<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0vHzAE_0uzSTRgi00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0vHzAE_0uzSTRgi00" width="587" height="587" ></figure>Louise English recently sat in O’Brien’s Pub talking about the un­expected guidelines involving her J-1 summer work visa. “There’s a list of rules and they’re really strict,” she said, as she ges­tured to the recognizable sign above the Newport bar. “For one, I wouldn’t be allowed to work here, because it’s Irish-based.”English is a student at Trinity College in Dublin. Born and raised in Ireland, the third-year student spoke of her summer experience working at The Reef. She landed the job on the recommendation of friends back home who worked at the waterfront restaurant in past summers. “We got in contact and they told us about The Reef and every­thing that Newport offered,” she said, mentioning that Boston or New York were also possibilities. “We didn’t really want a city vibe. We’re more beach people, and we wanted a place to relax.” She was referring to around 40 Irish friends who decided to go abroad for the summer. The experience mirrored that of their parents, most of whom also once traveled to the U.S. holding J-1 summer work visas. “Everyone is so eager to get over here while they are in college,” she said. Those who apply for the visa must have a job lined up, which English said was stressful. “We all just emailed around. You choose a city or area and go crazy with the emailing,” she said. Many were also on their own in finding housing. While English’s group arranged for a house ahead of time, some gambled on finding lodging when they arrived. The summer in Newport was her first on a J-1 visa, but not her first time abroad. In 2023, she worked in Vancouver on a Canadian visa, which she called a learning expe­rience. “We lived in a frat house. We were kind of taken advantage of with housing there, but we learned a huge lesson from that,” she said. “We were like, ‘O.K., we’re going to come to Newport and have a nice house and actually look after our­selves.’” The women who had worked in Newport in 2023 suggested they find housing as close to Thames Street as possible. English said the convenience of Newport is one of its best attributes. “It’s all so close,” she said. “When we first arrived, we could not believe that everything we needed was within a 10-minute walk.” It’s unlike Dublin, she said, which is not very walkable. “Everyone is so relaxed here,” she said. “You don’t feel like ev­eryone is running off to their jobs all the time. People are here to just enjoy themselves and chill out.” </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Irish Student’s Luck in Newport

Louise English recently sat in O’Brien’s Pub talking about the unexpected guidelines involving her J-1 summer work visa. “There’s a list of rules and they’re really strict,” she said, as she gestured to the recognizable sign above the Newport bar. “For one, I wouldn’t be allowed to work here, because it’s Irish-based.”