by Ana Raquel Torres Menezes
I arrived in Macedonia last September. Since then, the weather has been generous, with very few rainy days that only happened this past week. North Macedonia is a lovely place, with very friendly people and incredibly good food.

I have been interning for Macedonian Young Lawyers Association (MYLA) where an EMMIR alumni, Svetlana from Cohort 2, works.
The organization has UNHCR and UNICEF, amongst others, as partners. MYLA has projects and activities with regards to the provision of legal assistance, representation and integration of refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons.
I work in the city centre office, and for the past weeks I have been mapping decisions of the European Court of Human Rights regarding rights of migrants related to articles three (prohibition of torture), eight (right to respect for private and family life) and thirteen (right to an effective remedy). The decisions of the court, in this sense, have been beneficial to the applicant migrants in several cases, an advance for the cause of human rights. I have learned a lot about the court’s mindset and human rights jurisprudence.
As part of my internship activities, I will be a part of the organization's statelessness department, and this will further expose me to the realities and narratives of refugees, their stateless conditions, and the legal framework that governs their experiences. This is an opportunity that can give me valuable insights, since this is the subject I will write my thesis on.
This particular internship also offers the chance for me to work on a topic I am interested on: statelessness. As part of my internship activities, I will be a part of the organization's statelessness department, and this will further expose me to the realities and narratives of refugees, their stateless conditions, and the legal framework that governs their experiences. This is an opportunity that can give me valuable insights, since this is the subject I will write my thesis on.

Beyond the reasons for learning and fieldwork, I would recommend an internship in MYLA and, in general, in North Macedonia. This internship experience balances work, learning, and fun. Skopje has a lot of interesting restaurants, cafes, and bars. The city is full of beautiful parks and big sculptures. It is easy to move around with the bike, which is my new means of transportation to go to work and other activities.
Furthermore, I had the chance to connect with two other EMMIRians who are also here in Macedonia, thanks to this internship. Last month there was a city festival which I attended with Svetlana of Cohort 2 and Renata of Cohort 7. We listened to Macedonian, Serbian, and Croatian live music. I am having a great time in this beautiful place of lovely people. I also spent a weekend in Ohrid, also known as “the jewel of Macedonia”, one of the most visited destinations in the country. This was a recommendation of Renata (C7) and all the travel blogs! I feel very thankful for being in this place and expect many more great experiences. I definitely recommend the country and the internship to the new EMMIRians!

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