Jump! Mag

Travel

Being an Expat – The Best of Both Worlds

Being an expat is not the easiest thing in the world, but it’s certainly is one of the most interesting and enriching experiences one can have. Alexia moved from Athens to London in September 2012, and is still trying to figure out expat life, armed with optimism, patience and lots of enthusiasm. She explains how she finds life… here and there.

Here: I meet new people all the time and develop great friendships with people from all over the world. I’m more open socially than I was back home.

There: Although I miss them terribly, I’m so happy every time I go back home and see my old good friends and my family. Every reunion is filled with lots of hugs and happiness.

London’s landmark, Big Ben

Poetry By You, Written By You

A Poem – Sadness is a Storm

This poem was sent to us by one of our talented young readers, 14 year old Rebekah.

Sadness is a storm.

A clap of thunder,

As you howl and wail,

Yet through it all,

You still prevail.

Nothing withstands

The heart of the tempest.

Ominous clouds loom,

Lightning flashes.

Light still gets through.

It gives you a glimpse,

Of hope pure and true

All’s well once more,

With the subsiding of the storm.

Art & History

Women You Should Know… Agnes de Mille

If you ask people if they know the name ‘de Mille’, some will say they’ve heard of Hollywood producer Cecil de Mille, some might even know his brother William de Mille, but not many will have heard of William’s daughter. Which is a shame, because Agnes De Mille was a fascinating woman.

Science, Nature and Tech

CURIOUS CREATURES 2 – The Stag Beetle

The strangest creatures are, to me,

The ones I love the best.

The creepy, crawly and the odd

Are cooler than the rest…

These magnificent beasties are the armoured vehicles of the insect population and the largest terrestrial-dwelling beetles in the UK. Their common name is a reference – unsurprisingly – to their antler-shaped “mandibles” or jaws, which they use to fight over territory, but not, perhaps surprisingly, to win the respect of female Stag Beetles..!

These Curious Creatures have intrigued me ever since I found an expired female stag beetle (see below ) in a south-west France many years ago. I drew it next to a blackbird’s feather, captivated by the different tones of black, the textural contrasts and inky depths of colour. I found it – and still find them all as a species – fascinating and beautiful, particularly the males, with their extraordinary maroon-red mandibles.

Home, Health & Style

Who Invented Denim Jeans?

If you’re anything like me, you’ll live in denim jeans when you’re not at school– they’re comfy, practical and come in loads of different styles, colours and designs. I’ve also got a denim jacket, which is perfect for throwing on over dresses when it’s cold outside. Even denim gilets come in and out of fashion on a pretty regular basis.

I think it’s pretty safe to say that denim has become something of a wardrobe staple over the years and in fact, I don’t really know what I’d do without it. But jeans haven’t always looked the way they do now and trends have changed a lot over the years.