From February 18th to the 24th, a group of 9 excellent CIPLC students participated in the thirteenth annual Boston University Model United Nations Conference - BosMUN XIII. Our CIPLC students along with Ms. Finnegan and Mr. Munroe enjoyed 6 days in snowy Boston, where they had the chance to shop, get to know the city, and of course: DEBATE!
The City
Our CIPLC students arrived in Boston on Tuesday night after 6 long hours of flight. They weren’t able to do much but check in to Boston Park Plaza and get a good night of sleep. But that was no problem, since they still had 2 days and a half until the BosMUN conference actually started!
Day 1 (or 2?) consisted of our students waking up late to rest well, and they continued to take the subway to Cambridge, MA, to visit the very own Harvard University campus! Students were excited to visit such a prestigious university, but even more excited to get to play and take pictures in the snow. Next, they had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, where they met with CIPLC’s alumni, current BU freshman and Jesenia’s sister: Jessica! For the rest of this day, CIPLC students had the opportunity to shop at Boston’s Galleria, where some regretted spending so much.
The next day our students woke up earlier in order to enjoy Boston. They visited the famous Quincy Market, and walked through the Body Worlds Vital museum, where they were able to take a close look at how actual human bodies look inside. But that’s not it. Our students had a blast at Dick’s restaurant, which its sole purpose is to make fun of their customers! Students laughed at how the waiters threw napkins and yelled, and had fun wearing hats with customized messages such as “I bite my toenails” and “I pee in the shower”. To end this great day on the right note, students enjoyed a Blue Man Group performance, where Mr. Munroe was chosen to go up on stage and be part of it!
Day 3 was a bit more rushed for our students and teachers, since they woke up to find out it was an Online Day at CIPLC! Since conference would start that very same day at 6:30pm, they decided to spend the first half of their day a little more relaxed. They took advantage of their time and decided to go grocery shopping for those couple of items you simply can’t find in Venezuela: rice krispies, poptarts, cereal, etc. After this, and a quick visit to CVS, our students went back to the hotel and took advantage of the time they had left to keep up with their school work.
Though our students went to Boston prepared for war, they were surprised when they realized temperatures weren’t as low as they thought it would be. The days our students stayed in Boston, temperatures varied from 0 degrees Celsius to even 6 degrees Celsius, much higher than it should have been. Regardless of this, our students did not complain, since the weather made it much easier for them to enjoy the city.
The City
Our CIPLC students arrived in Boston on Tuesday night after 6 long hours of flight. They weren’t able to do much but check in to Boston Park Plaza and get a good night of sleep. But that was no problem, since they still had 2 days and a half until the BosMUN conference actually started!
Day 1 (or 2?) consisted of our students waking up late to rest well, and they continued to take the subway to Cambridge, MA, to visit the very own Harvard University campus! Students were excited to visit such a prestigious university, but even more excited to get to play and take pictures in the snow. Next, they had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, where they met with CIPLC’s alumni, current BU freshman and Jesenia’s sister: Jessica! For the rest of this day, CIPLC students had the opportunity to shop at Boston’s Galleria, where some regretted spending so much.
The next day our students woke up earlier in order to enjoy Boston. They visited the famous Quincy Market, and walked through the Body Worlds Vital museum, where they were able to take a close look at how actual human bodies look inside. But that’s not it. Our students had a blast at Dick’s restaurant, which its sole purpose is to make fun of their customers! Students laughed at how the waiters threw napkins and yelled, and had fun wearing hats with customized messages such as “I bite my toenails” and “I pee in the shower”. To end this great day on the right note, students enjoyed a Blue Man Group performance, where Mr. Munroe was chosen to go up on stage and be part of it!
Day 3 was a bit more rushed for our students and teachers, since they woke up to find out it was an Online Day at CIPLC! Since conference would start that very same day at 6:30pm, they decided to spend the first half of their day a little more relaxed. They took advantage of their time and decided to go grocery shopping for those couple of items you simply can’t find in Venezuela: rice krispies, poptarts, cereal, etc. After this, and a quick visit to CVS, our students went back to the hotel and took advantage of the time they had left to keep up with their school work.
Though our students went to Boston prepared for war, they were surprised when they realized temperatures weren’t as low as they thought it would be. The days our students stayed in Boston, temperatures varied from 0 degrees Celsius to even 6 degrees Celsius, much higher than it should have been. Regardless of this, our students did not complain, since the weather made it much easier for them to enjoy the city.
The Conference
After weeks of waiting, and hours of struggling with position papers, the day was finally here. Six of our CIPLC students represented the country of Cuba in the committees of DISEC, AdHoc, Women’s Rights, SPECPOL, Legal, UNEP and WIPO. Nevertheless, Alazne and Andrea had a harder role, since they had to actually represent people instead of countries in specialized committees. Andrea represented Otto Fischl in the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia Parliament, and Alazne represented Eduardo Sepulveda in Pinochet’s Cabinet of 1973. While the rest of the committees ranged from 60-100 delegates, Andrea and Alazne’s had only 20, which was definitely scarier for them.
Day one consisted of attending the Opening Ceremony, and the first committee session. The first committee session consisted of countries stating their positions in the issues given, and getting to know other delegates in order to come to agreements later on in the conference. Though students were nervous at first, they left the first committee session alive and with pride, since most actually had the chance to talk. The end of day 1 of the conference consisted of a Delegate Social with a performance of the BU Jazz Band, where delegates had the chance to interact with others, without having to refer to each other by their country’s name.
Day two started bright and early, and was the longest day of the conference. This day consisted of 3 three-hour long sessions, with 3 breaks in between. This was the day were delegates had the chance to actually start debating and deciding which side they would take when it came to resolutions. CIPLC students had the chance to go up to speak even more and defend their country’s or person’s positions through moderated and unmoderated caucuses.
CIPLC students took advantage of their breaks to go out to restaurant to eat and to talk to each other and to our teachers of their experiences and accomplishments. Mr. Munroe and Ms. Finnegan were just as excited and proud as they were, since a school as small as CIPLC had been active in committee sessions.
The end day 2 consisted of a Delegate Dance, where delegates dance their worries away with the performance of DJ Iceberg. This was a very unique experience for most of our CIPLC students, since they had never experienced or seen how Americans dance and behave at parties. Needless to say, our students laughed until they no longer could at the bizarre dance moves and lack of rhythm that some delegates had. Carolina and Lama, nevertheless, were used to it, since they had the same experience last year the the ILMUNC Conference in Philadelphia.
Just as fast as day 1 came day 3, the last day of the conference. Our students could not believe that after months of hard work and countdowns, it had all come to an end. Day 3 was a short one since it only consisted of one committee session. In this session, delegated discussed about their second topic and had a chance to vote on their resolutions. Nevertheless, it all seemed a little ironic when none of the resolutions passed, which was Carolina’s case. The issue has North Korea missile crises in the Disarmament Committee (DISEC), where 4 resolutions where written, but none passed.
This last session was also used to have fun and network with other delegates. Students engaged in Superlatives, where they would choose the delegates that fit into categories such as “Best Dressed”, “Best Liar”, “Most Likely to Become a Dictator” etc. Last, there was the closing ceremonies, were advisors, delegates and staff were thanked with a long round of applause. Additionally, awards were also handed out.
As the closing ceremony ended, and the American schools quickly left the hotel, CIPLC students felt sad and nostalgic, since everything had happened so fast. The lobby which was once so full you couldn’t see the floortiles, was now empty. The elevator, for which you had to wait 20 minutes to find one that was not overcrowded, now arrived within 3 seconds. CIPLC students found themselves alone in the hotel along with 2 other international schools, Honduras and Nicaragua, since all American schools had hoped on their buses and driven off.
To try and cheer up and enjoy the last day, our CIPLC students enjoyed an evening ice skating and drinking one last Starbucks coffee before leaving the next day at 4am to finally go back home.
After weeks of waiting, and hours of struggling with position papers, the day was finally here. Six of our CIPLC students represented the country of Cuba in the committees of DISEC, AdHoc, Women’s Rights, SPECPOL, Legal, UNEP and WIPO. Nevertheless, Alazne and Andrea had a harder role, since they had to actually represent people instead of countries in specialized committees. Andrea represented Otto Fischl in the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia Parliament, and Alazne represented Eduardo Sepulveda in Pinochet’s Cabinet of 1973. While the rest of the committees ranged from 60-100 delegates, Andrea and Alazne’s had only 20, which was definitely scarier for them.
Day one consisted of attending the Opening Ceremony, and the first committee session. The first committee session consisted of countries stating their positions in the issues given, and getting to know other delegates in order to come to agreements later on in the conference. Though students were nervous at first, they left the first committee session alive and with pride, since most actually had the chance to talk. The end of day 1 of the conference consisted of a Delegate Social with a performance of the BU Jazz Band, where delegates had the chance to interact with others, without having to refer to each other by their country’s name.
Day two started bright and early, and was the longest day of the conference. This day consisted of 3 three-hour long sessions, with 3 breaks in between. This was the day were delegates had the chance to actually start debating and deciding which side they would take when it came to resolutions. CIPLC students had the chance to go up to speak even more and defend their country’s or person’s positions through moderated and unmoderated caucuses.
CIPLC students took advantage of their breaks to go out to restaurant to eat and to talk to each other and to our teachers of their experiences and accomplishments. Mr. Munroe and Ms. Finnegan were just as excited and proud as they were, since a school as small as CIPLC had been active in committee sessions.
The end day 2 consisted of a Delegate Dance, where delegates dance their worries away with the performance of DJ Iceberg. This was a very unique experience for most of our CIPLC students, since they had never experienced or seen how Americans dance and behave at parties. Needless to say, our students laughed until they no longer could at the bizarre dance moves and lack of rhythm that some delegates had. Carolina and Lama, nevertheless, were used to it, since they had the same experience last year the the ILMUNC Conference in Philadelphia.
Just as fast as day 1 came day 3, the last day of the conference. Our students could not believe that after months of hard work and countdowns, it had all come to an end. Day 3 was a short one since it only consisted of one committee session. In this session, delegated discussed about their second topic and had a chance to vote on their resolutions. Nevertheless, it all seemed a little ironic when none of the resolutions passed, which was Carolina’s case. The issue has North Korea missile crises in the Disarmament Committee (DISEC), where 4 resolutions where written, but none passed.
This last session was also used to have fun and network with other delegates. Students engaged in Superlatives, where they would choose the delegates that fit into categories such as “Best Dressed”, “Best Liar”, “Most Likely to Become a Dictator” etc. Last, there was the closing ceremonies, were advisors, delegates and staff were thanked with a long round of applause. Additionally, awards were also handed out.
As the closing ceremony ended, and the American schools quickly left the hotel, CIPLC students felt sad and nostalgic, since everything had happened so fast. The lobby which was once so full you couldn’t see the floortiles, was now empty. The elevator, for which you had to wait 20 minutes to find one that was not overcrowded, now arrived within 3 seconds. CIPLC students found themselves alone in the hotel along with 2 other international schools, Honduras and Nicaragua, since all American schools had hoped on their buses and driven off.
To try and cheer up and enjoy the last day, our CIPLC students enjoyed an evening ice skating and drinking one last Starbucks coffee before leaving the next day at 4am to finally go back home.
Model United Nations has proven all of those that have participated to not only be a great way of improving debating skills, public speaking skills and overall knowledge on world issues, but also as a great opportunity to meet new people and to go out of our comfort zones. If you are in doubt on whether or not to join MUN, on behalf of the current CIPLC MUN group I tell you: do it! You will not regret it.
By: Carolina Franco
By: Carolina Franco