It is all just a balancing act

We have been crazy busy with hardly any free time! We have had meetings from 9-5 or 6 basically every day this week. On Monday, we went to the UN!!! Our first speaker was this really cool woman who was the main delegate on disarmament from Mexico, permanently station in Geneva. She was so hilarious, which is always great because the topic can get really really boring. She basically summed up the entire history of disarmament, of nuclear weapons and conventional weapons. I felt super smart because I already knew all the stuff about the nuclear disarmament because of my co-op with WAND (Shout out to Elizabeth, Elaina, and Maureen!). Afterwards, we had lunch with her and we talked about the arms trade and its affect on the drug wars in Mexico. I knew about that too because of my other co-op! Shout out to ONDCP! Our speakers that afternoon were not that interesting. They talked about things that I just did not care about. The great thing about all these speakers is that I don't really have to listen super intently unless I think it will help me write my final research paper. I get to pick my own topic too, so I can just ignore whatever I want if the meeting is really boring. Not that I would ever do that, I am a very responsible student who always pays attention.

 Tuesday, we had our first simulation. We were on teams and each had to present an argument about whether or not the use of explosive weapons should be outlawed in populated areas. Our group was REALLY unprepared, but we somehow won. I have no idea how we did that. Must have been all my mock trial skills haha. The simulation was run by this guy from England that is an International Human Rights lawyer. He taught us all about a bunch of stuff that I didn't know anything about. And he did not have a monotone voice which was FANTASTIC! I swear, it is like an prereq to have a monotone voice if you want to be a diplomat or work at the UN. What the heck?!

Wednesday, we spent half a day doing a simulation which was even cooler. We got to debate and try to make a draft of a mine ban treaty, pretending like there was no laws about it already. I got to Israel and it was wicked fun. My partner and I did a ton of research and kicked butt, even though our ideas were really mean and didn't really care about people. I like being Israel. We got a bunch of compliments on our arguments too. Woo hoo! That afternoon, we took the train to Leysin and hiked in the alps! We actually took the tram up the mountain and then hiked down, but it was still cool. The pictures are so amazing. I will hopefully post them soon, but really the internet is bad. You would think a developed country that charges 9 francs (like 12 dollars) for a glass of orange juice (Yes Aunt Julie, its true!) would have faster wi-fi. Anyways, after that they made us tour a swiss boarding school that cost 84,000 a year!!!!! Dad, think about that whenever you think Northeastern is too expensive. A ski pass and ski lessons are included in their tuition! What the heck. I am so jealous. We had this thing called raclette at the cafeteria. So weird. They basically cut a wheel of cheese in half, melt the cut part that is exposed, and then scrape it off over weird looking potatoes. I guess it some swiss delicacy or something. I was not impressed. I feel like I would make it. All I need to do is stick some cheese in the microwave or in the oven over a baked potato. I mean, it was good and all. But just not really that exciting and inventive like I was expecting. I made myself a turkey sandwich from their salad bar. =) They had free wine though, so I guess that made up for it. We had a fun train ride back and didn't get back till like 12:30 and we had to wake up relaly early.

Today, we finished the simulation where I was Private Katherine E. Waller of the Israeli Defense Force (I know, I'm cool) and we did  really well again. I would be a good diplomat, although I don't think I would enjoy it. They spend like 4 days debating the placements of commas or the use of articles and I just don't have the patience for that. And when they screw up their use of articles, they cause international breakdowns; just look at the Arab-Israeli Conflict! They misused the word "the" and now all this crap is going on in the middle east. Anyways, after we finished that simulation we were lecture for like 3 hours about the Anti-Personnel Landmine Ban Treaty which we had to read a book about and have already been lectured about, so it was really boring and repetitive. The presenter was really cool, but the actual lecture was kinda pointless. Then we broke into another group for simulations that we have tomorrow! So many simulations! But this time we are trying to find ways for countries to progress towards signing the existing treaty on land mines. I got Sri Lanka and am not happy about that. All I know about them is that they have elephants. And now overnight I ahve to become and expert in their international policy!

I am having a great time here, but I feel like we were kinda mislead about the amount of work that we would have to do as well as how much free time we would have. We have no free time. And then they ive us so much work (like learning about sri lanka in an instant) and expect us to do it even though we don't have any time. After our meeting ended at 5, we had to go back to the hostel, and be ready for a dressy dinner by 6:10. Then we went to this small village where our presenter for the past 2 days lives and had dinner and we didn't get back till 10:45. Now I am downstairs trying to get wi-fi but it has apparently died. So, I can't research Sri Lanka or even be on facebook! What is a college girl to do?! I guess I will just go sleep.

Hopefully I will be less cranky when I am able to sleep more and my blog will be less cynical.
XOX
Katie