ACMUN, TOK, ACC, TOO MANY ABBREVIATIONS!

Hello!

What did I do yesterday? Well, I was part of a group that drafted a resolution regarding peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine, I participated in drafting a resolution to give United Nations Peacekeeping Forces more authority to protect civilians, I saw a delegate from Iran being kidnapped by a terrorist organization called 6:34, and to wrap it all up, China and Russia have now declared nuclear war on the United States, Israel, and Bangladesh!

Just kidding!

Yesterday was AC's Model United Nations Conference.  I respresented China on the Security Council, and it was an intense nine hours of negotiation.  We discussed the Israel-Palestine conflict and the authority of United Nations Peacekeeping forces.  We actually did draft resolutions for both topics, though much of the first resolution was vetoed by the delegate from the USA.  It turned out to be the process that was the most important learning tool, not the final result, since everyone started to get a little tired at the end of the day (hence nuclear war).  We did actually have some terrorists busting up the council meetings, and a couple of my co-years from Morgannwg (cough cough, Atsuki and Einar) ran through the door brandishing water guns and abducted the delegate from Iran.  The conference was, for the most part, run professionally with the proper use of diplomatic language and the correct sequence for debating, motioning, and voting.  We had some guests at the school from UWC Maastricht (Netherlands), UWC Adriatic (Italy), Liverpool, and Llantwit Comprehensive.  It was great to meet some of our co-years from different UWCs, and I enjoyed being in the Security Council with some of the visiting students.  The conference was really eye-opening in terms of understanding how lengthy the process is in the UN before a substantive resolution is passed.  If a group of 15 students took nine hours to get two resolutions drafted, how long would a body of over 60 countries, each very attached to their own government's views, take to accomplish something?  I loved the conference, though, and it was a great way to spend my weekend.

Some pretty odd things happened during the conference, however...the highlights were certainly the chairs of the committee throwing chocolate across the room, people slipping and using improper diplomatic language such as 'cool' or 'dude,' and of course the contents of the diplomatic notes passed throughout the conference.  Some of the best notes include:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Write a resolution
And Russia bombs you

I received that from my lovely co-year representing Russia. Another:

China (to Ivory Coast): You ok?
(This note was sent in response to some very frustated-looking expressions coming from the delegate of the Ivory Coast.  By the luck of timing, the note arrived just as he was finishing an angry-sounding speech)

Response: Ivory Coast rips up the note from China.

Chairs: "Delegate of the Ivory Coast, please refrain from the dramatic ripping of notes in this council!"

Yes, we were all so professional.  My apologies if I am boring you, but the atmosphere in the room was so hilarious I had to try to recapture it somehow.  And I promise we did get some good debate going and at the end we all felt we had learned a lot.

As for the rest of the week, it was business as usual.  First-years were given an introductory presentation to our Theory of Knowledge classes, a requirement for the IB which we start this week.  Theory of Knowledge has been described as basic philosophy.  It is meant to be a synthesis of all of the subjects we take, pulling from knowledge in math, science, history, and languages for the purpose of inquiring 'how we know what we know.'  It's a little vague right now, but our second-years tell us it is very much a discussion-based, theoretical class.  I think it will be quite interesting, but as to how much practical value it holds I will have to wait and see.

Second-years are preparing for their trial exams in February, so they are all feeling a crunch right now as they try to get coursework and studying in all at once.  First-years are starting to step in to more organizational roles and take over more for the second-years in some ways, though all of the second-years are still staying completely involved with the school.  Elections for Chair and Vice-chair of the Student Council are going on right now, and new reps for different areas are about to be chosen.  It's not that the second-years are anticipating their departure already, but it makes us all aware that we only get two years at this place, and with time moving so fast,  the beginning of the end comes soon.

Fortunately, we still have a lot of great time left this term.  Project week comes in a few weeks, followed by a few weeks of school, the Arts Diploma Period, Easter Break, First-year Exams, and then it's May and the second-years take their exams!  Lots of time, though considerably less school time than one might think.  This term is a great one because the first-years are closer as a year group and the second-years seem less busy with constant work.  Although I have to say, I won't be sorry when it turns to spring---it's been freezing here, but it's too wet for proper snow! Not good weather for the Florida girl, and my roommate from Nigeria is bemoaning the cold constantly.  Hopefully my friend Kate and I will see some snow in Cardiff today when we go---we are going to see a Straight No Chaser concert, which we are both SO excited about.  I know it will be great!

Hope everyone is doing well.  Have a great week and take care!

Madison