It's been a comparatively late start to the fellowship here in Bangalore and my first blog will undoubtedly read more like a travel blog and less like academic discourse. Today, our first day "on the job" has been one of administrative items and settling into the Center's office spaces. Which, as a point of interest, is designed dramatically differently from the other research spaces here on campus. The Center for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy was designed by a local artist using leftover wooden crates and other natural wooden materials to create cubicles made entirely of wood (and smelling of wood). While it reminds me of Canada's Haida art, and smells quite good, a student on campus thought it a travesty of design! Goes to show, different opinions make the world go 'round.

The National Law School is situated on the periphery of the city of Bangalore (or Bengaluru) in the state of Karnataka in southern India. It is a law school that appears to be split 50/50 between male and female students and the competition for top marks at the school is said to be quite immense. Since India has a much, much greater demand for seats at such universities, versus available supply, Emma, Charlie and I are now living and working amongst the best and the brightest students from all over India.

From what I can gather, all of the students live on campus in dormitories, girls separated from the boys. This law degree is a joint undergraduate and law degree and is comprised of five years of study, three semesters each year of three months each. Each semester is comprised of four classes. Each class appears to share the same grading structure, 5% for attendance, 35% for a paper/presentation project and 65% for a final exam in each subject matter.

Unlike Osgoode, whereby first year is a mandatory curriculum, here at the National Law School, years one through four are mandatory curriculum and only in year five do the students choose their own courses. Along with set class selections, the students are required to do field work (think, OPIR) hours from years two through five. There is an awful lot of hard work over undertaken over the five year program.

Upon graduation, the corporate law jobs are the most coveted. These jobs are, however, difficult to come by. The top corporate firm pays 1 lakh per month (100,000Rs = approximately $2,500CDN). It's difficult to put that figure into perspective here in India without providing some costs of living but that sort of insight, I must save for a later date as I am unaware of rental costs, transportation, food etc.,

First year students at the law school come at the age of 18 (for the most part). One cannot be admitted past the age of 21 unless you are a foreign student in which case the cut off for admissions is 25. Clearly there is no such thing as a mature student category.

Over the past two days I have had some interesting discussions with several of the young women who have come from various regions across India to attend school here. Most are homesick. The diversity of students across ethnic backgrounds is really interesting, there is much, much less diversity across economic backgrounds. Unquestionably, law students come from predominantly well-off families in India. This stands in some contrast to engineers and even doctors as these professional designations are in part, or in whole, funded by the Indian government. As such, no matter your economic situation, you are admitted based on grades, grades, grades. I believe the best schools are in a position to accept only those students with 98% in all secondary school classes.

I have not officially started my particular research project on diversity and equality legislation. Today I did meet my direct supervisor and am expecting to be directed further this afternoon. Each of us here is working for a different professor so each project will unfold accordingly.

The primary language on this campus is English. All classes are taught in English and all business and socializing is conducted in English.

The aesthetic of the campus evokes memories of Osgoode - for it's absolute lack of imagination and style! As with Osgoode, the buildings are square, and two toned. The residences are as aesthetically pleasing as Assiniboine. What saves this campus from being rather boring is the foilage. The trees, plants, and ground cover are positively tropical in style and colour. I was unprepared to feel as though I was in Hawaii. Having spent some time in the mountain region of India and also in Delhi, I didn't expect the humidity, mild weather, and dark and light and bright greens and colours that exist here in Bangalore. It's dramatically different from the other (albeit few) places I have been fortunate enough to see in the three weeks prior to arriving on campus.

Of course, what tropical experience is complete without tropical bugs?! Emma and I have been sharing a room not only together but with some hard shelled, antennae tweaking, big friendly cockroaches. We wage mini battles daily to kill the one or two critters that enter the bathroom. As of this morning, we've discovered their entrance point and have stuffed it with s.o.s steel wool to prevent re-entry. I've taken to dramatic measures and have included moth balls in the arsenal. But, beyond this one cringe worthy item in the living space, the time on campus has been great so far and I expect it to continue being great. It's such an informative place to be. Simply to have conversations with the students here about their politics, the school's teaching methodologies, the quality of education and job prospects is very enlightening.

As mentioned, prior to arriving on campus, each of us did some independent travel. After visiting with our fellow students in Delhi for a few days, I headed north to a town called Chandigarh that is the supposed equivalent of London, Ontario in terms of per capita income. It's claimed to be the wealthiest per person city in all of India. It certainly may have more parks, wider streets, and bigger houses (think Florida) but it is devoid of true personality and lacks any sort of soul (think Florida). My reason for visiting was to spend time with an old friend who has lived and worked in Chandigarh for four years. She has a fancy title whereby she works both for the BC Government and also the University of the Fraser Valley doing international student recruitment for UFV's Chandigarh campus.

Following a stint in suburban India, it was time for a mountain getaway to Dharamsala and Upper Bhagsu, summer home to the Dalai Lama. For an extra special undertaking, I attended the Dalai Lama's 74th birthday party at the temple in McLeod Ganj. While the Dalai Lama himself was not in attendance, some dignitaries were including the Dalai Lama's second-in-charge. The second most holy of buddhists. The mountain region is extremely Tibetan, rather than Indian. It is a very popular location for Indian tourists in addition to foreigners.

Always curious about education all around the world, I've attached a picture of Tibetan school kids from Upper Bhagsu in the Dharamsala region in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Maybe one or more of these kids will make their way to the National Law School in Bangalore!