A Decade of Reinvention, Change and Challenge

This time, ten years ago I celebrated New Year’s Eve watching the Sydney fireworks from my friend James’s backyard. Fast forward to this year it will be more of a low key affair, in my pyjamas in my family home in Castleblayney.

My trip to Sydney was part of my winter break while teaching English in Japan. After leaving University with a Social Science degree during a recession it seemed like a good option and a chance for an adventure. It definitely was that and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to have spent two years in a culture so alien to my own and to have had the chance to travel through Asia and make some lifelong friends around the world.

However, Japan was only a quick fix for my overwhelming uncertainty and I found myself returning to Ireland at twenty five without many transferable skills and at a complete loss of what to do next. This was a challenging time and it took me a while to get back on my feet.

Deciding Ireland wasn’t where I wanted to be I moved to Edinburgh to train to become a primary school teacher. Although this hadn’t been the career I had dreamed of as a child it gave me stability and a purpose again.

With its charming scenery and culture, Edinburgh quickly felt like home to me. I taught in a number of schools for the next five years. Although I loved the children and the holidays, I found teaching a very hostile environment and experienced many challenges including a case of bullying in the workplace.

Deciding that the perks of the job were unable to outweigh the lows I decided enough was enough and I applied to study a Master in Journalism.

This wasn’t an easy decision, as I had gotten used to a certain level of living so I had to make many cut backs and work harder than I ever had before.

A year on, I have my Masters and have a job as a reporter at a local television station. Although I am on the bottom of the career ladder again with an entry level salary and ton of debt, I’m glad I took this leap of faith.

This decade has been my happiest and saddest. I’ve had opportunities to travel the world, see the bright lights of New York, the foaming Iguazu Falls and the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat, to name a few. I’ve discovered my own self worth, have made countless news friends and have re-invented myself.

I also however lost my older sister to suicide, been disappointed by people and had my own struggles.

I’m starting this new decade in my early thirties, not a home owner yet, not able to drive yet, but at the beginning of a new chapter.

Although the bright lights of Sydney feel more appealing tonight, I will happily opt for the more boring option this year and start the decade with a clearer direction of where I want to go.

Tribe Cycle: Good for the body and soul

Recently I attended a spin class with a difference - one in which fitness meets therapy.

Little did I know ‘soulcycle’ has been a phenomenon for over a decade: in fact it was first launched in New York in 2006 and its fan base includes Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and Lady Gaga. The ethos of the class is for members to ‘cycle their way to happiness’.

Tribe Cycle is the first soulcycle style class to come to Edinburgh and has been running for over a year now. Having signed up for a two week Class Pass trial I was lucky enough to be able to attend a few of the upmarket Tribe classes for free so I decided to give Tribe Cycle a go.

I wasn’t sure what to expect and on arrival I realised I was in for a few surprises. The class takes place in a dark room with muted fluorescent lights giving it a nightclub vibe and is taught by an incredibly attractive and physically fit woman wearing a headset. (I thought these fitness teachers only featured in Sex and the City)

I was surrounded by a sea of tanned, blonde women kitted out in their Lululemon gear. I quickly realised I was not part of the typical Tribe Cycle clientele with my frizzy bun, transparent skin and non-rhythmic movements.

The music was set, we were all saddled up, our gears adjusted and ready to get spinning. With the combination of the dance anthem music, the fluorescent lighting and the teacher occasionally shouting out things like ‘It’s Tuesday night here at Tribe Cycle’, I couldn’t help but feel like I was in Ibiza.

This class is definitely for the physically able, your legs literally do not stop moving for the entire 45 minutes and just when you think you’re about to do a cool down, you’re being asked to speed up. The instructions are almost delivered in a rap style with lots of rhythmic patterns to follow. Co-ordination is key!

Then came the positive affirmations. There is something quite powerful about sweating out in a spin class and hearing statements like; ‘You don’t need anyone to validate you’ or ‘You are perfect as you are.’ The combination of the momentum of the pedalling with the positive reinforcement simultaneously builds you up both physically and emotionally.

By the end of the class, my entire body was bright red and covered in sweat. On my walk home my legs were in agony but I was on such an emotional high and felt such a sense of achievement to have made it through the class. I was definitely not the coolest or fittest person there but I definitely bought into the ethos and will be back!

If you’re keen to join I warn you, you WILL sweat and want to die halfway through but it is a trans-formative experience for the body and soul.

Queer Eye and i_Weigh: The Self-Love Influencers

A revolutionary movement has hit the show business world in recent years: the self-acceptance movement.

To me growing up celebrity role models were always unattainable and untouchable characters that were placed on the highest of pedestals. Most of these elements still remain but in this social media age where we can connect more personally with our idols through Instagram and Twitter it is great to see that so many of these public figures have chosen to use this platform to raise awareness of mental health isssues and to promote self-love and acceptance.

Last March, Jameela Jamil kick-started the i_Weigh movement to promote a positive body image mind-set and to reaffirm that we are worth so much more than what we look like. She also opened up about her eating disorder she experienced as a teenager to empower others to do the same.  This campaign on Instagram has had an overwhelming response and the i_Weigh account now has over half a million followers.

I have recently started watching Queer Eye on Netflix and was blown away by the whole concept of this show; a reality tv programme that’s sole mission is to make people feel worthwhile and more confident. It’s so powerful to see the effect that the ‘Fab Five’ have on the lives of so many by just showing some love, understanding and attention to people that really need it.

Low self-esteem is something I have always struggled with. It has held me back in a lot of ways although I have fought hard to prevent this. I think it started from growing up in a small town in Ireland where humility and modesty are the most valued traits. It continued to fester in my teenage years while attending an all-girls boarding school where there were impossible standards of beauty, success and wealth to compete with.(Or possibly this was my perception)  Although I knew I had many talents and qualities I always felt like I wasn’t good enough and this feeling made its way into my adult life.

In short and to avoid going off on a self-pitying tangent I am working hard to change the dialogue in my head and to beat my inner critic. As a fully developed woman, people like Jameela Jamil and Bella Mackie, author of Jog On (a book about how running saved her life) have had a huge impact on me as they helped to normalise some of the feelings I was having. If they have managed to inspire me I can’t imagine the effect they have on developing teenage girls and boys.

Society is changing and it’s a beautiful thing; the stigma of mental health is breaking down and many other issues considered taboo in the past have been normalised. I am very pleased to see how much work is being done on self-love and acceptance and I believe it will continue to grow.

So if it costs nothing to be kind to others surely that’s the same case when we are speaking to ourselves.

Does Direct Provision meet basic human rights?

Immigration continues to be a very topical and complex issue globally. This year Donald Trump’s US border detention centres, the migrant caravan on the US-Mexico border and the mass influx of refugees arriving daily across Europe have dominated headlines. A major contributing factor that led to the Brexit vote was the promise of Britain ‘taking back control of its borders’ and the tightening of immigration policy.

Having spent this year paying attention to provision for migrants on a more international level, I had overlooked the situation in my own home country. Having just finished watching RTE’s drama ‘Taken Down’ which tackles the issue of direct provision in Ireland, I wanted to research more about this issue hence writing this article.

The direct provision system was established in 2000 to house asylum seekers entering the Irish State in search of international protection. It was initially only intended to provide accommodation for a six-month period while people waited an outcome on their application. However in a report issued in December 2017, it stated that residents were spending an average of 23 months in direct provision, while 432 people had been in the system for five years or more. At present it takes an average of 19 months just to be interviewed about refugee status.

In some of these facilities residents can cook their own food while others are provided with free canteen meals and receive an allowance of 21.60 euros per week, adults and children included. School-goers are entitled to free state-school education, but not free third level education yet.

The majority of asylum seekers living in these centres come from Pakistan, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Albania, Malawi, South Africa, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Syria. Figures from December 2017 show there were 5,096 people living in direct provision last year.

Asylum seekers up till recently have not been allowed to work in Ireland. However there have been a few proposals made by the government this year to try to change that. This February there were changes in rules in keeping with The Employment Permits Act which stated that asylum seekers could work but had to secure a job that pays a starting salary of €30,000 per annum and they also had to pay between €500 to €1,000 for a six to 12 month employment permit, which made life extremely difficult for those in the protection system to find work. However in July Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan proposed to abolish the employment permit fees as well as restrictions on professions in which asylum seekers were entitled to seek work.

Currently applicants must be in the State for nine months or more to be entitled to work and to have not had a first decision made on their refugee status.

For the majority of these temporary residents, having fled from unimaginable circumstances in their home countries we must ask are these direct provision measures meeting their basic human needs? To spend up to five years living in crowded, temporary accommodation and with so little money to live on and such a lack of independence it seems impossible to live a peaceful or dignified life.

Like the majority of developed countries across the world, governments are struggling to cope with the influx of refugees and asylum seekers but playing a blame game is not going to solve this issue. While there is this very basic and flawed accommodation system in place in Ireland for those seeking asylum, the service could be made a lot more humane and residents who find themselves in this vulnerable position deserve to be treated in a more dignified manner.

That is why programmes like Taken Down are so important as they reflect issues in our society and give a voice to those who are currently being forgotten.

How to spot an Internet Troll in public

Is there a certain celebrity or public figure who you think seems ‘too happy’ or needs taking down a peg or two? Do you have an unpopular opinion you would never dare share with anyone but would feel validated and understood if someone else did? Never fear, the keyboard warriors are here at a computer near you.

In a private place, shielded by their beloved internet, these trolls or warriors (?!), you decide the appropriate term for them, are on call, waiting for their next victim to launch their verbal attack on. Out in the open most of these verbal offenders are probably relatively polite and reasonable people who would never dare cause offence in public. In private, though they are just waiting to get on Facebook, Twitter, Trip Advisor or the nearest online outlet to unleash their rage.

I often wonder in daily life where can we find these online soldiers? Where do they hang out? Without knowing it they are possibly one of your work colleagues, a classmate at college, someone at your gym class or that pleasant girl who served your coffee this morning. They are a bit like the witches in Roald Dahl’s children’s novel; in public appear perfectly pleasant and well-presented but as soon as it’s safe; they remove their masks to unleash their racist, homophobic or slanderous views. But if they only dare cause offence in private how can we find them and call them out?

After some careful consideration I have compiled a list of possible tell-tale signs of a troll and I present to you, A Guide to Spotting Internet Trolls. These are some things to look out for when seeking one out..

1.They are constantly checking their twitter and social media accounts with a controlled yet slightly aggravated expression.

   2. They go slightly red and remain silent when someone expresses outrage at a racist or sexist comment.

   3.There have a forced political correctness about them at all times and don’t reveal their opinion too often in public.

   4.They are often seen staring into the distance with a secret smile; possibly marvelling at their latest rhetorical masterpiece.

   5.They use a lot of Cap Locks in their correspondence with you.

On a more serious note though online abuse can have severe consequences and can drastically affect the receiver’s mental health; an example of this being the tragic suicide of former Love Island star Sophie Gradon, this summer. In her last interview before her death she spoke about how online trolls had made her life hell. At a cyber-bullying conference in Leeds last March she confessed how vicious online abuse had caused her to descend into a dark place and said: ‘’trolls leave you feeling vulnerable, unsafe and upset.’’

Trolls are no longer the ugly cave-dwelling creatures we read about in fairy tales, they now exist on the internet and aim to cause harm by spreading libellous rumours and messages online. With the widespread popularity of social media, it has become almost impossible to sensor or to prevent them.

Another recent victim of online abuse is former Pussycat Dolls member and current Strictly Come Dancing finalist Ashley Roberts. British viewers seemingly have had enough of her being ‘too good’ of a dancer and have decided she needs to be brought down a peg or two. Forget all of her hard work and dedication to perfect her routines, @XFlaminBeckyX on Twitter is not having any of it. In a tweet on Saturday this user wrote: ‘’Craig did not just accuse Stacey and Kevin for cheating in that dance (lots of angry emojis). If anyone is cheating its Ashley by just purely being in this show #strictly’’.  While user @jasmin_x_x_x wrote: ‘’On behalf of the nation if the judges keep Ashley in for another week I’m marching to that studio and giving them a piece of my mind.’’

I don’t understand how a Saturday night family entertainment can evoke so much anger. Before twitter and social media what did these people do- open their front doors and shout their abuse down the street, punch a wall, write a letter to the television studio?

In darker areas of the internet abusive islamophobic and racist messages are prevalent and it is easy to see how people can become radicalised online. American comedian Bill Maher said in a tweet: ‘’the internet does not just radicalise would-be terrorists, it radicalises everyone.’ With the majority of the population attached to their smart phone for several hours every day, it is hard to not worry about how much people are influenced by what they read online.

With these trolls on the loose it is up to the rest of us to remain vigilant and to not be fooled. Just watch out for your next email with excessive cap locks or that shifty colleague, they might just be leading a secret online existence.

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake Review

Being a massive fan of Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet Swan Lake and the legend himself, Matthew Bourne I had a feeling I was going to enjoy this show but what I was unaware of was the extent to which I would be moved and changed forever by this performance.

Although the idea of a full cast of male swans sounds ground breaking and very 2018, this piece was in fact first performed over 20 years ago back in 1995 at Sadler’s Wells.  

Like Matthew Bourne’s other ballets, this is a very stylised modern take on Swan Lake and is partnered up with Lez Brotherson’s stunning and innovative designs. The prince played beautifully by Dominic North is reimagined as a rather delicate and fragile character who yearns desperately for his icy mother’s affection and approval (Nicole Kabera). The swans once played by pristine slender girls in tutus are now fierce and muscular men clad in white britches and serve as a reminder that although swans are graceful creatures they have the capacity to peck a man to death.

In Act One we are given the full Royal Family treatment, with the traditional court scenes mirroring an audience with the Windsors, with the royal wave and all the trimmings. There are many humorous moments throughout this act including the various social ‘blunders’ made by The Girlfriend (Katrina Lyndon).

The mood changes when the swans appear in the iconic Entrance of the Swans scene. Bourne has reinvented the choreography to suit the male dancers and the swans hiss and stamp their feet. We are treated to an incredibly romantic and tender pas de deux between The Prince and The Swan (Will Bozier). The audience witness a sexual awakening in The Prince and it is so satisfying to see him finally gain the affection and understanding he has craved for so long.

In Act Two Will Bozier reappears again as The Stranger (Black Swan) at a Palace party sporting leather trousers and a sexy swagger. The feminist in me hates how charmed I am by his bad boy magnetism as usually it is much easier to dislike the standard female Black Swan.

In true Bourne style we somehow end up in an asylum (?! ) with eerie identical drag nurses that somehow remind me of Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight when he disguises himself in the nurse costume.

The swans raise their cruel heads and The Prince and The Swan meet their fate in a tragic love conquers all finale.

This is a tender, emotional and powerful piece that challenges our views on masculinity and the beauty of the dancing paired with Tchaikovsky’s score is enough to draw a tear from the driest of eyes.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfzP8OiJZWo

The Secret Diary of a Supply Teacher

Monday-08:00

Right okay have arrived at my school I am (hopefully) teaching at today. Yes, the secretary has just confirmed that I am pencilled in but there is no sight of any teaching staff or the head teacher. Hmm. 

Decided to take a ‘pro-active’ approach and have a little wander around the school for myself to see if I can find anyone. Right they are all in a meeting. Decided to knock on the door! Deep breath!

Me: ‘Apologies to interrupt but am I supposed to be here today?’

Entire Staff: Cold Stare

Head Teacher: Emm yes, I think so just wait downstairs please

Me: About to implode with cringe and panic but do as I am told.

08:30

Head Teacher finally appears.

‘Right, we didn’t actually need anyone till Thursday but we can slot you into our P6 class to give the teacher some cover’

*Excellent, as if I wasn’t feeling random enough but yay brilliant.*

08.40

Class Teacher: ‘Here is the plan, the kids are coming in, in 10 minutes, they are absolutely fine, nothing to worry about, apart from 2 boys that might shout out!

I can do this! *Walks confidently down to collect class*

08.50

Opens door to a sea of children, hang on which class is it I need to get??  Finally, have located class when a child shouts out- ‘Are you teaching us today, Eh?’  Yes, that would be me.

09.00

The class settle down to do some morning maths activities all is under control, well apart from a boy who keeps trying to escape and another who is shouting obscenities.

09.50

We are following the Joe Wicks Youtube fitness channel this week so we pushed back some tables to get started. So far so good; until a child gets his finger stuck between two tables.

All is still well. I decided to ‘get down with the kids’ and take part in the exercises to the disgust and embarrassment of a few girls in the class. What’s a little gentle humiliation to get through the day?Yes I am being mocked by 10 year olds.

10.45- Breaktime. Thank God

11.00

I decided to go for a punchy advertising lesson after break to try to really engage this age group.

Oh my actual word it is working, they are all listening even the boy who was desperately attempting to escape the class earlier. I am on fire!

Split the class into groups to come up with their own radio adverts. A few suggestions…

‘Miss, can we do Gucci.’  Yes, okay.

‘Miss, can I do Fortnite’. I don’t approve of this violent game but if it means you will actually sit down and get on with it, fine.

12.15- Class starting to bubble, come on I can make it till lunch.

Me: ‘If you’re finished go and get a book’

Class: There is no library

Me: ‘Okay, well go and get some paper and draw’

Class: We don’t have any paper.

Me: Come on lunchtime!!

12:30 Lunchtime- Thank God, just an afternoon left! Right, now to face the staffroom. Is it really sad if I just eat my lunch in the classroom? No, I’m going to enter

The Staffroom

Right, okay everyone is sitting in a nice circle…where to sit? Have found a nice, safe seat in the corner, suitable for someone of my lower station.

I must not overstep any pecking order.

Everyone is actually lovely and very welcoming towards me.

I begin to even feel comfortable and start to chime in on a conversation about transgender children. A few surprised glances. Okay, rein it back in Lynn and just eat your lunch!

13:30

Right, the final slot I can do this! A few children come back in after lunch a bit upset.

‘Miss, he called me a b**%h’

‘Well, she called me a c&** and is going to get her cousin to batter me’

Right, okay guys time to calm down and I will get the head teacher to come and speak to you later

We start to read Wonder. All I can say is thank the Lord for this wonderful novel. It evoked so much empathy from the entire class and I have to say I did feel all warm inside to see everyone lying down and really engaging with the novel.

13:50

Back to our desks to do some spelling work. The magic of Wonder had worn off and the two children who had been at each other’s throats earlier were at it again, this time with even more creative insults. Okay, breathe you just need to keep things under control till 15.10! You can do this!

14:30

‘Miss, this is boring, when can we start our Diamond Time?’

Me: In fifteen minutes, just keep going, you’re nearly finished. *Seriously, when can they start their Diamond Time and what is Diamond Time?*

Ask a sensible boy in the corner what Diamond Time is, all is well again.

14.45

Diamond Time starts (A period where the class can choose what they would like to do)

‘Miss, she is still saying that she is going to get her cousin to batter me?’

Right, starts to panic a little, I’m not sure what the protocol is when someone threatens someone with a battering but I’m going to send the two of you down to the head teacher to see if you guys can figure this out. 

15.10

On my knees but it is home time. A girl comes up and throws her arms around me. 'Miss, are you taking us again tomorrow?’ ....

Pussy Riot: Riot Days

In an era of Trump, Brexit and a growing right wing movement the world has become more politically charged than ever. With the continuing spread of globalisation the faces of Putin and Kim Jong-Un are plastered over our newspapers every day and while we attempt to understand and follow their politics, we are quite removed from them in our society.

That is why tonight after witnessing Pussy Riot’s Edinburgh Fringe show I felt an overwhelming urge to run home and write this article. Pussy Riot is a notorious feminist punk group from Russia, famous for their fight for LGBT rights, feminism and their opposing views against Vladimir Putin. The group gained global notoriety when five members of the group staged a performance inside Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior on February 21, 2012. The women said their protest was directed at the Orthodox Church leaders' support for Putin during his election campaign. Three of the members including Maria Alyokhina who performed tonight were imprisoned for 2 years as their actions were considered sacrilegious.

Tonight audience members were treated to a musical performance by 4 members of the group accompanied by multimedia images in the background which acted as a narrative to ‘Riot Days’ a play written by Maria Alyokhina which tracks her political journey from before her arrest till after she was set free. The group performed in Russian with English subtitles projected onto the screen behind them. I think for everyone tonight it was an exhilarating experience to be up close and personal with real revolutionaries who could provide us with a link to a culture so alien to our own. With the Edinburgh Fringe being the largest arts festival in the world I felt there was no place more appropriate for the group to share their vision than on a stage that helped the audience enter into and explore the unknown.

Nastya Awott rocked a Marla from Fight Club look with her spiked hair and sunglasses, wowing us with her saxophone skills while Kiryl Masheka got the crowd going with his stellar dance moves and rapping skills. For me it was Maria Alyokhina who stole the show. After breaking a travel ban placed on her and smuggling herself out of Russia to come and perform at the Fringe and also to speak about her book at the Book Festival, she commanded the stage with such vigour, showing the world just how powerful a woman can be.

Tonight I will always remember as a once in a lifetime opportunity where I had the privilege to connect with the unknown and feel part of a real revolution. I left the show feeling proud to be a woman and an increasing urge to better myself and educate myself further about the world around me.

Five Reasons to take up a Dance Class

Two years ago I started my first adult ballet lesson. I signed up for the term on a whim thinking it would be fun to try something new. Two years later, I now take three dance classes a week including a jazz class. I’m not sure what makes dancing so appealing to me; whether it’s the release of happy endorphins or if it gives me an outlet to express myself or if it’s a skill that you can build upon but I can certainly say I’m addicted and I’m not the only one. Some of my fellow dance friends do up to 7 classes a week!  I do believe though that dancing has helped give me the confidence to make the decision to follow my passion and apply for my Masters in Journalism.

I thought I would write this article to help spread the joy. Here are my top five reasons to take up an adult dance class.

1.       Mindfulness

No matter how much is going on in your head whether its work stress or financial worries, when you are in the class all of these thoughts immediately diminish as your mind is now focused on remembering new choreography and there is no time to think about anything else. It is both a mental and physical workout and it enables you to be in that moment for the duration of the class. It definitely has improved my mental, as well as my physical health since starting.

2.       A New Skill

Unlike going to the gym or taking an exercise class you are learning a new skill that you can build upon and improve. Over the last two years my co-ordination has improved immensely and my muscle memory is so much stronger. It’s a very satisfying form of exercise.

3.     New Friends

It’s a great way to meet like-minded people. I have made many good friends through dancing and have met so many interesting people with different careers and interests and I have learnt a lot from them. 

4.       Cultural Enrichment

It is one of the most educational forms of exercise as you are constantly learning new repertoires and gaining an understanding of different ballets and styles of dance. My taste in theatre and performance has changed since I started dancing as I have experienced new genres.

5.     Confidence

It is a great way to develop self-confidence. All adult dance classes follow the same ethos-enjoyment over perfection. You are not expected to be the next Darcey Bussell and no one is judging you for making mistakes. It is very empowering to be in a supportive environment that helps you to build up your skills at your own pace.

So if you are on the fence about starting a dance class or even just trying something new I hope this helps inspire you like it has inspired me.

The Shape of Water Review

This is definitely a film you need to see for yourself to understand its power and spellbinding beauty. From the tag line it sounds more like some strange sci fi porn-mute woman falls in love with an amphibian man. This in fact does happen but Guillermo del Toro manages to craft this story into a magical, unconventional, timeless fable.

Set in the early 1960’s during the time of the Cold War and the Space Race, a top secret scientific lab in Baltimore is delivered with a mysterious sea creature from the Amazon to be used for experimentation. The experiments are overseen by a cruel government official Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) who believes the creature should be picked apart to discover its secrets in order to have one over on the Russians.

Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins) a mute cleaning lady in charge of cleaning the lab in which the creature is being held is horrified to witness the brutality and violence Strickland is using towards it. Curious about the creature Elisa begins to form a connection with it/him by giving him hard boiled eggs and playing music-some welcome respite from the daily torture that he/it must endure. Their connection grows from sympathy to romance as Elisa discovers they have more in common than she had imagined, as she beautifully puts it ‘He does not know that I am incomplete’.

Elisa’s gentle nature extends beyond the lab as she is a trusted friend to her lonely closeted gay neighbour Giles (Richard Jenkins) and her fellow African American co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer)-a listening ear to two members from marginalised groups at the time.

‘The Other’ is a major theme in this film and Del Toro draws parallels between the 60’s and the political climate in the States today. Strickland makes a powerful speech stating the sea creature was not born in the form of Jesus and therefore does not deserve to exist the way everyone else does. Del Toro also highlights how ignorance breeds fear and characters are divided between those who sympathise with the creature and those who want to destroy it.

This thought provoking film is a sci-fi take on Beauty and the Beast. It is magical but brutal, tender but violent and it challenges its audience to see beyond convention.  In the final mesmerising narrated scene of Elisa and her amphibian lover dancing in the water I was left measuring the shape of my own tears.

The Post Review

Steven Spielberg’s 'The Post' is a celebration of intelligence and the power of integrity. This film, set in 1971 is based on the true story of how The Washington Post exposed top secret government documents (that would later be known as The Pentagon Papers) revealing the shocking futility of America’s involvement in The Vietnam War and the shameful cover ups made by the White House spanning over four presidencies, from Truman up to Nixon. These documents discovered by American military analyst, Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) paved the way for The Watergate Investigation.

Meryl Streep plays Kay Graham, socialite and owner of The Washington Post, who inherited the newspaper after her late husband’s suicide. It is lovely to see how her character develops and evolves throughout the film from being cautious and hesitant, depending on the condescending advice from her male board members to a woman with her own voice and mind prepared to risk her fortune and livelihood to reveal the truth and prioritise public interest. Tom Hanks plays short-tempered editor Ben Bradlee who from the get-go is desperate to publish the papers at any cost and encourages Kay to be bold, although he has a lot less to lose.

Although set in the early 1970’s, Spielberg draws a few parallels with our current situation today, a bullying president attempting to weaken the power of the press. Conflict of interest is a theme in this film illustrated through Kay Graham’s friendship with Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defence throughout the 1960’s and Ben Bradlee’s friendly relationship with the Kennedys. There are many nail biting moments throughout this film which makes it so thrilling to watch.

This film is historically rich and is a wonderful celebration of pioneering feminism. It is inspirational to see the teamwork and comradery amongst the journalists working together under such pressure and demonstrates the rush that comes with certain careers. This film motivated me to learn more about the history of this era and is an excellent tribute to the importance of whistleblowing and investigative journalism.

A Japanese Love Story

‘To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance’ – Oscar Wilde

A Japanese Love Story

Hiroshima-ken 2009

Kawatana was a small town. It was 20 minutes by train outside of Hiroshima and in summer mikans (satsumas) grew on the trees and cicadas sang at night. The humidity and heat attracted cockroaches and other delightful creatures and it sapped the energy out of everyone. Obachans (grandmothers) made jugs of oolong tea and sat in the shade. Women wore long sleeves and floppy hats to protect themselves from the sun. Summer was less of a celebration here than it was for Kate back home.

She cycled to work, her usual hilly route she took every day. She had grown used to the stares of the locals and had begun to enjoy her status as the local gaijin (foreigner). The change in environment and culture had woken her up to life again and had given her the lift that she had needed. She filled her days teaching English in the local high school and her evenings frequenting the local isakayas (bars) with friends and taking ikebana classes (flower arranging). Her weekends and midterms were spent exploring her new environment and places further afield.

The change in diet had allowed her to shed the extra pounds she had gained during her finals and the sun had made her skin glow again. Here she could be anyone, as anonymous and private or as intimate and personal as she wanted to be; it was her choice. It was her chance to begin again. The recent years had taken its toll on Kate. A series of disappointments, failed relationships and set-backs had knocked her confidence. She had retreated into herself and had become suspicious of other people. On her induction course when she first arrived in Tokyo she was told of this ‘Honeymoon period’ she was going to experience but then culture shock would set in and she would have high highs and low lows. For her however the change in culture had shocked her body and mind into a better place and helped her to get back to herself.

Back home she had never taken an interest in languages, or fitness and couldn’t afford to travel. Here opportunity presented itself to her on a golden platter. She began to nourish her mind and body in a way that didn’t feel possible before. She now had things to say for herself, interests and experiences to share. She had branched out. Away from former negativity and other factors that had crippled her ability to blossom. Inspiration returned to her, she met new people with confidence and she managed to shake off the weight that was holding her down. What was possibly the scariest decision of her life had turned out to be the right one.

And this was just the beginning. 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Review

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a dark tragicomedy written and directed by British-Irish writer/ director Martin McDonagh. It is set in the fictional small town of Ebbing, Missouri in Southern America; home to melancholy, racism and violence. The story centres around Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) a weather-beaten, middle-aged mother who is grieving the loss of her teenage daughter who was raped and murdered. Her killer has yet to be found seven months later.

Unsatisfied by the efforts by the local police Mildred takes it upon herself to rent three billboards to name and shame the leading officer Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) and highlight the lack of action taken to solve her daughter’s case. The town is outraged by this act of defamation which was the desired effect Mildred was hoping for. Willoughby with health troubles of his own refuses to be provoked by this act and re-opens the case, however his co-worker Officer Dixon is less obliging.

This film is filled with three dimensional characters that are all flawed in their own way. The racist, incompetent Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell) who still lives with his mother provides many moments of comic relief and displays both cruelty and compassion and in a surprising turn of events, integrity. Unlikely alliances is a strong theme throughout this film and characters that have gone out of their way to hurt and destroy each other show forgiveness and understanding.

This film will move you, surprise you and make you laugh out loud in inappropriate places .It is also accompanied by a killer soundtrack which displays country music at its finest and demonstrates the true soul, melancholy and painful history of the South. McDormand’s performance as Mildred is outstanding and she demonstrates intelligence, ferocity and strength in this role. This is a subtle, well told story which takes you in and challenges your views on morality.

The Nutcracker Review

Scottish Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ is the perfect Christmas treat for all the family. Whether you are a fan of ballet or not, this spectacular show will undoubtedly work its magic on you. Using Peter Darrell’s original choreography, artistic director Christopher Hampson and renowned designer Lez Brotherston revive this festive classic with shimmering costumes, breath-taking set design and an engaging narrative.

Act One opens with the iconic Christmas party scene at the Colonel’s house with an array of glamorous Victorian guests, both old and young. The arrival of the Drosselmeyer causes a stir of excitement as he performs his magic tricks and presents Clara, the Colonel’s daughter with a toy nutcracker. As night falls and after the guests have all left Clara awakes to find her toy nutcracker has turned into a real life prince, performed by Andrew Peasgood. Clara’s imagination brings us on an adventure of fighting Mouse Kings, Dancing Snowflakes and into the Land of Sweets.

During the final scene of Act One the stage glows with the Waltz of the Snowflakes with an icy backdrop, sparkling costumes and Tchaikovsky’s iconic music performed by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. Sophie Martin is spectacular as the Snow Queen and she commands the stage with elegance and grace.

In Act Two we are introduced to some more exotic characters in the Land of the Sweets. Clara is welcomed by the Sugar Plum Fairy, performed by the radiant Constance Devernay and is entertained by a Spanish trio, a Chinese duet and an Arabian soloist (Marge Hendrick). Andrew Peasgood and Constance Devernay’s pas de deux is nothing short of perfection and the iconic Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is everything we could hope for and more. I found the use of dark costumes for the Waltz of the Flowers interesting as in other productions they are usually so bright and colourful. 
The imagination and detail in every costume is simply marvellous and it all starts to feel a bit psychedelic with the addition of monkeys and clowns amongst other creatures.

The company bring nothing but sheer skill and grace to each dance and it is obvious the joy each of them feel when they are performing. A special tribute must be paid to the children performing in this show as the level of professionalism and competence was outstanding in each of their performances.

This is the best production I have seen by Scottish Ballet to date and they have brought something new to this classic piece. So this Christmas treat yourself to this assault on the senses and let the magic wash over you. 

My Week in Dunkirk!

After arriving home to Ireland after a life changing week volunteering at the Dunkirk Children's Centre many thoughts, feelings and reflections are stirring in me. I feel more informed on the current refugee situation, I feel less afraid of putting myself out there and I also feel a responsibility and need to continue to do everything in my power to help raise awareness of this issue, hence writing this article.

The idea of volunteering at a refugee camp first came into my head when I had seen that an ex colleague of mine from the Edinburgh Fringe (the wonderful Kirstin Shirling) from many moons ago had been volunteering in Calais and I knew then that this was something I definitely wanted to do. In the build up to going I was very very nervous, scared and also worried about putting myself into a possibly dangerous and vulnerable situation. (There were many sleepless nights!) I had read many articles online about life at the camp and was aware before going that it wasn't the safest place to be. 

La Liniere Refugee Camp is situated in Dunkirk in Northern France and is run by the French Aid Organisation, AFEJI. There are around 1500 refugees living there and it is a male dominated site with only around 150 women and 200 children. The majority of the refugee population come from Kurdistan (the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq) and Afghanistan. Women are vulnerable at the camp and there have been unfortunate reports of women being abused and raped on site. The camp is a vast ground of cabins with not much stimulation or activity going on, hence I cannot emphasise enough the importance of the different voluntary organisations present at the camp. There is an Adult Learning Centre, a Women's Centre, the Children's Centre, a Medical Centre and a Community Kitchen. There are also a number of different organisations present including the Red Cross and Gynecologie Sans Frontieres. 

My job for the week was to help out at the Children's Centre. On arriving on the Monday morning it was quite a nerve wrecking experience as I had to have my passport checked by French security before entering through the gates. I walked silently through the camp as it was quite a shocking and sobering environment to get used to. As it was quite early many of the residents weren't up yet so it was very quiet. However when I reached the Children's Centre my spirits lifted and felt overjoyed by the positive and welcoming environment the volunteers had created.

This set the tone for me for the rest of the week and my nerves and fears were put to rest. All of the long term volunteers were positive, warm and passionate about their essential work. The Children's Centre is divided between two buildings-one for the older children aged 7-11 and the other for 3-7 year old's. As I am an early years teacher I was put to work in the infant building. This site is set up as a nursery where activities are set out but the children can choose what they want to do and play is the centre of all activity. The children are provided with regular snacks like in any nursery and they have lunch there every day. Lunch is such a beautiful time as all of the children sit around the table like a family with the volunteers and we all eat together. It is simple things like this that provide the children with escapism from life in their cabins where eating a meal around a large table is not a possibility for them . 

I have so many highlights from the week but I will list just a few. One included being invited to one of the mother's cabins for lunch on my first day. I felt honoured to be included along with the other long term volunteers. It was incredible to see how she had set up her cabin to make it as homely and as comfortable as possible for her and her four children (one who has cerebral palsy). She had managed to create a kitchen area, a sleeping area and a dining area in her cabin. We were invited to sit in a circle to enjoy a meal of rice with tomato and bean stew. I was overwhelmed by this woman's generosity and her complete lack of hesitance or reluctance to give us literally everything she had to offer despite having so little to give. 

Another highlight included enjoying a movie afternoon with the children. The volunteers blacked out all of the windows, we set up cushions and blankets and a projector in one room and gave each child some Nutella and bread and for an afternoon we all could have been anywhere in the world enjoying a film together.

I also had the opportunity to go to the local school with a few of the children one of the days. This was a very interesting and insightful experience for me as a teacher. The local government organised a free bus every day to take the children to and from school. I accompanied  two of the younger children in the reception class. It was a very interesting experience to be a learning assistant for the day and the french teacher was very grateful for my help as she was able to get on with teaching the class while I supported the two children I was with. It was a real shock for me to see the contrast between the children living on the camp and the clean, well presented children in the class. One of the little girls I was with didn't have a skirt on under her coat and got quite upset when the teacher asked her to take off her coat. It was upsetting for me to see that even at that young age the children from the camp were very aware that they were different from the other children and felt maybe a little self conscious even at that age that they were less well presented than the other children. I realised from this trip to the school the importance to have a strong link between the school and camp and if I didn't have a full time job and commitments I would love to be the person to take on this role!

Overall this experience made my heart glow, break and be filled with love for these children. Each and every one of them has their own story and has taken their own journey to get there and the Children's Centre is such an important place for them to come and leave their troubles behind, be with their peers. play and have fun!

I could go on and on about the camp but I will finish for now. Not everyone can pack up and go off to volunteer here so I thought I would share my story to give people an insight into what life is like in this sad, heartbreaking but also magical and wonderful place!

Moonlight Review

After seeing Moonlight last weekend I was left in a daze contemplating the events from the film and trying to piece together my feelings about it.

This film centres around and follows the journey of its main character Chiron a young African American boy growing up in a poor and dangerous neighbourhood in Miami. 'Who is you' is a question that repeats itself throughout the film when we see Chiron at three different stages of his life played by three different actors. The movie is divided into three parts-'Little', 'Chiron' and 'Black' to represent these different stages. Chiron is a quiet and timid boy who doesn't speak much- his timidness maybe come as a result of being brought up by his struggling, drug abusing mother who we often see humiliating and neglecting her son.

The film opens with Chiron or 'Little' being rescued from a derelict house by Juan (Mahersala Ali
who won Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for this part).Juan although a tough drug dealer has a gentle and caring nature and becomes a pastoral carer to Chiron along with his nurturing partner Teresa (Janelle Monae). Their home is a place of shelter for Little when his mother (played by the outstanding Naomie Harris) decides to not let him into the house as she has company or when she is high on drugs and in an abusive mood. His mother very early on has suspicions that her son may be 'different' when she mocks him in front of Juan commenting on the way he walked. We later on learn that she has called him a faggot when Little asks Juan the meaning of this word.

On top of the struggles Chiron has at home he also faces difficulties at school. In part two of the movie 'Chiron' we see him being bullied by Terrel a menacing ring leader. It is in this part of the film that Chiron explores his feelings of homosexuality. In the first part of the movie we see him strike a friendship with Kevin and in this part their friendship grows closer when they meet one night at the beach under the 'Moonlight'!! However their bond is broken by Terrel who has Kevin humiliate and beat Chiron up at school which is heartbreaking to watch.

Chiron who has been coping with his addict mother and this abuse at school reaches his breaking point and finally decides to fight back by breaking a chair on Terrel's head which leads to an unjust turn of events where he; the victim, is incarcerated.

This leads us into part three of the film where we meet Black (Trevante Rhodes)- a new bulked up Chiron sporting a gold grill. He has lost his bullied status but not the sadness and longing in his eyes. He now lives in Atlanta, Georgia and has fallen into a life of crime. His character slightly mirrors his previous mentor Juan as he has the same tough exterior but a gentle and vulnerable side to him. When he gets a call from Kevin one night after many years something awakens in him again that he thought that he had maybe put to rest.

Moonlight is a beautiful and touching film about our need for connection with others and how easily we can feel alienated for being different. There are also so many beautiful shots in this film-my favourite one is when his mother who is hurling abuse at him is framed by a vibrant pink light. This film doesn't answer all of our questions and leaves the audience wondering about many things.  A really beautiful piece of work and one of a kind.

 

Iceland-Land of Fire and Ice and All Things Nice!

Returning from a holiday in Iceland evokes worse post holiday blues than any holiday I've ever been on. Whether it's the knowledge that you have just left behind the closest thing to Utopia on this planet, or that your daily schedule is not going to filled with waiting to be picked up to embark on a new adventure every day; I'm not sure. I decided though that it was very important for me to take a moment to reflect on my trip and compile a list of my top five experiences there.

1. Blue Lagoon at Night!

My friend Faye and I decided to pre-book as many things as possible before going on our trip which is something I would highly recommend to anyone going as it is definitely not a myth that Iceland is very expensive. When we went to book the Blue Lagoon we were at first a little disappointed that we could only get a booking for 7pm as my image of the Blue Lagoon was the serene turquoise waters in daylight so we were not sure what to expect! But we were in for a treat! The Blue Lagoon at night is like the quirkiest night out you will ever have!! There is a cool almost party vibe at night and there is a bar that you can swim up to to get drinks from while in the water! Faye and I were in our element!! Floating in the hot baths with the contrast of the cold outside was an experience I will never forget so our initial disappointment turned out to be a pleasant surprise that I would recommend to anyone!

2. Reykjavik Food Tour

Artisan dessert

On our first day in Reykjavik Faye booked us onto a food tour. I had never been on a tour like this before but am so glad that we went as it was a very culturally enriching and delicious experience. We were greeted at the Harpa concert hall by our very eccentric but pleasant tour guide who insisted on guiding our entire tour while walking backwards. On our journey from each cafe to each restaurant he gave us snippets of local history and pointed out different notable monuments etc. On our tour we had the pleasure of tasting a variety of dishes from the traditional Icelandic lamb soup to rye bread ice cream to a hearty lobster soup to a variety of cheeses and cured meats to an Icelandic hotdog from a street stand. Our tour finished off in a more high end restaurant with this beautifully presented and delicious dessert. The food tour was a great way to taste a variety of the cuisines and relieved the pressure of having to pay a fortune to sample some of these dishes in the more touristy spots.

3. Golden Circle Tour

This classic tour is a must for every tourist in Iceland as it covers so many of the main sights. We set off early on our day trip to discover some of planet earth's natural phenomena. For this tour we had an older and more seasoned tour guide which was nice. It was interesting to see the different approaches of the different tour guides. In this Golden Circle tour we started off at Pingvellir National Park where we could see the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the gap between two major tectonic plates-the North American and the Eurasian.-geography at its finest!!

Gap between two tectonic plates

We next headed off to the beautiful Gullfloss Waterfall-'gull' means gold in Icelandic hence the Golden Circle Tour. Gullfloss is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Europe and it was breathtaking.

Gulfloss selfie!

After this we then headed to the famous geysers of Haukadalur which was just nature at its finest! With ice capped mountains in the background and the rising steam it made me quite emotional about how important it is to protect this beautiful planet we live on! Some of the rock and soil on the ground was of quite an interesting colour that it almost felt like we were on Mars or another planet. The main geyser Strokkur erupted every 6-9 minutes so everyone was waiting eagerly with their cameras trying to capture the moment the eruption occurred. 

Strokkur shortly after it erupted!

To finish our tour our tour guide took us to see a geothermal plant which was so interesting as most houses in Iceland are heated by geothermal energy and the hot water in the taps comes from a geothermal plant hence the smell of sulphur when you go wash your hands. It was so inspiring to see how progressive Iceland is in their approach to using renewable energy and sad at the same time seeing that their country is already hugely affected by global warming. A tour guide told us this has been the warmest February in history and the mountains that are usually completely snow capped at this time of year are only partially covered in ice which was alarming to see!

4. Reykjavik City Walk

I would highly recommend this free walking tour (just a donation at the end) of Reykjavik as not only was it very informative we also had a very nice tour guide who was full of fun and enthusiasm. We went to a lot of the main sights in Reykjavik and learned a lot about Iceland's history and progressive liberal politics. There were many American tourists visiting when we there and many were awe struck by how left wing and progressive Iceland is. With its social democratic welfare state there is free University education and health care for all and a huge focus on renewable energy. Our tour guide also told us there were less than 200 prisoners in the whole country which gives us all something to think about!

At the end of his tour he recommended us to go to the top of Hallgrimskirkja where we could get this superb view of the whole of Reykjavik!

5 Reykjavik Street Art

Reykjavik reminded me of a cross between being in a Wes Anderson film and like stepping into Christmas! In Reykjavik all of the buildings are colourful to help keep the locals cheerful during the dark winter months and in recent years the street art scene has popped up with beautiful murals on most of the walls making Reykjavik the artistic, quirky hub that it is!                                  

There is something for everyone in Iceland-whether its a cosy cafe, an outdoor adventure, a lesson in history and politics or a nerve wreckingly expensive beer or meal it is definitely worth a visit!!

It is definitely one of the best holidays I have ever been on and will certainly be back to see more of it's wonders!