Week 7 in Geneva
When updating this blog, I’m already in Williamsburg, sitting in the new house where I moved in two days ago. In the week that ended four days ago, I completed the project of summarizing IBJ’s work in China, finished preliminary research for Defense Wiki-China page, handed over my work to my directors, paid a visit to Rome, and caught the flight back to US via Iceland. All of them now seem like a dream. Indeed, this summer was so rich for me that many of my memories about life in Williamsburg start to fade – I forgot the password for my debt card when buying groceries; when asked by a new student what Wren building is for—a chapel in the center of the campus, where law school used to be, and is now open for all sorts of serious events, my first reaction was, “oh, it should be a very important building, and emm…but emmm…I cannot remember where it is and what it is like”; when I moved to the new house and unpacked my stuff, I feel as if they are from centuries ago.
What a good summer I have had—every day was so full as to not have time pondering on life before. Previous blogs recorded many sparkling parts of my summer. Yet, even a double-sized blog cannot justly record all I hope to share. Let alone the fact that how can words justly convey the vitality of a diverse working and living environment, the excitement and sense of urgency when witnessing in Beijing the back and forth of the development of rule of law in my home-country, and the sensation of seeing history unfolding in front of my eyes when walking on the archeological sites in Italy.
“…Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not only the accumulated knowledge of the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.” When looking back at my summer, I think of these Dr. King’s words on education. I learn knowledge from studies at law school, and this summer was about the experience of social living—participating in the practical work for protecting defendants’ basic legal rights, getting to know countries outside of the US-China circle, rethinking about my life and profession while visiting the worldly-known architectures, paintings, and ancient sites in Europe…… I owe many thanks to members in law school and our alumni who make this summer internship program true; the staff in IBJ’s Beijing office and Geneva office, who are working for the good and offered us the chance to work with them, all the interns in these IBJ offices, who made the working fun and rewarding; and all the friends I met in Beijing and Europe, whose warm welcoming and encouragement always drive me forward. Lastly, how glad I feel to be back to Williamsburg, my second home, and I already feel the excitement for starting a new semester in law school!