National Model United Nations

[N-Man]

I've recently started my bachelor's degree in political science at the Université de Montréal with the goal of eventually doing a master's and entering the Canadian foreign service. With that objective in mind, and because it sounds like so much fun and I've always wanted to do it, I've applied to join the university's delegation to the 2008 NMUN (see title) in New York. For those who don't know what that is, you basically join a team (delegation) who is assigned a country to represent at the United Nations and set up camp at the New York Sheraton, along with delegations from all over the world. Then your team is split into committees who have to prepare position papers on different topics, according to your country's real-world viewpoint, then debate and come to a compromise with the representatives from all the other countries. Plus you get to do all this neat stuff, like meet the ambassador from the country you're representing, and use the actual UN general assembly for a couple hours.

So I successfully passed the written exam, which consisted of two essay questions - "discuss the effect that placing American missile interceptors in Eastern European countries would have on the situation between the US and Russia" and one from a list of questions, I chose "are emerging Eastern countries threatening Western economies?" - and now I have an interview to do tomorrow morning. The selection process is pretty heavy, but I guess it must work 'cause my university placed first two years ago (representing the United States) and in the top five last year (representing Germany).

So basically, wish me luck - also, has anyone ever participated in a NMUN or something similar? Some pointers would be cool.

[Sacred Jellybean]

Good luck, and congrats on your bachelor's degree! I just snagged one myself in Computer Science and am also interviewing. Just remember to act confident but not cocky, look him in the eye, fold your hands in your lap, sit up straight, ask plenty of questions to show your interest in the position, and ask where you stand among the other applicants at the conclusion of the interview. Most of that is common sense; you seem like an intelligent fellow, so I'm sure you'll have no trouble and won't need our lousy luck. But I wish you well, nonetheless.

[alien space marine]

Georgia , Armenia ,Azerbaijan, Turkey,Iran.

Oil pipelines ,Genocides, Defacto states, Russian Imperialism.

Armenia, Land locked, Broke and poor, Turkey & Azerbaijan embargoes Armenia. Both deny holocaust of 1915. Both fear Woodrow Wilsonian proposal of Armenia.

Georgia pipelines , Russia hungry and demands pimp fee from its ho's . Georgia refuses to comply, Putin not happy.

Putin orders Fly overs into Georgian territory, Then deports and roughens up Georgians in Russia accusing "Georgia of espionage".

Russia now receiving head from Tehran , Goes to Armenia and tells them "rise up in Georgia" or I will persuade Iran to embargo you.

Armenians totally economically fucked , Are caught in the bind of obeying the Tsar and betraying a friend or being economically starved out of existence.

Reality is allot like Tom Clancy, 24 and Prison Break.

The Bilderberg conference members are our real rulers atleast according to really acid tripped conspiracy theorists.

Like the X-files says "Trust no one!"

[N-Man]

Oh boy, it didn't go so well. I did okay on the first part, where they asked questions and stuff, but then they had me prepare a one-minute speech on China defending its human rights record with two minutes of preparation. I... struggled, to say the least.

I did all that Jelly, except for asking questions at the end, as I was too distraught following the mangled speech. Anyway. Maybe everybody else will have done badly, I'm not giving up hope (they pick 30 out of 50).

ASM - the pills; either start or stop taking them

[lazyfatbum]

Dont worry about fumbling the speach, they just want to see your interest and if you attempt it with any realistic goal - the points you want to make, the argument at hand, etc. Its like evaluating your will. The classes themselves will teach you to deal with public speaking, leading a forum, polite debate and so on. Think of film school; When you start they have you make a movie just so you can see how krap you are at doing it. Culinary programs have to cook up a *phonetic* soo-fley in your first week - The school wants you to evaluate yourself to determine if its what you still want and if you have the balls to even attempt it and that my friend you have passed with flying colors.

NMUN LOL

N-MUN: Dis treety be bullshit mun! I try tree time today to ack-plain to you mun; we needin so-more tradin wit da eastan indins!

Mr. Boombastic (D): say me fantastic, touch me in the back--

N-MUN: da senator be needin ta yield!

[Great Rumbler]

Oh boy, it didn't go so well. I did okay on the first part, where they asked questions and stuff, but then they had me prepare a one-minute speech on China defending its human rights record with two minutes of preparation. I... struggled, to say the least.

They were giving you an impossible goal to see how you faired under pressure.

[alien space marine]

Was it in French?

[A Black Falcon]

They were giving you an impossible goal to see how you faired under pressure.

Hmm... erm... wait, yeah. Pretty much. China probably has the worst human rights record in the world...

[DMiller]

Sorry I missed wishing you luck, but I've been through interviews that I thought went horribly where I ended up with the job and others that I thought I aced that I didn't get a call back about. I've heard of the Model UN before and it sounds kind of fun so I hope you get in so you can have fun for me.