Students Roots and Wings

"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children : Roots and Wings"

[studentsrootsandwings]

Off the rails - A student guide to inter railing in Europe.

With summer fast approaching, it can certainly be worth while to start thinking of summer plans now before the madness of approaching deadlines ,  exams and assignments. Three months of freedom , 30 countries to explore - Inter railing offers the perfect experience.

Inter railing offers the perfect opportunity to see some of the most beautiful cities Europe has to offer in a short period of time. Inter railing offers more freedom and flexibility  when planning , where , when and for how long you plan to extend your visit to each country.

The first step to Interrail planning is ask yourself: “Where have I always wanted to visit in Europe?” Maybe a bucket list you want to tick off or a  wish list of places you want to visit, consulted that to plan your Interrail trip.A custom Google map, is a great idea to see which places could easily be combined and the best route to take. For Interrail route ideas, you could look at destinations on Pinterest, read travel blogs, or see these suggested Eurail itineraries. For variety, I suggest mixing beaches with cities and countryside. Combine famous destinations like Paris and Barcelona with less well known smaller towns.Getting off the beaten track will help you avoid the crowds, save money on accommodation, and have a unique experience. 

You can also avoid seat reservations by doing shorter journeys on regional trains rather than long trips between big cities.Once I had chosen some possible destinations, I used the online Interrail Train Timetable or Rail Planner app to see how long the train trips would be. The Interrail Train Timetable was really useful throughout our trip for looking up train times. The app is free and works offline.Rail passes do now include the Eurostar train for travel between London and Paris or Brussels (this is a recent change), which is fantastic if you are starting your trip in the UK or want to visit during your trip. Seat reservations are essential and should be made at least three months in advance, so it’s a good idea to plan your Inter rail trip as far ahead as possible. 

What is an inter rail ? .

An inter rail pass is a train tickets which allows you to travel on almost any train throughout  Europe , It offers access to 37 railway and ferry companies across 30 countries. From there the decision is yours where this amazing pass will take you on your adventures. Inter rail is available to all European citizens  There are two tickets you can purchase depending on where your travel plans take you.

Using Your Interrail Pass

An Interrail pass is easy to use. Before boarding a train, just record the trip details in the Travel Diary that is provided with your ticket.

If you have a flexi pass (such as 10 days of travel within one month), fill in the date of each travel day in the travel calendar, which is printed on your pass.

You can save travel days by taking night trains. If your train leaves after 7pm and arrives after 4am the next day, you only have to fill in the arrival day in the travel calendar.

**How much does it cost / how to book ?. **

There are many sites in which you can book your inter rail pass ,although if I could offer essential tips when booking it would be as follows

Shop around - While there are many sites which offer inter rail pass deals , it is essential to shop around to see which have the best offers to suit you !.

Booking early - there are many discounts and offer on offer when you book early.

There are two types of passes available

-One country pass - This offers you unlimited travel in one country.

-Global pass -  Offers unlimited travel in unlimited countries to 31 countries at your own pace.

**Passes can be bought at **

https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes - free upgrade to first class when you buy a global pass in February. They also offer discount rates to travellers under 27

https://www.interrail.ie/passes

**Prices **

Prices star from 127 euro For one country pass or

218 euro For Global pass .

Booking Accommodation

Accommodation While Inter railing In high season (mainly the summer) you’ll need to book accommodation at least a few days in advance.If you are only spending a night in a city, choose accommodation near the train station to save time and hassle. 

 Booking.com is great for hostels, guesthouses, and hotels.

Airbnb is great for cheaper rooms rooms and apartments , which can be handy if there is a larger group.

Hostels are cheap and cheerful and defiantly worth considering while inter railing.

Hostels are always a great idea to meet new like minded people , they are all usually full of people just like yourself travelling one city at a time . This can offer a great chance to get some travel ideas  or even gather some more troops change your plan trip entirely or make friends for life. 

 While I  would recommend sorting out accommodation for your first few destinations.DO NOT book well in advance for every city you plan to explore , as you never know how your plan might change or where you might end up . This option doesn't tie you down too much and allows flexibility.

European festivals 

If your a fan of festivals Inter railing can offer the perfect opportunity to try out some of the festivals Europe has to offer.

**Sziget **

Budapest - 7-13th of August https://szigetfestival.com/fr/

**Ultra Europe **

Split , Crotia - 14-19 July https://ultraeurope.com/#videos

**Isle of wight **

Isle of Wight Festival 2019 Guide / Book Isle of Wight Festival 2019 Tickets, Accommodation & Extras

13-16 June 2019; Isle of Wight, UK

**Tomorrow Land ** https://www.tomorrowland.com/global/

19-21 July & 26-28 July 2019; Boom, Belgium

**Exit Festival ** https://www.exitfest.org/en/

4-8 July 2019; Novi Sad, Serbia** **

Whether your looking to find yourself , tick a few cities off the bucket list , be spontaneous and not know what city you'll wake up in next , explore different cultures , try out a few European festivals or simply have an adventure of a life time - Inter railing has a lot to offer regardless of what you wish to experience , it offers a cheap alternative to create a tailor made holiday one you can decide where to next.

One more thing to do - Grab your friends get planning and have the summer of a lifetime

More Inter rail Tips

Don’t forget travel insurance in case anything goes wrong. 

The Man in Seat 61 is a really useful site for everything train travel.

Inter rail can give some inspiration on a selection of routes on offer.

Euro venture is a handy website which offer train and hostel packages 

[studentsrootsandwings]

Planning a Holiday on a Student Budget

[studentsrootsandwings]

An amazing weekend in Lyon:

Panoramic view from the Fourvière hill, ©Le Petit Explorateur

If we ask you the question: what does France represent for you? You will probably say “Paris”, “the Eiffel Tower”, “the romanticism”, “the French Riviera” but also “frogs.” However, there is more to France than those surface level things.

We could not blame you if you have never heard about Lyon before reading this article, but it is never too late to discover this wonderfulFrench city which abounds with treasures, museums and boardwalks.

So now, let me bring you to the “Capital of Lights” for three days where the objectives will be to discover the city and the monuments, the French gastronomy but also the different ways to enjoy the night!

First Day

Our weekend starts, in the morning, in the centre of the city which corresponds to the Place Bellecour. This is the largest pedestrian place in Europe, where you can admire a statue of Louis XIV riding a horse. On one of the corners, you can also see the Bell tower of a former hospital. After visiting this place, you will take the direction of the Fourvière hill. 

Basilica of Fourvière, ©Christian Hardi

The Fourvière hill is the highest point in the city and offers the best panoramic view of Lyon (sometimes if the weather is good, there is the possibility to see the Mont-Blanc), but before arriving to the top of the hill, two choices are possible. For the sportsperson you can choose the pedestrian pathway and for the others, you can take the funicular (2€). Once you have arrived, you will not be disappointed because the view is astonishing. In addition to the view, you will discover a beautiful basilica, the Basilica of Fourvière. With free entry, do not hesitate to enter and discover the atmosphere of the site. On the way down, there is nothing better than going through the ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre to see the historical past of the city. Then, you will be on the Vieux Lyon, located at the foot of the Fourvière hill. This is the oldest district with several short-cobbled streets surrounded by medieval style.

“Bouchons” Aux Trois Maries, ©T.Buccino ou ©jimenezcamille.s

Before visiting this district, it is time to eat and in order to discover the local gastronomy, you have to go in traditional restaurant called “Bouchons”. For instance, you can go to “Aux Trois Maries” restaurant where all the meals proposed are coming from the Lyonnaise cuisine and I advise you to try everything like the Quenelles, the Tablier de Sapeur, the Lyonnaise salad and the Tarte à la praline. The planning for the afternoon is a promenade in the neighbourhood of Vieux Lyon which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Between the narrow streets, you will discover several places including the cathedral of Saint Jean. There are also two museums, the Lyon Historical Museum and the International Puppet Museum in order to learn about the Lyonnaise culture.

Second Day

For the second day, we head south of Presqu’Île to a district named “La Confluence.” This name is because Lyon is located at the confluence of two rivers: Saône and Rhône. For several years, this district is in perpetual changing and becomes the ‘place to be’ in the city. Between the creation of a marina, the construction of a new mall, new buildings for business as well as for living, it is a growing community. The best way to stride this neighbourhood is to take a “Vélo’v” and to go until the extremity of the confluence. 

The extremity of the confluence

Thereafter, you could visit the Confluences museum (free for students under 26 years old), which is the most recent museum of Lyon, or go back to the mall to take a lunch break in front of the marina. For the afternoon, the Place Bellecour will be once again our departure point. Take Rue de la République which leads to the Opera and the Place des Terreaux with the city hall building. This street of 1 kilometre is composed of lots of clothing and shoe stores where you could make purchases. Then, you will continue the visit of Lyon with the district of Croix-Rousse located on the other hill of the city. This neighbourhood possesses a huge history that you can discover by taking aguide. This guide will help you discover all the secrets of the smalls and narrow streets called “Traboules”. This maze of streets was used by the “Canuts”, people who carried the silk in Lyon during the 19thcentury, from the top of the hill to the centre of Lyon.

After these two busy days it is time to schedule the night. Lyon is an important student city with a lot of universities, so the nightlife is particularly strong and mostly during the weekend. There is a large choice of bars/pubs such as the Shamrock, The Boston and so many others. There are several nightclubs like the Ayers Rock as well.

Third day

After an epic night, it is already the beginning of the last day of the weekend. For this third day, the plan is quite simple, just prepare a good picnic because the destination is the Tête d’Or Park, an urban park. This is perfect place to take a rest and to escape the urban life. 

The “Vélo’v”

To go to the park, you will just take the “Vélo’v”, go on the quays and just follow the pathway until the park entry. This promenade is an average 3 kilometres and will give you another point of view of the city as well as help you to eliminate the night excess! Once arrive, you will just find the good place on the grass to appreciate your meal and a lazy afternoon…before leaving Lyon.

From now on, you don’t have any excuse to not come to Lyon and visit all its secrets and monuments for at least a weekend or more. And if you missed a last argument to convince you, in 2016 Lyon was elected as the Europe’s leading city break destination by the World Travel Awards, nothing but the best! V.L

For more information:

The Lyon website (English version): https://en.lyon-france.com/Discover-Lyon

Confluences Museum: http://www.museedesconfluences.fr/fr/visit-museum

Aux Trois Maries website (only in French): http://aux-3-maries.fr/page-2/

Lyon Historical Museum: http://www.gadagne.musees.lyon.fr/index.php/histoire_fr

[studentsrootsandwings]

The Ultimate J1 Holiday Guide

              The J1 Holiday is a right of passage for Students in Ireland. It has everything that a young twenty something year old needs to have the summer of their life. But getting your head around all the planning and red tape can make it a daunting task. This Post is your Ultimate guide to the J1 holiday.

Why do it?

The J1 Visa allows Irish students to work and travel in The United States for a summer. Not only is it a great way of getting out of living with your parents for three months, but it gives you the chance to completely immerse yourself in another culture. You'll live in a cramped apartment, scraping by with just enough food but somehow its all worth it.

The Requirements for a J1 Visa

The Requirements to go on the J1 Holiday are pretty simple, you must be:

Any nationality studying in Ireland.

Irish studying Abroad

18 Years old

Full time student

Types of Employment

Any summer job must be generally compatible with the rules, regulations, and intent of the programme. You have to work at least 32 hours per week and have to be able to balance the responsibilities of the job and you exploring of the USA. In addition to the above, any summer job that could bring notoriety or disrepute to the Exchange Visitor Program is expressly prohibited by the program regulations. It is also important to note that you need to ensure that all Work & Travel USA jobs are "seasonal" and not taking work from American Citizens. The typical Summer Work Travel job is in seasonal/resort areas in a seasonal business. There are seasonal needs outside resort areas and there may be suitable jobs in these areas. If a job is in an office environment, it should be seasonal and NOT an internship ie. if there is intent for professional development or some sort of career experience, then it likely belongs on the Intern side. In addition, you need to be careful that you are not working in isolated/remote areas. Some jobs are prohibited by the programme, you can find them here.

Finding a Job

There are two routes you can take to finding a job in the US. First is the USIT programme that will find a job for you but you will have to pay. You can find their website here. Secondly, there is always the do it yourself route. Its much like finding a job here in Ireland. You need to make sure your CV and cover letter is up to date, then you need to trawl the job sites in the US such as craigslist and indeed in search of summer jobs. you have one advantage though, you're Irish and everybody loves the Irish.

How much will i get paid?

The national minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour for non-tipped positions. For tipped positions (such as waitstaff), the national minimum wage is $2.13 per hour. Minimum wage requirements may be higher in some states. Paychecks are typically given out every two weeks. Most places that will pay you around the $10 area and its more than enough to get buy if you and your friends pool your money.

Filing a Tax return

The average Tax return in the US is $850 so its more than worth your while applying even though you'll be home. By law everyone working in the US has to file a tax return so its gonna happen anyway. There are companies such as taxback.com who will do it for you but it will cost. You can find them here.

From Cape Cod’s country clubs and Wisconsin water parks, to the bars of downtown Chicago the J1 experience has become a rite of passage for Irish students. Emerging regulations in the USA has meant that the future of the J1 SWT programme may be at risk in the next few years so seize the opportunity to have a Summer of a lifetime.

[studentsrootsandwings]

Val Thorens Ski Holidays | Val Thorens Skiing Holidays | Crystal Ski Ireland

Book your ski holiday to Val Thorens with Crystal Ski. Visit Europe's highest resort, with great snow and superb skiing for everybody.

This blog post is going to be solely base on the sporting side of a student holiday, therefore I have decided to write about my experience on the college ski trip to Val Thorenes in France.

I have had the privilege of going on the ski trip two years running and in my opinion it’s the best holiday and is definitely something that must be done at least once. The destination of the ski trip often changes from year to year to avoid repetitiveness, but it’s usually either Val Thornes or Val d’lsere which are two hours apart and both in France, however the week in which you go is almost always the same (usually the second week in January).

If you and your group of friends are interested on going on the ski trip, it’s absolutely essentially you book early to avoid being ripped off which happens to a lot of people. For two years in a row, my friends and I have gone through a travel agency called ‘Crystal ski’. This agency is fantastic and books absolutely everything for you including, flight, transportation, accommodations, ski rental and ski passes and often get you a good deal with usually only a small commission. If you were to book things separately and without the help of a travel agent you will find yourself paying nearly double the price, particularly with ski passes because agencies buy many of them at a time and often get them at a discount.

The two main accommodations in Val Thorens are ‘Village Montana’ and ‘Le Cheval Blanc’. I have stayed in both accommodations and can truthfully say Village Montana is far better even though they are both the same price. The rooms in Village Montana are far more spacious and it’s an overall nicer hotel, however Le cheval blanc has a ski in/ ski out facility which will come to be a luxury throughout the holiday as It means you don’t have to take off all your ski gear and trek up the road to your hotel.

My next advice is, to get your skiing equipment ASAP. If you don’t and leave it until last minute like everybody else you’re guaranteed to be waiting in a stuffy line for two hours + while feeling like you’re going to die of a hangover. Go the ski rental shop as soon as you check in. Also, most ski shops close at 6pm so don’t forget to factor that in.

The reason why I feel everyone loves Val Thorens or a ski trip in general is the après. The après in Val Thorens is called the ‘360 bar’ and is located on a green slope meaning its easily accessible for beginners as the slope only has a gradient of less than 25%. If you’re too afraid to ski, (which a lot of people are) you are also able to walk to après from the hotel which is about a 15 minute walk. Maybe people pre-drink for après outside of 360 which is always good fun, so its advised to bring a bag pack type of thing to store your drink in while skiing, because skiing with a bottle in your hand is quite the challenge.

The main nightclub in Val Thorens is called ‘Malaysia’ and is Europe’s biggest underground nightclub. It’s a tenner access and often fills up early so its advised to be there for 12:30-1 am, (nights out begin and end very late here). Malaysia often have ticketed events on which are always fun and I’d advise you to buy a ticket in advance to ensure you’re not standing outside in the cold (its -20 degrees at night). This year, Boots and Kats and Afrojack played in the nightclub. If you arrive to Malaysia and its full, there’s another nightclub down the road called ‘Summit’ which is also a tenner access and equally as fun, although significantly smaller.

I hope this blog post gave you an insight on the lifestyle that has evolved in Val Thorens. It truly is the definition of a student holiday and must be experienced at least once!