After four days of running around New York City with not a moment to breathe or spare, I can finally sit down now to reflect a little.  Our first week at the UN was certainly an adventure.  After wandering the halls and rooms for a while, most of us have an idea of how to get ourselves around…the building at least, though not necessarily the process.

I think I have somehow managed to emerge as the most negative member of the group.  This is bizarre, because usually I am the world’s most idealistic optimist, and people consider me crazy for having so much hope.  But somehow I hadn’t prepared myself correctly for my first trip to the (real) United Nations.  I knew that Model UN was a lot of people creating documents for the sake of creating documents and not affecting any real change in the world…but I didn’t think that the real UN would feel that way, too! 

After spending so much time with global health advocates, I have this problem of not being able to sit through bureaucratic negotiations when I am so cognizant of the fact that millions of lives are on the line.  The plenaries at CSocD involve the reading aloud of pre-written statements, available at the door.  No points are added for dynamic delivery – in fact, because of translation delays, dynamic speaking is actively discouraged.   So, I find myself frustrated… because much of my faith in the world relied on the fact that there was this amazing international body out there, the United Nations, which could be compelled to act & improve things around the world, regardless of domestic politics.  From AIDS to unemployment to access to water and medicines, and the tricky process of development, much is on the line.

Regardless of this negativity, I think it is so important that I get to be here, to gain a deeper understanding of the process by getting to actually see it.  Few people my age have such an opportunity, and I am deeply grateful to SustainUS for providing it.  I still have much to learn about the United Nations, which I will try to do so before becoming too negative, or impatient.  My criticisms now are largely superficial (and of the CSocD, which we've learned is less productive than the others), but nonetheless they are adding to my understanding of political processes.  When I return to school I will have much to process and ponder; for now I'll try to soak up everything I can.