Humayun's Tomb: Our First Sight-Seeing Expedition in New Delhi
Me in front of a gate at Humayun's TombHello to Everyone!
I have just finished my first week in New Delhi, India as a legal intern at the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN). I want to try to keep this blog updated at least weekly with pictures and stories so you all can know what I'm up to!
I arrived last week on Wednesday and I spent my first few hours sitting in the lovely air-conditioned airport working on the write-on competition (For those non-law students, it's a writing competition at the end of the first year of law school). Then I ventured out into the city in a prepaid taxi- which took me directly to the HRLN office (with quite a few pit stops along the way to ask for directions!)
Since then I've been staying in the guesthouse at the office- which is a floor in the office building consisting of 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. It's fine for the time being- but next week I will move into a shared apartment where I'll have my own room and bathroom.
I started work almost immediately and I am very impressed with HRLN! There are about 15-20 interns here with just as many or more staff members.
HRLN specializes in Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The system is fascinating to me! In America, in order to bring a civil suit a plaintiff must have standing (meaning that the person must have suffered or will suffer an injury and that this injury is redressable through the court system). Here- from what I can tell, anyone can bring a civil suit on behalf on anyone else. Therefore, a lot of NGOs band together to bring large civil suits- a lot like class actions.
Secondly, the Indian constitution is full of positive rights, or rights to something (whereas our constitution is full of negative rights- rights to be free from government interference). Because of this, HRLN has a Right to Food campaign, where they are actually petitioning the government to provide food for its hungry citizens. I don't understand everything about the system yet- but so far it has been fascinating to learn the differences between their legal system and ours.
So what am I working on? Well, this first week I have been helping to write a chapter in a handbook on gender discrimination. There are, as in most places around the world, huge disparities between the treatment of men and women in society. I first started out researching sexual harassment in the workplace. I was shocked to read that India's flagship case on sexual harassment concerns a woman being gang raped...in the course of her employment. Next week I am going to start working on a PIL- not sure how much I can talk about the case, but it should be interesting.
On a lighter note- I have had a great time getting to know the other interns here! They are from all over. I have mostly been working with interns from India, America, England and Ireland. We've been trying out the food together, going sightseeing, shopping, riding in rickshaws, etc. I've also been pretty busy in general- I've started taking Hindi language lessons three times a week (I can now say "I don't speak in Hindi" in Hindi!) I also went to my first yoga class last night with some of the other interns. They've hired a yoga instructor to come to one of their apartments three times a week for classes. So last night, as the sun was setting across New Delhi, we did almost 2 hours of yoga on their rooftop- quite an amazing experience.
My most trying experience so far (and it really wasn't that trying at all...) was my lack of AC in my bedroom for the first 6 nights. It is really over 100 degrees everyday here. When I got to my room, I saw the dusty looking AC unit on the wall and no remote. I just assumed that the AC didn't work! Such a pessimist! The next day, one of the interns told me to turn it on- and it did turn on! However, the air did not cool at all- it was more of a fan. I assumed AC in India didn't actually cool- that it was supposed to be more like a fan. Finally, on the 6th night I asked the security guard what was wrong. He came to my room and pressed every button he could find- but to no avail. We stood there in silence for about 10 minutes hoping that the AC would actually start cooling. Finally he turned to me and said in English"...this...slow...cooling." Ha! So I waited all night for this "slow cooling" to take effect and it never did. Finally, on the 7th day I was able to switch to another room where the AC does work- and I have been sleeping beautifully since then!
I should sign off now- it is time to start the workday. Oh and by the way- in case you ever are planning on coming to India for work or an internship, please be aware that normal office hours include a half-day on Saturdays. No one told me this until I got here. So my Friday is no longer my Friday. Oh well!
I have just finished my first week in New Delhi, India as a legal intern at the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN). I want to try to keep this blog updated at least weekly with pictures and stories so you all can know what I'm up to!
I arrived last week on Wednesday and I spent my first few hours sitting in the lovely air-conditioned airport working on the write-on competition (For those non-law students, it's a writing competition at the end of the first year of law school). Then I ventured out into the city in a prepaid taxi- which took me directly to the HRLN office (with quite a few pit stops along the way to ask for directions!)
Since then I've been staying in the guesthouse at the office- which is a floor in the office building consisting of 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. It's fine for the time being- but next week I will move into a shared apartment where I'll have my own room and bathroom.
I started work almost immediately and I am very impressed with HRLN! There are about 15-20 interns here with just as many or more staff members.
HRLN specializes in Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The system is fascinating to me! In America, in order to bring a civil suit a plaintiff must have standing (meaning that the person must have suffered or will suffer an injury and that this injury is redressable through the court system). Here- from what I can tell, anyone can bring a civil suit on behalf on anyone else. Therefore, a lot of NGOs band together to bring large civil suits- a lot like class actions.
Secondly, the Indian constitution is full of positive rights, or rights to something (whereas our constitution is full of negative rights- rights to be free from government interference). Because of this, HRLN has a Right to Food campaign, where they are actually petitioning the government to provide food for its hungry citizens. I don't understand everything about the system yet- but so far it has been fascinating to learn the differences between their legal system and ours.
So what am I working on? Well, this first week I have been helping to write a chapter in a handbook on gender discrimination. There are, as in most places around the world, huge disparities between the treatment of men and women in society. I first started out researching sexual harassment in the workplace. I was shocked to read that India's flagship case on sexual harassment concerns a woman being gang raped...in the course of her employment. Next week I am going to start working on a PIL- not sure how much I can talk about the case, but it should be interesting.
On a lighter note- I have had a great time getting to know the other interns here! They are from all over. I have mostly been working with interns from India, America, England and Ireland. We've been trying out the food together, going sightseeing, shopping, riding in rickshaws, etc. I've also been pretty busy in general- I've started taking Hindi language lessons three times a week (I can now say "I don't speak in Hindi" in Hindi!) I also went to my first yoga class last night with some of the other interns. They've hired a yoga instructor to come to one of their apartments three times a week for classes. So last night, as the sun was setting across New Delhi, we did almost 2 hours of yoga on their rooftop- quite an amazing experience.
My most trying experience so far (and it really wasn't that trying at all...) was my lack of AC in my bedroom for the first 6 nights. It is really over 100 degrees everyday here. When I got to my room, I saw the dusty looking AC unit on the wall and no remote. I just assumed that the AC didn't work! Such a pessimist! The next day, one of the interns told me to turn it on- and it did turn on! However, the air did not cool at all- it was more of a fan. I assumed AC in India didn't actually cool- that it was supposed to be more like a fan. Finally, on the 6th night I asked the security guard what was wrong. He came to my room and pressed every button he could find- but to no avail. We stood there in silence for about 10 minutes hoping that the AC would actually start cooling. Finally he turned to me and said in English"...this...slow...cooling." Ha! So I waited all night for this "slow cooling" to take effect and it never did. Finally, on the 7th day I was able to switch to another room where the AC does work- and I have been sleeping beautifully since then!
I should sign off now- it is time to start the workday. Oh and by the way- in case you ever are planning on coming to India for work or an internship, please be aware that normal office hours include a half-day on Saturdays. No one told me this until I got here. So my Friday is no longer my Friday. Oh well!
Hi Stacie! What a wonderful experience you are having. It is so great to "see" you and hear all that you are up to. I am so excited for you getting this amazing experience. Keep blogging!
ReplyDeleteHi Stacie! See I can go to Facebook just like everyone else! You are having a wonderful experience and I am so glad you are blogging. I think you are doing a much better job than I did with my memoirs! I love you and miss you...
ReplyDelete