"Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf." - Rabindranath Tagore

Today I got through work pretty easily.

Football game

There was a little bit of work, lots of meetings and then worked on some projects until it hit about 5pm and then headed over to the Delegate's Lounge with my friend for MAI TAI DAY!

It was Mai Tai all days in the Delegate's Lounge and my friend and I sat there and watched the soccer game going on (Portugal won) and watched the delegate's freak out during the game. It was quite interesting to watch.

Mai tai day!

Afterwards, we headed over to another building where they were hosting their first United Nations Intern Association (UNIA) elections and I went over with my friend to listen to the speeches and vote for my friends.

Afterwards, my friends and I headed over to the UNOPs building where they were having their once a month after work happy hour. It was amazing. It was great vibes, everyone

was super young, they were happy and everyone seemed so talkative and like they really enjoyed their work.

Up on the roof

The UNOPs place was amazing. It was in their kitchen and had a beautiful patio outside view of New York from the sky. It was gorgeous and such a great place to talk and enjoy meeting other people and mingling. The music was all whatever we

wanted, the drinks were cheap and the snacks were good. 

It was a great time.

Afterwards, my friends and I headed over to another place where we tore up the dance floor and then headed home. 

"Never miss a chance to dance" - Unknown

The beautiful
Canadian Mission

This morning there was a big meeting going on (one that happens bi-weekly) and I got to sit there and listen to all the work my office has done in the past few weeks and sit there with pride. After the meeting, I went back to working on my toolkit project until lunch time. At lunch time, I headed over to UNDP and had a meeting with two very lovely people who told me more about their situation with UNDP, how they got their start, why they got their start and they even provided me with all these documents to go and check out how to start my own career! It was so sweet and wonderful of them.

When I said, in my last blog post, that people are very willing to help out and offer their knowledge, I meant it. People are always very willing to help out, sometimes all you really have to do is ask. 

THIS WAS LITERALLY OUT ON
THE BALCONY OF
THE DINING ROOM

The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly without any bumps. I headed home quickly to get changed and grab a smaller back and then headed back over to the UN. But first off, I went over to the Canadian Mission to the UN, which is in the Dag Hammerskjold building and got to visit the office there.

Wow. There are a lot of photos of Trudeau everywhere. Seriously - everwhere. And of course, also a photo of the Queen and the Governor-General.

It is actually quite a lovely mission with a lot to see, but it was nowhere near as spacious as the

Some German Mission Friends

German Mission (seriously a whole building damn).

We grabbed some pizza and then headed over to the UN where my friends got in through the fast way but I had to go in through the visitor's entrance.

..Again -_-

Speaking to the crowd about his
organization

We headed upstairs to the Delegate's Dining room (not the Delegate's Lounge) to go to this amazing event hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was called "Sensation Orange" and it showcased sports and music as a universal language to achieve peace and development, featuring DJ Hardwell.

It was a pretty cool event. To say the least. 

Sweet invite!

I started off with grabbing something from the (again) open bar and going outside to the terrace where they had a beautiful view of the East River. On it was also this huge make shift soccer field where several of the ambassadors were playing football with kids! It was actually quite fun to see people dress down, enjoy themselves and do something that is fun and relaxing. Guess they really did use sports as a universal language for sports.

Met the UK ambassador!
He was super sweaty
though...tried to stalk
out the American one but
she was just too popular
 (she had scored a goal
earlier too)

We then headed back inside and enjoyed the musical set that DJ Hardwell played as he was promoting his own organization that helps development with children in India. 

It was an amazing thing to attend, and even though there has been much
criticism on how these "suits" don't appreciate Hardwell, they have to realize that he was there promoting his own organization, which is what the UN and those who went were supporting. 

Before the crowd

I was there for both! I danced and enjoyed the music with my friends and enjoyed the hor d'oeuvres. At the end of the night, most people (some missed out) took home a gift bag with stroopwafels, candy, a soccerball and a bracelet band to support Hardwell's organization. It was quite sweet.

Gotta say, tonight was probably one of the best and most fun nights I've had so far. Being able to just let go, dance with friends for a good cause, support and just enjoy - it was amazing. 

Afterwards, my friends and I headed over to the intern bar and danced the night away... but it wasn't as good, let's be honest. 

I walked home with some friends from the different mission and then headed home.

"No one looks stupid when they're having fun" - Amy Poehler

I woke up groggy today, I don't know why but I was just so exhausted and tired. As I begrudgingly walked to work this morning, I was actually pleasantly surprised as KIND was handing out breakfast bars to everyone by Grand Central. It was full of Chia seeds so it was a nice pick me up to start the day.

Today was more of the same stuff that I had focused on before. Lots of reading through documents and figuring out what resolutions and reports are and are not a part of SEA. In general very "boring" stuff. 

I went outside for lunch since it was such a gorgeous and warm spring day and brought my co-worker with me. She ended up ordering a huge slice of pizza and then we sat around in the park to eat. 

Afterwards, we headed back to headquarters and I went back to my cubicle to work (Does anyone even read this? I mean I can't really discuss most of the nature of my work and what kind of stuff I've been doing...). I worked until about 5 which is when I headed out and went  back home to relax a bit.

On Thursdays, the interns do a happy hour bar night where a lot of the times, one of us will win the
"happy hour" and have to wear wristbands. So on our whatsapp group, people will message everyone with their name to tell others about the happy hour. 

Should.. Should I go back and buy it for America Day?!

Before the happy hour, I knew I needed to wind down a bit after work so I headed over to the grocery store to buy some groceries (Fairway) and it was nice. I heard that most people in New York actually go out on Thursdays so when I went in there was no line up!

I headed back home, had some dinner and watched some Netflix (lame I know but whatever). I was actually so touched that a few people actually texted me to ask me if I was going and when I was going.

When I go to the bar (Calicos), I grabbed a pint for about $4 (isn't too bad) and was on my way. I was lucky because I knew a few people already so it was easy for me to slip in and out and talk to people. I met a few people from Brazil, Norway...I mean it was UN interns after all. As I was walking around, I was looking for another intern from the Canadian mission that I had messaged earlier. I found someone who looked like her and very tentatively walked up to her and WE FOUND EACH OTHER! 

It was great actually, I ended up meeting the whole Canadian mission (ALL THREE OF THEM), joking with them and really feeling that swell of home away from home. It's kind of odd actually and I know it isn't a huge culture shock, but just being in the presence of people who are of a similar mind, who are polite, have the same sense of humour and know where I'm from well is a great feeling. It's comforting. 

I ended up hanging out with them for the rest of the night and meeting a few other people as well. It was all in all a fun night where I got to talk and meet other people as well as just, in general, unwind and have fun with a lot of people my age and in a similar mindset/situation as me. 

Actually, the week before, I had met a lot of the Brazilian Mission and had given them Canadian pins. When I saw them today, they all showed me that they pinned them on their lanyards. My small heart grew three sizes that day. It was something I felt I really needed - a way to unwind after a busy week full of things to do and work at a computer. I got to dance, drink and talk to some friends.

By the end of the night, the only people actually left were the Canadian Mission, me and a Brazilian intern dancing on the floor. It was a pretty fun night. We all left the bar around the same time and headed home.

I'm lucky I lived fairly close to the bar as I stumbled (safely) home.

Some of the Canadian Mission Friends