“We are not developing nations, we are not developed nations, we are the United Nations.” -Anonymous
Hello!
Today again, I yield my space to the very pretty and erudite attorney at law in the making, Oge! Today, she shares an exclusive with us; her journey to one of the biggest Model United Nations Conference in the world.
Funny enough, Oge and I connect in 2015 at the International Model United Nations Conference where I served as President of the Security Council and since then, we have kept in touch, and I have watched her blossom into an amazing young woman whose penchant for knowledge acquisition, consolidation and usage is simply fascinating.
Enjoy her WABAL experience and just last the last, I hope you can relate with this.
OjisiEmezie
Twenty two fantastic, awesome different shades and varieties of amazeballs students
together with a Faculty Staff left Nigeria for the "Hamrica" to
attend the National Model United Nations, Washington DC to do what we only know
how to do best, #CultureOfExcellence.
Marriot Wardman Park Hotel was our abode
for *clears throat* (Be careful not to roll your eyes just understand the money
speaking in dollars) 5 DAYS! and committee session also held in this same
hotel. But in different halls; mine held in Mezzaine Hall and lest I forget my
committee was the Office of the United High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
with the best partner in this universe *literally*, Mosopefoluwa Amaoo and we
had 2 committee topics for discourse as applies to every other committee but
ours was addressing the Needs of The Internally Displaced and Improving Housing
and Food Security for Urban Refugees *.
I can actually hear your Wow! Niceeeee and every other exclamation you just made and Yasssssss I can’t agree any less with you. Global Citizens coming through like Skrrrrrrrrrrrrr. There are 3 things you should know before embarking on any international conference especially if it’s your first time (P.s: International here would mean one which has different races of people in attendance);
(i)
Know your committee
topic, Do your research. Do not roll your eyes because trust me it’s
NE-CE-SSA-RY,
(ii)
Keeping a straight face
and constantly rehearsing in front of your Magic mirror and speaking loudly and
most importantly AUDIBLY helps,
(iii)
Keep your adrenaline
level low. You need it because those whites are sure to annoy the shit out of
you especially as everyone would take it as a competition regardless of how
insignificant it is and remember “You are BLACK”.
A
very important aspect of the entirety of my stay in the "Hamrica" (in
Jenifa’s voice) has to be their FOOD. Being a food lover on a normally, I had
to be conscious on what I spent my Hard Earned Money on especially as a
younging who is very much picky about the food she eats, what tastes right,
what doesn’t & what looks disgusting and so on. Hence my regular go-to
became McDonalds chicken nuggets and mango smoothie being a constant, Nandos
with their Half Chicken Serving and Coke/Fanta, Chipotle with their burritos,
Salad and chicken as the main and only menu for myself and this went on for how
many days again?
If you said 5 days, you are correct and thank
you so much for your rapt attention. 5 Days Morning, Afternoon and Night would
give you 15 meals and the lowest I did spend on a meal per session has to be
$8.55 *tears* and I was so shocked I literally asked the attendant to check
again as there existed the possibility of making a mistake because I always
spent within the range of $11-15.
You can imagine my delight when the attendant
informed me that I bought 2 packs of chicken nuggets for less as opposed to
buying just a pack at an expensive rate, Girl! that was it. 2 Packs it
was for me for that day. Now can we not go into my weight gain life *shudders*
A girl is still fighting to loose those cellulites and few KGs with my mum
constantly reminding me of my weight gain and how I would need to start Road
Walking soon *rolls eyes*.
Did
I mention we visited Deira City Center in Dubai *sips water*, the story behind
this has to be named the World’s best story and Pentagon City Mall in
Washington after having to carry leaflets of maps from the hotel, paying for
our Metro Card and making arguments as to whether to enter the train on the
green lane going to Franconian or the train on the yellow line going to
Silverspring and what stop to alight off.
Whenever
you peradventure think about Pentagon
City Mall, in this case Small Doctor’s you no get money hide your face” is very
instrumental here because guyyyyyyy, you are in to spend some DOLLARS.
We were in every store in this mall for window-shopping, the gram &
snapchat, and of course spending too as well as other things you can imagine.
And words wouldn’t do justice to the shudder I had when I tried the Popeye’s
Chicken nugget and Starbucks Cappucino in Chocolate Chip Choc although I will
be sure to try it in Caramel flavor next time based on Sope’s recommendation.
When I say my money for the most part was spent on food you had better believe
me *Ugghhhh* and I don’t feel a bit sad about it (If you know you know). Do I
have to go on about the items I got?
Errrrr I thinketh not.
My
Worst moment has to be when I missed my WHITE HOUSE TOUR. Because I forgot. Not
like forgot is the right word, “Not informed” sounds better. I actually cried
forget the big girl bants pleaseeee and I will forever remain mad at the
appropriate authorities (Not the US govt. or its security officials, nahhh)
I
was so elated when my uber came to pick me up from the hotel to Baltimore which
was my next stop, you can tell this was the last day of our stay in Washington.
I was actually elated, the temperature that day was at -5 degrees Celsius I was
actually breathing cold air through my nostrils, my hands were numb fammmm. I
felt I was dying slowly….
Fast
forward to 2:45pm, when my Uber Driver wakes me up with “You are home” LOL, I
didn’t even budge a bit, like where am I? Not until my Uncle appeared and
started offloading my boxes *You can figure the other part out*
Settling
down was easier than expected but if I were to name a scam it would be that
nobody told me it gets DARK by 5pm in the State of Maryland, hence when I
decided to take a train to Bowie MD to attend a movie date you can imagine my
despair when everywhere became dark to make matters worse my Uber Driver took
forever to show up, at this point I unapologetically have to name another scam;
“Nobody told me the bus station was at Bowie State University”, if I was
pre-informed, I wouldn’t even think twice, woulda just signed up for the 2-hour
uber trip. When nightfall began its journey, if you undastand you get marched.
Emphasis on the MARCHED because I was literally singing aloud “How can I be
outside by this time in a strange land?”.
Before you judge me i’m a stay at
home girl, if you must hang out, be home early and by early I mean EARLY with
the exception of Library Dates and the fact that the train had to pass through
cemeteries on its route to and fro, Baltimore Penn Station didn’t even help
calm my frayed nerves!. Thankfully NJ made up for this by taking me on a movie
date to watch Thor at Cinema, to think this was the same movie I went all the
way to Bowie MD with the intention of seeing.
*Holds
chest, Clears throat, sips water* I honestly cannot begin to tell you how
FANTAstic my experience was, to be very honest I mean I “saw” everywhere, had a
go at almost everything although, I honestly wouldn’t make and advise anybody
to make the mistake of not making a list of places to visit, things to do, what
to buy, adventures to take. Trust me when I say it would all be worth it and
you would be the better for it.
The pictures would have followed but apologies in advance as I *wipe tears* lost them and sadly didn’t put them up on cloud. My Gionee P8W humbly takes all the blame and is very sorry about its misbehavior due to being overpampered with 24/7 electricity which it would ordinarily not in its wildest imagination have thought really exists.
The pictures would have followed but apologies in advance as I *wipe tears* lost them and sadly didn’t put them up on cloud. My Gionee P8W humbly takes all the blame and is very sorry about its misbehavior due to being overpampered with 24/7 electricity which it would ordinarily not in its wildest imagination have thought really exists.
I’m
back in Nigeria “for a short while” and I hope someone out there can relate
with me when I say I was really angry when the Emirates Aircraft landed at the
Muritala Muhammed Airport, to be honest angry doesn’t even do much justice to
the feelings rocking my whole body!. Nobody likes their shoes soiled just from
taking a step in Nigeria!, Electricity? That would be a story for another day,
the anger exuded from “Nigerians”, the disorderliness of everything in this
country”.
It’s only in Nigeria, luggage trolley has a price tag attached to it
when in other countries it’s absolutely FREEEE *screaming*!.
Just
in case you are by any chance still thinking about where the word WAshingtonBALtimore
is coined from I hope it all makes sense now.
Till
next time my Loves, here is me sending you all the light and warm wishes you
could ever need, it’s a New Year so Chase All Your Dreams Intentionally.
Oge.
Ogechukwu Beluonwu-Ogbo
is currently rounding up her degree in Law from the University of Lagos.She has
served as a member of the Media and Communications team as well as a delegate
in several Model United Nations. Oge is passionate about self-development and
inter-personal relationships which she opines forms the crux of the human life.
Oge is an avid reader
as well. When she’s not surfing the web for interesting contents to read, she’s
treating herself to food and sleep which she loves.
Follow her on IG &
Twitter:@ogechukwu__ @Oge__B
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