Recap on Geneva PLUS Blogging In Diplomacy

While this post is dedicated to discussing my time in Geneva, I also wanted to take a moment out from the get-go to reflect on the nature of Blogging itself. 

Three Points of Discussion then: 1) Blogging 2) Diplomacy and the UN 3) Fondue. 

Blogging

After re-reading yesterday's post, I kind of got a 

little paranoid thinking about how anything I "publish" here could in some way be used for or against me in the future. Terrifying thought. Freedom of speech is all well and good, so long as you have a semblance of self-control. When I don't have my coffee, Lord only knows what comes out of 

my fingers. 

That said, I was really thinking about how many politicians and diplomats now keep blogs. Two reasons why this can be problematic 1) Lack of Sincerity and seeming dogmatic and 2) The room for error to destroy careers. We live in a world where anything you say or do can be held against you. For instance, in Brussels one diplomat claimed that keeping a blog was not only too time consuming but also too risky. I'm anxious to see what jingoists and tabloids dig up on my political peers when I grow up. I dread to think how they twist what I say. 

Diplomacy

Oh Geneva. Land of Rolex. MontBlanc. Fondue. Chocolate. The Red Cross. Neutrality. $20 cold medicine (uggggg). And a boat load of Intern

ational Organizations. From the original International post office organization to the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) to the UN Palace of Nations, to WIPO (grr MLA...), and a bunch of other acronyms, Geneva has always prided itself on its diplomatic, international, and human rights initiatives. Its soft power with di

nner over cheese and wine does a lot for the world. 

Thanks to Geneva, we have international standards for many things, from how we patent things to what URL domain names etc. we use. Private, 

public, non-governmental. 

Funny too, Geneva architecture is like 2nd generation Cold War / 1970s Winter Chalet look. Yes, I'm laughing at the underground cities of the US and Russian Missions to the UN (both across the street from the UN Palace of Nations, separated by the Red Cross Museum... haha irony) Mix that in with gorgeous traditional swiss looks, a backdrop of mountains, and you have this uber rich city that boasts stores that

 sell goods too good for brand names. And about the price of my college education. 

Geneva does have quite an international community, but like many of these intercultural soft power hubs, orgazanizations like the UN can be a little bit gridlocked (see EU post...). While I adore diplomacy (Props to the US Mission to the UN for welcoming us), it can be very frustrating too--especially for eager young interns who want to change the world. 

Geneva does provide interesting stories though. Imagine a bunch of diplomats leaving on Ahmadinejad's speech to the UN. Even diplomats who can't speak entirely freely on their blogs can really stick it to the man sometimes. 

And check out this cool chair for human rights in front of the Palace of Nations. 

Fondue

One of my favorite parts about Geneva were our 

eating experiences. Naturally, I imagine a lot of dynasties have been saved (or destroyed) over Fondue. A great Fondue in Geneva was shared with the CEO of Sandbox Network, an under 30 network of talented entrepreneurs who help them get capital and advice in their start ups, while providing great networking tools. 

Now, food is not cheap in Geneva, as we learned quite quickly. It is a different game here. So We learned to picnic. 

Yes. We just up and went to Migros, bought our wine, cheese, and bread and sat out in the park (while couples were making out in the grass) a

nd we ate. Even at young UN night on the lake, BYOB was quite popular as well (props to Cecelia). Fun times too with Columbia Alumni at sports bars. 

Ultimately, Geneva was pretty amazing (YES. We did have housing). Even so, it was a lot of work getting around, organizing meetings with officials, and trying to find a meal under $40 each night. No wonder everyone was so thin... 

LASTLY

I would like to point out a small boycott on British Airways. Even though Taimur finally got his visa to Geneva, he could not fly with our group to London and then Istanbul. Apparently he also needed a visa for a layover in London!! Okay. Fine. (He never had to do this before--measures changed recently). However, the customer service and treatment of a strapping young male who looks straight out of a picture in the Economist, Esquire, or a Diplomatic Review--jacket and all--should not have resembled what it did.  Turkish airways is awesome. 

Go ahead. Let the future read that. 

So I'm sitting in my flat and very hungry. Grrrr. Sea Bass and Bread is not enough to sustain me. I feel like all I eat in Istanbul is Bread any more. Bread, tea, and coffee have quickly become my primary sources of nourishment. 

Iyi geceler. (i.e. Goodnight in Turkish)