Final Thoughts - by Francisco Luzania

 It is not very often that student like myself and the other students that went on this trip can say that they would find themselves studying law on a beach. Nor could anyone have guessed that we would have spent the first few weeks of the year in the heat of summer in the South Pacific. The law is filled with so many paradoxes and confusions, but spending winter break in the height of summer weather ranks pretty high on the list. But, that is exactly what six other law students and I did. We traveled halfway across the world, and across nearly the entirety of the Pacific Ocean, when we went on this adventure to Vanuatu with Professor Buske. When an individual goes on this type of journey, they always see something different. I know I did. Some of saw the vibrancy of a market. Another one saw the beauty and history behind something as simple as a dress. One saw the police system and how it works to protect the vulnerable. All of us saw how a bit of paint and some fresh rope can elevate a child’s educational experience. And our professor once again saw young attorneys taking the chance to widen their global perspective into something more than just a courtroom. For me, I saw something so familiar and yet something so different.

Last summer, I travelled with a different group of WUCL students to Tanzania. There we saw, learned, and immersed ourselves in many similar aspects of international rights. That experience filled me and educated me in so many ways. I came to truly love Tanzania. I came to Vanuatu with that experience building the foundations of my expectations for Vanuatu. And well, I was nothing short of awed once again. In so many ways the Vanuatu program was different from my home and different than my program in Tanzania. But in so many beautiful ways, things were exactly the same. From a government trying to develop a country that can best serve its citizens, albeit with glaring deficiencies. To the light in a child’s eye when you came from so far away just to help make a small part of their school better. You saw how the international community fails the people it strives to help the most, as much as you see people from all over the world reaping the recreational benefits of this small island nation. It was kind of an odd thing, for a country that hosts the University of South Pacific’s law school, the justice system is severely lacking in how it serves women and kids. That is what makes a visit to Vanuatu so valuable for law students like us to travel and study abroad. Even when your primary focus is to practice international law, we often forget outside of international bodies, foreign and domestic courtrooms, and law school classrooms, there are real people out there that need to be served. Need to be represented. Need someone.

The nature of law school, for students like us, is that the only answer (hopefully) about our future is that we want to be lawyers. But on a good day, if you ask any of us what type of law we would want to practice, we would list no less than five different practice areas.  And yet, here were us seven far from home seeing what international children’s rights law could mean for us and our education.  And, while it is far from known whether any of us will be on the frontlines canvassing the globe to work in international law, what is known is that everyone of my classmates gave every bit they had to share parts of themselves with the people of Vanuatu.  Elise was relied upon to ask tough questions of the legal systems and curriculum, challenging what is known to make what could be better.  Emily acted with such kindness that any person she interacted with knew that they had the pleasure of meeting someone with such empathy that they could undoubtedly trust her to represent them.  Andrew was the epitome of integrating oneself with locals, bringing immeasurable joy to all he met, a trait that will undoubtedly serve him well with his network of clients.  Jana made such strong connections with our hosts that she become more family than visitor.  Sarah lifted everyone she met and traveled with --  making me and my classmates feel light, even when the experience got tough.  Connor fearlessly went out of his comfort zone -- even after a long day of service, he still gave more, playing soccer with a dozen kids, making them enjoy life like kids should. None of those things are what are considered traditional law school skills. But every single person developed skills that will make them incredible attorneys. These are the types of people you wouldn’t just want to travel with or argue a case alongside. These are the types of people who care enough to make real change in the world.

The journey of law students from Willamette College of Law to Vanuatu is a tangible step towards understanding and advocating for international children's rights on a global scale. This initiative underscored the vital importance of immersive, real-world learning experiences that extended far beyond the confines of traditional classroom settings.  By engaging directly with the complexities and nuances of children's rights in different cultural and legal frameworks, students gained invaluable perspectives that could shape their approach to law and justice in a deeply interconnected world. Participating study abroad programs in law schools was not just about enriching academic knowledge; it was about fostering empathy, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to global stewardship among the next generation of legal professionals. These experiences empowered students to become advocates for change, equipped with a broader understanding of the diverse challenges facing children worldwide.  As such, the school and its students should continue to champion and participate in study abroad opportunities, recognizing them as essential to the development of well-rounded, globally minded lawyers who are prepared to make meaningful contributions to international human rights.