respected for the advanced culture they carved into the harrowing Peruvian landscape, with historical sites, landmarks and museums abundant across Peru. So, learning about the story of this highly advanced and powerful civilisation whilst here is hardly challenging. So you should feel safe in knowing that despite the Spanish Conquest, the Inca story is still heavily threaded through modern Peru.

The final face of Peru is its capital, Lima. Due to the progressive and international (mainly Spanish) aspects of the city, it could TRAVEL

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Travel

From Europe to America: 32 days in the south WORDS BY REGINA GUL IMAGES BY BETH GIBBS

“Could I have some water, please?”

“Iced tea? Is that sweet or unsweetened?”

Being a non-American, in the land of the free and the brave is pretty much like the reverse of trying to find Wally; I may as well have been wearing a branded mark on my forehead to let everyone know I spoke English and not American. But the month I spent with family in the South was brilliant: it was everything I did and didn’t expect.

“So what do you think about Brexit?”

If my accent hadn’t given me away, my fast-paced nature surely did. During the first two weeks in Texas, I quickly familiarise myself with my surroundings and make sense of the quiet, slow pace that people in the South seem to prefer; especially over the stress that most Europeans feel. It is admirable to witness how much Americans enjoy living and take in the simple beauties that the day can bring. From talking to a new person to going to their favourite restaurant, every day is a joy that they cherish and don’t intend to rush.

Soon after we began our roadtrip and drove to Louisiana, a diverse state with some of the best food in the south.

With Cajun backgrounds, most diners and restaurant give homemade meals, making you feel immediately at ease. We continued on through Mississippi, and are always greeted by smiles and conversation. By avoiding the infamous I10, we took the highways instead of interstates so that we could drive nearer to the sea for the spectacular view. We made it to Alabama and took the ferry to get to Gulf Shores where we would stay for three days.

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“If you want local and good, I’d recommend Shux, best seafood ever.”

Bar the stunning weather, seafood, and charming people, what makes the south grandiose is its abundance in space and resources. Entire aisles in supermarkets are dedicated to ice cream and there are so many choices available; you can easily feel overwhelmed by the whole experience. Iced tea is exclusively sold at every cafe, restaurant, convenience store and gas station you could find. I couldn’t help but feel like I had travelled into the American novels I’d read as a child.

The stay at Gulf Shores was invigorating to say the least.

The beach was never as crowded as European ones, the calming waves and white sand healed my sunshine cravings immediately. We travelled to a few places in Alabama to make most of the state; most worthwhile destinations being Foley and Fairhope, especially the latter; which was named after the migration of people wanting to come together with “a fair hope of success.” Amazingly, we managed to have dinner at a restaurant in Florida on one night – since going from one state to the next is so easy.

“I’m sorry but I couldn’t help hearing your accent, where are you from?”

I think my favourite thing was how you could see the transition between states and by the things which make them unique.

My cousin, who had grown up and lived in North America all her life, had seen these sights and wasn’t too bothered.

TRAVEL

Travel

As much as I loved growing up in cities, there’s something endearing about living in remote places. We soon arrived in Tennessee where we spent a week at a lake house. The most worthwhile places we visited here were, Chattanooga with the Incline Railway, Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls and Rock City. I once again met many locals who were very friendly, to the point where I suspected that it was all a cover, only to be disappointed when realising that being friendly and social is just a common sign of respect in the south.

We then entered the Carolinas and I couldn’t stop marveling at the scenery. My eyes were glued to the window like a curious child seeing the world for the first time. We mainly stayed in North Carolina, where the scenery was still absolutely stunning. One day we visited Biltmore Estate, still owned privately by the family to this day; who never make any profit since all the money from sales go back into the many staff and upkeep of the estate. We left by the end of the day and drove on through to South Carolina and into Georgia through the night, getting to hear family stories I hadn’t yet heard before- the only downside of being so far away from them. We made our way back to Texas, having driven a total of around 3000 miles throughout the whole trip. We didn’t get to see everything we’d planned on seeing, but with some improvisation and TRAVEL

basic planning, the roadtrip went above my expectations.

“You could potentially meet up with a friend in the same state as you for lunch and forget you’re both in different timezones.”

Having lived and breathed the ease of life that the South seemed to exert, my perspective was greatly affected. The most common factors between states were the food, iced tea, fried pickles and seafood – though perhaps not together. Then always being met with warmth by strangers who are happy to just strike up a conversation, plus the actual customer service (that one really took me by surprise). Lastly, they all had an ease that seemed to be translated in every walk of life.

It was a memorable summer to say the least, one that I shan’t be forgetting for a very, very long time. Thank you America.

29

Sport

Wait... That’s a sport?

Sports are played worldwide, across many different cultures and circumstances and this is shown in the sheer range of sports that have been created and played throughout the years. There is no end to the kind of crazy sport that people around the world have thought up. Here we have searched high and low to reveal to you some of the wackiest sports out there. To help narrow the list down, we have chosen the niche sports that have an organized competitive league of some sort for players to compete in.

Unicycle Fo otball Texas, USA That’s right, this is full contact American football but with all the players on unicycles. Originally created from a dream that a young Marcus Garland had, the league has grown from just two teams, the Hot Dogs and Unicychos, now to a total of 8 including the most recent “Smash Bowl” winners, Los Bierdos. Every game starts with a joust to decide who receives the kick, from then on it is absolute chaos. The game requires players to have excellent balance and speed to change direction quickly and to be able to remain on their unicycle whilst being tackled by their opposing number. There is a lot more action than your traditional American football, with a typical score line likely to be somewhere in the region of 7068. Going into their 11th season, this sport looks like it’s going to be providing entertainment for many years to come.

Underwater ho ckey Worldwide Ever wondered if hockey was missing something? Well, maybe you should give underwater hockey a try. It consists of 6 players who are equipped with fins, a snorkel and a hockey stick, where the aim is to hit the weighted puck at the bottom of the pool into the opposing goal. The sport was created in England as a way to keep members of the Southsea Sub-

30

Aqua Club interested and active over the winter period. Now the sport is played worldwide with teams from Argentina to Zimbabwe to Australia. There are world championships every two years with the next one being hosted by South Africa, where the French mens side and New Zealand’s women will be looking to retain their world titles claimed two years earlier.

International Fo otball Rules Australia and Ireland Do not let the title misguide you, this is not anything like association football. This is a beautiful blend of Aussie Rules and Gaelic Football created for the sole purpose of allowing Aussie Rules players and Gaelic Football players the chance to play against each other. The sport is full contact and is played on a large rectangular pitch using a round ball. The “goal” is comprised of three sections. A traditional football goal that will net you 6 points, above the cross bar of this goal will get you three points if you can slot the ball through, while to either side there is a larger goal that will collect you 1 point. The first international match was played in 1967 where the touring Australian side defeated the Irish Gaelic football side 25-13. Not surprisingly the sport hasn’t really caught on outside of Australia and Ireland, but nonetheless, it’s certainly very entertaining to watch.

SPORT

Sport

WORDS BY JAMES MOSELEY IMAGE BY HEATHER RANKINE

Combat Juggling

Dod sing

Europe and America

Norway

Yep, combat juggling is a sport. The aim is to continue juggling your batons while knocking the other player’s batons out of the air, forcing them to drop them. The scope of this sport is immense, there are team games, special mode games such as “zombie mode” where players can re-enter the fray and many more. The concentration required to be able to juggle while thinking about all these tactics is off the scale. And people take it very seriously: there is a world ranking system for individuals to try to top. Along with Major League Combat, a league created for teams to compete against each other, run by the World Juggling Federation.

Dødsing aka belly-flopping, is a sport based in Norway. The idea is to throw yourself off a 10metre platform and remain in a “flat” position for as long as possible with bonus marks awarded for style. Then just before the competitors enter the water, they curl into a ball to prevent any serious injury (belly flopping from 10 metres could easily result in several broken ribs). The first championship for this daredevil sport was held in Frognerbadet in 2008 and has now become an annual spectacle. It has a devoted following; in 2011 the event had 1000 paying spectators and over 300 others had to be turned away due to a lack of space.

SPORT

31

Sport

A look at the

sporting globe WORDS BY JAMES MOSELEY IMAGE BY ELLIE RIMELL

The political world map is one very familiar to us all, but you’ll find it looks a lot different if each country is sorted by the most popular sport of that country. You’ll notice that most of the sporting globe is dominated by association football with only a few countries dotted around representing any other sport at all.

But why does association football have such a large reach?

First of all, it was created by the British during the time of the British Empire which has huge implications. As Britain colonised the world, we took our culture along with our sports with us. This can be seen with the hotspot of cricket around India, introduced to that region of the world by the British.

But football benefitted from this introduction of new cultures the most, having a truly world-wide spread.

Another factor is that it is such a cheap and easy game to play.

All you need is a (fairly) flat surface, a round ball and a few jumpers to act as goal posts and you’re good to go. There is no extra equipment needed such as padding or sticks or bats, just a ball. It means that kids from any background can play as they don’t have to pay to travel to and use expensive facilities as some athletes have to for sports such as ice hockey. This is especially shown in Africa, statistically the poorest continent on the planet, which only shows football on the map. Although other sports are represented, football is always going to have the widest reach due to its ease of access for all.

It’s also very interesting that out of the big four sports played in the USA (American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey), American football is the only one not represented on the map outside the US despite being by far the most popular SPORT

within the country’s borders. This may be due to the fact, as already mentioned, that America did not colonise but was a colony and so did not have the chance to spread its culture and sports across borders as much. However, the influence of American culture can be seen in the Caribbean and Central America where baseball has gained popularity.

So association football has its grasp firmly planted on the number one spot for the most popular sport in the world, but is it always going to be like this? Maybe China, whose most popular sport is table tennis, as it rises to greater and greater economic power, will lead a shift to another sport be it table tennis or one of a number of growing sporting scenes in China such as basketball or ice hockey. Or will it adopt football as the popular sport? Although the big four sports in USA are still firmly at the top, the introduction of Major League Soccer has shown that even in America, an already flooded sporting market, there’s room for a little footy.

This article wouldn’t be complete without a special mention to Gaelic football in Ireland, wrestling in Mongolia and Archery in Bhutan. All showing off just a sliver of the diversity of the sports around the world that all sports fans can enjoy.

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Pause

THE PAUSE GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL DRINKING WORDS BY TOM RANDALL IMAGE BY ROBERT LEWIS

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PAUSE

Pause

If

British History can be defined by one thing, it is our national tendency to go abroad and drink excessive amounts of alcohol. From the rum-soaked pirates who raided Spanish shipping in the 16th and 17th centuries to the drunken hordes that have descended on Europe for countless wars and, in more recent decades, international football tournaments, it is important and a crucial part of our cultural heritage to get this right. Much to the disagreement of certain demographics, however, ‘getting this right’ does not mean the stereotypical acts of senseless vandalism that have marred recent football outings to Europe, as short as these trips might be given the state of our football team. Allow Pause to discuss the different drinks and drinking cultures you may experience on your travels around the world and guide you through the challenges that lie ahead.

Firstly, we must quickly gloss over our cousins from across the Atlantic. This is a dark part of the world when it comes to boozing. Firstly, the drinking age in most of the United States is 21, and the country even banned alcohol outright for over a decade. But, what, assuming you got past this age restriction can you expect? American teenagers do not spend their youths drinking cider and WKD down the local park and their livers show for it. Those red cups you see in the films are small for a reason, and games such as ‘beer pong’ serve to making drinking a pint a much longer process in terms of time, greatly impeding your chances of getting properly blotto when you’re stateside. The ‘craft beer’ movement started here, which tells you everything you need to know. It’s either that or watereddown lager, but some people like that sort of thing. However, they have midnight snack food absolutely nailed down and this will be the highlight of your experience. Canada is broadly the same but with a stronger chip on shoulder.

In the spirit of 2016, we move straight from America to the opposite end of the drinking scale, Russia. It is hard to prepare our readers for the hypothetical bender in Moscow, except for don’t bother trying to keep up with the locals. Slamming a couple of quad-vods in Sobar on Tuesday isn’t going to prepare you for drinking like the people do here. The toasts are long, sometimes taking a couple of minutes, and the vodka flows well into the following morning. Should you find yourself in this position, the best toast to make is “to your health”, which in Russian is “Na Zdorovie”. Ordering drinks isn’t too hard, pointing and saying “vodka” is going to do here really. Shots here are often double the size of what you will be used to at home, just to make things a bit more challenging in not utterly disgracing yourself.

however much of the produce here is the sort of gassy lager your uncle drinks in Wetherspoons on a Thursday morning; the serious sots will hope over from Munich to the Czech Republic in search of top quality bevvies. In any case, you’ll be glad for the bread and sausage based nature of food in Germany to help you digest the fizz coming from the booze. Weissbier, wheatbased beer, is allegedly pleasant however the author cannot drink the stuff and is unable to pass comment. The main way to say cheers here is “Prost”, which is one of the easier foreign terms mentioned in this guide.

Southwards towards the Mediterranean, we will find some even more different experiences. If you go to Greece, the dodgy holiday drink which the waiter’s uncle makes in his shepherd’s hut, will certainly hit the spot. Just watch out for the hangover and a mild dose of methanol poisoning. Spain and Italy pose different problems. Not going out until midnight will make staying awake long enough to actually drink a challenge. In reality you will be in bed by the same time as a typical night down Jester’s because this is again a society where good old fashioned benders don’t really happen, and they are often quite pleasant evenings with good food and company. Nonetheless if you’re looking to drink properly you might struggle. Unless you go to one of those resort towns full of wannabe TOWIE stars, in which case you might as well be at home really.

One thing to be aware of is the foreign climes and how they can affect yourself in this context. The saying is that only “mad dogs and Englishmen” go out in the midday sun in hot countries, but be aware as those with pasty complexions will find this quite dangerous. Sunburn is a major issue, but so is how the climate will lower your capacity to drink. So kids, remember not to go out in the heat of the day and to apply suncream. Take your mother along if you need help either applying suncream or being reminded of these basic precautions.

Moving westwards into Europe, that continent we used to be part of, we can find Germany. Germany is often famed for beer, PAUSE

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