Hi, Friends!

I am still without my own laptop at the moment, still holding on to an optimistic hope that Apple will call soon to say that everything’s fine with only minimal costs…so I’m writing this again from the Utrecht Law Library but thought I’d let you all know that I’ll be visiting Kansas from the 11th through the 16th of November.

Washburn is putting on a symposium with which I somewhat been involved in the planning process called the Global War on Terror and the Rule of Law. A lot of amazing people will be in attendance to discuss different topics regarding international law as the Bush Administration has “interpreted” it and what kind of ramifications these interpretations might have.

Excerpting from the website:

The United States Constitution was founded on the Rule of Law. The Global War on Terrorism has tested the limits of our constitutional values and has posed unprecedented challenges for the U.S. legal system. Throughout these difficult times, the federal courts have been instrumental in upholding the Rule of Law.

The Rule of Law and the Global War on Terrorism Symposium will examine legal implications of governmental actions taken in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. Our speakers and participants will reevaluate and reassess these complex issues to explore possible ways forward as our nation prepares for a new administration.
So, I will be in attendance on Thursday and Friday. My awesome mom will be coming in from Ohio to also attend and to hang out with me and other Kansas friends. I’m really looking forward to it!

What else is going on? Well, still playing soccer of course. Last weekend we won 6-5 (yes, crazy soccer score) but a win is a win and I scored quite a few goals! If you don’t believe me, check this! My coach credited me with 5 of the 6 but I technically did score the first one…it was a shot across the right side and it deflected off the defender for an own goal…so in my mind I scored them all I’m now in the hunt for the club’s topscorer award given to the person who makes the most goals over the whole club (10 men’s teams and 5 women’s teams). The topscorer right now has 8 goals and I have 6…my coach and the coach of the other topscorer made a bet about who would be the winner at the end of the season, so now there’s some pressure to keep adding to my tally! There are pictures here from our club’s Pubquiz and Karaoke night last weekend too. Lots of fun with the soccer club! The guy in the pictures with me is my coach Marc.

I’ve also had the fun balanced out with some drama as the university did not file my residence permit papers until today…you can only stay in the Netherlands without a permit for three months and I have been here about that long! It seems like everything’s going to work out, but Immigration, as in the United States, is not something you want to mess with!

Other than that, I finished my comparative law paper with the girls in my group on Thursday and we have a test next week over the content of our course. I have also been in the middle of “tussentoetsen” (mid-terms) in my Dutch class. I have one more next Tuesday about speaking, but we’ve already had listening, writing, and reading. My dutch is coming along, but again not nearly as quickly as I would hope! Ah the adventures of being a buitenlander (foreigner) in this beautiful country!

The weather has turned colder quickly and Christmas lights are already starting to go up. After this past weekend when we set our clocks back an hour for daylight savings, it gets dark around 5:30 or so…it’s crazy! But I’m still really enjoying my time here and looking forward to graduation from Washburn and embarking on the LL.M. at Utrecht starting in February!

So, if you’re in Kansas the week of the 11th, let me know! Maybe we can grab a drink or some dinner and catch up on life! Don’t forget to vote next Tuesday (if not before!)…what a historic election! I’m very glad it will be over soon, though. Barack the Vote!

Tot ziens!