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Greetings,
I write to you with an update of my time in London here right as dissertation season begins in earnest. Our false Spring has ended, and the cold grey skies bring the constant threat of rain. But such is life in London!
My studies are going very well. This term, I am taking Applied Peace and Justice, Philosophical Foundations of International Law, and my core module that focuses on helping us produce our dissertation. I am taking part in a War Crimes Research group as part of my Peace and Justice Course. Within that, I am researching post-conflict reparations and reconstructions efforts. We recently heard from the Human Security Chief Mehrnaz Mostafavi on the work her organization is doing, and strategies that can be employed to help address the issues of human securities in conflict prevention measures.
Outside of courses, I have been quite busy as well! I joined Rotaract Westminster as a full member and have regularly been attending their meetings. Last week, I spoke to the club about my studies and time in South Dakota, focusing on my concepts of home and belonging and how that influenced my desire to study migration policies. In addition, I spoke on the Rotary Scholarship that made my studying here in London possible. Another Rotary Scholar (and good friend of mine) from Tennessee spoke alongside me, giving her own story, study focus, and experiences with the same scholarship.
Food remains the most accessible source of adventure. Along with a friend, we try to see at least one museum, play, musical concert, speaker, or art show a week. We have visited the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, seen Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, and eaten probably a few too many Full English Breakfasts, among many other things.
I'll keep in touch more as the Spring carries on in to Summer.
Thank you very much for your support, and I hope all is going on well back home in South Dakota.
Cheers,
DJ Fravel