My adjustment to London hasn’t really been one at all. The
city has quickly captivated me, revealing its versatility in hosting a vast
array of historic sites and landmarks, as well as suiting college students and
tourists from all over the world. My UK-domestic travels have been numerous,
including Leeds Castle, Canterbury, Dover, Coventry, Birmingham, Stratford,
Cotswold, Oxford, Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath, and most recently further north in
Edinburgh. The UK has many sites to offer, and I wanted to travel as much as I
could domestically before seeing the rest of Europe. Since I’ve been in Europe,
I have visited France twice, and will be heading to the Netherlands, Belgium,
Italy, Greece and Turkey this next month. Ireland, Spain, Germany, Austria, The
Czech Republic, Hungary, and Switzerland are some other countries on my
traveling list.
I live in the northeast tip of Central London, which serves
as the central hub to various transportation systems. However, my favorite
thing has been to take the extra time to walk everywhere, instead of taking the
bus/tube. As a result I’ve quickly learned all of the surrounding streets in
Central London, and have walked an average of five miles per day, with some
days reaching well over fifteen miles. I enjoy continually expanding my mental
map of London, memorizing street signs, buildings, and landmarks. One of the
main reasons I studied abroad was not only to live in another part of the
world, but also to feel like a small fish in a big pond—I didn’t feel enough of
that at Brown, but being able to explore a big city such as London, has
contributed to the absence of a “difficult transition” since I’ve been here in
January. Being here has also served as a reminder for me to be grateful for and
reflect upon my life.
My two political science courses this semester have been
particularly significant to me. One is on gender and politics, and the other is
on human rights and world politics. These subject matters have stimulated my
thoughts about so many of the issues that people don’t normally think about: full
descriptive and substantive representation of women, and whether this is
possible in today’s post-feminist society; what it means to uphold human rights
when countries make reservations to international laws and agreements at the
times when they are most needed, and when Western countries—who are supposed to
be the foremost champions of human rights—don’t sign or ratify conventions.
International politics is a fascinating arena, but the pace in which
international rules and regulations change, along with different norms across
countries, can make cultivating standard international rights discourse near impossible.
Gender equality and human rights are important, but it becomes difficult to set
rules and furthermore, an agenda, that every country consistently follows.
These are issues that I am passionate about, and I want to
continue to cultivate these interests. Fortunately, two recent opportunities
will allow me to do this. Earlier this month, I received the Arthur Liman
Fellowship through Brown University’s Swearer Center for Public Service, and
Yale Law School. I am currently in the process of setting up an internship
placement with Human Rights First, specifically to research on a possible fourth Olympic Pillar—Human Rights. Additionally, I was notified a couple weeks ago
that I am a finalist out of the thousands who applied for a law school
preparatory program through Harvard and NYU. It aims to get underrepresented
students into the top law schools by providing a five-week intensive program,
which includes LSAT training sessions, seminars, and opportunities to shadow
current lawyers. My interview for the program was last night, and it was a bit
intimidating knowing that there are a few dozen other finalists hoping as much
as I am to get one of the twenty coveted spots. Either way, I am fortunate to
have these opportunities, and I know they will help me figure out what I want
to do with my life. The problem has always been that I see myself in many
different careers: a lawyer, a public servant, a journalist/writer, an
ambassador, or administrator of sorts. It is my hope that I can find the
perfect career where I will be able to utilize all of my talents while helping
others and the improving the world for everyone. I think about this all the
time—passion over finances, heart over mind, public wellbeing over self?
Sometimes, I feel like these tradeoffs are inevitable, but worth it. However, I know that there are certainly opportunities out there where I can have it all. I hope to continue finding that
path that I’m looking for, although I know that this will be continual and everlasting. I know there’s a long journey ahead, but it’s one
that I am empowered to take and determined to delight upon.
I visited Edinburgh, Scotland this past week: I experienced record-breaking warm and delightful weather, delved into Scotland’s rich and contentious history with England, and traversed the
beautiful city filled with breathtaking sites. Although I haven’t visited many other
cities in Europe yet, I am sure that Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the
world. It combines city life with serene wilderness right at its doorstep.
On my second day in Edinburgh, I hiked up to Arthur’s Seat
and watched the sun set. Earlier that morning, I stumbled upon some outdoor photography
displays from the International Science Festival and saw a picture
of a sunset above the Earth's Atmosphere. In the caption, it noted that the International Space Station
orbits around the Earth in 90 minutes, so in one day, they see 16 sunsets. I
reflected on how amazing it was to see just one of them that glowing evening. The spectacular views from atop the hill reminded me to enjoy the passing of the seasons, that simplicity brings me happiness, and how nature gives me strength. Throughout my semester, I have received subtle assurances about the direction I’m taking in my life, and I am enjoying each day of it.
