This guest article was contributed by Nabila Elassar.
By my fifth delegate experience in CU’s Model American Presidency, MUN had become my retreat. The sessions were my favorite part of the week, and the friends and community were the best part of university life. After winning best delegate in that year’s conference, I joined The German University in Cairo’s Model United Nations, and again, won best delegate.Finally, I became a GUCMUN committee chair (Research/ Crisis co-ordinator) in my senior year of university. I wanted to be the one to guide and help others grow, and develop, as I had as a delegate.
But, nothing could have prepared me for the massive development I went through myself as a secretariat/ chair. Being responsible for the development of others, watching them change and grow, encouraging them, mentoring and helping them all throughout their journey was beyond words. In my delegates, I saw myself. I saw the shy girl that turned into a fearless speaker. I saw the little delegation making wonders in the conference. I saw massive change in seemingly quiet human beings. I saw miracles in action. It was by far, the most rewarding, inspiring, amazing journey imaginable.
That is when I realized why Model United Nations journeys are SO much more, than just a make believe UN.
1. MUN can help you grow every part of your skills and potential as a human being
2. MUN can make you uncover talents you never knew you had
3. MUN can transform you from a person of a passive non-interested view of politics, into a research hungry, debate welcoming fanatic.
4. MUN can dissolve your fear of public speaking, foster your self expression and eloquence, push out your creativity, and turn you into an influencer of others.
5. MUNs are usually a community. They invite you into a circle of lifelong friends, and newly found family.
6. The process of representing a country, while defending its rights and interests in an actual international conference setting, proposing real solutions to fix an ongoing world problem that the UN itself has not resolved yet… is indescribable. It makes you feel so powerful. And for a young person, it pushes you leaps forward in terms of maturity, problem solving ability and responsibility.
7. MUN shows you your weaknesses, and pushes your limits in handling challenges and pressure
8. MUN teaches you massive interpersonal skills, diplomatic skills, professionalism, crisis management, and true leadership.
9. MUN can give you hope, and belief in what you are capable of in life.
10. The honor of being able to develop other people, and help them grow with this journey, turns you into the best version of yourself.
It is the normal sequence of events. You graduate, you move on. You start your professional life. I knew that. It was definitely possible to stay for a year, as others had. But, that’s not what I wanted. I didn’t want a re-do, nor d
id I want to take away someone else’s place, and chance to benefit from the secretariat experience. So, I had to endure.
But then, I found Best Delegate.com. After reading Ryan and Kevin’s stories, I could hardly believe myself. I wasn’t alone! There are others! They actually left their professional careers to form a different kind of professional career in which they did what they loved. The best job on Earth. Travelling the world, teaching MUN.
And with that, came a spark of hope. I now know what I want to do in life. I know what I am capable of. That would have never happened without the life skills and inspiring breakthroughs I made through MUN. Yes, there were challenges. Yes, it wasn’t easy. But every obstacle, every difficulty only made me stronger. To those difficulties, whether caused by other people, or by circumstances, I say: Thank you. You are the reason why MUN is, and will remain the best thing that has happened to me.
And that is why, with every bit of passion I have, I will always carry on teaching others how to make the most out of their time in MUN, using all my knowledge.
I now aim to encourage others to go through the expedition of being inspired, and becoming inspirers, through Models of The United Nations.
This was my MUN journey. What will be yours ?
