it's funny that every time i come home from an extended trip away, i always notice how nice new york smells. this might seem strange to most, and even to me, when i'm living here. but there is a sweetness to the smell of the beginnings of summer, empty streets in the dead of night, quiet glimpses of a city that is almost, but not completely asleep. trees have bloomed, and school's over. what more could one want from the big apple? needless to say, i am excited about another summer in new york. it's a great time for a great place, even when it rains, even when it's hot and humid.
so i'm back...it's 12:22am. i have work at 9am tomorrow, and i slept the whole way for the two-legged 17 hour plane journey. what do i do now?
Monday, May 26, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
well in wellington
it's week two of our human rights mission, and what can i say, human rights law academics have huge egos, and new zealand is a small country, so i'm surprised we all fit here. after having been split into three different groups all over the two-island country last week, we finally reunited in nelson for a weekend of "relaxing". and if relaxing to you means a five hour hike one day, and sea kayaking the next, then ok. otherwise, i'm still tired and sore from relaxing and need a vacation from this whole trip. okay, i'm not complaining, really, cause we got to kayak in baby seal dens and had a dolphin escort us around the ocean. and it's beautiful and okay, i take it all back.
so we went on a beautiful hike that our trip planner told us would be 2.5 hours, and we had to cross over a bank that filled with water at 3pm. so we are hiking one of the most beautiful trails in NZ (according to people who are able to say these things credibly, although the source escapes me now) and make it across the bank that was already starting to fill with water, and required us to walk through growing rivers of freezing cold water. when we finally made it to the other side, we decided to cop a squat and relax for a bit. we might have also decided to straggle a bit to stay away from the professors who were also hiking with us. so it's four of us, all smart, independent women. we get to what we think is the end of our journey, and get to map, read the map, and start on what should have been the 25 minute trek to our lodge, which is located in the middle of the forest, maybe a few km from the beach. by this time it's about 4, and the sun sets in NZ winter at 6. i think my foreshadowing is doing a good job at hinting that we got lost in the woods, it was cold, and we were alone. how is this possible when there is ONE trail, and there are only two directions to go on it? well, we argue (and well, because we're training to be lawyers) that the signs were crappy. so long story short, it was dark, and we could see the lodge, but couldn't get to it, because we couldn't walk through the bush. finally, we turn back and come across a steep trail that we decide will lead back to the lodge, and it does. for those of you who know me, i don't scare easily, and i was almost freaked out. but we're alive, and it's all a good story, now, isn't it?
last week, i was with two other students and two professors, one of whom is a flamboyant gay italian man, and the other an outspoken black woman. let's just say we barely got a word in edgewise, but it was a good way to start out the week. we met with some pretty cool activists in this small community of organizations who deal with domestic violence, and it was just neat to hear all their opinions and know who they were referencing when it came to major players in the whole community, since we had, or were going to speak to them. this week, we're meeting with government officials, and today, are meeting with a judge who has a reputation for throwing people out of his office. so we're practicing our people skills at breakfast. we are also watching flight of the conchords to learn the ways of the NZers. appropriate cultural immersion, wouldn't you say?
okay picture time!
delicious?
the water gets so shallow during low tide, so our water taxi had to be towed through the sand/water up the shore. the water recedes in the kilometers. kinda cool.
baby seal friend.
kayaking friends.
lunch break.
small plane, big smiles!
the "beehive" (NZ's capital) in Wellington.
so we went on a beautiful hike that our trip planner told us would be 2.5 hours, and we had to cross over a bank that filled with water at 3pm. so we are hiking one of the most beautiful trails in NZ (according to people who are able to say these things credibly, although the source escapes me now) and make it across the bank that was already starting to fill with water, and required us to walk through growing rivers of freezing cold water. when we finally made it to the other side, we decided to cop a squat and relax for a bit. we might have also decided to straggle a bit to stay away from the professors who were also hiking with us. so it's four of us, all smart, independent women. we get to what we think is the end of our journey, and get to map, read the map, and start on what should have been the 25 minute trek to our lodge, which is located in the middle of the forest, maybe a few km from the beach. by this time it's about 4, and the sun sets in NZ winter at 6. i think my foreshadowing is doing a good job at hinting that we got lost in the woods, it was cold, and we were alone. how is this possible when there is ONE trail, and there are only two directions to go on it? well, we argue (and well, because we're training to be lawyers) that the signs were crappy. so long story short, it was dark, and we could see the lodge, but couldn't get to it, because we couldn't walk through the bush. finally, we turn back and come across a steep trail that we decide will lead back to the lodge, and it does. for those of you who know me, i don't scare easily, and i was almost freaked out. but we're alive, and it's all a good story, now, isn't it?
last week, i was with two other students and two professors, one of whom is a flamboyant gay italian man, and the other an outspoken black woman. let's just say we barely got a word in edgewise, but it was a good way to start out the week. we met with some pretty cool activists in this small community of organizations who deal with domestic violence, and it was just neat to hear all their opinions and know who they were referencing when it came to major players in the whole community, since we had, or were going to speak to them. this week, we're meeting with government officials, and today, are meeting with a judge who has a reputation for throwing people out of his office. so we're practicing our people skills at breakfast. we are also watching flight of the conchords to learn the ways of the NZers. appropriate cultural immersion, wouldn't you say?
okay picture time!
delicious?
the water gets so shallow during low tide, so our water taxi had to be towed through the sand/water up the shore. the water recedes in the kilometers. kinda cool.
baby seal friend.
kayaking friends.
lunch break.
small plane, big smiles!
the "beehive" (NZ's capital) in Wellington.Monday, May 12, 2008
Day one of the Adventure we call "Human Rights"
For those of you who don't know, the main reason I came to NZ was for school, and doing the wonderful exploration of human rights abuses in NZ. What human rights abuses could possibly be perpetrated in a land so beautiful, with a people so nice and a country never to be found in the news? Well, it's Domestic Violence, and it's a terrible thing, really.
For a quick briefing, 50% of homicides in NZ are committed by partners or ex-partners of the victims. Also 1 in 3 women in NZ are victims of violence in the home, be it verbal, emotional or physical. All very scary. I find myself looking at women all around me, and every third person or so, thinking- wow, I've just come across someone who has been abused. Can it be true? How can people be victims and still be so nice, so funny and so...normal?
The funny thing is that throughout my travels, it's been like this. Through orphanages, shelters for street children, and villages, I've come across people who have suffered poverty, sickness, death, homelessness, drug abuse, and abandonment-- and through these things, they are all incredibly joyful, humble, and yes, normal. Sort of a testament to how strong the human spirit can be-- however fragile humans are, they are likewise tough as nails. And compared to the extreme beauty of snow-covered peaks, blue oceans, blue moons, stars so bright, and rolling hills, there is nothing as beautiful as the resilience of people. Amazing.
I expected this trip to leave me two weeks closer to hating men. With day one under our belts, we spoke to women working for domestic violence NGOs, two survivors of domestic violence (both emotional and physical) and two doctors who train health professionals to recognize and deal with victims. And even though I'm exhausted from talking, note-taking, and honestly, being interested and attentive to what people are saying for 8 hours, I feel surprisingly good about what I've learned.
Admittedly, the recent past has had me pretty down on people in general-- watching movies like Blood Diamond and things having to do with child soldiers, greed, exploitation, and anything deeper and more troubling than a romantic comedy would get me hating people in general. But strangely, on a trip where we are looking to uncover abuses of humans, both literally and figuratively, I'm hopeful. And hopefully, there are more good things to come...
For a quick briefing, 50% of homicides in NZ are committed by partners or ex-partners of the victims. Also 1 in 3 women in NZ are victims of violence in the home, be it verbal, emotional or physical. All very scary. I find myself looking at women all around me, and every third person or so, thinking- wow, I've just come across someone who has been abused. Can it be true? How can people be victims and still be so nice, so funny and so...normal?
The funny thing is that throughout my travels, it's been like this. Through orphanages, shelters for street children, and villages, I've come across people who have suffered poverty, sickness, death, homelessness, drug abuse, and abandonment-- and through these things, they are all incredibly joyful, humble, and yes, normal. Sort of a testament to how strong the human spirit can be-- however fragile humans are, they are likewise tough as nails. And compared to the extreme beauty of snow-covered peaks, blue oceans, blue moons, stars so bright, and rolling hills, there is nothing as beautiful as the resilience of people. Amazing.
I expected this trip to leave me two weeks closer to hating men. With day one under our belts, we spoke to women working for domestic violence NGOs, two survivors of domestic violence (both emotional and physical) and two doctors who train health professionals to recognize and deal with victims. And even though I'm exhausted from talking, note-taking, and honestly, being interested and attentive to what people are saying for 8 hours, I feel surprisingly good about what I've learned.
Admittedly, the recent past has had me pretty down on people in general-- watching movies like Blood Diamond and things having to do with child soldiers, greed, exploitation, and anything deeper and more troubling than a romantic comedy would get me hating people in general. But strangely, on a trip where we are looking to uncover abuses of humans, both literally and figuratively, I'm hopeful. And hopefully, there are more good things to come...
Thursday, May 8, 2008
take me away!
i can die now. not in a depressing, dark way, but in the way that i think i'm happy enough from the days happenings to go peacefully. today i swam with the dolphins in kaikoura, cause my friend toni told me to, and it's a good thing i do everything my friends tell me to do (where is that bridge, now?) because it was probably the coolest thing i have ever done (okay, since starting law school, but maybe perhaps ever....) i couldn't contain my excitement, i think i kept exclaiming "cool!" underwater, which apparently dolphins like. they also like it when you sing to them, which i also did. every showtune i could think of, and happy birthday.
i still have a bit of lock jaw from biting down on my snorkel, some wobbly legs being on a boat on choppy seas, and my head is spinning from all the circles i swam in "playing" with the dolphins. but i will dream dolphins for a few nights....i think i'm in love.
that's me swimming with dolphins!
i still have a bit of lock jaw from biting down on my snorkel, some wobbly legs being on a boat on choppy seas, and my head is spinning from all the circles i swam in "playing" with the dolphins. but i will dream dolphins for a few nights....i think i'm in love.
that's me swimming with dolphins!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Guide to Tramping (it's a verb here in New Zealand, I swear!) the Hans Josef Glacier
today was the day we were to "tramp" the glaciers. just in case you don't speak kiwi, or you have a dirty mind, that means hike, here. anyway, it was gloomy, and there was rain in the forecast. nevertheless, mom and i went to the guided hikes office to sign up and see some glaciers (hey, we're tough like that). after being asked whether we had any physical conditions, my mom began to list her ailments like she was at the doctor's office..."my knees sometimes hurt...but only when the weathers not good..." (continue to look out the window at the grey sky and the beginnings of rain....) and you get the point. next thing we know, she has been convinced to not go on the 4 hour hike, up 2 foot ice steps and slippery 3 meter ladders, and i was just...excited. anyway, i'm still alive to tell of the tale, and also to impart some valuable life lessons. here they are in no particular order (except possibly by importance).
1. Pack appropriately:* it is important to remember, when preparing for a 4 hour hike, not to pack the entirety of a 7-day car trip's worth of food. a jar of peanut butter and an entire bag of trail mix, with a hunk of cheese, four bread rolls, a banana, an apple and some dried fruit was just uncalled for. granted, i had originally packed for 2 people, but nevertheless, the only thing i had time to consume was a banana. and that was on the car ride back. things get wet when it rains, and while i geniusly put my backpack under my raincoat, it makes things considerably harder to get out of the bag. if you are not going to heed my advice, then it helps to be hiking with someone who loves you, and therefore will carry your stuff. it seems everyone traveling in NZ is a beautiful, blond, european couple, and all i could think on the journey (well that's not ALL) was if only i had one of those tall, beautiful euros to carry my stuff. love would be nice too.
2. Assess your skill level: when at the base of the glacier, about 50 minutes into the hike, we were to break ourselves into four groups, according to fitness and skill level. (philosophical question: would you rather be the best of the worst, or the worst of the best?) i decided to put myself in the slower half, but the faster of the slow people (i guess you know what i chose!). it turns out my skill level is slightly higher than the "A-team" of a college basketball team. i definitely saw some of those girls, who i would imagine should be pretty fit, breathing deeply. and yes, i felt very proud of myself.
3. Take notice of your surroundings: it is most important to take care when hiking in difficult terrain. it is also important to take notice of your surroundings, and if going uphill, do not, i repeat, DO NOT be behind a faller. and if going downhill, do not be in front of one. and by faller, i mean, that person who inevitably falls when the only way to go is 30 feet down rocks and ice. this happened to me, but luckily before we got to said terrain. it was after the tour guide warned us of this happening, i guess she just got nervous. but better to fall there than 5 minutes later...for my sake.
4. Enjoy the view! spectacular! pictures to follow...
*if you're impressed by my impressive formatting, might i suggest a year in public policy school? it's all about the presentation!
1. Pack appropriately:* it is important to remember, when preparing for a 4 hour hike, not to pack the entirety of a 7-day car trip's worth of food. a jar of peanut butter and an entire bag of trail mix, with a hunk of cheese, four bread rolls, a banana, an apple and some dried fruit was just uncalled for. granted, i had originally packed for 2 people, but nevertheless, the only thing i had time to consume was a banana. and that was on the car ride back. things get wet when it rains, and while i geniusly put my backpack under my raincoat, it makes things considerably harder to get out of the bag. if you are not going to heed my advice, then it helps to be hiking with someone who loves you, and therefore will carry your stuff. it seems everyone traveling in NZ is a beautiful, blond, european couple, and all i could think on the journey (well that's not ALL) was if only i had one of those tall, beautiful euros to carry my stuff. love would be nice too.
2. Assess your skill level: when at the base of the glacier, about 50 minutes into the hike, we were to break ourselves into four groups, according to fitness and skill level. (philosophical question: would you rather be the best of the worst, or the worst of the best?) i decided to put myself in the slower half, but the faster of the slow people (i guess you know what i chose!). it turns out my skill level is slightly higher than the "A-team" of a college basketball team. i definitely saw some of those girls, who i would imagine should be pretty fit, breathing deeply. and yes, i felt very proud of myself.
3. Take notice of your surroundings: it is most important to take care when hiking in difficult terrain. it is also important to take notice of your surroundings, and if going uphill, do not, i repeat, DO NOT be behind a faller. and if going downhill, do not be in front of one. and by faller, i mean, that person who inevitably falls when the only way to go is 30 feet down rocks and ice. this happened to me, but luckily before we got to said terrain. it was after the tour guide warned us of this happening, i guess she just got nervous. but better to fall there than 5 minutes later...for my sake.
4. Enjoy the view! spectacular! pictures to follow...
*if you're impressed by my impressive formatting, might i suggest a year in public policy school? it's all about the presentation!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
a picture tells a thousand words, right?
this is what i was talking about yesterday-- for your viewing pleasure.
blue skies...
a boat, a lake, you do the math.
more lakes, mountains and trees.
knights point. or something like that.
people drive around in rented vans like this, all with different artistic murals painted on them. i think i prefer wizards to superheroes, but that's a personal preference, i suppose. people get out of these cars, and don't even blush. that's the price you pay for a cheap rental, i guess.
kiwis in kiwi country.
kiwi-wannabe enjoying the view.
blue pool. appropriately named.
this was one of the very decorative toilets at "puzzle world", wanaka. again, don't know why i had my camera with me in the bathroom.
dedicated to eric...and the chinese restaurant right next to this sign in te anau.
blue skies...
a boat, a lake, you do the math.
more lakes, mountains and trees.
knights point. or something like that.
people drive around in rented vans like this, all with different artistic murals painted on them. i think i prefer wizards to superheroes, but that's a personal preference, i suppose. people get out of these cars, and don't even blush. that's the price you pay for a cheap rental, i guess.
kiwis in kiwi country.
kiwi-wannabe enjoying the view.
blue pool. appropriately named.
this was one of the very decorative toilets at "puzzle world", wanaka. again, don't know why i had my camera with me in the bathroom.
dedicated to eric...and the chinese restaurant right next to this sign in te anau.
Monday, May 5, 2008
star light, star bright
i didn't see the first star, but i did see almost all of them tonight. no, seriously, there is no ambient light in beautiful, desolate wanaka, town by the lake and mountain, hmm...unlike some cities which might or might not emit 1/3 of the world's light at ONE TIME.* i don't think i will be retuning to certain said city.
speaking of lakes and mountains, we learned in my little seminar in which we should have been studying the NZ law, that people in NZ introduce themselves according to which mountain and body of water they are from. "my name is emily, i'm from a land with no mountains and really no natural beauty whatsoever" just doesn't have the same ring as "my name is hamakaka nawa iri tiki tamba and i come from wanaka mountain and sumotufo river"* but that's just why i will never be as cool as a kiwi. and it's easy for them, because everywhere you turn, there are lakes and mountains and rivers, and they are pristine and stunning. today, i was driving and straight ahead there were green mountain tops (and sheep), the rear view mirror had another view of snow-capped rocks (and more sheep) and all along the road, rivers, lakes, and yes, more sheep. kind of hard to not drive and take pictures at the same time, which my mom only let me do while she was asleep.
today i decided to test whether the "rumors" about the "scientific theory" of water going down the toilet the other way, a la The Simpsons, was true. in my very scientific testing of this "theory" i flushed the toilet. and watched. well, the water was kind of more "rushing" down, than swirling, counter-northern hemisphere-direction, and i think that even though the rushing really clouded my ability to tell (and let's face it, i don't REALLY know which direction the toilet water swirls in the US anyway), i think i'm convinced that the simpsons is right, and they are the artibers of all things true. if you have any other scientific theories you would like me to test regarding the crazy southern hemisphere and their anti-science (ie gravity, aging, etc) please let me know. i'll try my best.
*okay, maybe sometimes i make stuff up, but it makes for better reading, eh?
speaking of lakes and mountains, we learned in my little seminar in which we should have been studying the NZ law, that people in NZ introduce themselves according to which mountain and body of water they are from. "my name is emily, i'm from a land with no mountains and really no natural beauty whatsoever" just doesn't have the same ring as "my name is hamakaka nawa iri tiki tamba and i come from wanaka mountain and sumotufo river"* but that's just why i will never be as cool as a kiwi. and it's easy for them, because everywhere you turn, there are lakes and mountains and rivers, and they are pristine and stunning. today, i was driving and straight ahead there were green mountain tops (and sheep), the rear view mirror had another view of snow-capped rocks (and more sheep) and all along the road, rivers, lakes, and yes, more sheep. kind of hard to not drive and take pictures at the same time, which my mom only let me do while she was asleep.
today i decided to test whether the "rumors" about the "scientific theory" of water going down the toilet the other way, a la The Simpsons, was true. in my very scientific testing of this "theory" i flushed the toilet. and watched. well, the water was kind of more "rushing" down, than swirling, counter-northern hemisphere-direction, and i think that even though the rushing really clouded my ability to tell (and let's face it, i don't REALLY know which direction the toilet water swirls in the US anyway), i think i'm convinced that the simpsons is right, and they are the artibers of all things true. if you have any other scientific theories you would like me to test regarding the crazy southern hemisphere and their anti-science (ie gravity, aging, etc) please let me know. i'll try my best.
*okay, maybe sometimes i make stuff up, but it makes for better reading, eh?
Sunday, May 4, 2008
how i met my narcoleptic mother
greetings from New Zealand! what can i say (and i know i always do when i travel), but it's beautiful here. i almost feel the need to use expletives to make the "beautiful" that much better. so here, it's f-king beautiful here. i mean, fu-king, like the province in china. pretty there too ;)
it's now day 2 of our journey. we landed in Queenstown and with my mother's good sense and (poor) on-line booking skills, we managed to be staying at the "X-Base" hostel, the "x" being for X-tremely young. i can safely say that even I felt old there, and my mother seemed to take it all in stride. (sidebar- does putting the word "Adventure" in front of the sport make it that much more exciting? i mean, adventure jumping out of a plane-- don't really need the adjective, cause jumping out of a plane is pretty much enough for me to decide whether it's adventuresome or not. and no, i will not be...)
today, we drove to milford sound, and took a boat through the fiords, and although i'm not quite sure what the difference is between fiords, and mountains with rivers running through them (there is one, but i'm on vacation, so i'm refusing to learn anything!) they were pretty awesome. we saw real-life-in-the-wild penguins, dolphins and a seal. so cool! (ok seriously need to look into getting a thesaurus with more adjectives)
on our way back, we stopped and picked up some hitch-hikers. the thing is with hitch-hikers is that you can't really stop and NOT let them in the car, especially when it's freezing cold out and just about to get dark. oh, the guilt! so my mom's way of making sure they didn't kill us, was to ID them. yes that's right, she asked for their passports (or passaportes in Italian, as they were) and promised to give them back when we arrived. if they were going to kill us, i'm pretty sure us having their passports wasn't really going to stop them. but anyway, we let them in the car, and only then did we realize our mistake. they hadn't showered in the 20 days they had been hiking the south island. windows down, foot on the gas.
and apparently my mom has narcolepsy. we're on the plane, she asks me to order her some tea, i simply turn my head to get the tea from the flight attendant, and turn around-- she's passed out. same thing in the car, the boat, and at night. i hope it's not contagious or genetic.
okay, internet times up. some pictures to follow...
a bridge in singapore. i know it has no value except kinda looking cool. but that's what pictures are for, yes?
turtles on the island of kusu right off of singapore. worshipped and revered!
a sign in singapore i don't understand...maybe has something to do with colonialism and cows?
this is where we had the famous chili crab. somehow i didn't get a picture of the actual food, but the restaurant.
this is queenstown, which is right on a beautiful lake. actually this is the beautiful lake that queenstown is on. i'm feeling dizzy.
this was kind of cool, and i don't know why i had my camera with me in the bathroom. it was so cold that the water in the pipes froze. (did i mention it's winter here?)
this was at a train station on the way to milford sound, taken with a neat little camera trick i like to call, "put your camera on top of the car, and make it look like the mountains are being reflected off a pristine lake". except honestly, new zealand really doesn't need my help...
milford sound. i swear this is what it looks like in real life and that i didn't just scan a postcard.
dolphins! i wish i could post video...
waterfall up close. and personal. and cold.
dusk at the sound.
it's now day 2 of our journey. we landed in Queenstown and with my mother's good sense and (poor) on-line booking skills, we managed to be staying at the "X-Base" hostel, the "x" being for X-tremely young. i can safely say that even I felt old there, and my mother seemed to take it all in stride. (sidebar- does putting the word "Adventure" in front of the sport make it that much more exciting? i mean, adventure jumping out of a plane-- don't really need the adjective, cause jumping out of a plane is pretty much enough for me to decide whether it's adventuresome or not. and no, i will not be...)
today, we drove to milford sound, and took a boat through the fiords, and although i'm not quite sure what the difference is between fiords, and mountains with rivers running through them (there is one, but i'm on vacation, so i'm refusing to learn anything!) they were pretty awesome. we saw real-life-in-the-wild penguins, dolphins and a seal. so cool! (ok seriously need to look into getting a thesaurus with more adjectives)
on our way back, we stopped and picked up some hitch-hikers. the thing is with hitch-hikers is that you can't really stop and NOT let them in the car, especially when it's freezing cold out and just about to get dark. oh, the guilt! so my mom's way of making sure they didn't kill us, was to ID them. yes that's right, she asked for their passports (or passaportes in Italian, as they were) and promised to give them back when we arrived. if they were going to kill us, i'm pretty sure us having their passports wasn't really going to stop them. but anyway, we let them in the car, and only then did we realize our mistake. they hadn't showered in the 20 days they had been hiking the south island. windows down, foot on the gas.
and apparently my mom has narcolepsy. we're on the plane, she asks me to order her some tea, i simply turn my head to get the tea from the flight attendant, and turn around-- she's passed out. same thing in the car, the boat, and at night. i hope it's not contagious or genetic.
okay, internet times up. some pictures to follow...
a bridge in singapore. i know it has no value except kinda looking cool. but that's what pictures are for, yes?
turtles on the island of kusu right off of singapore. worshipped and revered!
a sign in singapore i don't understand...maybe has something to do with colonialism and cows?
this is where we had the famous chili crab. somehow i didn't get a picture of the actual food, but the restaurant.
this is queenstown, which is right on a beautiful lake. actually this is the beautiful lake that queenstown is on. i'm feeling dizzy.
this was kind of cool, and i don't know why i had my camera with me in the bathroom. it was so cold that the water in the pipes froze. (did i mention it's winter here?)
this was at a train station on the way to milford sound, taken with a neat little camera trick i like to call, "put your camera on top of the car, and make it look like the mountains are being reflected off a pristine lake". except honestly, new zealand really doesn't need my help...
milford sound. i swear this is what it looks like in real life and that i didn't just scan a postcard.
dolphins! i wish i could post video...
waterfall up close. and personal. and cold.
dusk at the sound.
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