Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Lazy American Elevators

Hi Again,

I just have to say that the elevators in this country are a lot more social than those back home. The elevators in the states hardly ever talk to me; they just sit there and sluggishly carry me from point A to B, as if I’m some sort of soon-to-be-discarded day old Danish.

The elevators here, on the other hand, always inform me of which floor I’m currently passing (or stopped at), and they always let me know before the doors close.

Don’t get me wrong … talking elevators aren’t always a good thing … sometimes they get a bit cheeky and annoying, but at least they’re putting in the effort – I can’t say that about most American elevators.

Anyway … just thought I’d share that thought,

Cheers,

Garen

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Mind the Gap --- Making Sense of London's Underground

Hello all,

I just thought I’d give a few tips about how to survive the London Underground (subway) system … aka The Tube.

First off, always make sure to know where you’re going before you leave the dorm … don’t wander around aimlessly, expecting any station to take you directly to where you need to be (correction = don't wander aimlessly at all - it let's pickpockets know you're a prime target). Just grab yourself a Tube map and you’re good to go (they’re available at all Tube Stations, and are graciously provided near the reception area of the dorm – right by the couches).

The OYSTER CARD --- it’s a life saver. Buying single tickets is cool for about half a minute (slip the ticket into one end of the machine, and it pops out of the other … instantly granting you access to London’s Underground – like a wonderful game you just can’t lose), but then you realize you could be paying half the price and saving tons of time with a little blue card. Why they call it an Oyster card is beyond me at this point – I have several theories, but they all involve 80’s contemporary jazz icon Tom Grant.

Anyway … just buy the card, it’s faster and cheaper than individual tickets. There are different kinds of Oyster cards … you could buy the unlimited pass (which costs something like 90 pounds for the month), or you could just get a regular card and top up (add money) as needed (it all depends on how much you think you’re going to ride the tube).

Oyster cards also work on the city’s many buses, but you can only top up at the Tube stations – so I would recommend keeping at least 5 pounds on your card at all times (in case a mob of little kids with cockney accents are chasing you, and topping up is not an option).

Crowds --- The Tube can/does get crowded … so be prepared. Sometimes you have to get up close and personal with complete strangers (which can be good or bad, depending on the stranger). When the tube gets crowded, it can get hot and uncomfortable … so you might want to scope out the system for a few days and get a feel for the best times and stations (ex #1/riding at 5:30pm from Oxford Circus = bad)(ex #2/riding at 2pm from Goodge Street = good).

Also … you can judge when to top up depending on when the stations get crowded. Topping up at 6pm is a much longer process than topping up at 11pm.

One more thing --- when the train speaks … listen! When the train operator says to mind the doors, please do … because those doors are closing, with or without you in their way. Also … if the magically robotic voice says “Mind the Gap” … listen to that as well --- the train is sometimes a bit further from the platform than at others … so just be careful.

That’s it for now,

Cheers

Garen

Friday, July 18, 2008

Anyone Hungry?

With it being summer, I have many friends traveling to Europe—more specifically, to London. Once people find that I am studying overseas in London, one of the first questions is, “How’s the food?” Many people are shocked when I say that the food here is good. For some reason, people have an idea in their head that the food in London is not good. This is simply not true. It seems that every day we find a new place that we would like to eat at in London. As the program comes closer to the end, it seems less and less probable that we will be able to eat at many of these places, but I can still recommend several restaurants to eat while in London.

Let me begin by saying that I do not know if I have a favorite restaurant in the city. Since there is no kitchen in the house, almost all of us find ourselves going out to dinner every night, and it is usually to a different restaurant. However, lunch tends to always be Pret. It is a sandwich shop. Pret is cheap, good, and on almost every corner.

Dinner is a little more complicated than lunch. For pizza, the best place that we found is DaMario’s in South Kensington. This was a favorite pizzeria of Princess Diana, and is the closest to authentic Italian pizza that I have found since being in London. The pizza goes great with a nice bottle of red wine. For Asian food, we frequently go to Wagamama’s. It is a chain here, but you cannot tell by the food. The restaurant tends to dwell on how it is more health conscious than other restaurants in the city, and because of that, features a large range of health conscious fruit drinks. The drinks go great with the chicken curry and fried rice.

Sometime the group wants a more casual place to grab a drink and have a bite to eat. That is when we go to All Bar One. It is another chain that is all around London. The sangria there is great, and you cannot go wrong with the tapas or a burger. Another casual dining place that we frequent is Hummus Brothers: a restaurant whose primary dish is hummus. How a restaurant found a way to make hummus a meal is well beyond me. However, the food is great and cheap.

Of course my food commentary could not be complete without noting at least one dessert place. Well, I have not been able to find one yet, but as soon as I do I will be sure to include it in a blog entry. Until then, CHEERS.

Chad Martin

Sunday, July 13, 2008

There's Something Going Around

I’ve noticed that recently some people haven’t been feeling as well as they could/should be. I think, therefore, that something is happening (not to be confused with M. Night Shyamalan’s terribly overhyped eco-thriller).

To protect myself from catching the unknown disease … I’ve spent the last few days masquerading as a Grandfather Clock or end table when passing people in the halls or anywhere a potentially contagious conversation might take place.

Personally, I think people are getting sick b/c of the rapid changes in weather … hot one minute, freezing the next … I think this is why they invented the saying ‘Under the Weather.’ (of course I’ve never agreed with that saying … because technically we’re all under the weather … if we were over the weather we would be in a space shuttle, and I gave up on my dreams of becoming an astronaut several weeks ago).

So this is my theory … but remember … I’m in law school (not med school) – so take this with a grain of salt.

Anyway … I hope everyone under the weather gets over it soon.

Cheers,

Garen

Parks

For any future program attendees … London is full of wonderful parks to visit. Today I visited a particular favorite – Hyde Park – mostly because it always hosts interesting events, like concerts, on the weekends. This weekend Hyde Park hosted ‘Music Village’ – showcasing London-based musicians of many different cultures and traditions. The park also has many other attractions … including a memorial playground and fountain for Princess Diana.
Of course … Hyde isn’t the only park around … we also have Regent’s Park, St. James’s Park, The Green Park, Kensington Gardens, and a host of others .

It’s good to get away from the stress of city life and wander the park pathways for a while. You can see locals playing football (soccer), walking their dogs, and helping tourists find the nearest exit.

Anyway … when in London … visiting one of the parks is a must … just make sure to keep an eye out for the weather and bring some bug repellant (the flies are relentless).

That’s it for now,

Cheers,

Garen

Monday, July 7, 2008

Tennis Anyone? SW Does Wimbledon

After class last Monday, the SW crew decided to take a trip to Wimbledon to catch some tennis. Since tennis is obviously a gentleman's sport, we donned our classiest Polo's, khakis, and plaid shorts and hopped on the tube. Once there we made our way to the queue (the line) and collected our Queue Cards which essentially held our spot in line so that we could partake on other adventures. The crew was hungry, and since Wimbledon is a classy place, we decided to act on our best behavior. After venturing off the grounds, we found a fried chicken restaurant and a store that served British Ales. Thus, we grabbed some chicken and ales and had a proper picnic while waiting to get onto the Wimbledon grounds.

After an hour or so we were permitted to enter the sacred Wimbledon grounds. Like typical tourists, we took pictures in front of anything that said "Wimbledon" or "Tennis" and proceeded to the gift shop to contribute to the UK's GDP. We eventually made it to the resale line which is where Wimbledon resells tickets of guests that have left. After waiting in this line for about 30 mins, we scored tickets to see Safin play Wawrinka. The 9 of us split up into groups of 4, 3, and 2 and had great seats. Now, I personally have never found tennis to be an interesting sport, but I can honestly say that my opinion has changed after this whole experience.
Here are some pics...MDM




Tuesday, July 1, 2008

London Gets Dark Really Late

This has been an adventurous week for the Southwestern London Program. While some students are already tired of the site seeing, and are in turn just want to shop, others are unable to get enough of the marvelous sites around London.

On Thursday, June 26, we finished up our first week of classes. By this point, many people were exhausted and opted to take a nap before heading for a night out. Others decided to continue to explore the city. After the napping and the meandering about town, many students from the program decided to go out to a local, posh nightclub to congratulate themselves on finishing an atrocious amount of reading in a four day span. While at the club, the DJ was playing some nasty tunes that got the club grooving, and made the students from the program break out some dance moves that would rival Justin Timberlake or Michael Jackson from the 80’s. We even decided to get table service so that we could have a seat and a bottle of alcohol to sip on while we danced circles around each other. However, in typical European fashion, the table ended up being quite small, and only two people could sit down. But that did not stop the party!

Friday, June 27, brought all new adventures as many of the students were woken up by the dorm maid coming to empty the trash in the dorm rooms at around 9 in the morning. This probably would have been more of a welcomed wake up call had it been 15 minutes earlier so that students could have at least gotten the free hot breakfast that ends at 9. The day continued with a guided tour of the Tower of London by Professor Epstein. Professor Epstein is one of the most knowledgeable people on the history of London and conveys his knowledge in an interesting way. While at the Tower of London, students saw many things, but the highlights were probably the location that Ann Boleyn was beheaded and the Royal Jewels. The Royal Jewels are literally in a vault…yes, like a bank. Students were in aw, over the 563 ct. diamond in a scepter that students in the program calculated to be worth more than $110,000,000. And that is just for the diamond on the top of the scepter.

After the Tower of London, the students joined the professor for a drink at a nearby pub to reflect on the Tower. While that was fun, the students could not stay too long because they had to scurry off in order to be spotted at another posh club in London later that night for one of the student’s birthdays.

London Gets Dark Really Late II

Saturday, June 28, brought a long bus ride for many students that went from Windsor Castle, to Bath (please read this with a British accent), and Stonehenge. All of the locations brought with them something unique, but probably nothing as unique as the sassy tour guide who reminded the group that they were “allowed” to tip her and the driver. One important note is that the Queen was at Windsor Palace on Saturday, and while no students saw her, the student technically were at the same place, at the same time, as the Queen of England. Please remember that I am referring to the real Queen, not Helen Mirren.

Sunday brought a train ride to Cambridge, which is a beautiful town. The University’s campus is absolutely breathtaking. While there, students decided to go “punting” on the river. Punting is a little like taking a Gondola ride in Venice, but you give the boat momentum by sticking a pole into the center of the river and pushing off of the gravel bottom of the river. While no student had expertise in the area, one student had a friend that attempted to teach two students who were bold enough to try this sport, which you must be exceptionally athletic to succeed in. I am glad to report that after struggling a lot, it seems that both of the young lads mastered the art of punting. However, you may still want to pay a professional if you decide to this on your own. The trip ended with most of the students grabbing fish and chips at a local pub. However, one student decided to grab a pepperoni chicken burger and stated at the table that everyone should try it. Sad for her, almost everyone took her up on the offer—leaving very little burger for her. But lucky for everyone else, the burger was absolutely amazing.

Until Next Time,
Chad

Museums

Hi again,

Today I visited two of London's finest museums ... The 'Tate Britain' (from here-on out referred to only as ‘The Tate’) and The 'Tate Modern."

Anyway ... both museums are located in beautiful buildings ... No doubt about it ... but they are a bit further apart then I would like (not really walking distance), so it's best to either take the tube or a bus (there is a boat available ... but it costs 6 pounds - 'no thanks').

As a personal opinion, the Tate Britain is the better of the two museums. It has more of the older paintings that I like ... show me some horses and a pretty landscape and i'm happy.

Both museums are free, but both have special exhibits that you can to pay to get into. I personally didn't pay to get into any gallery, but that's just me.

So, for now my museum curiosity in London has been fulfilled. That's not to say I won't be going to any other museums, just that it has become a lot less likely as of today.

That's all for now,

Cheers,
Garen

The Cinema

Hello Again,

So here I am in London twiddling my thumbs, while being bombarded with promotional advertisements of the film 'Wanted.' I think to myself ... "self" (that's what I call myself most of the year ... excluding Labor Day and Flag Day for obvious reasons) ... so I said "self, why don't I go watch the movie in London ... it'll be an experience."

To be fair ... I wasn't all that wrong ... It definitely was an experience (just not one I’m keen on repeating any time soon).

See the problem is that the conversion rate is about 2 to 1 here in the UK ... so obviously doing anything is a bit pricy. But I considered myself crafty and found a Cinema (don't call it a theatre ... that's reserved for the actual theatre ... you know - people on stage shouting at each other) that had a student rate of 6 pounds (roughly 12 dollars).

YES !!! I thought ... not a bad deal. So some friends and I went to Piccadilly Circus, ate at a place called 'The Crooked Surgeon," bought some candy, and stood in line for our tickets.

But then the darndess thing happened ... when we presented our student ID’s to the cashier, they said they were invalid because we need UK student ID's. "You see," I began explaining to the attendant ... "I'm a student, studying in London, and here is an ID showing you that I’m a student."

The lady behind the counter looked at me with a look I can only describe as a mixture of boredom and discussed. She repeated "you need a UK student ID."

We tried to put up a fight, but the movie was already starting, so we bit the bullet and paid 10 pounds (yes ... 20 dollars) per ticket.

The Big Question … was it worth it? I’m still not sure. The movie was something about James McAvoy pledging for some kind of Fraternity. Personally, I thought there was too much hazing and not enough Fraternal bonding. Also … I don’t like to see Morgan Freeman cuss … it’s like your grandfather giving someone the finger … it’s just weird. The film was entertaining though ... sort of like the 'Matrix' in the way some of the stunts and visual are done.

Anyway ... This is just a friendly warning to all of you who are considering going to the movies in London ... Don't!

Cheers,
Garen

London: Recap of First Few Days

Friday June 20: I Left LAX at 4:30 with Eric, Shadi, Jackie, and Lovette. After a few drinks at the airport bar, we were ready to embark on our adventure. Once in the air, the five of us enjoyed the complementary alcoholic beverages and had a very smooth and peaceful flight.

Saturday June 21: We arrived at Heathrow Airport at about 10:30 am local time. After we went through immigration we gathered our luggage and boarded the tube. Unfortunately for Eric, one of the females I traveled with (she will remain nameless) brought her bowling ball with her.

That night we met up with other members of the program and went to a pub called “Bear and Staff” where we were introduced to English Ales such as Strongbow, Stella, and Boddingtons. One of us had a relatively minor run in with the bobbies. However, thanks to the oral argument skills he/she learned during our Moot Court competition, nothing came of it.

Sunday June 22: Still jetlagged, we woke up and had breakfast in our dorm. The previous day we noticed that our rooms came with 3 hangers and 1 flimsy towel. Therefore, Jackie, Chad, Mariana, Shadi, Eric, Nir and myself set out on a quest to find hangers and towels thinking this would be relatively easy. However, we failed to realize that because of Queen Elizabeth’s decree, nothing in London opens up before 12 noon on Sundays. So after wondering around London for two hours, we came back to our dorm defeated without hangers and towels. Our clothes would have to remain wrinkled and our bodies dirty for one more day.

At 1pm we had a meeting with our professors to establish the ground rules. We then went on a sightseeing cruise on the River Thames. Some of us were interested in the landmarks such as the Tower of London and Parliament; however some of us were more interested in the bar located below deck. Professor Epstein gave those who remained up top an informative tour of the sites.

That night we went to the pub “The Court” located a few blocks from our dorm to watch the Euro Cup Soccer game and get dinner. I had fish and chips and I was expecting it to be better. Oh well, I am sure there will be more opportunities. After dinner, we were still jet lagged, and decided it was best to at fulfill our promise of not going out on one school night during this trip.

Monday June 23: Classes began at 9 am and lasted until 1 pm. Immediately after class, I went on a run with Chad and Mariana. We ran about 4 miles around London and saw
St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Courts of Justice, and the London Stock Exchange. It was difficult running with the cars on the other side of the road and being unsure of which way to look when crossing the street. After a few close encounters with some friendly pedestrians and double-deck buses, we made it back in once piece.

Once back, we were determined to continue our quest for hangers. I set out with Chad, Mariana, and Jackie to find these now extremely rare and valuable hangers. Our journey took us to Oxford Street. After realizing that none of the department stores had hangers, one of us (who will remain nameless,) was caught digging through the rubbish bin near the cash register. What was he/she looking for? At this point we were so desperate that he/she was grabbing hangers out of the trash and stuffing them into 3 bags. We then left with our booty. However, we got lost on the way back to the dorm, making a big circle around Oxford Street. We got back two hours later. But, we now had hangers, so it was worth it.

We then went the original Hard Rock CafĂ© for dinner. It was interesting to see all of the exhibits of British Rock N’ Roll stars such as Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Not quite Van Halen, but close enough.

Tuesday June 24: After class, Professor Epstein took us on his “Great Dead Bodies of London” tour. We started off at our dorm and went to the University College of London. There we saw the preserved (what was left of it) body of Jeremy Bentham. Mr. Bentham was nice enough to allow us to take a group picture with him.

Professor Epstein then led us to the British Museum to see other dead bodies such as the Mummy exhibits and Lido Man. However, Lido Man was on tour, so we missed him.

That night, Chad, Mariana, Amie, and myself turned one of the lounge rooms on the basement floor into a party. We drank some wine, debated politics, discussed the law, and had a fun night.

Sorry for this delayed post, more to come and sooner.

-MDM

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Class

As I was saying ... before I rudely interrupted myself by posting my last blog entry entitled "Breakfast" ... after breakfast I run along to class (of which I have 2 - back-to-back - starting at 9 am, each lasting 2 hours).

Luckily ... the building in which we have our classes is only a few minutes (about 5, or less - depending on how lazy I am on that particular morning) walk from the dorms. I'm also lucky that both my classes ('International Art Law' & 'International & Comparative Media Law') are in the same room ... which means I only make minimum effort in body movement between 9 am & 1 pm.

We do get breaks during class ... so we can go get coffee, tea, crumpets, celery & peanut butter, anchovies & heavy cream, cheese & wine, or spring water from the Alps - which I personally bottle every night (those mountains aren't close, but it's worth it) - Just Kidding, I bottle it every other night.

Just a cautionary note to all future 'Summer Abroad' attendees .... This Is School! Do not be fooled by the foreign surroundings or the term 'Summer' in Summer Abroad - it does not imply that you are on a Holiday. There is reading for class (so just remember that before you plan out your days).

This isn't to say you can't enjoy yourselves ... just be careful not to forget that you have academic responsibilities.

I don't want to leave off on such a serious note ... so I'll end with a joke.

- How can you spot a Vampire in a chicken coop?
- He's the one wearing a cape.

That's all for now,
Garen Aliksanian

Breakfast

I wake up every morning to the beautiful sunshine of the English Sky (or I would if people weren't constantly passing my window, which faces the street on the ground level). Either way ... I do wake up (with some difficulty), get ready, and head downstairs for breakfast (included in the program cost).

The breakfast is actually quite good ... consisting of eggs, hash-browns, sausage, cereal, and an array of other things that I am too cowardly to try. The staff are very polite and accommodating ... always thanking me for asking for something.

Example.
- Me: "May I have a piece of toast"
- Kitchen Staff Member: - places toast on plate, says "thank you" and awaits my next request.

I have to say ... the English have class ... and so do I (which is where I rush off to after breakfast)

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Just Touched Down in London-Town

Hi all ... Well, as the other summer abroad programs come to an end, the summer in London program has just begun.

So let's jump straight in. I flew in with a friend from LAX (non-stop) with Virgin Atlantic ... For future travelers, beware the seductive allure of the Virgin Atlantic planes. You might get your own TV. screen, but you'll pay for it with a lack of leg room. The airplane food was ... well ... airplane food (doesn't really change much - chicken/rice/and mysterious green veggie goop).

On the plus side, I did get to catch up with some movies. I saw 'Definitely Maybe' (which I would definitely recommend ... maybe), 'Hitman' (which I liked even though it had no plot and was likely written by a 7 year old using crayons or an etcha sketch), and 'Horton Hears a Who' (which I enjoyed because I realized Carol Burnett is still alive and doing voice-over work).

Once you leave the plane, get past customs, and pick up your bags ... you have essentially two options to get to the dorms (Taxi or Tube). A Taxi is likely easier, but it's definitely on the pricier side (I heard anywhere from 40 - 50 pounds for a ride to the dorms - which might not be so bad if you share it with others and split the cost). The other option is the Tube (a.k.a. The Underground), which is what I took. You can purchase a one way ticket for 4 pounds, or you can buy an oyster card and it will cut the price in half (2 pounds). Of course, the underground is no picnic. You have to carry your luggage quite a while getting to the underground, and then from the underground station to the dorms (which isn't long ... unless you're carrying some heavy luggage - guilty as charged), not to mention the rather long tube ride (it took us somewhere between 45 minutes and 1 hour).

Once I got to the dorm, however, I was pleasantly surprised. The rooms are adequate, though the bathrooms are small (but this is to be expected when everyone has their own restroom). There is plenty of storage space, the staff is helpful, and we have internet - yay - though you have to use a cord, which is provided for you.

I haven't had much time yet to do anything of importance ... I did manage to eat some Asian cuisine for dinner (it was good ... though the menu included rabbit meat, which I just can't wrap my head around for some reason).

Anyway ... I'll keep you posted.

P.S. - future travelers ... bring extra towels : - )

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Guanajuato, Mexico Wrap Up






Well, they say all good things must come to an end. And so it is with Southwestern´s joint Summer Abroad program in Guanajuato, Mexico.

The program began with and incredible overview of NAFTA and Free Trade Agreements by Southwestern's Professor Lutz. Then Professor Jorge Ramirez of Texas Tech took over. In addition to being a NAFTA expert he was on Law Review with Barak Obama at Harvard and had fascinating and positive stories to share about the Democratic presidential candidate. The course will end with a week of lectures by Professor Lopez, also from Texas Tech and an expert on Free Trade. Special thanks to Joan Hicks Romero. Joan is an American who has lived in Mexico for 53 years and whose son is the current Governor of the State of Guanajuato. Joan is a friend to the program and coordinated many students events. Thanks for looking out for us Joan!

Since a picture is said to say a thousand words, I will share some of the other highlights and experiences of attending this outstanding program.




Vancouver Part 3

Well, the Program is coming to the end. This Friday is the last day of classes, and final exams are scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday. For me, it has been a wonderful few weeks, with a great group of students this year. I thought I would highlight a few of the program's most recent activities...

Today, the program was pleased to have Ms. Kuniko Ozaki as our 2008 Distinguished Guest Speaker. Ms. Ozaki arrived in Vancouver from Japan, literally minutes before speaking with the group. She is the Director for the Division of Treaty Affairs at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Before assuming the Director position, she was heavily involved in UN work, and was previously at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her distinguished career includes serving as the Director of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her talk was quite interesting, and described the UNODC's work to combat terrorism and other crimes.

Yesterday, Prof. Markel had a guest lecturer come to his class, Prof. Curt Griffiths. Prof. Griffiths is a professor in the School of Criminology and Coordinator of the Policy Studies Program at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. He has been a Visiting Expert at the United Nations Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment for Offenders in Toko, and a Visiting Fellow at the American University in Cairo and Tokiwa University in Japan. He spoke with the students about restorative justice.

But the program is not all about guest speakers. Students have been getting out and exploring. Rumour has it that last weekend's trip to Whistler was spectacular. Students have said that if you hunt on Facebook long enough you can find some great pictures of Vancouver students white river rafting, zip-treking, hiking, and even bungee jumping! Other students went back to the Grouse grind, while still others kicked-back on campus.

I suspect this weekend may not be quite as enjoyable, as exams are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. But then on Tuesday night, we're off to a farewell dinner at a Brazilian restaurant. It should be a good way to celebrate the end of finals! And then for many, it is back to Los Angeles.

Until the next post....

Iguazu Falls Adventure

The Argentina Study Abroad program offers an optional 3-day trip to Iguazu Falls during the 4th week. The cost of the trip is about $550, and worth every penny. The Iguazu Falls are a series of enormous waterfalls that drop over 250-ft. The falls are found within Iguazu National Park, which is located at the meeting point of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. We stayed on the Argentine side, but Brazil and Paraguay were just a short bus ride away. The environment in Iguazu is a sharp contrast to that of Buenos Aires. Iguazu is in the middle of a tropic rainforest. There are no buildings over 5 stories and the every few roads are paved. The soil in Iguazu is red. A word of warning: do not bring white clothes on this trip because if you do, you will return with redish brown clothes.
The first day in Iguazu was nothing short of an adventure. It began with a 20-minute drive out to the jungle. The drive itself was exciting since we were loaded onto an open truck (resembling something out of the Indiana Jones ride at Disney World) and taken full speed down an unpaved road. The destination was a canopy tour. Canopying, also known as zip lining, is where you are strapped to a wire that is tied between posts above the ground and you soar through the jungle from one post to another. For those that are afraid of heights, this might not be for you. But for everyone else, it is an experience you cannot miss. Next, we took a short walk through the jungle to a small waterfall. There we propelled down a cliff wall to the river. After that we end back to the hotel for showers and dinner.
The second day was the Iguazu Falls. This day was spent entirely in Iguazu National Park viewing the waterfalls. The Park has a system of catwalks above the rivers that allow you to walk right to the waterfall´s edge. This view of the falls is breathtaking. The mist may get you a little wet, but ponchos are only 10 pesos ($3) at the gift shop. On the walk throughout the Park, we were able to see several birds, however no tucans, and a rainbow. In the afternoon, there was a chance to take a boat ride up to the waterfalls. Because of the close encounter with the Falls, you get soaking wet, but a poncho can keep you dry a little.
The last day was a relaxing day at the Sheraton, which has a great view of the falls. After lunch we were off to the airport and back to Buenos Aires. Overall, the Iguazu Falls trip is one you should not miss. It is a great opportunity to see a different area of Argentina.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Into Every Life, A Little Rain Must Fall -- Vancouver, Part Deux!

"It rained today, it rained alot, it rained in drippy drops..."
- a nursery rhyme taught to young children in Vancouver.

Yes, the weather has been terrible. And cold! This morning I heard on the news that it's been the coldest/wettest June on record. Usually, May and June in Vancouver are spectacular, with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s and 80s. But not this year. Of course, there is nothing more Canadian than talking about the weather. And while easterners natter on about the white stuff, it’s the wet stuff that gets tongues flapping on British Columbia’s wet - I mean west - coast. Well we've had lots to talk about this past week, as it has been wet, wet, wet. But no worries. While perhaps a little soggy, everyone is doing well. The Los Angelenos have fully adjusted. I think I even saw one student scoff at a tourist who had bothered opening an umbrella after a few measly drops of water fell.

And despite the weather, the Program is going quite well. The Program has hit its midpoint. Yesterday, a new flight of professors joined us and started teaching the second half of the program. Leaving were Professors Williams (SW) and Paterson (UBC). Joining us were Professor Kristen Boon from Seton Hall Law School, Professor Karin Mickelson from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law, and Professor Trevor Morrison from Columbia Law School. All three are nationally-recognized scholars in their fields. In the classes, students are discussing cutting edge issues in criminal, constitutional, and environmental law.

Since my last post, the Program has had a few more activities. On Friday, Professor Wil Burns from Santa Clara Law School came to speak to the program participants. Prof. Burns is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Law & Policy at the Santa Clara University School of Law in Santa Clara. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy and Co-Chair of the International Environmental Law Interest Group of the American Society of International Law. His expertise is on climate change. On Friday, he talked to the students about possible international litigation through the UN Fish Stocks Agreement to spur action on climate change initiatives. The talk was well-attended, and started off nicely our mid-day lecture series.

This week, small groups of students will be visiting local Vancouver law firms. Yesterday, we went to the Farris firm, a well-known Vancouver law firm, and spoke with Ludmila Herbst, a partner there. Ms. Herbst spoke to the students about her experiences at law school, her professional background, and what it's like to practice law in Vancouver. Today, we will visit the law firm Lawson & Lundell, and speak with one of their partners, Gordon Weatherill. It promises to be an interesting visit. This weekend many of the students are planning to head to Whistler to do some white-river rafting, zip-treking, and mountain biking. Hopefully some pics will be posted.

Well that's all for me now. I'm looking forward to Lesley's post, which will get you real scoop on the ground. Until next week...

Monday, June 9, 2008

Hola de Guanajuato, Mexico

Students attending Southwestern's joint Mexico program (with Texas Tech, and University of New Mexico, and hosted by Universidad De Guanajuato) began arriving May 28th and 29th. The program hosted an orientation and dinner on June 1st. Several professors, including professor Lutz of Southwestern, were in attendance.

Classes began Monday, June 2. Several courses are offered, including NAFTA and Comparative Constitutional Law. After Canada and China, Mexico is the USA's largest trading partner. Several Mexican and American guest lecturers have related their experiences on a variety of subjects from tariffs on imported goods to dispute resolution between countries.

Guanajuato is colonial city located in the heart of Mexico. It has some incredible examples of European colonial architecture as well great museums, hotels, restaurants, and night clubs. The City values and appreciates its tourist and student visitors and is very safe. At a 6,000 feet elevation, the City boasts terrific weather - warm, dry days and cool nights in the 60 degree range.

We have Law students from all over the USA - from Berkley to Rutgers and everywhere in between.

As always with abroad programs, one must balance enjoying the night life with study. So, I am off to the library now. More later.





Hello From Argentina!

Thanks to the Commentator for setting up this blog and inviting me to participate!

I'll give the readers a quick introduction and some information on the exciting activities we're carrying out....

This year, 44 students are attending SW's Summer Law Program in Argentina. Students are from law schools throughout Canada and the U.S., including SW, Chapman, Florida State, Georgetown, Lewis and Clark, Loyola (Los Angeles), McGill, Southern Methodist, UC Hastings, Denver, Miami, Missouri, New Mexico, San Diego, Victoria, Valparaiso, Washington and Lee, Willamette. Six courses are offered, including: (1) Comparative Constitutional Law; (2) Corruption and White Collar Crime; (3) Globalization and the Transformation of Roles of Lawyers and Law in Latin America; (4) International Business Transactions, (5) International Protection of Human Rights; and (6) Latin American Laws and Institutions. Ten of the students enrolled in the externship program and started to work at their placements on Monday, last week; three of them with the Argentina Supreme Court, three with Criminal Courts of Appeals, two with the Office of the Public Defender before the Argentina Supreme Court, one with the Court of Appeals for Economic Crimes, one with the Court of Appeals for Commercial Matters. The externs are taking a course on Argentine Legal Institutions that started with 20 intensive hours during the first week of the program and continues on Tuesday evening through the last day of the externship. In all, ten professors are teaching in the program, eight of them from Argentina and two from the U.S.

The Program began on Sunday, May 25, with a four hour city tour, followed by a welcome lunch where the US and Canadian students met the Argentine students that are participating in the program, and the Argentine and US faculty. The program activities so far have included:

An orientation pizza lunch to provide students with helpful hints for a great experience in Buenos Aires (Mon. 05/26)
A visit to the Supreme Court building and meeting with Vice-Chief Justice Elena Highton de Nolasco (Mon. 05/26)
A visit to the law firm of Negri & Teijeiro for a talk with young Argentine partners and associates, and a US lawyer who has been working here for the last 12 years (Fri. 05/30)
A trip to a ranch in the province of Buenos Aires (Sun. 06/01)
An orientation dinner for the externs (Mon. 06/02)
A tango lesson followed by a tango show (Thur. 06/05)
A visit to a federal prison (Fri. 06/06)

More extracurricular and fun activities will follow and I'll keep posting them on the blog.

As you can imagine, students are not relying on the program only to organize activities for them, and I would expect you'll learn more on what they've been doing on their own by reading their blog posts.

Have a great week!

Life in Argentina

At first glance Buenos Aires looks like any big city: congested traffic, towering skyscrapers, and swarms of people on the sidewalks. However, spend an hour in Buenos Aires and you begin to see it stands in a class of its own. Buenos Aires may be located in South America, but walking around you could easily believe you are in Europe. When you learn a little about the history of Argentina, you will understand why. Argentina was the hub for european immigrants. There is influence from Frances, Italy, and Spain. This is most prevalent in the food. Restaurants have a variety of dishes, ranging from pasta and pizza to croissants and other pastries. But vegetarians beware! The Argentine touch to these dishes is meat. Almost every meal has a form of meat product in it. For instance, I ordered a plain salad at a restaurant and my salad came with bits of ham. For meat lovers, you will be in heaven. Meat is Argentina´s specialty. My favorite dish is the milanesa. Milanesa is a thin slice of steak that is breaded and then fried. Delicious!

The program gives you two options for living arrangements. You can rent an apartment on your own or with friends, or you can live with an Argentine family. I chose to live with an Argentine family and I don´t regret it! Living with a native Argentine allows you to fully immerse yourself in the culture. The program does an excellence job of placing you with a good family, since everyone I know that is living with a family has no complaints. My host mom, Cristina, cooks me a different Argentine dish every night. Over dinner, we chat about the city and life in Argentina. The first day I was in Buenos Aires, Cristina took me all around Recolletta, the area of Buenos Aires where I am staying. She showed me the best shops and restaurants. It is like having a personal tour guide. For those considering the Study Abroad Program, I highly recommend living with a family. Of course, those who chose to live in apartments have no complaints either. The program did a good job of setting them up with furniture, phones, and full amenities.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Unexpected Exercise Opportunities in Vancouver

Tales from a Vancouver Summer Law Program participant....

Living on the UBC campus has already provided a number of unexpected exercise opportunities, from walking and stair climbing to dancing. Coming from a campus as small as Southwestern's, it's nice to walk more than a few feet to class. Our classes are about a five-minute walk from where we are staying on campus. It's nice to see trees on the way to class that aren't hanging on for dear life to their wooden-stake life support systems. It really feels like we are living in the mountains.

Looking at the map before I got here, I knew that the beach should be just a short distance away. I ventured to Wreck Beach my second day in Vancouver. It's a very nice walk down to the beach through a lot of beautiful forest. When I say "walk down" I mean walk DOWN 400 wooden steps. The beach itself is very clean and you can see mountains that still have bright white snow on them. However, that may not be the only bright white thing you see on the beach. Clothing is optional at Wreck Beach and plenty of people were taking advantage of that opportunity when I visited. Frisbees and footballs, inter alia, were flying everywhere. People were playing guitars and babies were playing in the sand. The weather was unexpectedly nice. I think everyone should visit at least once. However, for those uncomfortable with the nudity, be warned. The escape is not so easy because you have to walk back UP those 400 steps, and that is when you really feel the burn.

I also stumbled upon inexpensive Latin dance classes at the International House on campus. Every night my first week I have taken salsa and bachata lessons. This has been a very international experience, as my dance partners have all come from a country other than Canada, including Israel, Romania, and India. You are probably already familiar with salsa and what it looks like. It's fun and it's a pretty good workout. After the salsa lesson, I have a much-needed hour to rest before the bachata lesson. Bachata, which comes from the Dominican Republic, requires some kind of hip movement that I am not sure I was born to perform. If you go to one of these classes every day, you will never need to do sit-ups or crunches again. Every morning I wake up sore, but for some reason I still keep going back to the class. Bachata, according to my instructor, is becoming very popular in Vancouver, so continuing my bachata education may require me to venture further into the Vancouver community. As is the case with Wreck Beach, be warned. Bachata is not for the faint of heart. It involves movements that some might think should be preceded by some official ceremony, or at least a diamond ring. If you are looking for exercise, though, it is the way to go.

More to come...

Summer Law in Vancouver!

Thanks to the Commentator for setting up this blog. This first post, is to provide a quick introduction for readers....

This year, 31 students are attending SW's Summer Law Program in Vancouver. Students are from law schools throughout Canada and the U.S., including SW, Univ. of British Columbia, Queens, Indiana, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Brigham Young, McGill, Osgoode, Univ. of Alberta, Loyola (Chicago), and Colorado. Five courses are offered, including: (1) International Criminal Law; (2) International Environmental Law; (3) Comparative Constitutional Law; (4) Comparative Cultural Property Law; and (5) Comparative Sentencing Law and Policy. Seven professors are teaching in the program. Two professors are from Southwestern (Profs. Parrish and Williams), two are from the Univ. of British Columbia Faculty of Law (Profs. Mickelson and Paterson), while three are guest professors from Cornell, Florida State Univ, and Seton Hall (Profs. Morrison, Markel, and Boon).

The program got off to a nice start. The Program began on Sunday, May 25th, with an orientation and dinner at a local Irish pub (Mahony & Sons). Since then, in addition to course-work, the students have done a variety of things. The program activities so far have included:
  • A guided tour of Vancouver and dinner at Granville Island (Mon. 05/26)
  • Drinks with faculty at Koerner's Graduate Pub (Thurs. 05/28)
  • A tour of the Vancouver Law Courts and discussion with Judge Williamson of the B.C. Supreme Court (Wed. 06/04)
  • A lunch with Chief Justice D. Brenner of the B.C. Supreme Court (Wed. 06/04)
  • A lunch hosted by St. Andrews Hall (Thurs. 06/05)

Tomorrow, we'll have our first guest speaker -- Prof. Wil Burns, who is a senior fellow at Santa Clara Law School. And Saturday morning is the program's first set of exams.

Outside of class, students have been exploring Vancouver -- from trips to Whistler, to hikes up Grouse Mountain, to death-defying Vespa-riding in Stanley Park, to walks down to Vancouver's famous clothing-optional Wreck beach, to visits to the famous Museum of Anthropology, and more.... For the real scoop, you'll have to check out student blog posts!

I'll write more later....

Sunday, May 25, 2008

International Men and Women of Mystery

Welcome to SW Abroad, The Commentator's blog about Southwestern Law School's summer abroad programs. From London and Canada to Mexico and Argentina this is the spot to find out what's happening up across the world, as it happens.

Written by students and professors, SW Abroad offers both the serious and lighter sides of globetrotting. Check back early and often to get the latest updates. And don't hesitate to leave comments and ask questions.

Happy Reading,

Derek Turner
Editor-in-Chief
The Commentator