daydream believer.

this week, my class was on international organizations. but really, it was on the un and its pitfalls. i enjoyed it, but the french professor was a bit too anti-religion and pessimistic about the fate of america. apparently i'm still the eternal optimist, as i can't believe that 8 yrs of the idiot bush (and Strauss theory) could actually reverse the world's opinion of the u.s. and set us back several generations of human rights policy. but in any case, i may be able to make the world a better place for MY children.

last night we had a pizza and beer party. it was much fun. now that many of us have been together for close to 5 wks, we've all become pretty close, despite the natural separations during "freetime." we also played 5 v. 5 soccer before dinner. it's quite possible i sprained my toe. it's okay since my team won and i actually scored/assisted a few goals. all of the euro 2008 stuff really makes me miss field hocky and competitive sports. perhaps my fh hiatus is soon to end...

tomorrow after my oral exam we are going to montreau, i.e. the swiss riviera, on lake geneva and to chateau chillon. this weekend geneva is hosting a music festival. here is the website http://www.ville-ge.ch/culture/fm/. and on saturday, susi is coming in from lyon to go to lausanne, also a village on the lake. i want to take a side trip to gruyere to go to a dairy. and eat some fondue.

the weather has just become beautiful. and basically nothing has yet to change my positive feelings about this city. i may be coming from a skewed opinion because i love what i'm studying, despite sometimes disagreeing with speakers and the non-stop negative feelings we've been developing about the international system, and i love the people i'm surrounded by. most inspiring is the fact that all the students here are as inspired and determined as i am that we can make a difference. when the palestinian ambassador to the u.n. spoke to us last week, probably the best words he left us with were about the difference that our generation will get to make. we just have to seize the opportunities and truly believe that the sky is the limit.

one of my classmates is an llm student named kathleen. she lives in portland and has three kids. when we were in the hague she met with one of her greatest role models, a female judge on the icj (who may be elected the next high commissioner for human rights) and was offered a temporary job. kathleen is an international law junkie and serves as an incredible inspiration. even with a family, she is still able to be in the forefront of international human rights law. and she fulfills my belief that as long as you remain true to yourself and your dreams, your path will unfold before you.

sometimes i freak out that there is too much for me to do in my lifetime, especially when i want to have a family. but when i look at kathleen i'm assured that it will all work out.