Classes, reading and even more reading...sound familiar?

Three weeks into the semester and I am convinced that the summit of Mount Law Work has gotten further away than it was last semester. Or perhaps the foot-high pile of compulsorary set reading materials for six subjects has obscured the view somewhat.

So after three weeks of going to class, reading the set materials and planning term papers, it's probably time to pass judgement on the modules that I'm taking. There are four compulsory subjects required for the IELSP certificate this semester and two options:

• External Relations of the EU
• Law and Globalisation
• Law of the WTO
• International and European Protection of Human Rights

       I've chosen to take these options:

• European Private Law
• European and Comparative Discrimination Law

I haven't had External Relations since the first week, but did enjoy it then and thought the lecturer was nice. Even better, we've been informed that our assessment isn't going to be a final exam but 80% paper and 20% oral presentation in class. Term papers are so much better than exams! Globalisation is basically legal philosophy, and would be interesting if the lecturer didn't just repeat everything the reading materials said. Still, with an 80% paper and 20% seminar participation, I think it won't be all that bad. Protection of Human Rights is taught by Prof. Vandenhole who taught Children's Rights last semester, and is my favourite subject by far. Assessment might be purely a final oral exam but the topics we cover are interesting, varied, and very well presented. WTO on the other hand...all I can say about this subject is shudder. Hideous, fast-paced and so full of technical detail you don't have chance to keep up before Prof. Herwig has moved on.

My options are both okay too. Private Law is taught by a very enthusiastic lecturer and is a relatively interesting topic. The only downside is the 728 page compulsorary reading materials she's set for the course. Comparative Discrimination is probably my favourite after Protection of Human Rights as the lectures (although in four hour blocks starting on a Friday at 8.30am, we only have 4 in the whole semester) are well structured, the lecturer (a lawyer with Allen & Overy) gives us printed copies of the lecture slides, and we got to pick the subject of our term paper meaning I get to write 6000 words (including footnotes) on analysing the actually interesting subject of sexual orientation discrimination in the UK from a European perspective. With over 900 words already written (bearing in mind the topic was only approved yesterday), this should be pretty easy going.

In non-law news, I've been doing some painting and looking forward to the Easter holiday when I'll be flying back to Dundee for a week before settling down for some serious paper writing in the second week.

      Handy hint: if you like to paint and want materials while you're in Antwerpen try Wim Meeussen on the way to Grote Markt from Stadscampus at Wijngaardstraat 11

I also had pretty bad toothache for a week and had to brave the Apotheek (pharmacy) to get some more painkillers. Belgium has much stricter control of who can sell pain relief medication, so don't expect to be able to nip into Carrefour or Del Haize and grab some cheap paracetamol or ibuprofen, because here only licensed pharmacists can dispense medication. This means that you have to go to an Apotheek (there are usually two or three on any given street in the city marked out by big neon green cross signs) and tell the pharmacist what's wrong and they'll recommend what to take and give you some. You will pay a bit more than you would over here though so be prepared - I bought 30 tablets of 400mg ibuprofen (equivilant in dosage to 60 UK tablets) for 6,09€ instead of the 1 or 2 pounds I would've paid back in Dundee. Good news? After a few days the pain went away so I haven't had to face the privatised dental system they have in place over here. 

Most of my classes for next week have been cancelled for one reason or another (though unfortunately WTO has added an extra class and Globalisation has a four-hour slot to make up for a missed class last week) so I expect to be spending many an hour in the library trying to get on top of the reading mountain and make headway into the many, many thousands of words required for papers this semster. Exciting times loom ahead...!

Classes, reading, more reading, and even more reading

Two weeks into classes, it's probably time to do some initial reviews on them! 

I ended up only having one class in the week of 26/9 due to an ill Constitutionalism teacher - somewhat ironic since I dragged my own very ill self out of bed and to the class. Last week I had all of my compulsorary classes and my options, and I enjoyed the majority of them. Economic isn't too bad and will be focusing on the four (well, five including establishment) freedoms of services, goods, capital and persons, Competition will be focusing on the other negative harmonisation areas in the internal market of the EU, Institutional has an insane teacher but otherwise seems alright and Constitutionalism is surprisingly interesting. EU Information and Communications is really interesting with a great teacher and is basically the law of the internet, but Advanced International was dropped after one class - it didn't say in the course requirements that you had to have studied basic International law before! Instead I'm studying Children's Rights. Now, admittedly I have always maintained I wouldn't study anything to do with family laws unless I was forced to, but having read the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocols, I found myself looking forward to the first class this week. Luckily the teacher is nice and the course seems interesting enough that if I enjoy writing my paper (no exam but a 6000 word paper and presentation instead) I might end up using it as a base for my dissertation in 4th year!

Due to the large mountain of preparatory reading I've been battling through this week I've been spending time in the library on Stadscampus. For some reason the law area is always busy so I've been sitting tucked away in the philosophy zone. It's a great place to get work done since the whole library is a silent study area, the tables have plenty of space, lights, two plugs for laptops per space and free wifi. Plus everything is new and clean! The only downsides are the no food rule and the opening hours: 
    

26 Sept 2011 - 30 June 2012	Monday	8h30 - 21h
	Tuesday	8h30 - 21h
	Wednesday	8h30 - 21h
	Thursday	8h30 - 21h
	Friday	8h30 - 19h
	Saturday	10h - 17h
	Sunday	closed

Ice-skating with ESN was great fun although it showed me just how far the rink is from the centre of the city - I won't be going very often while I have so much work for my legal studies to do this semester. At least there will be an outside rink in the historic centre over Christmas and the New Year.  

Recently I've been going to Delhaize in the basement of Stadsfeestzaal for my food shopping instead of to Carrefour. Although I have to get the tram there and home carrying all my week's food, they have slightly cheaper prices, better quality food and a much better vegetarian quorn/own brand selection that Carrefour just doesn't seem to have heard about.

    To find your closest shop and information about opening hours use the form on this page:     http://www.delhaize.be/service/storelocator/_nl/index.asp

Laundry update - I realised (after only two trips to the laundrette) that the dryers can be set for more than one 4 minute cycle at a time if (once inserting the right amount for the time you want it to run) you press the button for your dryer on the payment machine the number of times you want it to cycle to run e.g. insert 0,80€ and press the button four times and the dryer will run for 16 minutes. So much easier!