With only 18 days until I'm back in the UK, the countdown has officially begun! In my excitement I have already started to pack up the books, winter clothes and other bits and pieces that I won't be using again before I leave, an action which really makes me realise how close the end of my year abroad is. It has also made me realise how many bulky house things I had to buy back in September, which will never fit into the alloted luggage allowance for the Eurostar and train up to Scotland. In a burst of inspriation (and dread at having to find some way to recycle everything) I've emailed the housing officer at the International Relations Office asking for help selling everything, so fingers crossed there! I might look slightly odd travelling the 700-odd miles from Antwerpen to Dundee on 4 different trains and in 3 different countries with pillows exploding from my suitcase and lamps dangling from my rucksack...
In the spirit of coming to the conclusion of my stay, exam season has started! Normally I dread its coming, but this time for whatever reason it doesn't seem all that bad. Maybe it's because of the high percentage of paper worth compared to exam, maybe it's because I know the subjects better (unlikely when it comes to WTO), or maybe it's just because it's June and I'm almost finished.
Yesterday was my first exam - Discrimination law. It was actually not that hideous - 40% of the grade based on 20 multiple choice questions and 2 essay questions set from an open list of 12, and completely open book. I have to say, the Handbook is definitely the student's friend for this one! Combined with the powerpoints from the lectures, all the answers for the multiple choice were easy to find and everything needed for the essays was at my fingertips, a mere flip of the page away. Next up is Private law on Monday which is also open book, but not open question (sadly). Since it's worth 50% and the paper was 50%, it shouldn't be all that awful, despite the 800 plus pages of materials in the reader. Especially when I think about the feedback I got for my paper! Professor Janssens said it was "outstanding" and "excellent", and one of the best in the class! I have high hopes for an A or B for that half, which sets me up nicely for the exam half.
Handing my External Relations and Globalisation papers in was fantastic. I spent so much time and energy on them, I really hope I do well! Slight drama ensued when trying to submit my Globalisation paper (I'd handed External Relation in a few days earlier) as not only was there no submission link of BlackBoard for the electronic version, the printers in the library were all offline so I couldn't print the hard copy to submit! After talking to Terry she agreed to print it for me and told me to email it so it all got sorted in the end, but there was definitely a moment or two of panic about missing the deadline! In celebration of finishing my papers, I ate some chocolate and counted just how many words I've written for papers this year and in 7 papers I have managed to write 37,212 words. Astounding.
11 days until the exams are over...I can't wait! Summer in Dundee, here I come!
Showing posts with label term paper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label term paper. Show all posts
2 June 2012
17 May 2012
"The end is nigh" - Mount Law-Work has almost been conquered
Well it's been three weeks since discovering that my course is actually taught at masters level, and there has been plenty of associated stress since then! Luckily for my sanity my girlfriend flew over for a final visit before I move back to Dundee so there was plenty of fun and non-law excitement mixed in too.
Law news first...I've had my final class in Antwerpen! I can't believe it's been a year already, it doesn't seem that long ago that I was getting lost and confused by everything in September. Although it's a relief to have finished my classes so I can focus on my External Relations and Globalisation term papers and get started on revision for the upcoming exam season, I have to say I'm going to miss some of my modules. Discrimination was interesting despite the four hour classes at 8.30am, and Protection of Human Rights with Vandenhole was fantastic. Having had Vandenhole for both Children's Rights and Protection of Human Rights, I definitely recommend taking any subject he's teaching - there might be a fair amount of reading but his teaching style is really enjoyable and you really don't notice how much work you end up doing for his classes.
After a fairly uneventful 10 days (the high point was the conclusion of my WTO course - hallelujah) my girlfriend arrived so I could finally have some time off from law. As it was her birthday a few days before, I'd bought her a copy of Le Cordon Bleu's Chocolate Bible, so after doing the food shop we got to work creating the most heavenly chocolate-orange mousse. Seriously, that was one utterly heavenly mousse. The chocolate, the hint of orange, the textual delight of thin slices of caramelised orange rind swirled through the mousse...mmm. Note to self - make again soon!
Since the weather was so nice on the Thursday we picnicked in Plantentuin and went to MoMu to have a look at their latest exhibition on women's daily fashion between 1750 and 1950. The exhibition is on until 12th August so if you're in Antwerpen over the summer it's definitely worth a look - and it's only €1 for under 26's. Unfortunately my Discrimination presentation was postponed from the week before due to a clash with a visiting lecturer in Private Law, so Friday was spent with me quietly stressing over my presentation before having to abandon my girlfriend for three hours (instead of the supposed two) on my campus while I went and presented my paper. The presentation seemed to go okay despite my mega-nerves so fingers crossed for the final exam now!
As a delightful counter to the stress of the day before, we headed to Gent on Saturday to complete our tour of Flanders. After some confusion over train times (the Internet gave a different time to the timetable at Station Zuid) we arrived in the very impressive Gent St. Pieters Station to the south of the city ready to wander into the centre via a canal or two.
Handy hint: if you don't want to buy a whole GoPass 10 but still want to travel cheaply on the weekend, get the Weekend Ticket. This is available for any age and can be used from 19.00 on Friday to the end of Sunday for only €5 each way - that's a 50% discount! Book online and print at home or buy in Antwerpen Centraal Station for use from any Station in the Antwerpen Zone
Handy hint: if you don't fancy walking the 2km to the centre from the south, Gent Dampoort Station is further north and closer to the centre but less frequently served
We started out exploring Citadelpark which, however lovely Stadspark is in Antwerpen, was definitely the nicest park we've found in Flanders. It has secret-looking stairs and paths hidden everywhere! Who cares if it's sort of childish to be excited about secret paths in woods at age 21, it was fun! It paid off too, as we stumbled across some kind of festival with a 1920's style band and dance group parading around. Despite our plans to get to the Plantentuin (Botanic Garden) before the hot houses closed, because of the train confusion we didn't make it in time. Still, the outside gardens were absolutely stunning, complete with secret paths, a lake/pond, ducks (ducks are fabulous birds to have in parks) and the scariest fish ever (it was just floating near the edge of the pond so we wandered up all innocently and it swooshed off making a huge commotion). Definitely worth a visit, and judging from the enormity of the hot houses, worth getting there nice and early to go round them.
Walking up Canal Leie was very pretty, although Brugge's canals were a little prettier and generally more romantic. After lunching in St-Baafsplein we headed up the Belfort to get a view over the city before exploring more at ground level. Not just a large clock/bell tower, the Gent Belfort contains a Bell Museum. Don't be put off - we thought it sounded boring too and only went in for the view at the top, but it was actually really interesting. I now know all about how bells are made! Next up was a wander towards Gravensteen (Gent's Castle) via Groot Vleeshuis (pretty architecturally inside but the hanging lumps of smoked meat were slightly off-putting for a vegetarian like me), and Grasbrug/Graslei. Now I know there are some silly signs in the world, but for the City of Gent to put a sign on an extremely picturesque bridge overlooking medieval shopfronts (rebuilt in 1913 for the World Fair) facing the canal saying 'Photo Moment' seems slightly ridiculous to me. Nonetheless, we followed the instructions like good little tourists before heading onto Gravensteen. Gravensteen is surprisingly large for a castle in the centre of a city. After some debate over the €6 entry fee we decided we wanted to explore some more passages and look out over the ramparts so headed in only to find that for some inexplicable reason we were charged €4 instead. Marvellous! Inside was filled with weapons, torture instruments (interesting in a disturbing sort of way) and grand halls which were rescued after the castle was restored from being a cotton mill in the early 20th Century, and the views from the top and the walk around the courtyard surrounding the keep alone definitely make the entrance fee worth it.
The final day of her visit was beautifully sunny so after a quick trip to the Carrefour by Bolivarplaats (the only one open on Sunday mornings in the whole of Antwerpen's centre) we headed to Stadspark for a few hours lounging in the sunshine, spotting baby rabbits hiding in the grass and the cutest baby bird being taught to swim and find food by its parents. All in all, a great visit! Shame the law had to recommence straight away... Still, with my Private Law paper handed in and the majority of my External Relations paper written, the end is in sight. Back to the grindstone for the final stretch!
Law news first...I've had my final class in Antwerpen! I can't believe it's been a year already, it doesn't seem that long ago that I was getting lost and confused by everything in September. Although it's a relief to have finished my classes so I can focus on my External Relations and Globalisation term papers and get started on revision for the upcoming exam season, I have to say I'm going to miss some of my modules. Discrimination was interesting despite the four hour classes at 8.30am, and Protection of Human Rights with Vandenhole was fantastic. Having had Vandenhole for both Children's Rights and Protection of Human Rights, I definitely recommend taking any subject he's teaching - there might be a fair amount of reading but his teaching style is really enjoyable and you really don't notice how much work you end up doing for his classes.
After a fairly uneventful 10 days (the high point was the conclusion of my WTO course - hallelujah) my girlfriend arrived so I could finally have some time off from law. As it was her birthday a few days before, I'd bought her a copy of Le Cordon Bleu's Chocolate Bible, so after doing the food shop we got to work creating the most heavenly chocolate-orange mousse. Seriously, that was one utterly heavenly mousse. The chocolate, the hint of orange, the textual delight of thin slices of caramelised orange rind swirled through the mousse...mmm. Note to self - make again soon!
Since the weather was so nice on the Thursday we picnicked in Plantentuin and went to MoMu to have a look at their latest exhibition on women's daily fashion between 1750 and 1950. The exhibition is on until 12th August so if you're in Antwerpen over the summer it's definitely worth a look - and it's only €1 for under 26's. Unfortunately my Discrimination presentation was postponed from the week before due to a clash with a visiting lecturer in Private Law, so Friday was spent with me quietly stressing over my presentation before having to abandon my girlfriend for three hours (instead of the supposed two) on my campus while I went and presented my paper. The presentation seemed to go okay despite my mega-nerves so fingers crossed for the final exam now!
As a delightful counter to the stress of the day before, we headed to Gent on Saturday to complete our tour of Flanders. After some confusion over train times (the Internet gave a different time to the timetable at Station Zuid) we arrived in the very impressive Gent St. Pieters Station to the south of the city ready to wander into the centre via a canal or two.
Handy hint: if you don't want to buy a whole GoPass 10 but still want to travel cheaply on the weekend, get the Weekend Ticket. This is available for any age and can be used from 19.00 on Friday to the end of Sunday for only €5 each way - that's a 50% discount! Book online and print at home or buy in Antwerpen Centraal Station for use from any Station in the Antwerpen Zone
Handy hint: if you don't fancy walking the 2km to the centre from the south, Gent Dampoort Station is further north and closer to the centre but less frequently served
We started out exploring Citadelpark which, however lovely Stadspark is in Antwerpen, was definitely the nicest park we've found in Flanders. It has secret-looking stairs and paths hidden everywhere! Who cares if it's sort of childish to be excited about secret paths in woods at age 21, it was fun! It paid off too, as we stumbled across some kind of festival with a 1920's style band and dance group parading around. Despite our plans to get to the Plantentuin (Botanic Garden) before the hot houses closed, because of the train confusion we didn't make it in time. Still, the outside gardens were absolutely stunning, complete with secret paths, a lake/pond, ducks (ducks are fabulous birds to have in parks) and the scariest fish ever (it was just floating near the edge of the pond so we wandered up all innocently and it swooshed off making a huge commotion). Definitely worth a visit, and judging from the enormity of the hot houses, worth getting there nice and early to go round them.
Walking up Canal Leie was very pretty, although Brugge's canals were a little prettier and generally more romantic. After lunching in St-Baafsplein we headed up the Belfort to get a view over the city before exploring more at ground level. Not just a large clock/bell tower, the Gent Belfort contains a Bell Museum. Don't be put off - we thought it sounded boring too and only went in for the view at the top, but it was actually really interesting. I now know all about how bells are made! Next up was a wander towards Gravensteen (Gent's Castle) via Groot Vleeshuis (pretty architecturally inside but the hanging lumps of smoked meat were slightly off-putting for a vegetarian like me), and Grasbrug/Graslei. Now I know there are some silly signs in the world, but for the City of Gent to put a sign on an extremely picturesque bridge overlooking medieval shopfronts (rebuilt in 1913 for the World Fair) facing the canal saying 'Photo Moment' seems slightly ridiculous to me. Nonetheless, we followed the instructions like good little tourists before heading onto Gravensteen. Gravensteen is surprisingly large for a castle in the centre of a city. After some debate over the €6 entry fee we decided we wanted to explore some more passages and look out over the ramparts so headed in only to find that for some inexplicable reason we were charged €4 instead. Marvellous! Inside was filled with weapons, torture instruments (interesting in a disturbing sort of way) and grand halls which were rescued after the castle was restored from being a cotton mill in the early 20th Century, and the views from the top and the walk around the courtyard surrounding the keep alone definitely make the entrance fee worth it.
The final day of her visit was beautifully sunny so after a quick trip to the Carrefour by Bolivarplaats (the only one open on Sunday mornings in the whole of Antwerpen's centre) we headed to Stadspark for a few hours lounging in the sunshine, spotting baby rabbits hiding in the grass and the cutest baby bird being taught to swim and find food by its parents. All in all, a great visit! Shame the law had to recommence straight away... Still, with my Private Law paper handed in and the majority of my External Relations paper written, the end is in sight. Back to the grindstone for the final stretch!
27 April 2012
"I'm sorry, did you just say 'postgraduate'?"
As predicted, my stress level has gotten rather high in the last two weeks! Although it was a relief to finally hand in my Discrimination paper (all 5999 words of it) I then had to work on my preparation for my Globalisation seminar, do the prep for the group assignment in WTO (which was pushed back to the 7th by an act of some benevolent law god) as well as the general course reading. 7 weeks, 5 days and counting - Dundee, here I come!
In other (pretty astonishing) law news, while looking around the UA website trying to find which days the university is closed on next week (Tuesday is apparently a bank holiday and I'd written it down on Monday in my diary) I stumbled across the new and updated Law Faculty page for students wanting courses in English. Imagine my surprise when, the 3rd year undergraduate student that I am, read the following:
"The IELSP is a postgraduate study programme offering a variety of courses in international, European and comparative law"
After reading that through a few more times, I then saw that the IELSP is apparently one of the two masters level programmes UA offer to international students in law, and that you are supposed to have completed at least three years of law school before enrolling. I did two before I got here... No wonder the workload is so big, the classes are so hard, and the Belgian masters students share some of the classes! On the plus side? It will look even more impressive on my CV that not only did I study abroad for a year but that I studied a postgraduate course while in the middle of my undergraduate course! Employment, here I come!
The weather has here been too fickle to venture out for walks and wanders, and I've managed to visit every museum in Antwerpen with my visitors. When my girlfriend comes for a visit in less than two weeks we're planning on venturing over to Gent and maybe some more of the coast if the weather is nice. There is a light at the end of that dark tunnel which plagues law students as exam season approaches! Well, better get back to working on my three term papers and presentation if I'm to be finished in 7 weeks and on my way back to the lovely UK.
In other (pretty astonishing) law news, while looking around the UA website trying to find which days the university is closed on next week (Tuesday is apparently a bank holiday and I'd written it down on Monday in my diary) I stumbled across the new and updated Law Faculty page for students wanting courses in English. Imagine my surprise when, the 3rd year undergraduate student that I am, read the following:
"The IELSP is a postgraduate study programme offering a variety of courses in international, European and comparative law"
After reading that through a few more times, I then saw that the IELSP is apparently one of the two masters level programmes UA offer to international students in law, and that you are supposed to have completed at least three years of law school before enrolling. I did two before I got here... No wonder the workload is so big, the classes are so hard, and the Belgian masters students share some of the classes! On the plus side? It will look even more impressive on my CV that not only did I study abroad for a year but that I studied a postgraduate course while in the middle of my undergraduate course! Employment, here I come!
The weather has here been too fickle to venture out for walks and wanders, and I've managed to visit every museum in Antwerpen with my visitors. When my girlfriend comes for a visit in less than two weeks we're planning on venturing over to Gent and maybe some more of the coast if the weather is nice. There is a light at the end of that dark tunnel which plagues law students as exam season approaches! Well, better get back to working on my three term papers and presentation if I'm to be finished in 7 weeks and on my way back to the lovely UK.
14 April 2012
Deadlines, reading and a few more deadlines - welcome back
As the holidays draw to a close I am sadly being forced to start contemplating the coming classes and deadlines more seriously than just as a vague idea hovering in the middle-distance. With just 9 1/2 weeks until I return to the UK and a mere 7 until the beginning of exams it's time to step up the legal work - farewell relaxed weekends spent lounging around in pajamas and watching films.
To give an idea of the craziness about to ensue, here is my deadlines/exam schedule:
Now I have only just over 2 months left living in Antwerpen I've been thinking about what would have been useful to know ahead of setting out for the train station. The biggest impact on my budget (even with the Erasmus grant) was definitely textbooks and course readers. Being used to UoD where you only study a couple of subjects a semester and can usually share books or borrow them from the library, it was a big shock to my purse when I had to buy at least one book for almost every one of the 12 subjects I've studied. And of course, being law, it is hard to use second hand as new editions keep coming out and the lecturers update their course readers every year. In total I have been forced to buy 8 sets of materials and 4 books, and had to print over 300 pages for various subjects. And Amazon either doesn't sell them or doesn't discount more than a pound or two so it's easier to buy from Acco, the campus bookshop. Ouch. With the textbooks having an average cost of €45 and the readers costing on average €20 each (occasionally there will be one that's only €10 but some cost €30), that is a pretty hefty pricetag - make sure you leave plenty of room in your budget for the year!
Handy hint: check the set textbooks for the subjects you've chosen before departing as you may be able to find last years edition and borrow a friends when the new version is different
Now that the holiday is almost over I must begin to tackle the reading mountain for the week ahead - and with classes in WTO, Protection of Human Rights, Globalisation and 10 hours of External Relations, it is a rather high mountain! I just hope I don't get altitude sicknes when I manage to reach the summit.
To give an idea of the craziness about to ensue, here is my deadlines/exam schedule:
- 18 April External Relations seminar
- 20 April Discrimination paper due
- 20 April WTO Group Assignment 2 due
- 25 April Globalisation seminar
- 4 May Discrimination presentation
- 15 May Private paper due
- 29 May External Relations paper due
- 29 May Globalisation paper due
- 1 June Discrimination exam
- 4 June Private exam
- 8 June WTO exam
- 14 June Protection of Human Rights exam
Now I have only just over 2 months left living in Antwerpen I've been thinking about what would have been useful to know ahead of setting out for the train station. The biggest impact on my budget (even with the Erasmus grant) was definitely textbooks and course readers. Being used to UoD where you only study a couple of subjects a semester and can usually share books or borrow them from the library, it was a big shock to my purse when I had to buy at least one book for almost every one of the 12 subjects I've studied. And of course, being law, it is hard to use second hand as new editions keep coming out and the lecturers update their course readers every year. In total I have been forced to buy 8 sets of materials and 4 books, and had to print over 300 pages for various subjects. And Amazon either doesn't sell them or doesn't discount more than a pound or two so it's easier to buy from Acco, the campus bookshop. Ouch. With the textbooks having an average cost of €45 and the readers costing on average €20 each (occasionally there will be one that's only €10 but some cost €30), that is a pretty hefty pricetag - make sure you leave plenty of room in your budget for the year!
Handy hint: check the set textbooks for the subjects you've chosen before departing as you may be able to find last years edition and borrow a friends when the new version is different
Now that the holiday is almost over I must begin to tackle the reading mountain for the week ahead - and with classes in WTO, Protection of Human Rights, Globalisation and 10 hours of External Relations, it is a rather high mountain! I just hope I don't get altitude sicknes when I manage to reach the summit.
18 March 2012
Sunshine and essay writing
Summer has most definitely arrived. Despite a cold couple of days last week, the skies have cleared, the flowers have bloomed, the birds have begun to sing, and the temperature has regualarly climbed to 16 or 17 degrees - on Thursday it even reached 19! Seeing the city in the sunshine again without battling with an umbrella/unruly scarf/bulky coat/all of the above has reminded me just how beautiful it is here. I still thought it was pretty in the winter, but somehow sunshine makes everything look nicer and makes you notice the little details you seem to miss in months of seemingly eternal cloud coverage. If it's this nice in the middle of March, I can't wait until May and June, hopefully it'll be like when I arrived and be 25-30 degrees all the time - definitely not Scotland!
Inspired by my success in Children's Rights, I've decided to use my paper as the basis of my final year dissertation, if I can convince a tutor in Dundee to supervise it of course, so I met with Vandenhole to get some feedback on what I could've done better and how to develop it into a full dissertation. He was really helpful with ideas on development, recommending books, approaches and potential topics to explore, but when I asked how I could've got an 18 or 19 out of 20 instead of the 17 I did get, he said that actually my paper was perfect, but UA don't actually award higher than a 17! This really is a strange marking system if only certain numbers of students can get each grade and they don't even award the top mark for perfect papers that couldn't be improved. I just hope this policy is taken into account when UoD translate the grades - I don't want to get a B in Dundee for an A equivilant in this ridiculous system!
Having been enlightened to the system, I have determined to work extra hard on my term papers this semester so that they'll be a good contribution to my exam grade (if I have an exam). In order to get on top of the mountain of words that I'm expected to churn out, I'm taking each paper in turn and working intensely on it, starting with Discrimination. After 10 hours on Friday, 6 yesterday and who knows how many during the rest of the week squeezed in between classes, I have lost count of the number of cases, statutes, regulations, directives and recommendations that I've read. I have however, almost finished (thank goodness). I'm absolutely loving researching this, but I need to get it finished so I can work on my presentation and other papers.
Tomorrow evening I'm going to a free film showing of the Belgian film 'Illégal' on campus. It's in French with English subtitles and looks pretty interesting. The cinema is expensive here even for students (7,50€) so it'll be good to see a film on a big screen.
The External Relations teacher is over from the UK this week, so I have a lot of reading for his 4 classes on top of the reading for WTO and Protection of Human Rights (Private has been cancelled - our teacher had to move back to the US so we have another one filling in) ... onwards and upwards, I will reach the summit of Mount Law Work this semester!
Inspired by my success in Children's Rights, I've decided to use my paper as the basis of my final year dissertation, if I can convince a tutor in Dundee to supervise it of course, so I met with Vandenhole to get some feedback on what I could've done better and how to develop it into a full dissertation. He was really helpful with ideas on development, recommending books, approaches and potential topics to explore, but when I asked how I could've got an 18 or 19 out of 20 instead of the 17 I did get, he said that actually my paper was perfect, but UA don't actually award higher than a 17! This really is a strange marking system if only certain numbers of students can get each grade and they don't even award the top mark for perfect papers that couldn't be improved. I just hope this policy is taken into account when UoD translate the grades - I don't want to get a B in Dundee for an A equivilant in this ridiculous system!
Having been enlightened to the system, I have determined to work extra hard on my term papers this semester so that they'll be a good contribution to my exam grade (if I have an exam). In order to get on top of the mountain of words that I'm expected to churn out, I'm taking each paper in turn and working intensely on it, starting with Discrimination. After 10 hours on Friday, 6 yesterday and who knows how many during the rest of the week squeezed in between classes, I have lost count of the number of cases, statutes, regulations, directives and recommendations that I've read. I have however, almost finished (thank goodness). I'm absolutely loving researching this, but I need to get it finished so I can work on my presentation and other papers.
Tomorrow evening I'm going to a free film showing of the Belgian film 'Illégal' on campus. It's in French with English subtitles and looks pretty interesting. The cinema is expensive here even for students (7,50€) so it'll be good to see a film on a big screen.
The External Relations teacher is over from the UK this week, so I have a lot of reading for his 4 classes on top of the reading for WTO and Protection of Human Rights (Private has been cancelled - our teacher had to move back to the US so we have another one filling in) ... onwards and upwards, I will reach the summit of Mount Law Work this semester!
3 March 2012
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:
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...!
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
- European Private Law
- European and Comparative Discrimination Law
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...!
25 November 2011
"Mount Law-Work reaches new heights"
Well it hasn't been a very exciting two weeks, as per usual law work has taken over leaving little time for fun. Even the weather hasn't been exciting - some sun, some cloud, temperatures of around 6/7 degrees and no rain. What happened to the snow and ice I was promised? Belgium is meant to get cold in the winter yet some days I don't even need a coat on at the end of November! At least in four weeks I'll be flying home for a couple of days holiday.
My law work at the moment is focusing heavily on researching and writing my draft for my Children's Rights term paper, due 16/12/2011. 6000 words on a topic of my choice may sound a lot but since I got to choose what I'm writing about it's actually quite interesting. I decided to focus on juvenile justice rights (sometimes known as youth justice) within the countries of the UK and see how far these rights are compatible with the UK's international obligations, with my main focus on the minimum age of criminal responsibility and the adaptation of procedures, and possibly looking at detention of youth offenders. My question (as it stands at the moment, it's subject to change) is:
"To what extent are juvenile justice rights, as granted by the United Nations and the Council of Europe, applied and interpreted within the different legal jurisdictions in the United Kingdom?"
In other law news, revision has been begun alongside the usual preparatory chapters, legislation and case reading that must be done, and the trusty coloured pens have been taken out to begin the marathon of mind-maps (yes, I realise they look too fun and colourful and 'artistic' for a serious law student, but they make revision fun, and get the important stuff on handy A4 pages you can carry around on trams/trains/planes for whenever (if-ever) you feel inspired to study!). Sigh. Exams will be happening between the 9th and 23rd January with results on 26th. Unfortunately my 21st birthday falls in this period, of course on a weekday, so chances are I'll have to write an exam on my birthday :( On the upside, there won't be any classes until 13th February so I'm flying back to the UK for the European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield (my girlfriend got me a ticket for the Mens and Ladies Free programme day) and then heading up to Scotland for a week or so and back south to England to visit family. This definitely makes up for the teeny tiny Christmas holiday i'm getting this year!
Other than having to buy a sourcebook for Competition Law (50€! For a book i'll use in one exam! An absolute outrage) nothing else has really happened lately. The Kerstmarkt starts in two weeks in the centre of Antwerpen, so that should bring some exciting opportunties to get into the Flemish culture. Tot ziens!
My law work at the moment is focusing heavily on researching and writing my draft for my Children's Rights term paper, due 16/12/2011. 6000 words on a topic of my choice may sound a lot but since I got to choose what I'm writing about it's actually quite interesting. I decided to focus on juvenile justice rights (sometimes known as youth justice) within the countries of the UK and see how far these rights are compatible with the UK's international obligations, with my main focus on the minimum age of criminal responsibility and the adaptation of procedures, and possibly looking at detention of youth offenders. My question (as it stands at the moment, it's subject to change) is:
"To what extent are juvenile justice rights, as granted by the United Nations and the Council of Europe, applied and interpreted within the different legal jurisdictions in the United Kingdom?"
In other law news, revision has been begun alongside the usual preparatory chapters, legislation and case reading that must be done, and the trusty coloured pens have been taken out to begin the marathon of mind-maps (yes, I realise they look too fun and colourful and 'artistic' for a serious law student, but they make revision fun, and get the important stuff on handy A4 pages you can carry around on trams/trains/planes for whenever (if-ever) you feel inspired to study!). Sigh. Exams will be happening between the 9th and 23rd January with results on 26th. Unfortunately my 21st birthday falls in this period, of course on a weekday, so chances are I'll have to write an exam on my birthday :( On the upside, there won't be any classes until 13th February so I'm flying back to the UK for the European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield (my girlfriend got me a ticket for the Mens and Ladies Free programme day) and then heading up to Scotland for a week or so and back south to England to visit family. This definitely makes up for the teeny tiny Christmas holiday i'm getting this year!
Other than having to buy a sourcebook for Competition Law (50€! For a book i'll use in one exam! An absolute outrage) nothing else has really happened lately. The Kerstmarkt starts in two weeks in the centre of Antwerpen, so that should bring some exciting opportunties to get into the Flemish culture. Tot ziens!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)