The Getz Files

Now is a most exciting time for me. Once again, I am about to embark on a new adventure. With law school, law firm, Internet ups and downs all behind me, I head out on Friday for The Hague, Den Haag, seat of Holland's government but NOT its capital. Home of not only the longest beach in Holland and the world's largest indoor painting, but also the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the last of which will soon be my employer, if you can honestly call an organization that doesn't pay you an employer.

For 6 months, I will be a law clerk, working for the judges of the court. For most of that time, I will be working on the trial of Slobodan Milosevic. I feel that I will be taking part in something historic, even if the trial doesn't finish while I'm there (which it won't).

But it won't all be fun and games. The Hague is located inconveniently close to Amsterdam, Paris, London, Brussels, and it is unfortunately easy to fly just about anywhere in Europe for 60 euros (plus another 60 euros tax). So I may be forced to visit these various dens of iniquity.

This blog will thus, for the next 6 months, be devoted to life in The Hague, as much about the judging process as I can discuss while sticking true to the values of confidentiality and impartiality, and my travels in Europe and further afield. There may also be odd musings on other things that strike my interest.

Next update: culture clash - spending all night in the museums of Amsterdam.