THE LS HOUSING MODEL

Por Camille Valdes

Northeastern University

Durante los últimos meses nosotros, los estudiantes de Legal Studies, hemos estado viviendo juntos en un apartamento con una profesora de Derecho de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. La verdad, esto ha sido una experiencia increíble que no se debería cambiar. Uno pensaría que vivir con una profesora te cohibiría de salir o algo por ese estilo pero no es así para nada. El alojamiento es básicamente como si vivieras en tu propio apartamento y puedes venir y salir cuando quieras. En cuanto a vivir con una profesora, también es una situación favorable para los estudiantes de Legal Studies ya que si tenemos alguna duda sobre algún tema de nuestras asignaturas, le podemos preguntar. Es un recurso que pienso que se perdería si cambian el tipo de alojamiento al de un anfitrión por estudiante. Sin embargo, no es tan solo el hecho de tener a una profesora ahí para ayudarte pero también es tener a los otros estudiantes de LS ahí contigo que también te pueden ayudar si tienes duda sobre algún tema de Derecho. Entre nosotros, como ya dije aprendemos, ya sea a suponer Nicky contándonos de su practica y lo que ha visto o aprendió en los tribunales o en un bufete de abogados. Si no es Nicky, es alguno de nosotros hablando de un tema interesante que aprendimos en una de nuestras asignaturas. Lo importante de este alojamiento es que estamos constantemente aprendiendo de cada uno y estamos accesible para aclarar dudas si tenemos un examen de nuestras asignaturas en común como Legal Language o Law in Contemporary Spain.
En mi primer año de universidad viví en un sistema más o menos similar, vivíamos los del mismo grado en un piso. Esto lo hizo más fácil para estudiar y como dicho anteriormente aclarar dudas. Claro, esto sólo fue así por el primer año, luego cada uno se fue por diferentes caminos. Sin embargo, pienso que cuando empiezas algo nuevo es bueno tener a las personas que tienen un mismo interés de estudios cerca de ti. Esto es lo que se nos dio oportunidad en mi primer año de universidad y aquí en Madrid. El sistema de alojamiento es ideal para los estudiantes de LS y con una anfitriona como Sabela no hay porqué hacer algún cambio para mejorar el alojamiento.

THE LS INTERNSHIP

By Nicole Tiger

Brandeis University

Hi! Nicky here again to tell you all about my adventures during my Legal Studies Internship here in Madrid. While there probably aren’t enough words of praise to describe this experience, I’ll do my best to explain. However, before I start, I need to shout out a huge thank you to Paco and Helena, my internship coordinators, without whom I would have been completely lost.

My journey started at the bufete (law firm) de García Peña & Andújar. My supervisor there Eduardo García Peña was extremely accommodating and informative. I felt very professional sitting at my own desk everyday across from 3 of Spain’s best abogadas (women lawyers). Not only was the environment very friendly and comfortable, but I was made to feel that I could ask any question at any time. My favorite aspect of my time with GP&A was the fact that while I learned a ton studying different cases everyday, I also was able to make my own contributions. At least once a day I found myself acting as a translator for emails to clients, and often I was able to sit in on live meetings that required translating. It was also especially cool that I was able to participate on an active case and see it through to the end. I aided in the process of the jury selection and was called in to Eduardo’s office when the sentencia was read for the first time at the end of the trial. I truly felt part of the legal team at GP&A and gained invaluable knowledge during my time there.

The second stop on my Internship agenda was the Ministerio de Justicia de España (Spain’s Ministry of Justice). Among other things, there I learned that the role of a Fiscal (prosecutor) has the potential to extend far beyond the duties of a courtroom. I was able to spend some time with a Fiscal during her docket and in between trials, and there I witnessed the conduct and responsibilities that belong to a Fiscal as la Acusación (prosecution). Her responsibility was to represent the public interest and place the welfare of the society above all else, including the personal wishes of the victim. This is precisely why the Spanish legal system created the role of la Acusación Particular (a private attorney to represent the interests of the victim or victim’s family). Aside from my time with Conchita Miranda in the courtroom, I truly value the time I spent with Ángel Núñez Sánchez, a Fiscal that works within the Ministerio de Justicia drafting legislation. It was an incredibly enlightening and exclusive experience to read over his anteproyectos de ley (drafts of legislation) and then be able to ask him personally, as the author, questions about the documents. I was able to learn about the complicated process of how laws are enacted in Spain as well as get inside the head of the a person responsible for a phase in this long procedure. In addition, I also spent time with a Judicial Secretary, an advisor to the Secretary of State, and an Abogado del Estado (a lawyer who exclusively represents the interests of the State).

The final phase of my Internship brings me to the Audiencia Provincial where I spend my days with a Magistrate, el Magistrado Don Juan José López Ortega. It’s really amazing to be able to talk and reason with a Magistrate in order to better understand the decisions he’s faced with everyday. I feel truly honored to be able to get his perspective on cases before hand and then sit in his courtroom as he presides over the trial itself. Overall, I feel this Internship has allowed me to observe a courtroom from every angle. I can now say that I know and understand the perspective of almost every person sitting in a courtroom during a criminal procedure. This Internship, while also the most work, has been my favorite class this semester. I have learned more about el Derecho Español (Spanish law) from spending time in these legal environments than I did in any of my classes. In fact, this Internship prepared me to be a better student in all my other classes. One of my goals for studying abroad in Spain in a Legal Studies program was to gather enough information to be able to conduct a thorough comparison between the judicial cultures of Spain and the U.S. so that I could develop my own opinions. I can say confidently that this Internship experience assured the completion of that goal one hundred times over. To find out my actual opinions on the similarities and differences between the two legal systems, you’ll just have to read my final paper.

THE CARLOS III UNIVERSITY

By Virginia Burke

University of Mississippi

La Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, more commonly known as Carlos Tres, is considered a very prestigious university for the study of law in Spain. After spending two months at the university I can definitely see why. The quality of the professors is unparalleled. I am fortunate enough to have instructors that are both leaders in their fields of study but take the time to make sure that their students understand the material from their classes and are enjoying their study abroad experience in Madrid and at the university.  Not only do the professors at Carlos Tres give inspiring lectures, they are willing to take the learning outside of the classroom so that students can see the judicial process firsthand.

            The students at Carlos Tres are equally impressive and I have yet to meet an unfriendly classmate. The Spanish students are more than happy to explain concepts and terms that I do not understand and eager to share many different aspects of their culture with exchange students. The university is also very popular among ERASMUS students or students that are on exchange from other European universities which gives the university a very cosmopolitan and diverse feel. It has been very easy to make new friends and study partners.

            The facilities at the university are very modern and the campus is very compact which makes getting to and from classes very easy. While the idea of a 45 minute commute on a train to school is a new concept for me I have found myself enjoying this time to reflect upon my experiences thus far. Overall my experience at Carlos Tres has been a positive one. Though I have had my occasional moments of confusion over different things such as how to print a document or order food in the cafeteria I have been lucky to find another student willing to help me figure out all of the necessary details. Though the course work is challenging I am sure that my experiences at the university will be very valuable when I start law school in the US.

VISITING THE REINA SOFIA: FEMINISM THROUGH ART

By Virginia Burke

University of Mississipi

This past Saturday the Legal Studies group visited The Reina Sofia museum and specifically a new exhibit on feminism. Though this was my first visit to the museum I am quite accustomed to The Reina Sofia library where I like to go to study on days that I do not have class. The Reina Sofia building itself is very impressive. With glass elevators and marble floors the structure itself is immense.

The art gallery for the feminism exhibit was equally impressive and I was amazed by the breadth and depth of the works shown. With rooms that profiled the roles of women throughout many ages the art was very thought provoking.  This fit perfectly with the law theme for the week, gender based violence. In Spain violent acts committed based on gender discrimination qualify as crimes against the state because they are violations of fundamental rights. Spain’s progressive stance on the status of the gender equality has led to massive changes in the abuse of women which is one of the most prevalent and hidden crimes that exists in Spain and the world.

Tackling cultural ideals of “machismo” or male dominance, Spain aggressively punishes males who abuse females. Victims are provided with resources to start new lives after abuse and the state works hard to educate its’ citizens about the dangers and penalties associated with gender based crimes. With these new laws and a general trend toward gender equality in Spain the status of women has changed a lot over the past few years.

The Reina Sofia chronicled this change very effectively demonstrating the movement from women in a subservient role to women in a more powerful position. While I was struck by the great disparity between male and female artists that were featured in the museum, perhaps this is just a reflection of the time it takes for an artist or painting to become famous. If the number of women that now work in academia and become judges in Spain today we can expect to see many more artworks of women in the future. 

SUPER GUAY, NATURALMENTE

By Nicole Tiger

Brandeis University

Hi folks! Nicky again. So basically, the weekend of the 7^th CIEE Madrid embarked on an amazing journey entitled “La Gomera”. One of the most beautiful islands I’ve seen, it is located within a Spanish archipelago off the coast of Africa. While the beach and food were amazing, I’m here to talk about the “senderismo” or hiking in the gorgeous Garajonay National Park.

            On Saturday, after a great first day at the beach, our guide Jose Maria took us to the Garajonay National Park to spice up our trip with a little nature and romance. The park gets its name from a famous local tale that follows a similar plot line to Romeo and Juliet. Gara and Jonay become lovers despite that their families are members of opposing tribes. In order to keep their affair secret, they only come together to…you know…under the cloud cover of a forest in between their two homes. Because of a strange geographical phenomenon that experts have difficulty explaining to this day, the forest is extremely damp because clouds become trapped just above the trees. It’s so moist that mushy green foliage covers every surface in the forest—it’s truly beautiful. Anywho, when the parents find out about the couple’s rendezvous’, shit hits the fan. Somehow the couple ends up surrounded by the enemy and they decide to commit suicide so that they don’t have to live apart. As was demonstrated live by Jose Maria and Erica, the two lovers placed a stick between their chests and thrust so that they were both impaled. Symbolically though, they would be connected forever.

            As I previously mentioned, the forest is completely stunning. Green shrubbery completely encases everything and is soft to the touch. The beauty that surrounded us almost entirely distracted me from the fact that we were moving at a pretty fast pace uphill. Jose Maria took a hands-on approach to the hike and told us to experience everything with our senses of touch and smell in addition to sight. We picked a few plants to smell and some people even walked part of the hike barefoot. The natural setting combined with the lovely sense of freshness made for a very wonderful hike—interrupted only by a brief dramatic encounter with some bicyclists breaking the law. The senderismo, the beach, the food, and my personal favorite, the bonding made the CIEE trip to La Gomera a complete success!!!

                                  

LA GOMERA

Por Camille Valdes

Northeastern University

“Sol, playa y arena vamo’ allá”.

Esto era lo único que podía pensar cuando me enteré que íbamos a las Islas Canarias. Cuando llegamos lo primero que hicimos fue ir a la playa, de lejos se veía el contraste de los azul con la arena blanca. La verdad que cuando la vi me trajo una serenidad y una paz el sonido de las olas y la belleza del horizonte. Jose María, nuestro guía, nos dijo que esa era única de las playas de arena blanca ya que la mayoría de las playas en las Islas Canarias son de arena negra por ser islas volcánicas. Para mí, estar en la playa era como estar en casa, en Puerto Rico. Toda esas semejanzas: el color del agua, la arena y el calor pero todo esa percepción cambio cuando toqué el agua, estaba completamente congelada. Ahí me di cuenta que a pesar de todas las semejanzas, no tan sólo de cómo se veía la isla sino la gente también, yo no estaba en casa. Sin embargo como ya dije la gente me recordaba bastante a como las personas hablan en casa. En algún momento me acuerdo haber dicho, que el acento de los canarios era como música para mis oídos. Lamentablemente no nos quedamos mucho tiempo en Tenerife porque había que ir a nuestro destino final, la Gomera.
Cuando llegamos a la isla de la Gomera específicamente, tuvimos un recorrido por la isla con un guía que nos hablaba de la historia de la isla y nos enseñó de donde supuestamente sacaron el agua con la cual se bautizó a las Américas. Durante este recorrido también vimos lo que era la expresión del arte gótico en la Gomera que en realidad no tenía mucho de gótico, solo la forma del arco en la entrada era lo que hacia que la iglesia formara parte de este tipo de arquitectura. Nos explicó que la razón por la cual no era lo que comúnmente pensábamos como gótico por lo lejos que se encuentra la isla de la península ibérica.

El siguiente día nos llevaron a comer a un restaurante para que probásemos comida tradicional de la Gomera. Yo juro que cuando vi la comida parte de mi pensó que lo único que me faltaba eran un poco de arroz con la carne de cerdo o unos tostones o amarillos (platano maduro) como acompañamiento. A mí pesar no teníamos esto pero sí habían papas arrugás. Estas papas son hervidas con mucha sal y luego mantener las papas en la cacerola con el fuego apagado pero para que se continúen cocinando. Luego de unos minutos las papas quedan secas y blancas por fuera por sal. Estas usualmente se comen con mojo picón pero también hay un mojo de cilantro, el cual yo probé. ¡Este mojo era riquísimo! La combinación de las papas con el mojo era increíble. Antes de la carne y las papas había una sopa que podías ponerle gofio que es una harina de maíz que los canarios le ponen pues a sopas, al café, entre otras. Me gustó mucho esta combinación, nunca hubiese pensado poner el gofio a la sopa ni al café. Usualmente en Puerto Rico, el gofio solo es un dulce de maíz que comemos durante las navidades. Para finalizar la comida, comimos un postre que se llamaba leche hervida, en esencia se parecía mucho al flan y era igual de rico también. Luego del restaurante fui por primera vez a una playa de arena negra. La verdad que es otra experiencia. La percepción de esa playa es totalmente diferente a la que siempre he pensado pero me encantó. Era algo nuevo e interesante que podía apreciar por lo diferente que era a una playa en Puerto Rico. No podía comparar y decir pues la playa de casa es mejor porque son totalmente diferentes. Para mí, era curioso mirar a mis pies y verlos negros por la arena. Hasta cierto punto si lo mirabas de lejos lo que aprecia era que tenías los pies llenos de fango.
En fin, esta excursión a la Gomera fue una experiencia que nunca olvidaré y que me hizo empezar a extrañar el habla de los caribeños y el paisaje de Puerto Rico. Como me dijo Paco, “la Gomera va ser como estar en casa” y la verdad lo fue. De hecho me siento también un poco vindicada con mis amistades de Latinoamérica porque ellos siempre me dicen que yo me invento palabras y que en ningún lugar se usan las palabras que yo uso. Pues allí en las Canarias palabras como guagua y parcha se utilizan de la misma manera que en Puerto Rico. No sabes todos los años que tuve que escuchar, “no es guagua, es bus” o “no es parcha, es maracuyá”. Yo ahora le digo a mis amistades, después de esta visita a la Gomera, que nosotros somos los que hablamos y decimos las cosas correctas porque los canarios fueron importantes en el descubrimiento y entonces cabe deducir que simplemente seguimos lo que nos enseñaron ellos.

THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT AT THE HAGUE

By Nicole Tiger

Brandeis University

Hi friends and family! Nicky here. So I’ve come a long long way from my last post. I’m having the time of my life here in Madrid, and now I can say I had the time of my life in the Netherlands, too! I kid you not when I say that the Hague will be my favorite trip from this entire Study Abroad experience. Not only did the trip have plenty of waffles, Paco’s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M7rPL7NW3k), and over-all awesomeness, we also visited the International Criminal Court, which brings me to the focus of this blog post.

The International Criminal Court, or the “Corte Penal Internacional”, is an independent international organization that works to assign blame to the individuals responsible for global atrocities. Essentially, leaders can no longer hide behind their positions when their crimes fundamentally violate universally recognized human rights. I personally agree with everything the court stands for and greatly admire the work they put in to get justice for victims who have suffered unspeakably horrible ordeals at the hands of government officials they ought to be able to trust.

During our visit to the ICC, the court case in session involved a chief of police from Kenya responsible for the neglect and corruption of his police force that led to several deaths and uninvestigated crimes of a sexual nature. His men repeatedly allowed the passage of enemy troops into villages and failed to provide protection during attacks. It was so fascinating to see the actual set up of the court in session, as opposed to the empty courtroom we toured while in the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

While of course the entire tour was memorable, there was one moment that stood out from all the rest as the most funny, yes funny. Throughout the portion of the trial that we witnessed, the camera had remained focused on the prosecutor delivering her closing argument. However, for one brief second, the camera changed targets and displayed a man picking at his nose, then immediately switched back to the prosecutor. It was both surprising, and hilaaarious. Paco and I exchanged a brief look of confusion and chuckled to ourselves.

Overall, I learned a lot about international law from my visit to the International Criminal Court. The entire experience was very cool because I felt as if I were participating in the trial somehow by being in the audience. The whole trip was a huge success for me, and I enjoyed every minute! Thanks CIEE!

THE PEACE PALACE IN THE HAGUE (THE NETHERLANDS)

           

Por Virginia Burke

University of Mississipi

Our Legal Studies excursion to The Hague was a trip filled with interesting meetings and sights. Of particular interest for me was the Palacio de Paz or Peace Palace. The Peace Palace is the home of the International Court of Justice or ICJ a court established by the United Nations to resolve disputes between nations. The ICJ is especially interesting because the parties have to agree to appear before the court and even have the right to set certain rules and regulations to govern the court proceedings. One of the most interesting rights that a nation has in this process is to request a judge from their own nation if a judge from their nation is not a judge of the court.

The idea of arbitration in this form was a very new concept at the time of the palace’s construction in the early 1900s. The idea arose from Czar Nicholas II’s hope for peace in an era where Russia could not continue building its army. From various peace conferences the idea for a central location to work toward world peace was developed. With donations from various governments, organizations, and wealthy partrons the Palace became a reality in 1907. One of the largest donations was given by Andrew Carnegie, while doubtful about the ability of arbitration to settle disputes among states was willing to support the idea if a library was included. That library is now the largest library for international law in the world.

Visiting the Palace of Peace was certainly a time to give thought to the idea of arbitration. The success of the method has certainly been proven through the ICJ in many different cases.  Since the concept and field of international law is relatively new this place is certainly at the cutting edge and learning more about this court has definitely helped to further my interest in international law.             

ORIENTATION OVERVIEW

By Hanz Berduo

University of Illinois at Chicago

Having the opportunity to study abroad can be viewed primarily as the ability to visit a new place and be able to instantly become accustomed to the area and live in the new country with ease. However, this is not the case. One must be introduced to the different aspects and fundamentals a new country has to offer. It also might be possible that visiting a country may cause confusion within an individuals state of mind and he or she may forget who he or she represents, their affiliations, or overall the individuals purpose of being in the enthralling new location. It must be noted that CIEE has done a wonderful job of being able to target those issues that a foreigner may feel during the first stages of a new adventure and expedition. Now living in Spain for two weeks, CIEE has made sure that the students, who have made an appearance to whichever program, feel welcomed to this new, majestic place with open arms. Students receive unconditional attention and care for unstable assurance and the many emotions a foreigner may feel during the first few stages. The transition to living in Spain from the United States has been facilitated by the comforting transition that is acquired and provided by the staff of CIEE. Thus, any paternal or maternal figure should know that his or her child is in good hands that can further be described as responsible, organized, and attentive to the needs of any student encountered by emotional distress.

            In addition, the safety of living in Spain is multiplied sufficiently by the introduction of our surroundings that create a solidified awareness of different locations as well as the importance of the country’s culture and norms. All this allows the student to avoid unnecessary confrontations with deviants of its society as well as saying the wrong thing to whoever is participating in the communication process with a foreigner. CIEE did show the student to learn to become less ignorant to the environment and as mentioned, the culture that exists as something very unfamiliar to one who has never considered such differences. This cultural education indefinitely allows the student to take a few steps further towards an enlightened form of living.

            Furthermore, with the help of CIEE, the new students are fortunate enough to be introduced to the many local attractions and areas of interest that cuts out a significant portion of time that an individual explorer must spend in finding these luminous places. All the sight seeing occurs during a faster rate so that more can be seen during, as it seems, such a limited timeframe. There is never enough to see, you just want more and more! This maintains the feelings of anticipation and surprise that allows the student to capture these moments with true significance that will be kept as memories forever. With all the benefits that CIEE has provided, it must also be noted that from all this assistance, the student forms a greater incentive to learn more about the new country and to explore much more than that individual had expected. Therefore, the journey that the student experiences, becomes more legitimate and genuine.         

PRIMERAS IMPRESIONES DE MADRID

Por Parker Wright

Wittenberg University

            Para ser honesto, España no era mi primera opción cuando decidí estudiar fuera del país. Ya había estudiado en Sudamérica, en Santiago de Chile, y me encantaba mi experiencia en ese país. En Sudamérica, la gente no tiene una opinión alta de España (algunos todavía piensan en los españoles como los “conquistadores.”). Pues, antes de llegar aquí, no había oído muchas cosas buenas sobre España y el pueblo español. Sin embargo, decidí optar por una experiencia diferente y única, la cual hasta este momento ha sido impresionante y ha valido la pena.

            Llegué a Madrid dos días antes del comienzo del periodo de orientación con CIEE. Me quedé en un hostal en el barrio Malasaña por estas dos noches, y lo pasé súper bien caminando por las calles de ese barrio y también en el área cerca del Prado y el Retiro, el área quizás más conocida y famosa de la ciudad. Al llegar a Madrid, me dió una gran impresión el hecho de que, obviamente, España consiste en una sociedad y cultura muy abierta y libre. No había pensado en esto antes, supongo. Madrid probablemente es la única ciudad en que he ido donde hay mucha más gente por las calles durante la noche que durante el día.

           Mi primera noche en la ciudad, caminé solo por las calles de Malasaña para ver la ciudad en su ápice. Me sorprendía la cantidad de gente en las calles a las horas como 4:00 de la mañana, una hora donde típicamente en los EEUU la gente ya se ha acostado. También es un poco diferente que lo que he visto en América Latina; creo que Buenos Aires es más así que Santiago, donde he vivido. Me impresionó mucho, e inmediatamente, el ánimo, la joie de vivre, de los madrileños. Aquí en Madrid, lo más importante es siempre estar con tus amigos, pasarlo bien, y vivir para ese momento. Un modo de pensamiento bastante diferente de lo que estamos acostumbrados en los EEUU, estoy cada día más cercano a este estilo de vivir.

            La vida durante la noche no es la única oferta positiva que nos presenta Madrid. Además, el alcalde y el gobierno local  hace fácil disfrutar las ofertas culturales que existen en la ciudad. Por ejemplo, el domingo después de llegar, me fui al Museo Prado, que es gratis durante las tardes de los domingos. Uno de los museos de arte más alabados en el mundo, el Prado contiene un montón de obras con temas religiosos y reales. Su colección es verdaderamente impresionante. Luego, después de la reunión de todo el grupo, nos fuimos al Museo Thyssen; su arte es más mi estilo, con obras seculares del siglo XIV y XX. CIEE  también nos facilita ir a comer, haciendo cosas como ofrecernos tarjetas de descuentos para restaurantes, museos, cines, partidos atléticos, y muchas cosas así. Quiero tomar mucha ventaja de estas ofertas para ahorros posibles. Tengo mucha emoción para asistir mi primer partido de fútbol europeo, cuando Real Madrid juega este sábado contra Getafe. Todavía quiero ir al Rastro, el gran mercado aire libre que está abierto cada domingo. Hay más barrios que quiero explorar a través de la ciudad, por ejemplo La Latina, Moncloa y Príncipe Pío. Además, espero que pueda seguir formando relaciones significativas con la gente en mi programa y también con los estudiantes que  voy a conocer en la Universidad Carlos III.

WALKING TOUR WITH A LEGAL TWIST

By Nicole Tiger

Brandeis University

Hi from Madrid! It’s only our second day in Spain and we’re already off running…or biking, I should say. After sightseeing the city from the awesomeness of our bikes, Cristina gave us a walking tour with a legal twist. We saw the buildings that house some of Spain’s most important legal institutions, such as the Congreso de los Diputados. As we learned later in our Legal language class, the Congreso de los Diputados is one of two “cámaras” in Spain’s legislative body. It contains 350 diputados, or representatives, and has more backing in its decisions than those of the Senate, o “Senado”.

While we also glimpsed sights such as the Ayuntamiento de Madrid and the Palacio Real, what really stuck with me were the cultural observations that emanated from every block. While in Plaza del Sol, basically the heart of Madrid, we learned that Spaniards are rather quiet when the clock finally strikes on January 1^st to mark the New Year because they’re busy stuffing their mouths with grapes. In Plaza Mayor, it surprised me to learn that all the balconies surrounding the open courtyard were once public property. If one were empty, anyone could simply knock on the apartment door and be led out to the balcony for a spectacular view. It’s so strange to me that you can own your apartment but not the balcony right outside.

With all of these cultural differences, it was nice to notice at least one similarity in the form of Madrid’s own walk of fame. On our walk to a picnic in the park, we passed a movie theater with about a block’s worth of stars in front. Between directors and actors, I only recognized the names of Almodóvar and Penelope Cruz. It was just nice to see a little reminder of home here in Madrid, me being from Los Angeles, California. Once at the picnic, I was again caught off guard when a “latero” came around with a bag of beers for 1 euro each. It’s so cool that because cervezas are a natural edition to any meal, you don’t have to look very far to buy one. Overall, I really enjoyed the tour and feel that it’s nice to have pictures to fit the descriptions we’ll be studying in our Legal language class.

CURSO DE LENGUAJE JURIDICO

Por Camille Valdes

Northeastern University

Tan solo a dos días después de llegar a España y comenzamos a tomar un curso de Lenguaje Jurídico, el cual es un requisito para los estudiantes de Legal Studies en CIEE. Todo con el fin de que al comenzar las clases en Carlos III no estemos tan perdidos y entendamos la jerga en el ámbito del Derecho. A pesar de que lo último que quería hacer a dos días de llegar era coger una clase, ésta no ha sido nada de como esperaba. Cristina, nuestra profesora, intenta de hacer las clases entretenidas ya sea con juegos o leyendo artículos que brindar cierto tono jocoso a términos que estamos estudiando. Como por ejemplo, hemos leído un articulo que habla sobre qué es la constitución y en algún momento del articulo habla sobre como no se celebra la constitución dando barra libre. Esto me causa muchísima gracia porque no tan solo presenta una critica pero también presenta la cultura del país. Una cultura que, por lo menos para mí, se asemeja mucho a la mía. Lo dicho no es tan solo cierto en términos de cultura sino también en el ámbito del Derecho. Varios de los conceptos ya era familiares porque se utilizan estos mismos términos para hablar sobre los distintos actores o partes del gobierno. Como por ejemplo, los conceptos del procurador, ayuntamiento, etc. son conceptos no utilizados en los Estados Unidos, pero en Puerto Rico sí. Claro está, haberlo escuchado y tener una idea de que podría ser son dos cosas muy diferentes. Ahora pienso que podría explicar mejor que antes el significado de estos conceptos y cual es su rol en el Derecho. Sin embargo, hay conceptos que son nuevos como Audiencia Nacional, motivación, entre otros. El resto de las palabras estudiadas por el momento son similares a esas utilizadas en EE.UU.

Como cualquier curso, este también tiene pruebas y ya tuvimos la primera.  Todos estábamos muy preocupados sobre como sería o que Cristina iba pedir de nosotros pero resulto ser una manera muy divertida de evaluarnos. A través del juego Taboo teníamos que explicar cual término teníamos en nuestras manos para que así los otros adivinaran cual era el concepto. A veces fue un poco frustrante porque sabía cual era el concepto pero por alguna razón no me podía acordar de la palabra. Pero al final, Cristina nos dijo que habíamos hecho buen trabajo y así todos pudimos respirar y tranquilizarnos sobre como sería el curso. No estoy diciendo que va a ser fácil porque hay que trabajar pero pienso que un parte grande de entender los conceptos es atender a lo que dice Cristina.

Yo pienso que esta clase ha sido un buen comienzo a nuestro trayecto durante estos cuatro meses no tan solo para nuestros cursos en Carlos III (que estoy segura va a ser una ayuda inmensa) pero para el día a día aquí en Madrid. Leyendo el periódico, viendo noticias en la televisión, entre otras actividades en las cuales se podría topar con todos estos conceptos serán mejor entendidos debidos a esta clase. 

LS ON A BIKE

By Virginia Burke

University of Mississippi

CIEE did not wait long to take our group to the streets of Madrid in a very memorable bike tour. While I’m sure our large group of bicyclists was a sight to behold, our tour was very eye opening and beneficial for all of those involved (especially me since I hadn’t been on a bicycle in probably ten years haha).

Our tour guide, Professor Cristina Ruiz, did a fabulous job of highlighting various famous places and areas in Madrid many of which were relevant to legal studies.  The tour began at El Congreso de los Diputados and I somehow managed to narrowly miss at least ten different people on the way there. At this site we learned about the two different houses of the legislature, which make laws and amend the Constitution. El Congreso de los Diputados is considered the lower house and the representatives are elected directly. El Senado is the upper house, which is partially elected and partially appointed. This was particularly interesting for me since this differs greatly from the legislative system in the United States where all representatives are directly elected.

After gaining some confidence in my bike riding skills we arrived at la Plaza de la Villa de Paris where three of the most important courts in Spain are located. First, we learned about La Audiencia Nacional. This is one of the highest courts in Spain that can rule on many different types of cases from criminal to constitutional conflicts. Next, we saw El Tribunal Supremo, which differs greatly from the Supreme Court of the United States in that it is the highest court that can rule on non-constitutional matters. Finally, we heard about the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid which rules in matters of civil, criminal, and social law.

By the end of the bike tour I was actually starting to get the hang of riding a bike again. After seeing the sede del Partido Popular or seat of the popular party and Tribunal de Cuentas or fiscal court, we returned our bikes and began a walking tour. Overall the bike tour was a great way for us to see a large cross section of the city and Cristina did a great job of giving us an overview of many of the important government buildings in Spain.

UBI SOCIETAS UBI IUS

Por Cristina Ruiz

Profesora del Curso de Lenguaje Jurídico

Dime qué Derecho tienes y te diré qué tipo de sociedad eres.

A simple vista, el Derecho solo es un componente más de la sociedad y de esta forma puede no parecer atractiva la idea de estudiar el ordenamiento jurídico de un país. Es más, se puede pensar que la existencia de una sociedad no determina de forma inmediata que ésta se haya dotado de un cuerpo jurídico.

Sin embargo, desde el orden romano nos llega una máxima latina: ubi societas ubi ius –donde hay sociedad hay derecho-. 

Y en este sentido, podemos decir que cada sociedad ha creado un tipo Derecho. Cada sociedad ha impregnado sus características en su Derecho: Una forma de hablar, una actividad que castigar, una moral que seguir, quien manda, quien juzga…..

De esta forma, podemos decir que una sociedad plasma en su Derecho el tipo de sociedad que quiere ser: una sociedad igualitaria, una sociedad que teme a los dioses, una sociedad que persigue la abundancia excesiva, una sociedad invasiva, una sociedad silenciosa,…

Con todo esto, para conocer una sociedad –una cultura- solo hay que hacerse una pregunta ¿qué Derecho tiene?.

En el curso de lenguaje jurídico de CIEE conocerás los 100 conceptos jurídicos que caracterizan al Derecho español, a la sociedad española a fin de cuentas.

100 conceptos jurídicos aprendidos de una forma sencilla y dinámica que recogen la esencia de lo que la sociedad española ha querido y quiere ser.

Qué mejor forma de acercarse a una cultura que desde su Derecho, que impregna cada una de sus notas características.

CURSO DE LENGUAJE JURIDICO

Hoy ha comenzado el Curso de Lenguaje Jurídico, unos de los cursos que forman parte del curriculum académico del programa de Legal Studies. A lo largo del cuatrimestre los estudiantes podrán acceder al marco lingüistico necesario para la comprensión de los términos empleados en el mundo del Derecho que presentan notables diferencias con el lenguaje jurídico de los Estados Unidos. Así, las clases lideradas por la Profesora Cristina Ruiz, tendrán como objetivo principal la comprensión de los términos más frecuentes utilizados en el sistema judicial español y el los conceptos específicos que se manejan en las distintas ramas de cualquier sistema legal.

A través de una serie de ejercicios, discusiones y visionado de documentales y películas, los participantes en este curso irán añadiendo a su vocabulario términos como agravante/atenuante, Seguridad Social, Estado de Derecho o Fallo hasta un total de 100 términos jurídicos.

COMIENZA EL SEMESTRE DE OTOÑO

Comienza el Otoño 2011!!
Ya están en Madrid los estudiantes que participan en el programa de Legal Studies. Con energía y mucho entusiasmo, los estudiantes recibieron la bienvenida del personal de CIEE Madrid mientras se preparaban para participar en unas jornadas repletas de las actividades que conforman la Orientación en Madrid.
Poco a poco nuestros estudiantes fueron conociendo el funcionamiento de la capital de país, el lugar donde van a vivir, algunas de sus profesoras, sus anfitrionas, los cursos que tienen que tomar, etc. Y cada día además, acudimos con ellos a conocer los distintos barrios de Madrid como La Latina, Chueca o Barrio de las Letras, donde compartimos almuerzos y cenas en algunos de los restaurantes más típicos, modernos o populares de la ciudad.
Sin duda, comienza la gran aventura de los chicos del Otoño 2011.

PARTICIPATING IN CIEE MADRID LS PROGRAM

By Sarah Assemany

Wofford College

Is it already time to start thinking about saying goodbye?! Although I look back on all the experiences I’ve enjoyed since being here, part of me still feels like I just arrived at the Barajas, Madrid Airport. I can honestly say that I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the opportunities that have been given to me while studying abroad here in Madrid. I never thought that I would learn so much in such a short period of time about a country, a language, a culture, and most importantly, about myself. This experience has given me a confidence that I didn’t have before, and it has renewed my love for learning, especially in regards to new cultures.

Our two program trips were amazing, and will definitely remain some of my fondest memories from my study abroad opportunity. I loved going to Brussels with legal studies and actually seeing the European Union headquarters first hand! (The chocolate and waffles weren’t too bad either…) Then, our second excursion with the entire CIEE program to Cordoba and Sevilla was just as amazing. La Mezquita is remarkable, and I am a lucky girl to have seen it in person.

Legal Studies was a great choice for me because it allowed me to learn about not only the culture of another country but also its legal system. Among many activities, we learned legal terminology together. We watched a terrorist trial together at the Audiencia Nacional.  We went to play together regarding racial issues. We lived together with our host mom, Sabela, and I think we can all agree that she is the most amazing host we could have ever asked for.  I like being part of a smaller group, and our legal studies group became my family here in Madrid during these few incredible months. I know that I have made lifelong friends and will never forget any of my experiences. I hope that anyone who is interested in law and opening their mind to a new perspective on the matter would consider joining this program.

EXCURSION TO ANDALUCIA: SEVILLE I

By Joshua Berlinger

Tufts University

The highlight of our first day in Seville was the Alcázar, no question.  The sun seemed to perfectly peek out as we were about to enter, causing all of us to take off our jackets and carry them around 
our shoulders, waists, or whatever we could.  From the moment we stepped into the gardens from the side entrance, it was breathtaking.  
One could feel the tranquil energy as we walked towards the structure.  The seemingly incongruous dirt paths were lined with orange trees, typical of the Moorish influence of Southern Spain.  The moment we saw the structure was like a scene from a movie.  The sun peeked through, and everyone stood in awe for a second, before all the cameras burst out and everyone rushed to get as many pictures as possible.  We made our way through the first plaza, which was lined with beautiful Moorish tiles, and walked up to what looked like the protective walls, and walked up the stairs and started our walk around  the structure.  We then entered the old castle, whose tiles and structure seemed dominated by Arabic influence, almost to the point  where the castle would have seemed more fitting to be located in Morocco, not Seville.  We then explored the bath structure located under the palace as our final stop, which was absolutely stunning.
Next, we had a quick lunch, and then went kayaking for our “surprise activity.”  Fortunately, the good weather stayed long enough for that too.  Although we got a little wet, it felt awesome to get some exercise and take in the good weather.  I personally love kayaking, and was ecstatic when I heard we were going to get the chance to do some.  We didn’t see a ton of the city, but all in all, it was a fantastic experience.

EXCURSION TO ANDALUCIA: CORDOBA

By Sarah Assemany

Wofford College

The first day of our Cordoba and Sevilla adventure was extremely fun!  We all boarded the bus early that morning and started our journey to Cordoba.  The bus ride was fun in itself because the whole CIEE group hadn´t been together since orientation.  Every person in our group has a great personality so it was great to catch up with everyone!  Once we arrived in Cordoba we stopped at the hotel to drop off our things, and then we headed to lunch.  We had an authentic southern meal for Lunch with many different dishes.  One of our plates was pork, french fries, and a fried egg.  The way the eat the dish is by breaking the egg yoke and missing everything together, including the french fries.  Now, I am slightly particular about my food, and I don´t usually like different foods to touch each other on the plate, but this was actually really tasty!  After lunch we headed to La Mezquita. 

I learned that La Mezquita was originally a mosque in Cordoba, and it was one of the most beautiful mosques in the world.  Then, when the Catholics took control in Spain, they demolished all non-Catholic establishments.  However, they couldn’t bring themselves to destroy La Mezquita, so instead they just took control over it and used it as a Catholic Cathedral.  For this reason, the people that live in Cordoba refer to La Mezquita as the Cathedral, but almost everyone else in the world knows the religious site as La Mezquita.  It is enormous.  I had seen pictures before I came to Spain, but I did not realize how gigantic it really is.  I can’t really describe it; you have to see it to believe it!  Isn’t it crazy that one religion can totally dominate another?  I know it has happened a lot throughout history, but I still think it’s weird to imagine

Finally, that night we went to a Flamenco dance performance.  Our program had already seen a small Flamenco performance consisting of two female dancers during our orientation, but this was a real Flamenco performance with many dancers both male and female.  There were many different choreographed numbers with various beautiful costumes.  They also had a live band and singers throughout the entire show as well.  Flamenco is both a style of dance and music.  During intermission we actually got to talk to the band.  Our first day of our excursion also happened to be my 21st birthday, and everyone told the band members that it was my birthday.  So, right before the last song and dance of the show, the head singer had me stand up in the audience while everyone sang Happy Birthday to me!  I was nervous that my birthday would be kind of depressing since I would be away from home and missing my friends and family, but our experience in Cordoba that day was much more memorable than anything I would have done in South Carolina!  Not many people can say that they went to La Mezquita and watched a live Flamenco performance on their 21st birthday!