Kevin LaPorte (not Sara Stillwell)

Dear Dean Brand,

I'm sitting here shirtless at the International Organization for Migration offices in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I was caught in an epic monsoon of biblical proportions while motorbiking to work today. I've got a towel wrapped around my waist, boxers underneath just in case, and the rest of my clothes drying on exposed piping in the bathroom. Now here I am, wondering how it came to this.

The security briefing at the UNDP did not tell me what to do in this situation. Which is not shocking, since the UN is also frightfully unaware of the recent epidemic of motorcycle gangs infiltrating the city comprised entirely of legal interns working for NGO's.

The ride home will be interesting...

Kevin LaPorte
Member, Room 305 + Paige moto-gang

Lavish Buses, Giant Inflatable Soccer Coaches, Mystery Illnesses and Actually Working (June 19-27)

It has been quite a busy week full of some major changes. On June 20 (Saturday) we spent our last day in Cordoba. This mostly involved packing up from our hostel and buying a replica Maradona jersey in local market area near Plaza San Martin. We then had a last meal of lomitos which I am now obsessed with. Essentially they are a sandwich that has a pounded thin piece of steak, with some lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise (usually house made or at least distinct at each place that makes it), and sometimes a fried egg. They are unbelievable and I am absolutely positive if a store that served them opened up near any college campus they would be full all the time. I’m going to file this one under “My Million Dollar Ideas.” They’re classier and tastier than a hamburger, but just as cheap and satisfying. They also great with fries. That night we caught the overnight bus to Buenos Aires, which was actually nicer than most planes I have been on. We had seats that laid all the way back to make beds (Geoff and I were an inch or two too tall to get the full effect). I got about the best sleep I’ve ever gotten on a bus or plane (still not great though). Interestingly enough most of the other passengers around me seemed to be part of a high school rhythmic gymnastics team so there were an inordinate amount of hula-hoops shoved into the baggage areas. There was also a “stewardess” (I guess that’s what you would call here) that served us a meal (somehow worse than airplane food) but the fact that there was meal service impressed me. They even came around after food to offer coffee, caramels and whiskey (there was also a movie). After hearing some stories from other students about bus rides while abroad and having taken long bus rides in Peru, I was amazed at how nice of a ride it was. We took the overnight bus because we were advised that there was literally nothing between Cordoba and Buenos Aires. The description proved to be dead on accurate from what I saw.

We pulled into the city just as the sun started coming up. We hopped in cabs and Professor Adler met us at our apartment which is very nice and probably more spacious than we need for the three of us. It is located right in the Centro almost equidistant from the law firms we will be interning at. We all immediately tried to nap to make up for the half sleep we all got on the bus. After a few hours of that we all got up and walked around some of the pedestrian shopping avenues (LaValle and Florida) in our neighborhood. These avenues were great chance to view the eclectic mix of architecture in the city. Zoning laws seem to be non-existent and old Parisian style buildings stand next to sleek modern stores and office, which stand next to ugly and decaying buildings from the 70’s. We stopped in a few stores and bought some things to supplement the limited supply of work clothes we had brought with us from the states. That night we joined Professor Adler and his wife at a nice little restaurant that was also a book store. We had great food, including probably the rarest steak I’ve ever eaten. Apparently my concern for them overcooking for tourists wasn’t as justified as I thought and next time I can order it a little more cooked than “azul.” Along with dinner was a live performance by a singer who sang songs from all over the word. He was an incredibly talented guitarist and it was a great way to spend the evening. After dinner we went out to hit the bars and luckily, after a little searching, probably found the only one easily walkable from our apartment that was busy on a Sunday night. Something about the name “Killkenny’s” just didn’t seem quite as genuinely Argentinean as we were hoping though.

Monday was a holiday so we took the opportunity to sleep half the day. Apparently Flag Day is a real holiday in some countries. I took the opportunity to stock up on some food etc. form the local groceries that seem to be located on every block and almost all run by Asian families. The next day we each went to meetings in the morning or early afternoon to meet with the lawyers at our respective law firms where we’d be interning. The meetings were held early because just about every office was closing at 3:30 to watch Argentina play Greece. My meeting went great. I got to meet the partners at Fiorito, Murray & Diaz Cordera in their new modern offices adjacent to Plaza San Martin. Thankfully, their English is even better than my Spanish and they seemed excited to have me. It’s a medium sized firm in Buenos Aires (12 lawyers including 3 partners) that, despite being relatively new, has a great reputation and was incredibly warm and welcoming.

After the meeting I there were people flooding to Plaza San Martin to watch on a giant screen set up there, but I was in no mood to celebrate an impending soccer victory in a suit. I made it home to watch the game with Geoff and Jersey and don my Maradona jersey and Argentina flag/cape. Much like Cordoba, the streets were empty during the game until Argentina scored, at which time the streets erupted in celebrations and noise for a minute or two before everyone ran back inside to continue watching. After Argentina’s 2-0 victory we joined the celebrations in the street and found our way to the Obelisk (picture the Washington monument except it’s in the median of the world’s widest avenue). Hundreds of people congregated there and within a few minutes, seemingly out of nowhere, a 40 ft tall inflatable bust of Maradona sprung up. We danced, chanted and partook in celebratory drinks under his watchful eye for hours until well after nightfall. At that point we returned home to rest up for the start of our internships the next day.

I don’t think the details of my first week of work make for good reading on a blog, but I was excited to be able to start a research project for one of the partners, Thomas Fiorito, regarding comparative practices of evaluating stock premiums in the US and Argentina. Although I did not really see myself being so intrigued by financial valuations and stock purchases, it has proved quite fascinating and I look forward to working more on the topic in the next few weeks. I also plan on making it the subject of the paper I will be writing at the end of this program. Otherwise a lot of my work has been focused on translating documents and editing translations that the other associates have made. It’s been trying at times but my Spanish has definitely gotten better for it. It is also very satisfying to be doing work that gives me a much better idea of the work the firm does, as well as my work product being used by the lawyers in house as well as being sent out to clients. Also of note is how warm, friendly and welcoming all the lawyers here have been, and the fact that an associate cooked me lunch in the office kitchen to welcome me to the firm.

Over the weekend we ventured out to the Palermo neighborhood to check out the nightlife. As was the case is Cordoba, nothing really gets started until 2am here. Palermo is called the SOHO Buenos Aires and is full of bars and restaurants frequented by the young people from the city and abroad. I see myself spending a lot more time there on weekends if I can keep brining myself to keep up with the crazy Argentina party hours. We found some fun bars and good food. I also attended a birthday party for one of the associates from FMDC in the Recoleta neighborhood the next day. It was just what I needed after a disappointing US loss to Ghana and exit from the World Cup. All the associates are my age (25-27) so it was a great opportunity to meet local people my age. Many of them had visited San Francisco before and were excited to meet someone from there. All the rest were also exceptionally nice and friendly. However, my lack of sleep from the night before soon caught up to me and I called it an early night. Sunday I was hit with the makings of a nasty cold after going out so much in the cold and rainy Argentine winter. I barely left the house and was content to drink OJ, eat soup, and watch Argentina beat Mexico 3-1 (technically should have been 2-1 but with these World Cup Referees goals aren’t always real, or are just completely ignored and called off). It will assuredly make for interesting water cooler conversation in the coming week at work.

The Pronged Approach

Maybe because I got to SE Asia about 1 week after finals were over, or maybe I've just been having too much fun... but, I can't seem to get myself to journal/blog/anything, no matter how hard I try.

But, here I sit, patiently awaiting Fall 2010 registration to open online (it's 11pm Cambodia time right now), and I can see that the pressure is on to write something witty and informative, so I guess now's the time.

Seeing that I traveled through Vietnam for 3 weeks before arriving in Cambodia and there's just too much to write about, I've decided to give a quick and dirty bullet-point list of the mind-opening, strange, moving, and sometimes funny things I've seen on my trip thus far:

• MOTORBIKES!!! (never, ever run across the street, just close your eyes and walk like a zombie).
• When there's a huge gust of dust-filled wind, a monsoon is sure to follow. I now know to never wear lip-gloss when there are dark clouds in the sky.
• Not sure why, but the locals in Vietnam sit at the smallest tables on the smallest plastic chairs I've ever seen outside of an elementary school. But, the second you cross the border into Cambodia, the chairs and tables are full-size. (Maybe Brian should have come to Cambodia instead.)
• When your bus gets a flat in the middle of nowhere in Cambodia, just go play "proper football" with the local kids... you will become an instant hero.
• The Cambodian Penal Code includes very specific definitions and sentences for things like crimes against humanity, genocide, crimes against the dignity of the person, and "cheating" which basically means the same as a dine and dash. Oh, and being a dead-beat dad is punishable up to 5 years.
• Although the US helped to draft the Convention on the Rights of the Child with UNICEF 20 years ago, the US (along with Somalia) has yet to ratify it, with or without reservations. Cambodia ratified it long ago, without reservation.
• Skin whitening is all the rage with the ladies.
• Cockroaches can fly, but they don't bite, so really, it's not a big deal.
• Inexplicably, all of the dogs in Vietnam looked the same, yet in Cambodia, they are all different.
• When a woman is raped in Cambodia, she and her family often take the "mediation" route and settle on a monetary payment from the accused instead of taking the case to trial. The reasons for doing this are very complex culturally and legally. But, a classmate compared it to Michael Jackson's payment to his accusers... so I guess it happens in the States, too.
• The baguettes and the pho are amazing here. But, I really miss Mexican food.
• I really like soccer now that I've seen the world turned upside down with excitement.
• Everyone who has the opportunity should go to Hoi An, Vietnam. It's like the Venice of Vietnam (although I'm speculating since I've never been to Venice). So perfect in every way.
• Earlier tonight, I saw an infomercial for bottled "Chicken Essence" which is consumed like an energy drink. I think I might stock up before next finals season.

That's it for now. I feel like I just updated my fb status a bunch of times. I have the feeling that the next post will be more detailed. Till then!

Getting Down to Business in Vietnam

BRIAN RAYNOR, VIETNAM:

Dear Dean Brand,

Vietnam is a blast, largely because Paige is not here. Thanks for
sending her to another country.

Also, they don't play Superman on HBO here. Please look into that for me.

Thanks,
Brian

Vietnam really is a blast. Hanoi, where I stayed during my first week
in Vietnam, is a bustling, cramped and stiflingly hot bundle of
energy. It has a real charm about it, and the people go out of their
way to make you feel more than welcome. Ho Chi Minh City, on the
other hand, is downright genteel, open and pleasantly warm by
comparison (take that with a grain of salt, because it's still
freakin' hot and your life is at risk whenever you are within twenty
feet of an intersection). Because this is my first trip to Southeast
Asia, I have no way to know whether HCMC is on its way to becoming a
Singapore or a Hong Kong, as some observers have suggested. I can
report that HCMC offers many more western conveniences, high-end
restaurants and general comfort than I was expecting. The city is
growing exponentially, and in every direction you can find high-rises
with giant neon signs on them. Despite their differences, you cannot
go wrong in either city; Hanoi for its quaint (authentic?) charms,
HCMC for its cosmopolitan zeal.

I do, however, have one small qualm applicable to both: eating from
street kitchens would be far more enjoyable if I was not sitting on an
8-inch-tall plastic stool. For the record, I have already one of
them. I love the food at these joints, and have become adept at
conveying what I would like, cleaning my chopsticks appropriately and
generally not seeming completely like a foreigner. But nothing ruins
a good meal like crashing to the floor and throwing your chopsticks
across the table. I think I need to start carrying a fold up chair
around with me. Or drop a hundred pounds.

Work has been good so far. My co-workers are a great bunch of people
and I am really enjoying my placement. The projects I am assigned
range from tedious translation work to interesting research. The
latter especially has given me a chance to engage with the law and get
a feel for the burgeoning Vietnamese legal system.

In general, I am struck by how similar much Vietnamese legislation is
to American law. Nonetheless, the socialist objectives of the state
still manage to infiltrate pretty much everything. For example, to
enter into a contract in Vietnam, the parties must have capacity to
contract, the objectives of the contract must not contravene the law
and offer and acceptance must be voluntary, all notions that American
law students learn in a first year contracts course. In addition,
however, there is a requirement that the terms of the contract not
contravene "social morals," adding a high degree of subjectivity to
whether a given contract can be enforced. What these morals are and
who determines whether they have been breached is not stated in the
Civil Code – or anywhere else. This might not be a problem if there
were some interpretative body to decipher the meaning of the law. But
no such body exists.

One would imagine that many foreign investors (and their lawyers)
would be scared off by such a clause because of the uncertainty it
creates as to the enforceability of contracts. This is especially
true because there are plenty of other examples of subjective criteria
to allow or disallow particular acts, such as one which found its way
into Vietnam's WTO commitments, on the list of "Import Prohibitions."
You can find items, many of which are likely on a similar list in the
U.S., like opium, guns, bombs, tanks, environmental pollutants (not
stuff that creates pollutants, mind you, just the pollutants
themselves) and asbestos products. You will also find that you cannot
import "depraved and reactionary cultural products." Now we're
talking!

So, you ask yourself, "what cultural products are depraved and
reactionary?" Well, most likely pornography falls into the depraved
category. I would probably throw in Lady Gaga, British rom-coms,
tighty-whities and vegemite as well. What about reactionary? Photos
of Dubya, perhaps? Films with Mel Gibson? Sleep Number beds
(endorsed by Rush Limbaugh)? The Teletubbies? Well, definitely not
the last one; after all, there was allegedly a gay Teletubby. They
probably go into the depraved category. Facebook on the other hand?
Let's just say the Vietnamese government thinks Mussolini would have
had a lot of friends.

Whatever you or I think is depraved and reactionary doesn't matter,
however. Such decisions are subject to the whims of various customs
control officials. These types of subjective loopholes would usually
scare the bejeezus out of prudent business people. But business in
Vietnam is booming, and foreign investment is driving the growth. In
fact, there are foreign businesses moving operations into Vietnam from
China. Why you ask? Frankly, I'm not entirely sure, and hopefully it
is something I will more fully understand the longer I am here. What
is clear is that the government is actively courting foreign
investment, and foreign investors seems to take the government at its
(spoken) word. For the largest investment projects, the government
will go out of its way to ensure that foreign capital finds its way
into the country, written laws be damned.

But when it comes right down to it, decisions to invest in Vietnam are
based on thorough cost-benefit analyses. Is it a legal risk to invest
in Vietnam and open, say, a manufacturing plant? Sure. If the wrong
bureaucrat gets his hands on your investment certificate request, the
party is over, take your losses, and go home. But the benefits of
cheap workers, relaxed (or unenforced) labor laws, unbelievable tax
incentives and nonexistent regulatory enforcement are a potent and
winning mix for foreign investors.

So Vietnam will continue to boom, so long as it continues to offer
investors attractive incentives and despite the arbitrariness of some
(most?) of its legal enactments. At least all of the socialist
rhetoric makes legal research fun. And just imagine the memos to
clients:

Dear Dean Brand,

I regret to inform you that an official at the Ministry of Labour, War
Invalids, and Social Policy has determined that American law school
deans are generally considered "reactionary," contravening Article __
of Decree __ regulating visa issuance. Our law firm cannot,
therefore, assist you in obtaining a visa to Vietnam.

Have a great day.

Week 1 in Cambodia: Orientation + Adjustment

Getting off the plane in Phnom Penh, groggy but full of anticipation, the first thing to hit you is the heat. It's like stepping into a sauna. With all your clothes on. The sweat just starts trickling down your back. Thank God for air conditioning.

Tuk-tuks are pretty interesting. It's a motorcycle that pulls an open buggy that you sit in. The driving here is ridiculous -- tuk-tuks, cars, motorcycles, pedestrians all in the same place at the same time, honking left and right, passing within an inch of each other to maneuver, riding both lanes and cutting each other off... I'll never complain about SF traffic again! I give Jamal major props for having the guts to drive a "moto" (motorcycle) out here. I guess you get used to it though - the locals have their babies and even dogs driving with them on their motos.

The city itself is an eye-opener. There are beautiful and ornate buildings -- all with pictures of the Queen on them. There is a gorgeous river and some very fancy-looking hotels. Juxtaposed and adjacent to some of these are run-down structures with garbage on the curb. Yesterday there were a whole bunch of people gathered in the square by Independence Monument all learning some kind of dance. Chickens were also walking around on the street, just chilling and minding their own business.

Besides the culture-shock, it's been absolutely amazing learning about the Cambodia legal systems. It's just really different from everything we're used to in the U.S. And it's really hard to believe everything these people have been through: war, genocide, famine, political instability and national rebuilding of culture and infrastructure. The speakers have all been really great. They are so knowledgeable. The people here - especially the students we've met at RULE (Royal University of Law and Economics) - are so nice! I'm really excited to see a Cambodian court today.

Must get ready for breakfast before we tuk-tuk out to lecture! Food in Cambodia is so flavorful -- I am not going to lose any weight out here as planned.

Beach Party Vietnam - 1/2

Dear Dean Brand,

We're now back in Phnom Penh and beginning to work at our various NGO's. We're in our slacks and collared shirts; blouses and pencil skirts and uncomfortable shoes. We're hot and pretending not to be and find ourselves again using impressive language like "adverse", "organic law", "regime" and "what's on HBO?"

While we certainly aren't unhappy, it is inevitable that we look back on our short vacation with nostalgia and glee.

To wit, this video.

Paige "I heart PP" Fowler and I rented motos and toured around the Russian vacation spot Mui Ne in Vietnam. I taped my camera to the handle bars of my red and black Yamaha Nuovo RS-X which was WAY not as cool as than the black Nuovo RS-X bike Paige Fowler rented.

Anyway, here's a clip of highway driving down to one of the lesser beaches we found.

-DJC

Classes and Touring Cordoba Province (6/14 - 6/19)

It has been quite the busy and tiring week here in Cordoba. On Monday we met up with Professor Adler at our hostel in the morning. There we met our coordinator for the trip, Estela, who is an attorney in the province and incredibly nice. After some discussions about the upcoming classes and internships to follow in Buenos Aires we were joined by Mariana who would be showing us around the city and taking us on day trips out of the city when we were done with classes. She is exceptionally nice as well with a great sense of humor. After discussing our plans for the week, Estela showed us to where we would be doing our classes at the Universidad Catholica de Cordoba, a Jesuit University located in the center of the Jesuit block (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in the city. We took the opportunity to have an informal class session to discuss the differences between the common law system the United States uses and the civil law system used in Argentina.

On Tuesday we started the day with a tour of the Nueva Cordoba section of the city where we were staying. Mariana our guide showed us where all the nightlife was centered and was able to explain to us the unique nature of the bars in Cordoba. Essentially, no one goes out until 2am. They stay out at the bars and discos until 5am when the after-hours clubs open. It’s quite different from all the cities I’ve lived in where all the bars are required to close at 2am. We then checked out some of the amazing churches in the area. Most of them are of a baroque style and all of them, despite their age, seemed to have ornate and gilded details just dripping off of every surface. In many ways it reminded me of the cethedrals I had seen in Europe of a similar style. We then went to the Palacio Ferreyra which is somewhat comparable to the White House in that it is an entire city block in the middle of a busy downtown area with a huge mansion and lawns behind a tall iron fence. However, this French inspired stone mansion was a private residence until just a few years. The government had only recently purchased it from the family the built it and lived in it for generations and converted it into a museum to house part of the national art collection. The house itself was a work of art, blending the original elements with new and modern additions (e.g. a staircase covered in cow hides). The collection there was outstanding with a fantastic mix of South American artists from a variety of ages. One of the rooms dedicated to art reflecting the “Guerra Sucia” and the kidnappings and killings of the period was especially powerful and moving.

After lunch we regrouped at the university for a class where we discussed themes of constitutional law and distinctions between the judiciaries of the U.S. and Argentina. The class was taught in Spanish, and although we had Estela there to provide translation for us as needed, we surprised ourselves with how well we were able to understand and participate in Spanish. We barely even needed her to translate and would often chime in to supplement the information in Spanish. It was incredibly fascinating to learn that the Cordoba Province is the first and only in Argentina to implement a jury system to their judiciary. However, here the jury functions more as a single vote in addition to the votes of a panel of judges that hears criminal cases. When the class ended, an official from the university came to bestow on us gifts of UCC swag. He then generously brought us to the bookstore where he loaded us up with books about topics we had expressed interest in, as well as many books on Cordoba and its history that he simply would not let us leave without. So much for traveling light. That night we decided to splurge a little on fancy steak dinner, where the meal included some of the best empanadas I’ve ever had, steaks the size shape and weight of building bricks, and local malbecs to wash it all down.

On Wednesday we started the day at the university taking a class with a different professor regarding issues of international law which, while incredibly relevant to our internships, would not make for very enjoyable blog material. That afternoon after class our guide Mariana took us to the nearby town of Alta Gracia where we toured the local estancia. The estancias in Argentina were like estates/plantations that the Jesuits built to help support their universities and churches financially. The old architecture was beautiful and it was nice to get out of the city and explore a smaller town. Alta Gracia was also where Che Guevara grew up and we were able to tour his childhood home. That night the power in the city went out and we prayed for the sake of public safety that it would be restored by the time Argentina’s World Cup match started the next day.

On Thursday around 8:30am we awoke to the sounds of fireworks, car horns beeping, cheering, and cheap plastic horns blowing. We immediately knew that Argentina must have scored in their match against South Korea and hastily dressed and joined the rest of the hostel watching the game downstairs. Looking outside the streets were completely deserted. However, whenever Argentina scored a goal (4 in total this game) the streets would erupt as people would run outside to cheer, chant, set of fireworks, and blow horns. Then as quickly as everyone had appeared they would disappear back inside once play resumed. Mariana arrived as soon as the game ended and took us out. We all got some Argentina flair to wear and fought out way through the celebrations in the street into the Jesuit block. She showed us around the churches and other universities in the block. The churches there we equally as ornate and beautiful as the others we had seen in the city, but all unique in their own ways. We then toured a building that was formerly a detention center for those that were arrested during the “Guerra Sucia.” It was a very moving experience and a well put together museum now, that included scrapbooks made by the family members of the desaparecidos. Right from the museum we went to a class that focused on the human rights issues relevant to the time and helped explain some of the things we had seen and left us wanting to learn even more about it.

Today (Friday) we took a long bus ride out of the city into the hills where we toured small towns started by German immigrants. The bus ride out led us up winding switchback roads through the foothills in fog as dense as any I've experienced in San Francisco. The combination of the winding roads and not being able to see more than an inch or two outside the windows was a perfect recipe for car-sickness for some of us, but fortunately there were no casualties. It was great to get out of the city and do some hiking. It was odd being in towns that had almost all alpine style architecture and German themes everywhere. If many of the signs weren’t in Spanish it would be very easy to forget altogether that we were in South America, not Germany or Bavaria. Even the place where we stopped for lunch specialized in German food. It was a long and tiring day but just what we needed before heading into the bustling city of Buenos Aires for a month.