London!

I got to London on May 14 and it has been a whirlwind settling in and exploring! Here are some of the first week's adventures:

One of the first things I visited in London was Big Ben, the clock tower at the Houses of Parliament. In the background you can also see the London Eye (the ferris wheel).

This is Trafalgar Square in central London, where lots of festivals and demonstrations take place. It turned out to be Dustin's favorite spot when he arrived!

After less than a week in London, I went on my first business trip with the AIRE Centre! We went to Strasbourg, France, to watch a hearing at the European Court of Human Rights, but we also got to do some sightseeing. Strasbourg is in the Alsace region of France, on the border with Germany. We flew in to Baden-Baden, Germany, and then took a bus over to Strasbourg. It was my first time on the European continent!



Here I am, with the European Parliament Building in the background.

















This is the AIRE Centre staff in the European Court of Human Rights, the building where our hearing took place. The whole building looks like a kids' science museum. It is bizarre!


From left to right: Milly, Lorna, and Emily (all interns like me), Carmen (lawyer), Adam (lawyer), Jennifer (administrator), Matthew (intern), and me. There are also a couple of people who didn't go on the trip. It is a fun group!





In case you were wondering what Strasbourg itself looks like! It's France, but it looks like Germany!




















We went to the zoo in Strasbourg, and the gardens there were pretty.























Strasbourg and the surrounding area is famous for its storks, and we saw a bunch. Here is one in its nest on top of a building.

















The first week was really fun, but I was definitely wiped out by the time it was over!