Last Monday I attended a conference, which I thought was on Humanitarian Assistance. As I lost my way through the giant building of the United Nations, I was excited that I made it pass the security into the flags side of the fence. I asked anyone doesn’t matter how they look but to guide me where the conference is taken place. Then, I ran upon the help desk. Of course, he was speaking to me in French. So I smile and said vee, vee..(yes, yes). I had no idea what he was saying but to follow the direction that he point his hand to. I met two French girls that spoke English. They were very nice. We went back to the help desk and they asked me which conference am I going to attend. I was not aware that there were many conferences happening at the same time! So of course, a big screen with words on them like you would see at the airport, list of flights. It shows the time and where. Great! Which is what I needed it. However, I was not sure where building E was or where to even go. My two new French friends asked the help desk person for direction and they translated to me in English. I made my way to a long hall way to a dead end. I was lost again, the next victim I asked for direction was happen to go to the same place as I was.
My other new friend is a native Swiss from Switzerland. She is a United Nations representative for Thailand but does not speak Thai or look anything like Thai. Just a regular blond hair and blue eyes Swiss girl. As we made our way to the conference room, I can’t help notice but the security checking at the entrance. I was blow away by the country name in front of each chair desk. So she find her desk, which said “Thailand.” I sat where there an open chair.
Although, I took really good notes, I was distracted by the structure, various ethnic backgrounds and sounds which was unfamiliar in many level. There a half ear set for each chair that come with channel tune to and sound level adjustment. Of course, I turn my channel to English. I believes there were at least five languages you can tune to. Up above the room, translators sat in their cubical boxes. It is amazing how fast they can interpret the message.
I was disappointed by the amount of distraction it was existing. People were on their cell phone or internet while the speaker where presenting. If not that, they chat with each other. I am not sure if they received the message. They probably did but it was not able to comprehensive the message.I myself was as well distracted that half way through the conference, I realized I attend the wrong conference! I found out that I was a week early on the conference. This conference was about sustainable development. Which by the way was very helpful but not towards my 15 pages paper!
I stayed until the end of the conference and end up walking and chatting with my new Swiss friend. Overall, I would say there were some positives and negatives side to the conference. You get to sit in an elegant half circle shape room filled with very interesting and high authority figures. You can be very comfortable of listening to the language you understand most with and exchange policy update to the world current issue such as climate change. Of course, the downside is people chatting with one another, on their cell phone and checking their email. In a way is like your watching CNN news but live and get to participate in it.
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