Hi all,
Greetings from Leiden. A brief update for you about how I am going here in the beautiful Netherlands.
I have settled into Leiden well and have completed two weeks of classes now. This semester I am taking papers in International Institutional Law (with a focus on the UN), International Dispute Settlement, Public International Law - Capita Selecta, and International Criminal Law. All my professors have been impressive so far, with a particular highlight being the course in International Dispute Settlement partly being taught by the current First Permanent Secretary to the International Court of Justice, who shares some interesting insights from his firsthand knowledge from the Court. We have been studying the recent decision of the ICJ regarding Kosovo's declaration of independence and its legality under international law, which has already led to some interesting debate in class.
The 39 other students in my class group are drawn from 22 different countries and have rich and varied backgrounds and work experiences which makes for rich discussion and some great friends too. I can already tell I am going to gain a lot this year simply by being in the company of such talented and committed individuals. I will be sure to make the most of this network and to learn about other cultures and national systems.
Leiden is a very beautiful town located 15 minutes by train from Schipol airport, 15 minutes from Den Haag, and 30 minutes from Amsterdam. It's great to be in a country with such efficient and punctual trains and public transport! Most of my classes this semester are in Den Haag, and a number of functions related to public international law are held in the Den Haag too which we have access to. Also this week I will attend a seminar at the University of Amsterdam with some of my classmates, and in October I will attend a conference on Corporate War Crimes at the Peace Palace which I am looking forward to.
The course work load for my LLM programme is intensive, with 300 pages of required reading per class! Which makes for some long hours in the library to prepare for class! But it is nice being back in an academic setting and to be fully immersed in public international law and human rights again. I handed in my first paper on Friday which was a challenge after almost four years working and out of the practice of academic writing.
I have had good contact by email with District Govenor (1600) Ton van Vliet, and will go to his house for dinner with him and his wife in early October. I have also had email contact with my host counsellor Maurice Teuwen and hope to have a chance to meet with him soon. Yesterday, Koos Isseger, a Rotary Foundation Chair in the Netherlands organised a day in Amersfoort, in the north-west of the Netherlands, for all the Rotary 2010-11 Scholars to meet up and enjoy a day together. It was a great day and I was made very welcome by Koos and his team of Rotarians from throughout the Netherlands. The meeting was held in a Rotary project house that serves as a support house for cancer patients. It was impressive, and run by four Rotary clubs which raised 300,000 Euros to get the project established six years ago. I found the commitment and empathy of the Rotary volunteers very heartening to see.
We enjoyed a time to share our experiences in the Netherlands so far, with students drawn the US, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Ukraine and Panama. There were two other scholars who are studying under a Future Vision Global Grant, while the rest are Ambassadorial Scholars. Many of the students have had trouble with housing scams here which was sad to hear, but made me realise how lucky I have been with setting up my housing and other practical arrangements here in Leiden. Following lunch we were taken on a canal cruise of historic Amersfoort (an 800 year old town) and for a drink at a typical local Dutch pub which was fun. All in all so far I have been very impressed by the hospitality and support shown by Dutch Rotarians, which has been great.
With very best regards,
Claire
Greetings from Leiden. A brief update for you about how I am going here in the beautiful Netherlands.
The 39 other students in my class group are drawn from 22 different countries and have rich and varied backgrounds and work experiences which makes for rich discussion and some great friends too. I can already tell I am going to gain a lot this year simply by being in the company of such talented and committed individuals. I will be sure to make the most of this network and to learn about other cultures and national systems.
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| The scholar group taken in Amersfoort yesterday I am standing in the front. |
The course work load for my LLM programme is intensive, with 300 pages of required reading per class! Which makes for some long hours in the library to prepare for class! But it is nice being back in an academic setting and to be fully immersed in public international law and human rights again. I handed in my first paper on Friday which was a challenge after almost four years working and out of the practice of academic writing.
I have had good contact by email with District Govenor (1600) Ton van Vliet, and will go to his house for dinner with him and his wife in early October. I have also had email contact with my host counsellor Maurice Teuwen and hope to have a chance to meet with him soon. Yesterday, Koos Isseger, a Rotary Foundation Chair in the Netherlands organised a day in Amersfoort, in the north-west of the Netherlands, for all the Rotary 2010-11 Scholars to meet up and enjoy a day together. It was a great day and I was made very welcome by Koos and his team of Rotarians from throughout the Netherlands. The meeting was held in a Rotary project house that serves as a support house for cancer patients. It was impressive, and run by four Rotary clubs which raised 300,000 Euros to get the project established six years ago. I found the commitment and empathy of the Rotary volunteers very heartening to see.
We enjoyed a time to share our experiences in the Netherlands so far, with students drawn the US, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Ukraine and Panama. There were two other scholars who are studying under a Future Vision Global Grant, while the rest are Ambassadorial Scholars. Many of the students have had trouble with housing scams here which was sad to hear, but made me realise how lucky I have been with setting up my housing and other practical arrangements here in Leiden. Following lunch we were taken on a canal cruise of historic Amersfoort (an 800 year old town) and for a drink at a typical local Dutch pub which was fun. All in all so far I have been very impressed by the hospitality and support shown by Dutch Rotarians, which has been great.
With very best regards,
Claire
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