School Life

Today was the opening ceremony for the Graduate School of Law. It wasn't at all what I was expecting, being used to the Junior High School variety, speeches, ribbons, and lots of bowing in unision. This was more like a business meeting...we all sat at a big board table in our suits and were told about the program. Very non-Japanese! Doesn't seem too hard at first glance: a 50 page thesis (for those of you still in or just finished school, that's double spaced!!!!!!) and 5 courses a semester. Not bad at all. The downside is that the faculty felt they had to follow a more international (read American) model this year and there are exams and the dreaded bell curve.

The student body is pretty diverse, sitting next to me were a guy from　Tunesia and and on the other side a guy from Lithuania. It can actually be really intimidating, as most of the students are from the TOP universities in their home countries. To make a point, 4 of the 6 from China are from Beijing University--the best in China. When you think about the Chinese population, and the fact that EVERYONE writes the enterance exam, you can imagine that these students are the creme de la creme. Yowza.

Everyone is really nice,and very keen. Paulius, from Lithuania, wants me to compete with him in an IP Moot Court as he figures we'd have no problem with the Aisian nationals and then getting to Geneva...we'll see. I haven't decided how keen I am yet! Want to see how the course load is with Japanese Lessons on top of that first!

We'll that's all for now!