Hooked

Model United Nations (MUN) started last night. We've been preparing for this for a whole year and now we're finally here in NY and competing. BYU is representing Germany and Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF or Doctors Without Borders) this year and there is a lot of pressure to win because BYU has won top honors in the past five years. However, many people say that this is the year that it just might not happen for us. One of our head delegate had to pull out because of sickness at the last minute and we have a NGO to work with this time, instead of two countries.

I was majorly stressing out about it the night before. I was busy writing speeches and cramming in little tidbits of info. But yesterday, the moment we stepped into the room, it all clicked. Working the room became natural, almost second nature. We were all smiling too much and talking too loud. But it wasn't all tea party conversation. There was a raw power struggle there. And I absolutely loved it.

In half an hour, we'll be meeting with 20 countries that we hope will join our block. This will be the pivotal moment to establish our leadership. The trick is to let them feel like they're in charge and have a stake in our coalition.

Let the games begin.

Gearing up for an all-nighter

The next time I wake up (assuming that I'm pulling an all-nighter tonight) I'll be in New York!

But before then, I still have one more paper to write, one more Econ homework to do, two more lectures to go to, laundry to fold, a student to help, a writing fellow to meet, luggage to pack, grading to finish, a binder full of research to add to, next week's readings to complete, outfits to figure out, and a date to go on.

And apparently a blog to update as well.

New York, New York, you're stressing me out!

Wanderlust

It's somewhat official. I just bought my ticket flying from Chiang Mai to Kuala Lumpur. All for the glorious price of $64 USD. That's less than what I spend on groceries a week.

I've been to both these places before. But I was really little and don't remember much about Chiang Mai except for getting my hair braided.

I do remember KL though. I went to a math competition there and hung out with the boys most of the time. I knew my math - my odds were good: three girls to a hundred boys. We did a scavenger hunt in the twin towers (above) and that's where I developed my first bona fide "long-distance relationship". We wrote letters for a whole year.

Phuket + Bangkok are also in the plans. Micah wants to rent motorcycles and ride around Thailand like hoodlums. I should up my insurance right before I go - I can't even bike very well.

But where I really want to go is New Delhi. The parentals are somewhat against it. My dad thinks I've hit a crisis point in my life and that I'm trying to be a nomad to "find myself in India". My mom just thinks that I'm going to be swiped away by human traffickers and never make it back to school. She thinks I should only go with my husband. Too bad I can't rent one of those just for August.