From Laws to Spices
Chandigarh: In a sea of aspiring lawyers, these three stand out for their unusual stance.
Three students from the University of Stockholm, Sweden - Camilo Goine (24), Emil Akander (23) and Sara Abdulhalim (24) - are here not just to delve into the laws of the land but also plan to soak in some Indian culture before they go back.
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An unusual month-long exchange programme takes them from the classroom of the department of laws at Panjab University to the lawyers’ chambers and even to the courtrooms. But that does not stop the trio from tasting the local flavours of the region. What is interesting about the exchange programme is that it is fully run by students with one professor or teacher acting as the coordinator.
Collaborated between ELSA (European Law Students’ Association) and ALSA (Asian Law Students’ Association, headquartered in Tokyo), the idea is to facilitate exposure of law studies in other countries. “It helps in a greater understanding of international law and also to promote social responsibility in existing systems because these students are future lawyers, judges, teachers and researchers,” explains department chairman, Prof S.K. Sharma.
But selection process is no piece of cake. “You have to be capable to handle a lot of work,” says Camilo. This means not just keeping up with their own course back home (they head into exams as soon as they go back), but also coping with class-work here.
Help, however, has come in the form of their hosts, co-students Imanbir Dhaliwal and Divanshu Jain, heading them off in the right direction, especially the classes. “The teachers play such an active role. It really motivates us. In our country, a lot of what we study is through our books and not so much through out teachers,” says Emil. Also with greater frequency of classes and longer periods, they are learning concentration, the Indian way.
However, not everything is new. “Criminal and international law are similar but obviously family law is different here. Religious beliefs are given special consideration here which does not happen there,” says Emil. What they are excited about, though, is getting the idea of how Indian law works. “This provides us with a perfect platform to compare and learn. When we go back, because of our exposure here, we will be able to give suggestions on how things can be improved,” they Akander.
But it is not all work for the trio. Short trips, spicy food, especially their favourites koftas and dosas, shopping (think cookbooks and spices too!) have them enthralled. And catching them by surprise is the serenity of the city with its positive and safe vibes resulting in a trip that has been revelatory and happy.
The trio go back on September 26.
Source: TNS