Participating in the 2018 National Model United Nations conference in Washington DC (NMUN DC) was an excellent experience for me to engage in American university life. I stayed in a hotel room with three classmates who are from different countries and have different cultural backgrounds. I worked with and made friends with students from around the world.
Model UN has changed my view of international politics and the inner workings of the United Nations. We did research about African countries’ histories, political systems, and diplomatic interests. We also studied topics for discussion at the conference which affect real people in real life.
Another major thing I learned was the manner and technique of public speaking and negotiating. During the conference, we met hundreds of people who have different personalities. I learned formal and polite forms of English expression which improved my public speaking and confidence. I very much enjoyed my adventure in DC!
– Zhuojun Zhao ’19