Studying Abroad
Had the trip been for a biology or anthropology class, these topics would have been perfect. However, the goal of the trip was a comparative study of Brazilian law with an emphasis on sus- tainable development. Each evening, the class convened on the boat for a seminar that per- tained to topics relating to what we learned that day. It was here that I first saw the pieces of the trip come together. Aside from the entertaining implications of implanting a class of wilderness survival inept law students in the Amazon, I was exposed to a level or analysis and observation totally beyond that of my undergraduate study abroad experiences.
I have found that law students love to look for problems. I am still figuring out whether I think this is a positive or negative attribute. Regardless, it lends itself to thought-provoking discussions. Moreover, these discussions are a great way to transition into a comparative legal analysis.
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One of the more interesting discussions, in my opinion, was about land ownership in the Ama- zon. The first village that we visited was just upstream from Manaus, the largest city in Ama- zonas. The villagers’ land had only recently been acquired from private owners through a Brazilian equivalent of adverse procession. After talking with them, we gathered that they had something closer to a right of occupancy rather than actual title. We learned that it is commonplace for land- less peasants to occupy an unproductive swath of private land – much like the villagers we met.
Under Brazilian law, these people have the right to acquire title to these lands if they are putting the land to a better social function. The concept of preemption, or the taking of public land by effective use, is also very common in the Ama- zon. However, there are a variety of social poli- cies at play that make it very difficult to acquire title. We went on to learn that title disputes are a major problem in the region – both for violence caused by land disputes and the environmentally
degrading effects caused by the implications to land use. While I am very interested in property law, I found the doctrinal approach to my first- year property course to be moderately lacklus- ter. However, I was truly interested by the Brazil- ian system of acquiring title in the Amazon. The effects of this legal system were all around me. Situations like this, in my opinion, give legal is- sues an interesting appeal that no course book could provide.
Throughout the trip, we continued to apply our knowledge of legal analysis to issues we saw. Looking at foreign policy approaches to fixing these problems and comparing them to the American system is invaluable in my opinion. It promotes open-minded that can be used both abroad and domestically.
Making Connections
Another one of my favorite parts of my time in Brazil was the face-to-face interaction with Bra- zilians. While traveling down the Rio Negro, we essentially spent the entire time with our guide and his family. Some of the most interesting les- sons I learned, in fact, were from dinner discus- sions about politics and social policies.
The majority of my interactions, however, were with other students and professors at Universi- dade Vila Vehla (UVV). The university provided each student in my class with a Brazilian host. Of all my studies abroad, I have never had a bad host family experience. Being invited into some- one’s home is the quickest and easiest method I know to foster cultural understanding. Most of the host students were law students as well, which provided great insight into the Brazilian legal system and the legal education process.
Of the students on my trip, very few had an ex- pressed interest in working in Brazil in the fu- ture. However, over half of the group left with intentions of returning – myself included. Having
ILSA Quarterly » volume 22 » issue 2 » December 2013
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