Postcards Home

From Our Travelling Students

Postcards from our travelling students telling fantastic tales of far off places . . .

by Tariq Ahmed, 2008-2009 Articling Student

I'm a little behind with my postcards. Tanger has come and gone for me. I'm about to leave Tetonan and head south to Chefchaouen. Hopefully I'll get a chance to trek up one of the mountains there. While having coffee a few minutes ago, I was lucky enough to speak with a police officer here about, among other things, the law here. So far travels have been great. Hope your summers are going well and look forward to seeing you in the Fall.

by Bridget Gilbride, 2009-2010 Articling Student

The postcard is a little on the old side, but it is one of the few I could find picturing the campus of UCT (University of Cape Town). The building pictured here is right beside the law building! I'm not sure I've seen a prettier campus! The term here is over and I will be coming home to Vancouver soon. Hopefully I'll see you soon. Say hello to my fellow students.

by Allison Blackler, 2007-2008 Articling Student

In Paris, we: climbed the Eiffel Tower (all 700 steps up then down!); went to Napoleon's tomb (and saw his waistcoat - so exciting!); the Musee D'Orsey (where I almost got my pocket picked!); the Louvre (where I stood in awe of the Mona Lisa, not because it is extraordinarily beautiful, but because it has meant so much, to so many people, for so long - I guess just taken by the history of that piece ... much like when I stood before the Venus de Milo); the Catacombs (a huge accomplishment for me!); went for dinner and the show at the Moulin Rouge (oooh la la!); and lots more. My favourite in Paris had to be the Rodin Museum. His sculptures are phenomenal. I was completely mesmerized. In Nice, we enjoyed the amazing weather; walking through old Nice; along the beach; in Monaco and Monte Carlo and this wonderful little town called Eze. I swam in the Mediterranean and got incredibly sunburnt. In Avignon, we had a car and toured all over the area and saw amazing Roman artefacts, wineries, the Pont d'Avignon. In the Alps, we visited my best friend's cousin in this tiny little village called Sixt-fer-de-cheval. We went hiking and took in the amazing views. Her cousin lives in a 17th century farmhouse with her 5 boys. What a wonderful life she's found - having left the busy life in London to seek a more rural setting in which to raise her boys. It was a wonderful trip. The pictures are: climbing up the stairs in Montmartre; and in the Alps. So, that's my brief summary (whew!). It was wonderful ...

by Nicola Sutton, 2007-2008 Articling Student

We have just returned from a 17 day tour of Israel. It was an incredible journey into Jewish culture, history and tradition and offered a really unique opportunity to stand in the present and look back upon the past.

Our first stop was Jerusalem, where we stayed at the historic and most impressive King David Hotel. From there we toured the Old City including the Western Wall, the restored Jewish Quarter and the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We participated in an archaeological dig and visited the IDF base at Latrun, headquarters of the Israel Armoured Tank Corps. We planted a tree at the JNF forest in Modi'in. We visited the Knesset and viewed the Chagal windows at the Hadassah Hospital. We also toured the Israel Museum, home to the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Center, a very moving tribute. After 6 nights in Jerusalem, we headed South through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, some 400 meters below sea level. We took the cable car to Massada to view King Herod's palace, the last stronghold of the Jewish zealots agains the Romans, and participated in the B'Nei Mitzvah of several children on the tour.

From the Dead Sea, we headed North to Kibbutz Hagoshrim from where we had dinner in Tiberias and kayaked along the Jordan River. Our final days were spent in Tel Aviv, passing through Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the Holy Land, and Haifa, beautiful port city and home to the Bahai Temple and exotic gardens. In Tel Aviv, we visited the Hall of Independence, the Palmach Museum and the ancient port of Jaffa with its winding paths of artists' quarters and breathtaking panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea.

This experience was truly awe inspiring and certainly the most memorable trip of my lifetime. I look forward to the opportunity to return.

by Danielle Westgeest, 2007-2008 Articling Student

Australia has been great so far - I highly recommend it if any of the other summer students are planning on doing an exchange! It's funny, because other than the sun, it's a lot like Canada (especially coming from Asia!) See you in the Fall!