If you’ve managed to find this blog it means one of two things: either you’re stalking my every internet move in order to find under what blog I’m publishing this week, or you’ve heard the exciting and sudden news that I’m abandoning my legal studies for a semester and relocating to Arusha, Tanzania. Admittedly, most of the people who’ll have found this blog via the former option – creepy stalker-styles – will already know this as well from having seen Facebook statuses (stati? statusi?), MSN names and random Craigslist postings.
I, like Toto, am going to be watch Kilimanjaro rising like an Empress above the Serengeti, starting on October 1st. I will be serving as a legal intern for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, run by the United Nations – and now, in part, Chris Rivers, UVic Law Student. If that doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of everyone everywhere, then clearly you’ve never seen me try to put together a set of bookshelves. I’ve got all the practical talent of an ocelot hotwiring circuitboards. (By the way, Google, I would love to see you find THAT search string anywhere else. Search: “ocelot hotwiring circuitboards”… Results: 3.2 million… man there’s a lot of stuff on the interweb)
Now, though, allow me to sketch for you a brief timeline of the things I’ve done thus far via email as part of my extensive, well-researched and throroughly thought through plans to uproot myself. This is, I’m sad to say, very minimally enhanced for creative purposes. It really has been this crazy. And this is just the FIRST post. I haven’t even gone over the ACTUAL stuff I’ve had to do yet – plane tickets, visa applications, finding a subletter, shots (alcoholic notwithstanding) and so on.
September 4th, 2008: Email arrives from UVic Law Career Development office suggesting possibility of internship. Provides following information: email address of contact person, statement that says “apply as soon as possible,” link to ICTR application form (www.ictr.org).
Later September 4th, 2008: I email Greg Pyrcz and Susan Franceschet, former profs of mine, to ask them to write references for me. They agree, but Dr. Franceschet wants to know what the deadline is. Apparently “as soon as possible” isn’t a phrase normally associated with academicians.
September 9th, 2008: I email the ICTR to ask the deadline.
Very late September 9th, 2008: They email me back with three questions: Are you aware this is unpaid, and we provide no financial support? Are you aware it’s in Arusha, Tanzania? Are you available NOW?
September 10th, 2008: I indicate, yes, yes I could be available now.
September 10th, 2008: I get email saying “Great. Send us your resume. We probably have a spot for you.”
September 10th, 2008: Yes, yes we definately have a spot for you. My hands begin to shake. Now? What do they mean by now?
September 11th, 2008: I’m moving up the chain of command – I’ve gone from getting emails from an Associate Legal Officer to getting emails from the co-ordinator of the Internship Programme. She requests more documents. My position isn’t confirmed yet – but it’s looking very very likely.
September 11th, 2008: I call my parents to inform them I will be likely leaving UVic Law for a while and moving to Africa. Hilarity ensues. Brief discussion on my sanity also ensues. Parents, resigned to the fact their son is at least 45% walnuts, give support.
September 12th, 2008: I drop all my classes, still not entirely sure that I have a spot, when the ICTR expects me in Tanzania, what exactly I’d be doing there and when I’d come back.
September 13th, 2008: Send an email to the Senior Legal Officer under whom I’ll be working – Mandiaye Niang – who makes it clear that available NOW means available, quite literally, NOW. Also send rest of documents. Recieve Tanzania travel guides from Kim Keenlyside. Rejoice!
September 14th, 2008: Spend day in blur. Mostly because I was working Sunday brunch at work, and I don’t drink coffee.
September 15th, 2008: Recieve confirmation that I have a position beginning on October 1st and ending on December 31st. It’s a very VERY cool looking confirmation. Click here to see the sexy/nerdy/awesome page of glory.
So – in short – it’s on! I’ll be moving out of Victoria on Saturday and out of Canada on the 28th!
1 Comment
September 25, 2008 at 4:32 am
Hey, Chris!
So, do I fall under the third level of creeping? Though, I’m not sure how many you can equate to my circumstance – You booking a plane ticket with my mom and then one thing leading to another… Yeah, this is a story, haha!
Just wanted to let you know information was passed and I am extremely interested in your endeavors! I kind of agree with your parents about you being 45% nuts, but then again, I’m psyched for a similar trip prospect, so I am not sure it counts.
So, in short, I’m watching.
Hope it doesn’t keep you up at night.
Sheena