THE VIGIL ISSUE 2 2020 TABLE Maps—3 CAMPUS OF RoMUNnce in the air—4 MAP CONTENTS The Importance of MUN—5 Daily Reports—6 january eighteenth, CISSMUN in Action—8 twenty-twenty Power Over the People—10

YYou, Yes You, Can Get Into —11

CISSMUN in Action—12 Neither Nor—14 PUDONG STAFF MAP Editors-in-Chief Head Photographer Photographers Evelyn Shi Claire Chen Ethan Koh Jenny Fu Taha Noon Emilie Zhang Layout Staff Ziv Liu Ethan Chin Nika Sedighi Layout Editor Daniel Wan Lena He Staff Writers Anna Jin Steven Yeh Kelly Kim Editor Yin Yin Htwe Sulynn Yeh Hayley Szymanek Joey Lin Thiri Yadanar San Henie Zhang Isabella Zumbolo Tommy Song

Assistant Editor Alan Deutsch page 2 page 3 roMUNce in the air CISSMUN

To: ______From: ______

CISSMUN To: ______From: ______

CISSMUN To: ______From: ______

CISSMUN CISSMUN To: ______To: ______From: ______From: ______

CISSMUN To: ______From: ______

by Hayley Szymanek and Evelyn Shi page 4 The Importance of MUN By: Hayley Szymanek

Despite this being an MUN conference, not many people seem to have an overly positive opinion of the UN. Going around the conference and asking how people felt about the UN, most dele- gates stammered or gave half-hearted comments about the idea being better than the execution. CISSMUN attendee Alan Deutsch sighed and muttered, “obligatory.” If we, the people who choose to participate in a UN simulation, don’t even have a favorable view of the UN, then what’s the point? What’s the point of MUN if we can’t even agree that the UN is important? The value of MUN is not in the Model of the United Nations. It is in the act itself, the collaboration, the re- search, and the discussion.

We live in an increasingly undiplomatic age. Being “petty” has become a trend. “Cancelling” is practically contagious because of the rush of self-righteousness that comes from ruining the life of someone “problematic.” As countries wage nuclear war threats on Twitter, it has never been more important that we have a tradition of teaching our youth how to work together to envision the world they want to create. We get the chance to sit down and talk in a (mostly) judgement-free space. It’s a necessary tradition to set. Even if none of us grow up to actually represent countries, making the decision to choose communication over “roasting” each other will change the world.

MUN also teaches us to do the research. When people shout their opinions without having the knowledge to back it up, you get things like President Donald Trump suggesting on Twitter that we use “flying water tankers” on the Notre Dame Cathedral - uninformed advice which would have collapsed what was left of the building if put into practice. MUN not only teaches us about global issues we otherwise wouldn’t have considered, but how to get into the habit of consulting facts and evaluating realistic solutions before acting. Then we can take the solutions we’ve re- searched and talk to one another as humans with equal stake. We have the tools to thoughtfully discuss, debate, and improve solutions instead of sticking to empty guns made of opinions. If we set the standard of understanding each other as humans and the problem as it affects us all, we set the standard of putting each other before petty grudges. We set the standard of compromise.

MUN is mostly benign as a simulation for the UN, but it’s important for the questions it compels us to ask ourselves. What would we do to change the world if only we had the power? What will we do once we have the power? We begin to look beyond the “I” of it all. We work until it starts to come together, even if it takes the whole conference. We meet. We talk. We grow.

page 5 page Human Rights Council The Human Rights Council is full of excitement, with the the with excitement, of full is Council HumanThe Rights General Assembly 3 merging. and lobbying of process the beginning delegates The chairs of General Assembly 3 seemed impressed with the the with impressed seemed 3 Assembly General of chairs The the about say to lot a had committee the of chairs The readiness of their delegates, stating that “everyone seems to know to seems “everyone that stating delegates, their of readiness (one speeches opening the to food the from far, so conference what they’re doing.” One of the chairs, with six years of MUN of years six with chairs, the Oneof doing.” they’re what committee their of state the to sentence) single a only was under his belt, also claimed that his experience has aged him like like him aged has experience his that claimed also belt, his under When humanrights”). for DPRKeveryone’s no so (“there’s “fine wine” for his position. The chairs and delegates have have delegates and chairs The position. his for wine” “fine occurred, had funny or interesting anything whether asked discovered that the most popular topics in their committee seem committee their in topics popular most the that discovered , of delegate the at shouted chairs deputy the oof one to be technology and genetic engineering, with one delegate even even delegate one with engineering, genetic and technology be to funny.” “something say and up stand to him ordering bringing up the possibility of creating a Genetic Engineering Engineering Genetic a creating oof possibility the up bringing actual an by interrupted was delegate the However, Committee for future MUN conferences. MUN conferences. future for Committee a tell to proceeded who room, the of back the at Australian story of her being attacked by some kind of animal at a a at animal of kind some by attacked being her of story nature reserve. reserve. nature

United Nations Commission on United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Science and Technology All three chairs in the United Nations Commission on the the on Commission Nations United the in chairs three All time. first the for paperless going manycommittees of one UCoST is Status of Women are all first-timers. The original chair of of chair original The first-timers. all Women of are Status how referencing admins, the of one mused prepared,” aren’t “People their committee attends school in Manila and was prevented prevented was and Manila in school attends committee their to expected not manyhad which was, software paperless the complicated from attending CISSMUN due to the recent volcano eruption eruption volcano recent CISSMUNthe to due attending from and admins, room—delegates, the in everyone fact, In confusing. so be in the region. Although they insisted that the real action action real the that insisted they Although region. the in The software. paperless of idea the about say to lot a had alike, chairs hasn’t yet begun, both chairs and admins seemed excited for for excited seemed admins and chairs both begun, yet hasn’t software the up setting experience, his from that, said president committee’s the next day when the debates will begin. The chairs chairs The begin. will debates the when day next the very eventually and “efficient” both is paperless going but while, a takes predicted conflict over their first topic (child marriage) which which marriage) (child topic first their over conflict prpredicted but system, new the by confused mostly seemed delegates The “seamless.” “seamles currently is planning to have two resolutions. With one of the the of one With resolutions. two have to planning is currently amendments. long writing hated they because excited were they that stated groups consisting of more religious countries and the other of of other the and countries religious more of consisting groups more secular nations, an interesting debate definitely seems to to seems definitely debate interesting an nations, secular more be on the horizon. horizon. the on be

Economic and Social Council United Nations Despite the kind and quiet appearance of the ECOSOC delegates, ECOSOC the of delegates, appearance quiet and kind the Despite Peacebuilding Commission the chairs have reported a possible mutiny. The committee does seem does committee The mutiny. possible a reported have chairs the Besides your standard opening speeches, lobbying, and merging, the the merging, and lobbying, speeches, opening standard your Besides to have some troublemaking delegates; during their interview, the the interview, their during delegates; troublemaking some have to chairs of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission struggled to to struggled Commission Peacebuilding Nations United the of chairs chairs of the committee were interrupted by a pair of earnest, earnest, of pair a by interrupted were committee the of chairs recall any details of the afternoon. However, one of the chairs chairs the of one However, afternoon. the of details any recall comical delegates claiming they had evidence to “overrule” the the “overrule” to evidence had they claiming delegates comical remembered a particular opening speech by a delegate that had stuck stuck had that delegate a by speech opening particular a remembered chairs. The committee’s chair laughed and told the delegates to to delegates the told and laughed chair committee’s The chairs. with her. Apparently, the delegate had ended their speech with “I “I with speech their ended had delegate the Apparently, her. with return to their lobbying groups. Apparently, this had occurred no less less no occurred had this Apparently, groups. lobbying their to return probably will block you on Snapchat, XOXO.” The chairs implied that that implied XOXO.” chairs The Snapchat, on you block will probably than four times. Besides a slight disregard for the rules, ECOSOC’s rules, the for disregard slight a Besides times. four than they disapproved but also seemed to be struggling to hold in their laughs. laughs. their in hold to struggling be to seemed also but disapproved they delegates also seem to have a particular fondness for the word the for fondness particular a have to seem also delegates “fruitful.” One of the deputy chairs even claimed that the word had word the that claimed even chairs deputy the Oneof “fruitful.” likely been used in about 20 opening speeches that afternoon. afternoon. that speeches opening 20 about in used been likely

page 6 page by Bella Zumbolo 7 page page 8 page

photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photographycissmun photography in photography page 9

photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography photography aphotography c t i o nphotography Power To The People

In Russia, Vladimir Putin’s government just proposed “’s actually doing great and it’s so safe and legislation that could effectively make him president … we’re prospering here … so even though … for life, and his entire cabinet just resigned. we’re not seeing … the other side of issues, but all recently re-elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, citizens feel so safe and everything.” keeping his party in power for its 58th year. The Lisa Mo, delegate from American International School of leaders of the of America and are Guangzhou hurling threats of war at each other while their citizens are dubious. Meanwhile, authoritarian states like North are grinning from ear to ear, and populations around the world are growing increasingly skeptical of democracy. In too many places, democracy is struggling and the impact is being felt around the world. According to Reporters Without Borders, global press freedom peaked in 2012 but has been steadily declin- ing since 2013. Japan’s press freedom index was close to Norway’s at -1.00 in 2012, but is currently on par with Chad’s rating, 36.71. This decline in freedom can be attributed to a variety of factors, including ease of access to the Internet, controversies raised by Edward Snowden, and the regimes of authoritarian leaders being elected around the globe. From the perspective of those authoritarian leaders, failing democracies have never been an issue. But from the people’s perspective, totalitarianism feels like it answers their resounding call for stability.

Such preferences are unfortunately being exploited by populists, who employ scare tactics to justify ill-advised acts of nation building and hegemony. Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines suspended “Well I think that there has been a movement … that’s habeas corpus (right to trial) and put the island driven by fear-mongering … and a scarcity consciousness, of Mindanao under martial law to ensure “the where people feel that there’s a scarce or finite amount of safety, the lives and property of people of Mind- resources on the planet, and so if they allow others to -anao” from “terrorists.” Although democratic partake of them, it means they have less. And … politi- and stable countries like Denmark, Sweden, and cians are able to … mobilize those thoughts and … mold Norway exist and thrive, citizens in more tumultuous themselves into these new totalitarian-type governments.” regions are turning to suppressive, authoritarian rule. Jeff Rose, director from Palmer Trinity School in Miami, Florida

Besides manipulating concerns for stability, there is another cause for the lapse in freedom worldwide. Many failing democracies are not home- -grown: Middle Eastern and African democracies stem from a legacy of western colonial rule. Therefore, it’s natural for their people to reject foreign systems. Leaders can take advantage of this nationalis- tic tendency and corrupt democratic systems with outdated monarchies and dictatorships. Thus, Western influences has caused authoritarianism as much as it has been the antidote.

Support for authoritarian regimes begs the question: “Is freedom a worthy sacrifice for stability and national pride?” Though the constant shootings, debilitating strikes, and rampant slander in some democra- cies may advocate against the democratic cause, democracy is a system of hope and change that pleases the majority, while totalitarian governments sacrifice one segment of society for the temporary advancement of another. Absolute rule results in countries that fail when certain problems strike their Achilles’ heel. After all, without a trustworthy election system, the “Well, I see that there is a major change happening around people’s only choices in times of the globe: for example, … Poland’s now having this huge crisis are revolution and foreign rise of right-wing … populism and Russia … has Putin intervention - and nobody wants that. who’s ... constantly … ruining democracy in his country. I think that this trend has to stop, because it interferes with people’s choices and people’s right to hold democracy.” by Joey Lin and Amy Kim, delegate from High School International Division Isabella Zumbolo page 10 You (Yes You) Can Get Into College By: Emilie Zhang

Hello fellow MUNers. The following is the most practical advice you will find in this entire maga- entire this in find will you advice practical most the is following MUNers.The fellow Hello zine—a dollop of heuristic wisdom taken from the best and most brilliant minds of the century century the of minds brilliant most and best the from taken wisdom heuristic of dollop zine—a (aka those who did get into top 10 schools) culminated into this extraordinarily sensational article. article. sensational extraordinarily this into culminated schools) 10 top into get did who those (aka No, it isn’t about how to break up with your clingy boyfriend, and no, it isn’t about how to cheat cheat to how about isn’t it no, and boyfriend, clingy your with up break to how about isn’t it No, on the SAT (although if you’re into that, read on, my friend). This, fellow compatriots, is the ulti- the is compatriots, fellow This, myfriend). on, read that, into you’re if SAT(although the on mate manual on how to get you into college. You’re welcome. You’re college. into you get to how on manual mate 1. Have loaded parents W ho needs grades if you’re a child of Lori Loughlin? With some luck and some karma, you too too you karma, some and luck some With Loughlin? Lori of child a you’re if grades Who needs can be born the wailing baby of an actress. All you need to do is wheedle and whine for them to to them for whine and wheedle is do to need you All actress. an of baby wailing the born be can throw away $6.5 million on a bribe. According to the federal prosecutors in Operation Varsity Varsity Operation in prosecutors federal the to According bribe. a on million $6.5 away throw Blues, Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, and the University of Southern California will all buy in on in buy all will California Southern of University the and Georgetown, Stanford, Yale, Blues, it. Neat, huh? And check this out, Mark Riddell, a private school counselor who cooperated with with cooperated who counselor school private a Riddell, Mark out, this check And huh? Neat, it. W illiam Singer, one of those indicted in Varsity Blues, will even take standardized tests for you you for tests standardized take even will Blues, Varsity in indicted those of one Singer, William (see? I keep my promises). According to the indictment, you only need to convince your parents parents your convince to need only you indictment, the to According mypromises). keep I (see? to pay an extra $10,000 for each perfect ACT or SAT score. Even your six year old brother can can brother old year six your Even SATACTscore. or perfect each for $10,000 extra an pay to get into Ivy Leagues (with a fudged high school diploma, of course). course). of diploma, school high fudged a (with Leagues Ivy into get 2. Find your hook Are you first gen? Do you have legacy status? Better yet, do you have first gen legacy status? Are Are status? legacy gen first have you do yet, Better status? legacy have Doyou gen? first you Are you team captain of every sport--and a national fencing champion? Don’t worry, even if you are are you if even worry, Don’t champion? fencing national a sport--and every of captain team you none of those, are you a URM? Underrepresented minorities are students who are of specific specific of whoare students are minorities URM? a you Underrepresented are those, of none racial minorities, including Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Alaskan native. If you are, congratula- are, you If native. Alaskan and Hispanic, Islander, Pacific including minorities, racial tions! You’ve found your hook. If you aren’t a URM, don’t worry! “Special circumstances” are are circumstances” “Special worry! URM, a don’t aren’t you If hook. your found You’ve tions! perfect hooks for your personal statement and college application, and they can be totally fabri- totally be can they and application, college and statement personal your for hooks perfect cated. No one knows the importance of a hook better than Tracey Landrey, founder of T.M. of founder Landrey, Tracey than better hook a of importance the knows No one cated. Landry College Preparatory School, whose “Landry” Cinderellas boasted perfect applications. applications. perfect boasted Cinderellas “Landry” whose School, Preparatory College Landry Here, let’s try some. For example, if your dad happens to enjoy a drink every now and then and then and now every drink a enjoy to happens dad your if example, For some. try let’s Here, is rarely home, you should say you are a “student whose alcoholic father had beaten him and his his and him beaten had father alcoholic whose “student a are you say should you home, rarely is mother and had denied them money for food and shelter.” This exact narrative got Bryson Bryson got narrative exact This shelter.” and food moneyfor them denied had and mother Sassau, a Landry student, into his dream school. Except for the small fact that none of it is true, true, is it of none that fact small the for Except school. dream his into student, Landry a Sassau, a great hook is a perfect way to earn sympathy points! sympathy earn to way perfect a is hook great a 3. Bribe your admissions officer Find them. Bake them cookies. Be extra nice and sweet and smile for a good impression. Then, Then, impression. good a for smile and sweet and nice extra Be cookies. them Bake them. Find the most important thing, casually slip the money you prepared into his briefcase on his desk and desk his on briefcase his into prepared youmoney the slip casually thing, important most the smile knowingly. Repeat the same procedure with your counselors and teachers writing your rec- your writing teachers and counselors your with procedure same the Repeat knowingly. smile ommendation letters. The thing is, you never know what will come in handy when you get your your get you when handy in come will what know never you is, thing The letters. ommendation verdict. I mean, decision. decision. mean, I verdict. 4. Don’t become depressed Although we live in an age where medical depression has become a synonym for teenage angst, angst, teenage for synonym a become has depression medical where age an in live we Although stop talking about it. The admissions officers have heard that story before. According to Newport to According before. story that heard have officers admissions The it. about talking stop Academy, diagnoses for millenials from ages 18-34 have risen 47% since 2013 and 63% for ado- 63%for and 2013 47%since risen have 18-34 ages from millenials for diagnoses Academy, lescents from ages 12 to 17. Try getting some interesting trauma for once. Would it kill you to to you kill Wouldit once. for trauma interesting some getting Try 17. to 12 ages from lescents smile? In the meantime, distract yourself from your crippling depression by browsing College College browsing by depression crippling your from yourself distract meantime, the In smile? Confidential or r/A2C until you are even more depressed for having never done PhD level re- PhDlevel done never having for depressed more even are you r/A2Cuntil or Confidential search on MIT’s nuclear reactors. reactors. nuclear MIT’s on search 5. Take this advice seriously. Get caught. Never get admitted anywhere. That way, there will be another opening at college for applicants like me. Have a good day.

page 11 page CISSMUN IN ACTION page 12 page Living 20 minutes away from school, I often often I school, from away minutes 20 Living ride the taxi back home by myself. Most of the time, the driver and I sit in silence. silence. in sit I and driver the time, the of Most myself. homeby back taxi the ride But other times we talk—me in my haphazard Mandarin and the taxi driver in a a in driver taxi the and Mandarin myhaphazard in talk—mewe times other But loud, gritty voice that fills up the whole car. The conversation usually begins from from begins usually conversation The car. whole the up fills that voice gritty loud, However, this bubble doesn't make me any more American than chugging a can of Coca-Cola would. would. Coca-Cola of can a chugging than American more anymemake doesn't bubble this However, a discussion of my international school (tuition? language classes? teacher teacher classes? language (tuition? school myinternational of discussion a There are fundamental differences between the values of the culture I was raised in and the culture of my of culture the and in raised was I culture the of values the between differences fundamental are There quality?), but the topics always expand as we speak—where my parents are from from are myparents speak—wherewe as expand always topics the but quality?), educational environment. I was born and raised as a Chinese kid, and while my school and I have embraced embraced have I and myschool while and kid, Chinese a as raised and born was I environment. educational (Jiangsu province), where the driver is from (usually Shanghai), experiences with with experiences Shanghai), (usually from is driver the where province), (Jiangsu American culture and American education, it will never quite be like growing up in America. Even when I I when Even America. in up growing like be quite never will it education, American and culture American foreigners (“they are very polite!” said most drivers), the driver's family. On one family. driver's the drivers), most said polite!” very are (“they foforeigners go to the U.S. for college or, later, work there after graduation, I will never be able to shake off my Chinese myChinese off shake to able be never will I graduation, after there work later, or, college for U.S. the to go particular October afternoon, my driver and I approached the subject of college. college. of subject the approached I and mydriver afternoon, October particular roots or forget where I'm from. In fact, after living for extended periods of time away from home, I might be be might I home, from away time of periods extended for living after fact, In from. I'm where forget or roots He asked me where I, an international school student, was planning to attend attend to planning was student, school international an I, where me asked He inclined to cling on to my roots even more tightly so I don’t lose that part of who I am. But what if I don't don't I if what But am. I who of part that lose don’t I so tightly more even myroots to on cling to inclined university. I answered the United States. Possibly . Possibly States. United the answered I university. have enough of my roots left to cling on to? Where would my place be then? be myplace would Where to? on cling to left myroots of enough have

He didn't seem surprised. "Everyone wants to go to the States these days," he said. "But why? "But said. he days," these States the to go to wants "Everyone surprised. seem didn't He I remember striking up a conversation with another Chinese girl from LA at my summer program last year. year. last mysummer program LAat from girl Chinese another with conversation a up striking remember I WhyAmerica?" At one point, I half-joked about how relieved I was to find the one Asian last name among all the Johnsons Johnsons the amongnameall last Asian one the find to was I relieved how about half-joked I point, one At

and Millers in the class roster. She gave me a weird look and then shrugged. "I guess that's what all Asians Asians all what that's guess "I shrugged. then and look weird ame gave She roster. class the in Millers and I explained that since my school followed an American educational system, I was kind of primed primed of kind was I system, educational American an followed myschool since that explained I do," she slurred. "They look for other Asians." I remember feeling a bit miffed, then indignant, and then then and indignant, then miffed, bit a feeling remember I Asians." other for look "They slurred. she do," to go to the US the instant I enrolled. I may or may not stay there after college, I added. The added. I college, after there stay not may or may I enrolled. I instant USthe the to go to guilty. Because it was true: in an unfamiliar environment, I can't help but look for those who are like like are who those for look but help can't I environment, unfamiliar an in true: was it Because guilty. driver adjusted the rearview mirror so that he was looking me in the eye. eye. the in me looking was he that so mirror rearview the adjusted driver me—most immediately by appearance. But therein also lies the irony: if you put me in a room full of local local of full room a in me put you if irony: the lies also therein But appearance. by me—mostimmediately Chinese kids and fully American students, who would I identify with then? And what happens if I decide to to decide I if happens whatAnd then? with identify I would who students, student American fully and kids Chinese "But you are not American," he said, " If you want to go there for college, alright. My grandchildren keep on keep Mygrandchildren alright. college, for there go to want you If " said, he American," not are you "But spend a large part of my future in the U.S.—would I stop "looking for other Asians"? If I do, does that make that does do, I If Asians"? other for "looking stop I U.S.—would the in myfuture of part large a spend telling me there's lots of opportunities over there, but I'm worried because Americans have very different values values different very have Americans because worried I'm but there, over opportunities of lots there's me telling me more American or just less Chinese? Or neither? neither? Or Chinese? less just or American moreme from us—you must understand the people if you're going to stay there for a long time. You told me you've lived lived you've me told You time. long a for there stay to going you're if people the understand us—you must from in China since you were two. How can you possibly ever understand Americans?" understand ever possibly you How can two. were you since China in Ultimately, I think it boils down to this: where do we draw the line between foreigners and natives? We all Weall natives? and foreigners between line the draw we do where this: to down boils it think I Ultimately, want to belong; a communal identity fuels an individual's sense of self and dignity. But is is But dignity. and self of sense individual's an fuels communalidentity a belong; to want How can I possibly understand Americans? Logically, I should be able to—at least enough to feel some feel to enough least to—at able be should I Logically, Americans? understand possibly I HHow can “belonging” something you have to be born with, or something you can acquire, piece by by piece acquire, can you something or with, born be to have you something “belonging” semblance of social belonging. I don't live in America, but I've I've but America, in live don't I belonging. social of semblance piece? This is the question at the center of the identity confusion of international international of confusion identity the of center the at question the is This piece? been immersed in the American style of education almost all my all almost education of style American the in immersed been students such as me. as such students life—I've written most of my school papers in English, read almost almost read English, in papers myschool of most written life—I've all my books, recreational or otherwise, in English, learned every every learned English, in otherwise, or recreational mybooks, all Neither Jen, Gish writer Chinese-American comments this," to related is difference di the think “I subject (except Mandarin) in English. in Mandarin) (except subject Nor "Can [the general Chinese population] accept a foreigner as quite Chinese? To some To Chinese? quite as foreigner a accept population] Chinese general [the "Can by Henie Zhang I attend American summer American attend I have you feel they many, to But yes. is answer the modern, quite are who people Chinese programs—most notably, English English programs—mostnotably, by acquire can you anything than muchdeeper that’s and Chinese, culturally be to creative writing programs—every programs—every writing creative yourself.” year. I speak to my parents in English English in myparents to speak I year. even if they speak Chinese to me. I I me. to Chinese speak they if even Chinese in myself lose to me allows that Chineseness" "cultural that acquire acquime helped has Myheritage am more knowledgeable about about knowledgeable ammore I do But Urie. Brendon for love myundying confessing start don’t I as long as crowd a into blend and poetry American pop culture and follow it it follow and culture pop American also is identification intimate personal, of kind That person? Chinese average the with identify truly far more avidly than I have ever ever have I than avidly momore far walking keep I as long as But myself. by acquire can I anything than complex muchmore something followed any movie or native singer singer native or movie any followed with mysurroundings fill and education American an of down—the path walk to down—andwanting keep from China. It's also not a risky bet bet risky a not also It's China. from painful a becomes myduality Thus, connection. this acquire to mychance lose I perhaps culture, American to say that I know more about the the about moreknow I that say to tug-of-war. upcoming 2020 election and Jeffrey Jeffrey and election 2020 upcoming Epstein's “suicide” than I do about about do I than “suicide” Epstein's clashing the perhaps that realize to come have I student, international an as myrole explore I as HHowever, the current political news in China. China. in news political current the the Pacific, the of sides both from people with interact I moreThe reconciliation. a be can myidentities of M y interactions with the local local the with Myinteractions understand ever possibly you How can be. to seems question driver’s taxi the to myanswer clearer people, overall, have been much less muchless been have overall, people, in, born was I country the understand to able be even never might I fully. Not ever. not might I Americans? in-depth and extensive than my than extensive and in-depth there but crisis, myidentity to resolution simple no is There do. grandparents and myparents way the in not interactions with expats and other other and expats with interactions nothing perhaps is there that realization the with terms to coming amincreasingly I compromise. be can international kids. being kids. not connected, international increasingly are cultures where world a side—in a choose to inability the with wrwrong I've been living in in living been about I've optimistic I’m easy—but not is belong to journey The advantage. an be even might other the or one an Americanized Americanized an home. like feel finally will middle” the “in myplace when day the bubble inside my inside bbubble own country. own

page 15 page HUMANITY/hju’maniti/ noun 1. human beings collectively. "appalling crimes against humanity" 2. the quality of being humane; benevolence. "praised for her humanity"