The refugee crisis simulation was a completely new experience for me. I have never done a simulation, while many of my classmates participate in Model UN or public speaking and therefore were more comfortable with the format/speaking during the simulation. Although my role was not to speak in front of the class, I tried to give as much input as possible behind the scenes on what I thought needed to happen in order to fix the crisis and attempted to negotiate with most of the other “countries” in order for my delegation, UNHCR, to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. Because I have never participated in a simulation before, I felt rather unprepared at the beginning of the simulation, but I became more comfortable once my delegation teamed up with the delegation from ARM and began negotiations with Gilbia and the United States. I felt that I mostly was able to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish in the negotiations- an alliance with the United States and Gilbia and money for UNHCR/ARM- even though I did not speak in front of the class, which I felt I should have.
I enjoyed the teamwork aspect of the simulation and the formal, real-life format for the negotiations. It was really cool to watch most of the countries to come together for a solution and make a resolution we all agreed on (except Budan). However, I feel like I struggled due to being absent, unaccustomed to simulations, and not speaking in front of the class. I think in the future, more specific roles should be set for members of each delegation in order to give everyone a clear idea of what to do and to make sure everyone is fully involved. That being said, I learned a lot! I never knew how these negotiations worked in real life or what a simulation for Model UN was really like. It helped me better understand how diplomacy works and how countries and IGOs/NGOs can work together for the common good.