3 Weeks in!

Well classes have officially begun, and a result, my life has suddenly gotten 10 times busier! Since I last updated you, so many things have happened-- I have made new friends from all parts of the world, I have had fascinating conversations that truly challenge my perspectives, I have discovered new passions and fields of interest, and above all, I have read more pages than I care to count.

While I had researched the University of Essex and the human rights program quite extensively prior to my arrival, it is now clear that I did not understand just how well-supported this program is. During our induction, each professor introduced themselves and the courses that they teach. Among this group was the current UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Expression, two former UN Special Rapporteurs, the Swiss Chair in International Humanitarian Law, and a leading consultant to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. They are all truly experts in their fields and bring extensive practical experience working on these issues in addition to their academic pursuits.

This made it very difficult to choose my classes for the term. The first week was primarily introductory, so we were allowed to shop around, to see what courses and teaching styles we found most interesting. In addition to our required core classes, Theory and Institutions of Human Rights and Human Rights Law and Practice, I also settled on two additional classes on The Laws of Armed Conflict and the Protection of Refugees in International Law (as well as my weekly Beginner Arabic course). Our core modules are expansive in both their depth and breadth. They make up about half of our total credits earned and span both terms. However, each weekly seminar is taught by a different professor from the program, so we have the opportunity to learn about each facet of human rights law from an expert in that subject. It is a terrific way of hearing a number of approaches and perspectives on human rights practice and to know that each day you are learning from the best.

As you may know with postgraduate study, the reading is intense and never ending. For each of my four classes, I average about 150 pages of reading per week, in addition to written assignments and outside activities. While this is certainly manageable after learning a few tricks for targeted skimming, it is also an essential part of my studies. Not coming from a law background, I have very little experience reading case law, which is now a significant part of the work that I will be engaged in. For many of my courses, each week is set up as a discussion, where we are given a problem scenario and asked to work through it as a class, drawing on the legal principles from that week's readings. I have found this to be a really terrific way of learning and it has in many ways served to force my out of my typically shy demeanor to take a more active participatory role in the classroom.

But honestly, my classes feel like just a fraction of what I am involved with here at the University. There are so many other opportunities to take advantage of. One such opportunity is the Digital Verification Corps managed by Amnesty International which I was accepted to and trained for last weekend. The DVC is a group of students from 6 universities across the globe who Amnesty trains in the tools of digital content verification to aid them in their research. Basically, more and more of the work that Amnesty does involves gathering digital content from the web, and using tools to verify the accuracy of this content, identify with certainty where it was filmed, and link it to other pieces of content documenting the same event. In my opinion, this is ground breaking work that is changing how we think about and approach human rights research, and I am privileged to be participating at such an early stage of its development. Over the course of the year, we will be verifying videos and images from the coalition attacks on the Syrian city of Raqqa, to be included in an interactive map that Amnesty is designing to show the level of destruction and civilian casualties that took place.

Additionally, I have been attending practices for the Jean-Pictet competition, which is similar to a moot court only it focuses on applications of humanitarian law and involves role-playing as reporters, armed groups, military leaders, NGO workers, and more. This also has been an interesting challenge for me, and while I still often struggle with the scenarios, it has been very helpful for seeing the types of situations where I may need to apply the humanitarian law principles that I am learning. Similarly, last week we had the first of a monthly International Humanitarian Law movie series, during which we watched a film that deals with some of the concepts that we have been exploring in class as another means of analyzing how these legal principles function out in the world.

But above all, the most enriching part of this experience thus far has been getting to know and learning alongside the other members of this program. I have never been in a space with this level of diversity, both of nationality and of thought. We all come to this work from such different backgrounds and bring with us our own conceptions of what human rights mean and the role they should play in the world. Despite all sharing common career paths, there is a range of disagreement that comes up both in and out of class regarding current international conflicts and human rights issues. I honestly did not expect this but it has been such an interesting part of my first weeks here and one which will certainly shape how I approach this work going forward.

The past weeks since classes began have been full of high points and lows, but through it all, it is clear to me that I am meant to be here, and that the experiences I am having now, and the people I meet, will be an important part of everything that I go on to do after this brief year of study. It is clear that this year will be as rewarding as I make it, and so far, I think I am doing quite well at making it something special. At times, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of work required and discouraged by the current gaps in my knowledge and experience, but that is why I am here and I can't imagine a better place to be studying human rights.

Until next time! (Gotta get back to reading)

Arrival in Colchester/Wivenhoe

After just over two weeks in the UK, I am finally settling into my home and getting to know my surroundings. I spent the first two weeks after my arrival traveling between properties for rent throughout the area to find a place to call home for the next 9 months. While this was a supremely exhausting and at times frustrating process, it was also a great way to see different neighborhoods and meet local residents.

The University of Essex is located in Colchester, a town of about 150,000 (and rapidly growing) located 50 miles northeast of London. While not a typical destination for visitors to the UK, Colchester is a town full of history that spans back to the earliest days of human civilization in the country. Colchester itself is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain, with its first mention dating back to AD 79. After the Roman conquest of Britain, the town served as the capital city and was surrounded by a large stone wall that still wraps around the town's border to this day.

The town also features an 11th Century castle, simply known as Colchester Castle, built on top of the vaults of the old Roman temple. Located in the center of town, it is surrounded by a beautifully maintained park, through which the River Colne flows. The museum at the castle tells the story of the structure as well as the history of the town at its peak during the 14th and 15th centuries. Colchester flourished during this time as a market town and was the center of the woolen cloth industry. At one point it was among the most prosperous wool towns in England.

During the 17th Century, Colchester developed as a garrison town due to fears of attack from its close neighbors, the French and the Dutch. The tourist board claims that Colchester and the garrison are actually the origin points for the popular nursery rhyme, "Humpty Dumpty." As the story goes, Humpty Dumpty was what locals called a large cannon that sat atop the walls surrounding the city. During a siege in 1648, enemy cannon fire damaged the wall beneath Humpty Dumpty, knocking it to the ground. Those stationed within the walls attempted to raise the cannon up to another section of the wall, but it was so heavy that "All the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put Humpty together again." 

While the University is located in Colchester, I decided to rent a terrace house in the small village of Wivenhoe, just south of the University. Historically a fishing and shipbuilding community, Wivenhoe is a picturesque little village located along the Rive Colne that served as the main port for Colchester during its time as a busy market town. Now, Wivenhoe is mostly home to families who like the quiet, natural beauty of the riverside community or students looking for a more peaceful place to focus on their studies. The area is full of walking paths that wind through the woods and along the river, taking you past hundreds of small, docked sailboats and terrific viewpoints. I am really looking forward to being able to walk out my door when my studies become too intense or I need a break from essay writing and find myself deep in nature within 5 minutes. The village also has a few cozy shops, restaurants, cafes, and of course pubs. Although, the center of activity seems to be the local bookshop, a room smaller than an average bedroom, stacked from floor to ceiling with books and resources on what to do in the area, news of community events, and local history.

As I mentioned earlier, Essex county is growing rapidly due to the high cost of living in London. Many people from the area commute to the city for work, a trend which is likely to continue, adding to the expansion of Colchester. The University of Essex has also been expanding since it was established in 1963. New construction is taking place across the campus, as it has developed both in reputation and funding. While I knew I was not going to be studying in a location with the same bustle or arts and culture of London (or my previous home in NYC for that matter), Colchester and Essex county have a lot to offer and I am very excited to become familiar with an area of this country that I would otherwise pass by. With its small town environment and rich history, it truly feels like I am experiencing a part of British culture that I wouldn't receive in some of the bigger cities or by simply visiting the UK as a tourist. I believe that this is a unique and important aspect of being a Rotary Scholar. Living in a place like Colchester, you realize that London is not all there is in this country (even though nearly everyone who heard I was studying in the UK assumed that is where I would be!), and that while the British countryside tends to be associated with words like "quaint," it is also home to many people and carries with it a culture and community distinct from the London metropolis.


Long story short, I am thrilled with my new home and look forward to a year of difficult, concentrated study, intermixed with cold nights spent over a pint in the local pub, visits to the seaside, and contemplative walks. It will certainly be an adjustment living here, but adjustment to the newness of a place is what makes living overseas so exciting-- the experience of becoming part of a community, learning to love aspects of it, working to adapt to others, and in the process recognizing the uniqueness of the community that you come from.

Rotary GB&I Link Weekend 2018

I arrived in the UK more than one week ago and admittedly haven't had the time to keep up with this blog. Over the course of the next few days I will try to update you on what I have been up to so far, however, this post will be dedicated to the Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland Link Weekend 2018, which I attended in Coventry on September 22nd.

I hadn't been in the UK for even a week before it was time to pack my bags again (not a difficult task since I hadn't even unpacked yet!) and head to the Midlands for the Rotary Scholars' Link Weekend. Organized by Rotarians from the region, the Link Weekend was an opportunity for all Global Grant Scholars and Peace Fellows studying in the UK and Ireland to meet each other and learn what to expect for the year ahead.

Tomoya, Saori, and myself at the Nuneaton market

From Colchester, it was about a 4-hour journey by train to Coventry, so the organizers were kind enough to connect me with a Rotarian who generously offered to host me and three other scholars for the weekend. I quickly became acquainted with domestic travel in the UK, as my journey included two trains (one which was so crowded that it reminded me of the NYC Subway at rush hour!), in addition to a transfer via the London Underground. But nevertheless, I arrived in the town of Nuneaton, about 20 minutes north of Coventry, and was met at the station by David (my host) and Tomoya (a Global Grant Scholar from Japan). David brought us to his lovely home to drop our bags and get settled in before heading off to the first of what would be a weekend full of authentic British experiences-- dinner at a carvery!

A carvery is a type of restaurant which serves hand sliced, roasted meets alongside a buffet of vegetables and salads. Think unlimited Thanksgiving dinner! While the carvery wasn't too foreign from what I have experienced at buffets in the United States, for Tomoya, it seemed to be unlike any dining experience he had ever had in Japan. We had a great time getting to know each other while stuffing ourselves full of roast beef, ham, Yorkshire pudding, potatoes cooked every way you could imagine, and of course plenty of gravy. Later that evening we picked up Saori, one of the other scholars staying with David, who also happened to be from Japan, before ending the evening with a cup of tea in David's home.

Dinner at the Carvery!

The next morning, David treated us all to a home-cooked Full English Breakfast (eggs, sausage, bacon, tomato, and coffee or tea) and a brief tour of the Nuneaton town market, after which we drove down to Coventry for the main event of the Link Weekend. The event was held at the Baginton Royal British Legion Hall, a national charity that provides support to veterans and their families. We were among the first to arrive at the venue as the majority of the Scholars attending the event were studying in London and were making the trip to Coventry that morning. We were greeted warmly by Paul and Lorna, the two main organizers of the event from Rotary District 1060, and treated to tea and a plethora of freshly baked sweets.

Home-cooked Full English Breakfast

In total there were around 45 Scholars in attendance. Most were from the United States, although there were roughly 8 or 9 from Japan, and one each from South Africa, Canada, and Ireland. It was a very friendly and inspiring group of people who each brought their own interests and expertise related to international service. Over the course of the day I was able to connect with many of them and exchange stories of the work we had done in the past, where and what we will be studying this year, and our career aspirations. It was fascinating to see the range of work we were all engaged in, all brought together by Rotary International and its goal of creating lasting change in the world.

Aside from the networking which naturally took place throughout the day, we heard presentations from Rotarians on topics such as public speaking and how to present to Rotary clubs, British culture, and cultural differences. We also played a British party game known as Beetle. The rules of the game are too complicated to explain at length (click the link if you are interested), but it was a great way to get ourselves moving around and chatting with each other...also to see who could draw the strangest looking beetle.

We were treated to two meals throughout: a take-away lunch of fish and chips and an afternoon meal of sandwiches and cream tea. Both were delicious and uniquely British meals. For those not familiar with cream tea, it is an afternoon tea paired with scones, jam and clotted cream. Since I first visited the UK back in 2016, I have been searching the grocery stores in the US for clotted cream, usually to no avail, and am now finally able to purchase and consume this delicious substance at will. With a consistency somewhere between whipped cream and butter, clotted cream is truly the best thing you could put on a scone, and there is much debate about which is the proper way to do so. Those from the county of Devon will say that you first apply a layer of cream on the scone, followed by the jam, while Cornwall residents will tell you that the order is jam first and then cream. The 'correct' way is obvious in my opinion.

Thank you for hosting us David!

On the whole, it was a terrific day and a great introduction to my year as a Global Grant scholar. Paul and Lorna clearly put a lot of effort into making it a fun, engaging, and useful day for all in attendance. A huge thank you to them and Rotary GB&I for welcoming us all to the country and for giving us the opportunity to meet other Scholars and Rotarians. Also a massive thank you to David, who was a very generous and accommodating host all weekend.