Cove Harbour

@mkvx

harrystyles: Love On Tour. New York City XV. September, 2022. Thank you MSG. Thank you NYC.

Here we go again…

MUN my beloved

The thing is, I used to be fucking terrified of MUN. Everything about it (research, writing, teamwork, collaboration, public speaking) scared the living crap out of me. I came to my first conference with a whole folder of (largely) useless facts. I physically shook when I first rose to give a speech defending an amendment. I couldn’t eat and had to go to the bathroom four times before the committee sessions because I was so nervous. And yet, as the three-day conference went on, I got more and more confident. I stood up, debated, proposed amendments and gave speeches. I grew to love it more than anything in my life. 

Here’s a quick aesthetic I curated based on MUN

A binder of perfectly organised notes on the country’s politics, socio-economic environments, geography, and current affairs 

Watching documentaries about your country’s culture, taking in the unique landscape 

Empty coffee cups that somehow manage to multiply on your desk 

Pulling all-nighters, too eager to learn as much as you can 

Crisp white shirt and fresh suit, all ready for the upcoming day 

Messy handwriting, scrawling notes on the resolution of other delegates

Ink-stained fingers

Reciting your speech to yourself, having committed it to memory

Nervously cracking knuckles before your opening speech

Feeling immense pride when your resolution passes

Heated debates during unmoderated caucuses

Placard raised proudly 

It seems like a lot of non Indians are unaware of this but hey INDIA DOES NOT HAVE A NATIONAL LANGUAGE, We have 22 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES and 40 other yet to be recognized regional languages.

Next time dont ask an Indian if they can speak something in Indian language because sweety we have 22, and most of us can speak like 5 of them (I can and that is excluding English, because I grew up around people from multiple states, yes I'm flexing)

You don't have to know names of all of those languages (because that is a ridiculous expectation to have) but here are a few tips:

1) Hindi is not our national language

2) Each language is distinct and doesn't overlap the other apart from two or three words in some languages

3) Languages differ statewise, so maybe ask them which state they belong to and then what language they speak.

Also we have overlapping languages with our neighbors

Punjabi/Sindhi/Urdu - Pakistan (Urdu and Hindi is understood by people of both nations)

Tamil - Sri Lanka

Bengali - Bangladesh

Devanagri script is used by Nepal and India and hence people of Nepal are able to read and somewhat understand Hindi as well over and above their own language.

You travel from North to South in India and the people may not understand each other just one state apart or there are linguistic barriers between neighboring states, and we have acknowledged that difference and frankly I see it at as a strength.

You can make fun of our accent all you want but know this, we speak one language more than you by the time we are 5 and can win against you in a debate in four languages including yours by the time we are 7.

I'm tired of the ignorance, like I said you don't need to know the names of all languages but please know that not every Indian can speak the language that you may have found to be Indian (which is mostly Hindi).

Ask us and we will happily tell you just because you showed us that courtesy.

P. S. I know there are like 1600 languages and dialects in India but I used the constitution for reference.

Additions and corrections to the post are welcome by other Desis (south Asians).