Assignment 5: European Union Policy

Before starting with the minor European Union Policies, I was part of a group called the euro-sceptics. Just like many Dutch citizens, European Union was just a nosy union to me with a lack of democracy. I was being judgemental while I practically didn’t know anything about the EU. Politics, law and policies, which were one of the main elements of the minor, didn’t really make my heart pump faster either. You might wonder why I chose this minor after all. I blame my curiosity for choosing the ‘ unknown’, because that was the European Union to me back then. I can say now that I’ve learned more than I ever expected to learn. But let’s get back to the beginning.

The minor was divided into 16 weeks in which every week a certain topic was handled. The minor was well-structured and clear: every Monday we had a tutor group meeting whereby we discussed a task by answering the learning goals (which were formulated in the previous tutor group meeting) and formulated learning goals for the upcoming task. The content of the tasks were relevant to the subject that was dealt with in that week. After each tutor group we had a background lecture, where the lecturer gave us background information about the subject handled in that week, and an evaluation lecture where the subject was discussed more extensively. Next to lectures, training sessions were held to make sure that we understood the discussed subject. Finally, we had to make five projects giving us the opportunity to show our understanding of the subjects.

The minor also consisted of a skills line involving ethics, negotiating and debating. We didn’t really put the things we learned during the skills sessions in practice, with exemption of debating, but I do believe that we learned the essentials of negotiating, ethics and debating. In the negotiating sessions for example, we didn’t spend much time on practising our negotiating skills but we did receive some very important tips and do’s and don’ts.

In week 8 the lecturers organized a study trip to visit the European Institutions, which was subsidized for a great part by the European Union. This gave us a unique opportunity to see in real-life how lobbyists operate, what the Comite of the Regions actually does, how a case is dealt with by the European Court of Human Rights, how European parliamentarians debate on a certain issue, and finally what the role and activities are of the European Investment Bank. The four-days study trip was educative and inspiring and I am glad to say that I am one of the lucky students who had a chance to visit the European Institutions.

As I said earlier the minor was quite well-structured, especially in the beginning. However, I believe that certain things such as the debating, should have been done in the beginning of the minor rather than in the last weeks. This could have saved us some time and stress, since we still have to hand in a project, write an individual paper, work on our Individual English Programme and prepare for our oral exam. Nevertheless, following this minor made me realize the importance of the European Union in our daily lives. I’ve learned how complex but at the same time transparent the EU is. This minor definitely changed my point of view regarding the European Union and I must confess that it made me go over to the group of proponents of Europe.

I would recommend this minor to any student, whether you are interested in the European Union or not, because you learn what happens ‘ behind the scenes’. The minor deals with various subjects, from policies to mergers and acquisitions, making it practically impossible for you to fall asleep during classes. I would recommend you, though, to keep pace with the classes and the theory due to the fact that time really flies and before you know it you have to prepare for your exams.

Assignment 4: What about us?

The credit crisis.. some may be fed up of hearing it by now as it has been in the news constantly for the past two years. However, it is important that we all understand the cause and the consequences for the world. The Netherlands is now starting to notice the effects of the credit crisis. It is still easy for us as Dutchmen to say that the crisis hasn’t been that severe in our country. Many employees have been discharged from their jobs , but were able to get an income in the form of a social security. People in e.g. Africa don’t have this option. The world economy is having a slight recovery, but we will deal with the consequences of the crisis for at least the coming two years.

As some students already discussed the cause and background of the credit crisis, and I don’t want to bother you with similar information, I will discuss the credit crisis from another angle. This by starting off with a reference to Olga’s credit crisis blog in which she talks about the greed of people.

The goal in life of having more money is overruled in the Western world, especially in the United States where all the drama started. The media has greatly covered the consequences of the crisis for the US and Europe. But what about the effects of the crisis in Third World countries?

Developing countries have mostly been overlooked by the media and the rest of the world, while the crisis hurts these countries the most. The EU and the United States are more interested in saving their own economies with the help of state aid rather than helping out the poor countries. Decisions must be taken on where money must be spent and unfortunately development aid doesn’t seem to be on the priority list. Furthermore, inflation and unstable exchange rates have resulted in an increase in (food) prices in the developing countries. This is very concerning since 80% of the world population earns less than $10 per day. Families have to cut their expenses in order to survive. Money is mainly spent on food and sending their children to school isn’t possible anymore simply because they can’t afford it.

Speaking of the increase in the prices, Europe seems to be suffering from it as well. Almost two-third of the EU Member States, especially Spain and Italy, have a food problem due to the crisis. National governments are trying to help those who can’t foresee in their primary needs by distributing food and clothes. This is not enough though.

It’s time for the US and Europe to stop being greedy and realize that the credit crisis is a worldwide problem and national governments must handle it all together. State aid can be a solution but it is only short-term. Money should be spent more effectively and efficiently providing a long-term solution. Maybe then we will be able to combat the crisis in the Western countries and in the Third World countries.

Assignment 3: Armenia and Turkey’s landmark deal, a step closer to peace?

10 October 2009 was a historical day for Armenia and Turkey. Both countries met in Zürich together with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. Swiss diplomats have been leading the negotiations for the past two years and were also present. The purpose and end-result of the meeting was signing a protocol to restore diplomatic ties and reopen their borders. Armenia and Turkey have been living in hostility for decades since, as the Armenian Diaspora call it, the “Armenian Genocide” in 1915 where hundreds of thousands Armenians died. There has been many discussions on the amount of deaths on both sides. However, it cannot be denied that both countries suffered from the war.

The meeting didn’t go as planned. The two countries couldn’t agree on two important issues, bringing along a 3 hours delay. The first issue was brought up by Armenia regarding the ”Armenian Genocide” committed in 1915 by the Ottoman empire. Turkey doesn’t deny that Armenians got killed in this period, but clarifies that the killings were part of the fighting of the first World War.[1] The second issue is relatively recent . It concerns the war between Armenia and Azerdbedjan over the, mainly populated by Armenians, region Nagorno Karabakh. Since that war occurred in 1993 Turkey closed its border with Armenian. As a result Armenia suffered a deep recession.

There still hasn’t been an agreement made by both parties regarding these two issues. Adjacent to this many Armenians worldwide disagree with the signing of the protocol as they want Turkey to acknowledge the “Armenian Genocide”.
Nevertheless, the signing of the protocol has definitely brought the two countries closer to each other. After the meeting, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited the Armenian Prime Minister Serzj Sarkisian to Turkey for the World Cup qualification match on the 14th of October between Turkey and Armenia. This would have been the first time in years that an Armenian Minister would be visiting Turkey.

The article was well-presented and well-structured. It started with the actual news but it also gave some background information to the readers who don’t know much about the Armenian and Turkish history. The reason why I chose this article is because I’m Armenian myself and I’m interested in the history of Armenia.
I personally think that signing of the accord is a great step forward in normalizing the relations between Armenia and Turkey. I have heard a lot of stories from my family about the ”Armenian Genocide”. Concluding from these stories and articles related to this matter, I would say that a genocide did take place in 1915. Still I can’t really give my opinion neither discuss it as I don’t have enough knowledge concerning this matter. We must certainly not forget what happened in 1915, but perhaps it’s time to give it a place in the history of Armenia and Turkey and start working on peace and collaboration for the sake of the future generations. I’m afraid though that this is only possible if Turkey agrees with Armenia on the Armenian issue and if Armenia withdraws from Nagorno-Karabakh. For this to happen would take many years, although the countries are moving in the right direction.

I would like to refer to the following link for the discussed article: http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2009/10/armenia-and-turkey-sign-landmark-deal/66112.aspx .

[1] Ghattas, Kim. “Armenia and Turkey normalise ties.“ 10 October 2009. BBC News. 18 October 2009 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8299712.stm>.

Assignment 2: La vita è bella!

Just 230 km away from Rome there is a small town situated in the middle of the Gulf of Follonica. Follonica is a typical Italian town, enriched by the Roman history and known for its beautiful forests and long beaches. The weather is very pleasant , especially in the summer. It is mainly visited by the Italians themselves, mostly families with children; You will hardly find tourists from abroad. Although Follonica isn’t really a student city like Breda, you can definitely have a great time there as a student.

If going to Follonica I recommend you to start the morning by having breakfast at one of the many Italian bakeries, which offer delicious pastries and (very strong) coffee in mini- coffee cups . Afterwards you can do plenty of activities to explore the town such as cycling or hiking through the landscapes, visiting the Archaeological Museum of Follonica, or just go for a walk through the city centre.

Late in the afternoon, when the sun isn’t too bright, is the best time to go to the beach. You can hire sun beds and tan until you get that golden skin or walk on the white sandy beach and take a dive in the clear sea. The beach is also the perfect place to test your negotiation skills as you will find many Senegalese immigrants selling fake ‘brand’ products such as Louis Vuitton bags and Gucci clothes. If you are a good negotiator and paid attention well during Mr. van Manen’s classes, you will end up buying Prada bags for no more than 15 euro’s, to name an example. Unlike the Italians, the Senegalese sellers are very kind and cheerful, especially if you drop into talk with them. It is said that Italians are very hospitable and kind towards outsiders. However, I have noticed the opposite during my stay in Follonica this summer. Perhaps it depends on to which region you go to.. Furthermore you can buy fresh coco nuts and have a drink at one of the beach bars.

In the meanwhile it should be the time to have dinner. It is common in the Netherlands to have dinner around 5 or 6 o’ clock. In Italy however, people dine from 7 o’clock until late in the evening. Practically everyone in Follonica dines out-of-doors as it is cheap and sociable. There is a great offer of restaurants and pizzerias which provide local dishes and homemade pizza’s. I’ve been to some good restaurants in Follonica, but unfortunately I’ve forgotten their names. However, holiday-apartment-tuscany.net selected some great restaurants which could be interesting in case you would want to visit Follonica. To name a few: Ristorante “Il Tirreno”, Ristorante “Da Maurizio”, Pizzeria “Scalo del Granduca” and Pizzeria “Vesuvio”.

Italy is also praised for its irresistible ice cream, which I can totally agree on. You can find uncountable “Gelaterina’s” (ice cream shops) in Follonica. In order to find out which ones are the best, I advise you to go to the ones with the longest lines of customers.

You might want to dance off those calories you engulfed earlier that day. “Tartana” would have to be 'the place to be' to do this and, of course, to show off your best dance moves.

Assignment 1: Blood In Blood Out- Film Review

I came across this movie a couple of months ago when I was looking for a Benjamin Bratt- movie. Initially I expected it to be a typical street gang movie with bad actors and long-lasting gun fights. Surprisingly, the 3 hours-lasting film managed to fascinate me until the final word.

Blood In Blood Out is a touching crime film that tells the story of two half-brothers, Paco and Cruz, and a cousin, Miklo, in the seventy's. The film is directed by Taylor Hackford in 1993. Miklo, who is being biased for his white background and appearance, desperately wants to be a part of the East Los Angeles street gang "Vatos Loco's", where Paco and Cruz are members of. They are constantly in fight with their rival "Tres Puntos". When Cruz gets paralyzes after an attack from Tres Puntos, Paco and his gang take revenge whereby a Tres Puntos member gets killed. Miklo has to go to jail, Cruz becomes a drug addict and Paco joins the Marine. Despite their separation, the three brothers do not forget their brotherhood.

What I loved about this movie is that it is a realistic story, based on real-life experiences, showing how young male Latinos lived in the ghetto’s of Los Angeles. An adding value to this is that a great part of the movie is actually filmed in San Quentin State Prison with real prisoners. Damian Chapa, Jesse Borrego and Benjamin Bratt have translated their characters very well towards the public, although critics complained about their acting skills. I personally believe that Blood in Blood Out is one of the greatest movies. I have watched the film for several times now, but I still haven’t got bored from it. I can definitely recommend this film if you are looking for a catching and moving drama film.