UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund is a United Nations Program that aims to provide long-term humanitarian aid to children and mothers in less developed countries. UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. It strongly believes that the strong foundation of human progress within the nurturing of children and was created to serve others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. UNICEF is active in more than 190 countries through programs and national committees and encourages young people to speak out and participate in the decisions that affect their lives. In the midst of chaos after World War II, UNICEF was created in 1946 to provide food, clothing and healthcare to children in need. From then on, UNICEF has relied on generous contributions from governments and private donors and it is estimated that over 90 % of their revenue is distributed to Program Services. Most of UNICEF’s works occur in the field with staff in over 390 countries, carrying out its mission in particularly less developed countries.

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization consists of 195 Members from all over the world works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. Its top priorities lie with the situation in Africa and promoting gender equality throughout the world. UNESCO implements its activities through the five program areas of Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, and Communication and Information. As part of its mission, UNESCO designates projects and places of cultural and scientific significance to maintain the awareness of cultural heritage and educate others through these designations. Every two years, UNESCO holds the General Conference that consists of the representatives of the States Members and determines the policies and the main lines of work of the organization. Furthermore each member casts one vote regardless of the size and set the programs and the budget of UNESCO. Through this, it aims to contribute to peace making, reduction of poverty levels and sustainable development through education, culture and communication.

WHF

The World Heart Federation is a non-governmental organization committed to uniting its members and leading the global fight against heart diseases and strokes, especially among low and middle-income families. The WHF collaborates with almost 200 member organizations from more than 100 countries to strengthen the medical societies and heart foundations. It was formed by a merger of the International Society of Cardiology (ISC) and the International Cardiology Federation (ICF) in 1978, which later became WHF.  The organization especially targets to help the poorer countries because they are typically vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases. Recently, the WHC has collaborated with Chinese medical institutions to assess the quality of care for coronary heart disease patients in China and implement treatment strategies. Every year, the World Hear Day is celebrated on 29 September to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke among the general public. As a result it has seen more commitments among members and even organized a walkathon in Nigeria. In 2010, the WHF launched its new five year strategy for tackling cardiovascular disease. It plans to improve recognition of deadly consequences and promote a tobacco free world as well as encouraging healthy diets for the public so that people from all over the world can live longer and better lives.

WSCF

The World Student Christian Federation, founded in 1895, continues as the foremost leader in ecumenical formation for Christian youth, meaning that it welcomes people from all Christian traditions. The local and national groups that make up the federation are largely known as Student Christian Movements (SCMs), and the WSCF is a global community of Student Christian Movements committed to social justice and peace. Their ultimate mission is to encourage critical thinking among students and transform the world through prayer and theological reflection. Today, the WSCF has over a hundred affiliated national movements, which span from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and North America. SCMs are renowned for their openness to searchers as well as believers and for a strong commitment to social justice. The WSCF organizes the General Assembly, which is the highest decision making body, approximately four years; the most recent assembly was in Montreal, Canada in 2008. Usually, the GA reviews the last four years and plans the next four years and elects the committees.

ICDO

The International Civil Defense Organization is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to ensure protection of people and safeguard property and the environment from natural or man made disasters. Its origins trace back to 1931 when the French surgeon general, Georges Saint-Paul founded the so called “Geneva Zones” which meant neutralized zones or open towns in which the injured and the poor could seek refuge during difficult times. Later on in 1958, the International Association of Geneva Zones was changed into the International Civil Defense Organization in which it expanded its role of establishing liaison between national Civil Defense Organizations, undertaking and promoting studies and research on population protection matters and facilitating the exchange of experience and the coordination of efforts in the area of disaster prevention, preparedness and intervention. As of today, the ICDO takes an active part in the work of the UN system in the field of humanitarian action and prevention of, and preparedness for emergency situations. Furthermore the ICDO is committed to help its Member states to improve the capacity of national civil defense institutions and regularly calls on experienced expert for assessing risks, providing advices and assists Member States in the implementation of new policies.

IPU

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, established in 1889, is the international organization of Parliaments. The Union is the focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and cooperation among people and for the firm establishment of representative democracy. The IPU has close ties with the United Nations and other international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, which share a similar ideal and objectives. Promoting the concepts of peace and international arbitration, the IPU provided the origins for today’s form of institutionalized multilateral cooperation advocated the establishment of corresponding institutions at the inter-governmental level, which eventually came into being as the United Nations. The IPU has transformed itself from an association of individual parliamentarians into the international organization of the Parliaments of sovereign States. It is a center for dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy among legislators representing every political system and all the main political leanings in the world, constituting a unique platform for observing political opinions and trends around the world. IPU statutory assemblies and specialized meetings serve as a testing ground for new ideas and initiatives leading to important breakthroughs in the search for peace and advancing international co-operation.

WBCSD

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, or WBCSD, is a CEO based organization for companies to create a sustainable future for the business, society and the environment. Founded recently in 1995, it exclusively deals with business and its sustainable development. In the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, a forum called “Business Council for Sustainable Development” was created to show how the business community could achieve environmental protection with economic growth. As a result, the WBCSD was created as a merger and continues to advocate for progress and catalyzes collective action that can change the future for the better. For its members, the WBCSD offers businesses access to proven and workable solutions to sustainable development challenges. A unique feature of the WBCSD’s work is its sector projects, which are practical initiatives to work out how critical industries can meet sustainability challenges. The WBCSD’s Vision 2050 report calls for a goal for business to lay out a pathway in which nine billion people can live well, and within the planet’s resources by 2050.

The Aga Khan Foundation

The Aga Khan Foundation is a non-governmental organization founded in 1967 to assist the poorest parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Unlike big international organizations like the ICRC, the Aga Khan focuses on specific problems on certain parts of the world and forms intellectual/financial partnerships with other organizations to achieve its objectives. Although the foundation has a somewhat Islamic origin, the Aga Khan seeks to aid those regardless of religion, gender or origin. The Aga Khan Foundation works in 30 countries with 80000 people who are mostly based in developing countries. The annual budget in 2010 was around 625 million dollars and project companies of the Aga Khan created revenues of 2.3 billion dollars. The network’s organizations have individual mandates that range from the fields of health to rural development and they collaborate to achieve a common goal of building institutions and programs that can respond to social and economic challenges on an ongoing basis.

IEC

The International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC is a non-governmental organization established in 1906 sets international standards for any electronic related devices to perform, fit and work safely all together. Along with 80 members or so around the world, all IEC international standards are fully consensus based and every member state represents an equal voice in the IEC. The IEC is also one of the three global sister organizations (IEC,ISO,ITU) that develop international standards. It cooperates with ISO or ITU at times to make sure that these standards fit and agree together. These standards also facilitate global trade and technology transfer as they provide industry with a framework for economies of design and production, quality of products and better interoperability. Furthermore, the IEC has expanded its roles to fight global warming by creating improvements in energy efficiency and continues to mitigate climatic change by promoting smart electrification. The ultimate goal is to provide one test, one global certification and one mark for every product or system.

IBO

The International Baccalaureate Organization, or commonly known as IB among many students, is a non-profit organization that offers high quality educational programs to ultimately create a “better world”. Widely compared to the Advanced Placement (AP) programs in the US, both the IB and the AP are similar in that they both offer a higher level of education for ambitious students. Many schools from all around the world implement the IB program and so far the IBO claims to have seen tremendous growth in the past five years through successful academic performances of students. Its programs range from students aged from 3 to 19 and is divided into three programs: the Primary Years Program (PYP), the Middle Years Program (MYP), and the Diploma Program. The IB programs are considered as an international education program since its structure provides students with a deeper insight to culture and fosters a spirit of learning. Currently the IB programs are implemented in 3463 schools in 143 countries and have helped over a million students to achieve academic challenge.

IRU

The International Road Transport Union (IRU), founded in 1948, upholds the interest of public transportation operators to promote economic growth and develop mobility of people. It was initially established after World War II to expedite the reconstruction of public transportation and facilitate road transport. Its current mission is to be the global voice of the road transport industry and to ensure sustainable development of road transport worldwide. Because the IRU believes that sustainable road transport industries are the backbones of strong economies, the IRU is expanding its mission into less developed countries. Just how the world is becoming a more interconnected place, the transportation of good and people plays a crucial role in the daily economic and social life, making the IRU all the more important. It currently holds 169 members in 73 countries in all over the world and collaborates with these members to create a better future for all.

UICC

The Union for International Cancer Control (or UICC), as its name suggests, is the largest non-governmental organization that aims to fight cancer along with more than 400 member organizations across 120 countries. Established in 1933, cancer researchers recognized the need to pass on the awareness of cancer and hence founded this organization. Since then, the UICC has been fostering development among many cancer institutions by sharing and exchanging skills regarding cancer control. The UICC is not affiliated with any political or governmental influences as it maintains as a solid and neutral scientific organization. The UICC declared 11 specific goals to be achieved by 2020, some of them including a universal availability of effective pain relief and major improvement in cancer survival rates.  In order to raise awareness, there is the World Cancer day on February 4 each year that is coordinated by UICC. The organization mainly runs through donations and works in partnership with IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer), WHO (World Health Organization) and many other organizations.

ICRC

The ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross, is an independent and a humanitarian organization that seeks to provide assistance to those affected by conflict or armed violence. It was originally established in 1863 as a non-profit organization from the aftermath of the battle of Solferino in which thousands of French, Austrian and Italian soldiers were injured without medical care. As a result, it led to the adoption of the first Geneva Convention in 1864 to lay out the framework of rules to protect the injured and create relief societies throughout the world. Eventually these societies came to be known as Red Cross Societies and since their foundation, the ICRC has been part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with other 186 National societies. The movement warrants the ICRC a right of initiative to take humanitarian action in the event of internal disturbances and tensions and allows it to offer its services where international humanitarian laws may not apply. As one of its many recent contributions, the ICRC is assisting refugees and Syrian civilians by providing medical posts after a violent armed conflict in Syria.

WIPO

WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization, is one of UN’s specialized agencies that was designed to promote the protection intellectual properties among different countries and encourage creative innovation for the development of all countries. Its predecessor was the BIRPI that was later transformed into WIPO in 1967. This agency sets the framework of international laws for patents and copyrights of intellectual properties (also known as IP) as means of stimulating innovation. All decisions regarding its strategic direction and activities are made among 185 of its member states and often holds formal and informal meetings throughout the year. Recently, the WIPO has been under high skepticism as the U.S. State Department came across sophisticated high tech gear that has been shipped to Iran and North Korea by WIPO, which violates the U.S. and U.N. sanctions against Iran and North Korea. However, WIPO responded by claiming that part of its mission is to provide technical assistance to developing countries because its mission is to promote innovation and encourage intellectual activities throughout the world and hence not guilty of violating any sanctions. Every year, WIPO is in charge of nearly a million cases regarding intellectual property and its role in the global world is substantially increasing.

CERN

CERN, also known as the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is undoubtedly one of the most renowned and largest organizations for scientific research in the world. Its main objective is to uncover the mysteries within the universe through studying the collision of particles. Currently, it holds the largest hadron collider, the LHC that runs along a circle of 27km in circumference and is located 100 meters underground. The LHC is key to holding experiments with particle collision and recently revved up to 8TeV of energy by smashing two proton beams from each end. This energy is so large that it is claimed to take almost two years to analyze the entire data. This past June, CERN scientists reported to have discovered the Higgs Bosom particle that is nicknamed as “God’s particle” and claims that this discovery may be the key to understanding the universe. CERN was established in 1954 to promote European research in particle physics and to become a method of uniting Europe after World War II. As science was not that much developed at the time and European scientists were moving to the U.S. to seek more education, CERN was created to advance scientific areas within Europe and encourage scientists to stay in Europe to study in their native lands. It currently has 20 member states and 7 observers, but scientists from all over the world collaborate and share their knowledge on particle physics.

WHO

The WHO (World Health Organization) is another one of UN’s specialized agencies that deals with issues regarding public health around the world. Ever since its establishment, WHO has taken a leading role in fighting infectious diseases such as small pox, STDs, and malaria, addressing the healthcare needs for many countries around the world. Furthermore, WHO is responsible for spreading the awareness of health related issues with statistics through the World Health Report and the World Health Day. Its primary concern always rests with those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable to such diseases. In order to meet their urgent needs, WHO works with many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the International Committee of the Red Cross. Some of its major accomplishments include the eradication of polio by 99%, 40% fall in the number of deaths due to tuberculosis, and facilitating reduced amount of tobacco-related deaths. The WHO also standardizes health regulations and names of medicine so that it ensures that everyone is prescribed with equal treatment anywhere around the world. There are many controversies regarding its status, however, such as the IAEA agreement WHA 12-40. In 1959, the WHO signed a mutual agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, which recognized WHO as a collaborator to any program or activity that the IAEA undertakes. As a result of the Chernobyl accident, many activists have been criticizing WHO because it is believed that WHO has been restricted to look into the effects on human health due to radiation.

UNHCR

The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) belongs to one of UN’s specialized agencies that handles refugees all around the world. The destruction brought by aftermath of World War II left many Europeans displaced and in chaos. Luckily, along with the formation of the UN, the UNHCR was established in 1950 to specially take care of these refugees and provide some hope for them. As the conditions in Europe alleviated, the UNHCR proceeded to help refugees around the world such as countries in Africa and the Middle East. Up until this day, the UNHCR continues to raise funds and hold events such as the World Refugee Day to inform more people about the dire conditions of refugees. Furthermore, it seeks to reduce the amount of refugees by providing them with transitory place to stay until they are able to support themselves and find a permanent residence. Although humanitarian plights may never be eliminated, the UNHCR will continue to promote the well-being for all refugees around the world.

WMO

The WMO (World Meteorological Organization) is another one of UN’s specialized agencies that deals with meteorological and hydrological concerns around the world. Because geophysical phenomena affect every one in an international scale, the WMO’s role in observing and taking protective measures against changes, is crucial to the welfare of humanity. For example, the WTO cooperates with the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to utilize meteorological observations to improve agricultural practices and aid victims of natural disasters. Furthermore, the WMO takes a leading role in protecting the environment through its programmes. It conducts scientific research and assessments to provide the framework for forming certain policies regarding the protection of the environment. Recently in 2007, the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and the WMO created the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), which led to the creation of GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch). Such effort was recognized with a Nobel Prize for their contribution to a greater knowledge of global warming and a strong foundation for measures against climate change.

WTO

The WTO (World Trade Organization), officially established in 1995, is an institutional body that carries out the former General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and promotes open trade between countries all around the world. The GATT was a multilateral agreement that was signed in 1947 among countries regarding international trade and intended to reduce tariffs and trade barriers to encourage a mutually advantageous trade between countries. Through a total of 8 rounds so far, with the Doha Round currently in progress, the Uruguay round in 1986 proves to be the most notable as it officially created the WTO and handled issues in wide areas such as agriculture for the first time. The WTO hosts many conferences each year with national representatives to negotiate trading terms and administer trading agreements. Negotiations and discussions are the frameworks that constitute the WTO and provide technical assistance for developing countries to actively involve in the trading world. Oftentimes, trade negotiations involve many conflicts because of different economic interests, but it is the main job of WTO to settle these disputes accordingly by providing clear and transparent trading laws. The unique aspect of the WTO is that these trading negotiations will never end and will continue to play a crucial role in the economic aspect of this globalized society.

WCC

The WCC (World Council of Churches) is an organization that seeks to unite and create a fellowship of churches around the world to show their united faith in Jesus Christ and to the only God. It was established in 1948 when representatives of 147 churches gathered in Amsterdam, Netherlands to hold its first assembly. The WCC members actively involve in mission services and uphold the true Christian ideals of world peace and serving human needs. As of right now, it has 349 church members of more than 140 countries around the world, representing true diversity of beliefs and traditions. However a common misconception is that the WCC is not a “super” or “supreme” church of all churches and that it does not uphold one particular conception of the church. The only common ground of the members is on the basis that Christ is the divine head of the body.

IOM

The IOM (International Organization for Migration), established in 1951 after World War II, has sought to provide aid and promote humane migrations. Its principle mission is to assist and provide advices for those who are looking to migrate to a different country. It first served a crucial role in assisting European war refugees in the aftermath of chaos brought by World War II. In recent years, the IOM has worked to ensure a secure and orderly migration for the benefit of all by providing services and advice to migrants. As an intergovernmental organization, it works with the government of 146 member states and 13 observer states from all around the world. Furthermore, the IOM has helped victims from natural disasters such as Chile earthquake in 1973 to the recent 2010 Haiti earthquake to migrate and have gained international acceptance as a legitimate organization that “commits to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society”.

ITU

The ITU (International Telecommunication Union) is one of UN’s specialized agencies that commits to interconnecting the whole world with ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) that was established in 1865. It is becoming an essential part of this globalized society as it plays an indispensible part in promoting fast and wide communication throughout the world. The ITU also aims to bring the benefits of modern communication technologies to everyone no matter wherever they are in an affordable manner. The ITU has three main areas of activity that are divided into sectors: 1. Radio communication 2. Standardization 3. Development. The first sector manages the

International radio frequency spectrum to facilitate growing communication services through satellites. The Standardization sector is what allows one to perform day-to-day communications such as phone calls or Internet. It is fundamental to the operation of ICT networks around the world. The Development sector aims to expand and spread information about ICTs and encourages the developing access to ICTs globally. Furthermore, the ITU holds many international meetings and workshops (most renowned is the ITU Telecom World) which brings many influential representatives from all over the world to discuss ideas and introduce new ICTs.

ILO

The ILO (International Labor Organization), also known as BIT (Bureau International du Travail) in French or OIT (Oficina Internacional del Trabajo) in Spanish, seeks to “promote opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity”. Established almost a century ago in 1919, the ILO became the first of seventeen special agencies of the United Nation in 1946. Its tripartite governing structure, which represents governments, employers, and workers allows for flexible and open debates to create international labor standards to everyone’s interests. Because of its many efforts, the labor standards have been enhanced greatly over the years and it continues to uphold its mission by organizing an international labor conference every June in Geneva. It currently has 185 of UN members and representatives from of each member and continues to sustain employment opportunities for all and alleviate the current global unemployment crisis.

July 10/11

   As the day right before my last weekend in Geneva arrived, I grew wary of the fact that my adventure was coming to a close. Although it wasn't a desperate anticipation to go back home, I did miss home where I was comfortable and safe. Being thrown in a foreign environment all by myself was a challenging endeavor, but time flew by quickly and I have learned to enjoy these challenges and make the most out of such experience. From learning to ride public transportation to visiting the headquarters of international organizations gave me full confidence that I was transitioning into a young adult. I was no longer a dependent teenager who had no clear plans for the future, but a young adult who aspired to become a global leader one day.

   Knowing that today would be the last time I would take the tram into the city, memories from the very beginning of my trip rushed through my head. I remembered my first failed attempt at trying to find the transfer station from the tram to the bus. It took me more than half an hour scrambling through the same street and buildings. Looking back, I chuckled at how I foolish I was and how easily I travelled around now after 3 weeks of constant practice. After the exploration around lake leman yesterday, I decided to walk away from the river and into the hilly streets and sketchy neighborhoods. It became more apparent that every other shop in Geneva was either a cafe or a bar restaurant. I thought that people here would not have a problem of getting tired of eating food every day. For food connoisseurs, Geneva would be a fit choice to try food from many restaurants.
Making my way up the hill near Molard station, I came across traditional Irish bars and many antique shops ranging from oriental to western artifacts. Although I wasn’t quite sure where I was, this street retained the typical European ambience and style. The brick walls and brick paved streets reminded me that I was walking along a part of ancient history. Then there it was, looming over the top of my head, Cathédrale St Pierre (or the Cathedral of St Peter). Although the building was tucked away in the midst of many ancient buildings and streets, the tall green tower caught my attention immediately. Its Gothic and Romanesque patterns were intricate in design and the worn away colors gave an ancient aura. Built over 800 years ago with some reparation along the way, I was struck by its old age and amazed how long this building has been standing without much damage. The beauty within these ancient walls is inexplicable through writing, but the first word that came out of my mouth was “wow”. Unless you actually visit the cathedral in person, you cannot completely grasp the beauty through writing. 

   After looking around the cathedral, I meandered off behind the building and came across the view of the entire city. Needless to say, the entirety of the view was spectacular and I sat down in a near bench to take in my last moments in Geneva. The slight breeze and the clear air refreshed my senses as the sun started to settle down in the horizon. Before it got too dark, I decided to rush down to the stores in the city to buy some souvenirs. When one thinks of Switzerland, some landmark items come to mind such as watches and Swiss army knives. One thing that most people don’t know about Switzerland is that it is famous for its cows. In Switzerland, it employs strict laws to ensure top meat qualities and so cows are raised in a pristine environment in the Alps. Although I couldn’t buy meat to bring back, I did buy a cute cow doll to remind me of an interesting fact that I learned. As for watches, I couldn’t buy any because all of them were over 1000 dollars for a good one. So I had to settle with a cool Swiss Army knife that had my name engraved in the blade. Because I couldn’t trust the knives they sold on the streets, I actually visited the Victorinox store to buy the real one.

As I headed out the store, it was nearly dark and I had to head back home before the streets got rowdy with drunken people. Many memorable events that happened during my three-week visit made a lasting impression on my mind. Until I became an actual worker at one of these organizations, I bid a temporary farewell to the city and headed back home.

July 7/8

The weekend finally came rolling in after stressful days of adapting to the new life in Geneva. Although nothing much happened over the weekend except organizing and researching about different organizations, I did have some time to go to France with my host to a nice swimming pool. On Saturday morning, my friend, Alex left for Korea for his summer vacation with his mom. This meant a lot more space for me at the house, but it was going to be quite lonely without him around. My host and I were the only people in the house now and it became quite boring soon enough. The weather was hot and there was nothing much to do at the house, so my host thought it would be a good idea to visit a nice swimming pool in the afternoon. I have always loved swimming and it was great that I had the chance to workout. I promised myself that I would get in shape during my stay in Geneva by running and working out every night, but so far, my plan has not been carried out successfully. Stressing out about running around learning about places was one thing but trying to resist all the good food that seemed to taunt me was impossible. The pizza, the steak and all the luxurious cuisine in Geneva enticed me to eat as much as possible and as a result, I gradually gained weight every day. From this, I thought that staying committed to a promise was one thing, but I also thought that living life to the fullest the way I wanted was worth so much more. After all, this was a very rare opportunity for a teenager like me and I did not want to torture myself by committing to a diet. The swimming pool was in France, but it only took us half an hour to get there. The pool had nice facilities like giant water slides and comfortable chairs to tan. I felt so relaxed in the warm swirling pool and I was in heaven. I have been longing for this perfect moment since the beginning and here it was. I closed my eyes and let the water carry me around and around. Old memories rushed back when I was just a little kid who went to the swimming pool every day to have fun. All those memories seemed like yesterday and now here I was: a grown, stressed out teenager who was lying on the water like an old man. I longed for the old days, but I was pretty thankful of the way I was right now because I was enjoying the moment. The afternoon passed by like that and the day was coming to another close. But before the host and I headed back home, we grabbed some pizzas at a close by restaurant. We were lucky to find an open restaurant because we did not expect any stores to be open at 7 p.m. There were a few people making a quick dinner-run to the restaurant to grab a quick bite of pizza to bring back home. My host ordered a seafood pizza while I ordered a random pizza that had the same name as the restaurant’s. My pizza turned out to be very unique because it had a fried egg on top of the pizza. I thought it was very creative and delicious mix with the egg and the pizza. Before I knew it, I gobbled down the pizza and was lying on the bed, getting ready to sleep.

July 5

As cliché as it may sound, the Internet and recent telecommunication systems in recent years have revolutionized how we interact with others and it is impossible to imagine living without these systems. The Internet has become such an indispensable part in the global world because it connected many countries around the world closer than ever. We are able to send messages and files across the seas in seconds and not to mention that we are updated every second of what is going on globally. The ITU (International Telecommunication Union) standardizes the communication system so that countries are able to interact more easily and allows more remote countries to access information as well. Today, I visited the headquarters of the ITU for a scheduled personal tour around the museum. My tour guide was an official employee at ITU who earned the job through an internship a few years ago. As his former job, he worked at a company name Daum, which is a Korean search engine and applied to an internship at ITU because he wanted to be involved with technology in a global scale. Because of his astounding work ethic, the ITU gave him an official job in the Standardization department. From his background story, he epitomizes the fact that hard work pays off in the end and inspired me to do my best as well.

   Samsung sponsored the ITU museum and so visitors received a Galaxy Tab for the audio explanations. I thought the museum was well designed because it had some really cool artifacts like the replica of the Sputnik and the model of the first telephone. From the very beginning of communication through different forms of glyphs to futuristic communication technologies, I realized how essential communication is in our daily lives, making the responsibilities of the ITU all the more crucial. One cool fact I learned was that the Titanic tragedy could have been mitigated if communication got through easily. The nearest ship from the Titanic could have rescued many more had the communication crew been awake, which highlights the importance of communication in any conditions. Also, the Titanic radio operator sent a message saying “CQD” instead of the standardized “SOS” message calling for help. The nearest ship, not knowing what CQD meant, took some time figuring out what it meant, but it was too late when they finally sent for help. This highlights the importance of standardization for codes as well since communicating would be much harder if people used different codes to mean something. The ITU prevents all the obstacles like these from happening by standardizing codes to mean a certain thing and allows communication to be available 24/7.

   After looking around the museum, I started to reflect upon my journey so far and thought that time flew by so fast. All the excitement of visiting different organizations, and all the difficulties of travelling alone by myself have culminated in a rare experience that evolved me as a person. I never expected to survive in a French speaking country where I was a minority among mostly white and black people. To be honest, it was quite scary to step outside my comfort zone, but I was glad to have come this far and learned so much about what I wanted to do in the future.

July 4

Feeling a little adventurous today, I decided to embark on an hour journey to CERN, which is the European Organization for Nuclear Research. It wasn’t until later on that day when I found out that I was present during a monumental moment in scientific history. Nicknamed as “god’s particle”, the Higgs Bosom is said to be the key to understanding the very beginning of the universe tracing back to the Big Bang. Although the theory behind it was too complex for me to understand, I truly enjoyed the exhibitions and learned a lot about the intricacies behind physics of the universe. Ever since I was young, I was intrigued by the possible theories of the origin of everything and read many books on the mysteries of the universe. However, when it came to down to real life physics and the formulaic physics class at school, I was utterly disappointed by its boring nature. The complex formulas and concepts just sounded like an alien language from another planet. I tried really hard to memorize and enjoy physics as I used to, but it just wouldn’t register in my mind. I spent hours doing my AP Physics homework, grabbing my hair and moaning in frustration while other students took only an hour of hard thinking to finish. Eventually, I grew tired of physics and started to lose interest. But today, my visit to CERN rekindled my long lost enthusiasm for physics and I was truly intrigued reading the information in the exhibition. The exhibition also provided visual documentaries that added to the fun. What was really cool was the “Galileo” globe that was across the road from CERN that showcased mechanical parts of the LHC particle accelerator at CERN. Furthermore, the exhibition had a ball shaped sofa that one could snuggle in and listen to a brief lecture on the mysteries of the universe. To be honest, I dozed off for a bit because the sofa was too comfy and the room was dimly lit. After relaxing for a good hour of snuggling and “learning”, I headed back to grab lunch.

   I was on my way back when a familiar word grabbed my sudden attention. This word surprised me so much that I blankly stared at it as the bus passed by it. This word was 밥 which means food or rice in Korean. I did not expect a Korean restaurant to be in the middle of the city, but it had quite a few customers going in for lunch. So I got off at the next stop and decided to drop by for some lunch. A familiar smell wafted into my nose as I stepped in and I was happy that I had the chance to eat my traditional food in a foreign country. After days of eating Western food, I missed the warm rice and Korean side dishes that I used to eat. This also reminded me of  how much Korea has stepped into the international world, making its name known through technological and economical advancements. I thought that even a few years ago, I could not imagine a Korean restaurant in Geneva where they even barely spoke English. Korea and other Asian countries were slowly becoming global powers and it made me proud that my country was leading this progress in a way. Whenever I see anyone carrying a Samsung phone or see an LG television in restaurants, I cannot help but think that those devices originated from Korea. It was quite amazing how fast we developed when a decade ago, Korea faced an IMF crisis and the whole country was in economic turmoil. I believe that this is just the beginning that Korea started to become an international country. There is much potential for all these developing Asian countries and soon enough I think that we will all become stronger and more involved global countries in the soon future.

   The spicy stir-fried pork was delicious. Although I expected it to be a little westernized, the authentic taste surprised me and I savored every last piece of it. With a satisfied stomach, I stepped outside as I was determined to resume my journey throughout the city.