US Law Students Have Meaningful Visit to Vanuatu

A group of five law students from the United States recently spent a week in Port Vila as part of their studies. Richard Moses, Amanda Whittle, Shannon Lockamy, Eleni van Roden and Shytise Bowser are currently in their second or third year of studies at the Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte, North Carolina. They visited from 22-29 March.

Part of the visit was instructional. All five students are enrolled in a class on comparative law, with a focus on children’s rights. They learned about how the rights of children are addressed in the laws of Vanuatu and other countries of the Pacific and attended classes at the USP Emalus Campus. They met with officials of local non-governmental organizations, visited the prison and the hospital and visited the court house. The students also participated in service projects, spending a day at Erakor Primary School, bringing school supplies and soccer balls for the children and painting classrooms.  They also provided school supplies, soccer balls and volleyball equipment to the Survival School, and unpacked and set up a resource centre at Live and Learn. They also brought with them donations of medical supplies for the hospital.

They also took time to enjoy themselves, spending a day on a sailboat, as well as visiting the Blue Lagoon and taking a tour of Efate.

The American students enjoyed their visit and the opportunity to meet the people of Vanuatu, whom they described as incredibly kind and welcoming. The praised the country’s beauty and were grateful for such a humbling and exciting visit.

“It’s always gratifying to welcome US students to my new home and introduce them to their Pacific island country counterparts,” said Sheri Buske, a lecturer in law at the USP  Emalus Campus who organized the visit. “I’m always happy to see students connect cross-culturally and am proud of the work they did in community.  I’m grateful to the Charlotte School of Law and USP for supporting this program.”

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