The reasons that Zuzana Plevova wanted to come to the United States are very simple. “I’m from Europe, Slovakia. It’s a small Middle Eastern country and the reason why I came to America is I wanted to get to know a new culture, surely I wanted to improve my English and I wanted to see the world,” she says. “So I am attending school in San Diego, California and I am studying law. My major is Comparative Law and after getting my regular J. D., my Juris Doctor degree I am doing my masters degree here.”
Zuzana is attending college at California Western School of Law. Studying law is not new for her. Zuzana received her Magister of Law degree in June 2005 from Comenius University in Slovakia. There she focused on International Law, European Law, Human Rights Law, Comparative Law, as well as Civil Law. Now, along with her studies, Zuzana is working on a human rights project. “I enjoy the university very much. I enjoy the campus. It is a small society and we know each other. The students and the professors, we got to know each other very well and it is great to see those people everyday,” she says.
“I like the academic level of this university, I study a lot and one of my most recent activity is a research project on human rights law that I am doing for my human rights law professor and the contents of it is going through the history and I am looking for whatever human rights events or documents there was in the history, I am writing a time line.”
The law program will also give Zuzana an opportunity to work in the United States. “Right now I am looking for a job because with this program I get the option to apply for a working permit and its so-called optional training program that I can pursue and I would be very happy if I find a good job and I would like to stay here and experience even more.
There are a few activites Zuzana says she enjoys participating in since being in California. “Well, California by itself it’s a very active state I think. Everybody goes out since the weather is so nice here you can spend the time doing Sports and walking on the beach. I really prefer Sports. I got into Yoga here that is something that isn’t promoted in Europe as it is in the United States.”
However, Zuzana says being here in the United States is challenging. “I think America is a lot of work. It is hard to come here to find your place. To find your friends. To do a good job. It’s very challenging, but achieving it and managing it …it give you a great feeling,” she says. “You can be happy about managing it.”
Next month, Zuzana will be finished with her studies at the law school. Zuzana says getting an education in the United States will make all the difference for her if and when she returns back home. “Receiving an education in the United States is very unique for every European who comes here. It is very important for us to get the option to work in the United States and
Secondly it improves your level in English and the third reason why it is very important it kind of gives you a better name in Europe once you come with legal American degree,” she says. “So it might help me in my future jobs. It helped me to improve myself, to advance myself and it gave me the unique options to get to know the American culture.”