Ramen Noodles & Fountain Pens

After working for nearly a week and a half in London I have learned possibly more than my four years at William and Mary taught me. Perhaps the most important is how to use a fountain pen. In the meeting room with one of the people from HR and the other interns early on in the internship they gave us something to sign. Everyone picked up a pen and signed away. I tried to write with said pen only no ink came out! Now I had heard of fountain pens but had never actually used one before and was unaware of the trick. So in front of four strangers I requested a different pen (good start I thought). However a lot has happened since then, I have been given some legal work so I have learned a few things about the UK legal process and corporations (of course not nearly as much as I would like to and no I have not gotten work that is THAT exciting, but learning none the less). All of us interns get along very well and everyone in the firm is really nice and seem normal (disproving the corporate lawyers sell their souls theory I had). We even got a field trip one day that included the courts and the museum for the Bank of London (I was the only girl who could lift the gold brick... go me). All in all I will be sad to leave Friday afternoon (more for want of the company than my actual assignments). Although this experience has most annoyingly brought up more questions than actual answers. As some of you may already know, I learned about a different LSE program (MA in Human Rights) that I am actually going to attempt to switch into. While that may take care of my life for one year I have many questions arise after that.


My first question is "do I go to law school after I get my masters?" The perks to going to law school would obviously be a competitive edge when applying for jobs. The con would be an even further delay of starting my "real life" ie would be a student so things like marriage, kids, a house would be postponed even further. (NOT that they are on the horizon, my line of thinking is more ok 2-3 more years of school has me graduating at 26-27 instead of 24).

My next question is "if I go to law school, in which country do I study law?" I think right now there is a serious lean towards the UK but it is still a question none the less!

If I study in the UK I then must make a choice between an LLB where I could easily specialize in human rights law but I would not be a practicing solicitor. This program would take two years and then an extra one if I actually wanted to be a practicing lawyer. My other option would be one year conversion course and then the LCP for one year (their law school). After that I would have a two year training contract before I was certified to practice (plus side is the training contract is paid). While I could not study Human Rights law in the conversion or LCP I could make sure I applied to training seats that offered such.

This leads me to my final and perhaps most important question....what if I did not do human rights but say did corporate law? While a part of me thinks this just might be selling out, another part of me is intrigued by what I have seen the past two weeks and also understands that money makes the world go round. I don't think I would ever be as passionate about corporate as human rights but I could be satisfied in life doing it and it would be a much easier path to take. (still selling out).

Right now I am leaning towards applying for the conversion and LCP and then doing my seats in the human rights law area and seeing if I am accepted and then going from there. But I am most appreciative of other people's input as these are some major decisions to be made.

Other than those plaguing questions things are going very well. I have moved away from the train to an LSE dorm (which is full of people who do not speak english and REAKS of noodles). Christopher (who does not appreciate being referred to as "the boy" in earlier posts) has been an absolute saint in helping move yet again ( and no Chris the previous portion of this blog does not imply that I have planned out 2.5 kids and a white picket fence).

Other than work and moving again I am simply working on being absolutely fabulous in London 0:)

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me

I survived my first day!

So I survived the first day of work! I did not get lost nor was I late!

It turns out to be a work placement program (clearly I did not look into this). There are three other students of various different backgrounds (both countries and law backgrounds). We spend the day partly assisting the department we are assigned to and other times various people from the firm give us lectures on their specialty. At the end we will have completed our own research project and done a presentation.

What was really exciting was that we ate lunch at the top (great view crummy service)

I also think I have sorted out a different place to live- if this place will give me a refund then I am checking into an LSE dorm at Butlers Warf- that way I am in the same area, even faster walk to work- but NO TRAIN :) :)

For those of you who dont know that is a picture of my office!

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me

photos of the third floor "penthouse"

A home to call my own

Saturday ended a most exhausted tryst across the pond to most of southern Ireland and a few days in London with the Hixon men. Early Saturday morning they checked out and I grabbed a cab with the boy eager/ dreading moving into my very own "apartment" ( I use ".." because it is a plot of studio apts that mostly tourist rent out for a week at a time or so). After the cab driver could not find the place, he serendipitously dropped us off right outside what turned out to be the gate. (This is pro number one the site has a security gate and a security guard). After convincing the letting office I had permission to check in early (I did) they gave us the keys to what seemed like a very nice building. Dont judge a book by its cover. I would say that the room I am paying nearly 1,000 american dollars (that is 500 quid for those of you on this side of the pond), is a little bigger than a college dorm room. I say little bigger but a college dorm room does not have a kitchen or bathroom taking up most of the space. While the place is very well equipped (pro two)--> washing machine, dish washer, microwave, tv, internet, every cooking utensil you can think of (minus an oven so why the tools I dont know). It is very small, tiny closet and bathroom sink so small that you can't actually wash your face in it. In fact the shower is so small you must place your things on the toilet lid and open the door and reach out to get them!

Once the boy and I realized that my clothes could not all possibly fit in the closet (I actually have all of my jeans in one kitchen cabinet and all of my beauty/bath products in another) We went out on the hunt for storage boxes we could maybe slide under the bed (which is so low to the ground not much can be stored there anyway- think cot from camp). After tirelessly searching Oxford and Regent street (no target in the UK). We found a cardboard storage box for 14 pounds (reads nearly 30 american dollars). We lugged that along with a new pair of shoes (addiction) and my new hair dryer and straightener to the pub to meet up with an absolutely fabulous friend-- who I once again profusely apologize for being late and being so confusing to find (long day) and eventually made it back "home". Luckily once we got home we were able to get in (one reason I blanked on what time to meet our wonderful friend was while searching for storage bits we realized when we checked in the office had never given us the gate code, and was since closed meaning we weren't sure how to get in)

We ate dinner at a really good Italian restaurant right on the tower bridge where I spoke to the waiters in Italian and then semi helped a French family communicate with them.

Today was simply full of more errands including mapping out how to get to work (it is a bit of a walk but faster and less crowded than the tube).

Tomorrow I begin work in the Gherkin, I am very nervous (partly because I am afraid I am going to get lost and delayed getting there) and partly because I have no idea what is in store for me.

Wish me luck!

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Hixi