Jaclyn Courtney
West Virginia University College of Law, 3L
Monday, August 11, 2008

First Day of Classes at FGV

Our trip has passed by so fast. I can’t believe we are in Rio already. It feels like just yesterday I was being rocked to sleep in my hammock. It was sad to leave our host families in Vila Velha. In five days they became family. Most of the law school students from WVU are already planning on a spring break trip to visit our favorite Brazilians.

Today we arrived at the FGV law school (Fundação Getulio Vargas, Direito Rio) for a day of presentations. The professors at FGV took us out to lunch at a wonderful restaurant. It was the first time in weeks we got to eat green vegetables instead of the normal bread and meat. It was delicious.

FGV Law Professor Bruno Magrani received a certificate of appreciation and gift from WVU Law student Brittany Ranson

After lunch our lectures began. The Brazilian professor, Bruno Magrani, talked about copyright law and legal issues surrounding derivative works. Professor Taylor then discussed two important cases regarding the First Amendment and the Establishment Clause. Van Ordern v. Perry, addressed a public display of a monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the Texas state capitol. McCreary County, Kentucky, et al. v. American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky addressed a public display of the Commandments in a Kentucky court.

After classes we headed home for a free evening in Rio. We sat around eating amazing Brazilian cuisine and reminiscing about our amazing days in Brazil. There is so much passion in Brazil. The food, the culture, the people. I don’t ever want to leave.