A day in the life...

So, I realized it may be beneficial (or interesting?) to tell you about my day so you can get a picture of what goes on here and what i actually do day to day. And now that i have been here a few days, I have established a "pattern" of sorts.

I usually wake up about 7am and leave the house by 7:30 or 8.

On the way we make a pit stop at the most delicious pastry shop ever - 2 blocks from my flat. :) bad idea whoever put that there, but oh so good! Goal: try every pastry! (but avoid coming home 700lbs heavier...?)

Catch the 4A bus (but not the 4A to Mozart Plads - the other 4A).

Arrive at Bella around 8 - 8:30

Go through security - making sure to have empty water bottles and coffee mug so that they don't make me drink the contents. Yes, the other day i forgot to empty my bottle, and i was watched by 3 guards as i took a sip. lesson learned. Now i empty and take the lids off for a much happier security experience.

Next is a badge scan at the entrance - where my lovely pictutre pops up on the screen. I find it a little disconcerting that every day the scanners do a double-take when they verify the picture on the screen is actually me, the person standing before them. Ok, I was exhausted and had no make-up on and my hair was a disaster when i took the picture ( i mean i had benn traveling for 27 hours after all - and then immediately stood in a 3 hour long line to get my badge - what do you expect!) - but it's really not that bad.

Coat check is the next stop. (and promptly putting my coat check ticket in my wallet - as you do not want to lose it. yes, this happened day 2).

Then on to the Daily Programme counter where we are handed an increasingly thick packet describing all of the plenary sessions, side events, actions, and other items of interest for the day. They have also begun to list the dignitaries and world leaders that are arriving.

From there, i usually get a cup of coffee for 10dkk (about $2) - so glad it is both good and strong! and enjoy my pastry while looking through the daily programme for the sessions i will attend and plan out my strategy for the day.

I have been doing the 10am plenary session which means that i try to get into the room at 9:30 at the latest to avoid the security restrictions and ensure that i can get in. hopefully that plan continues to work.

I sit in the plenary until it is time to go to the next session.

Plenary sessions:
usually start about 10 minutes late.

they begin by the President opening the session and she goes through the agenda as well as other annoucements about items from the day before that need to be covered, etc. Like most meetings - the agenda is more ambitious than what can realistically be accomplished in the time alloted, so items get pushed back or around.

From there, the Chair of the committee of a particualar item gives an update, and then comments from the floor are addressed. Each country that wishes to speak is given 3 minutes (about 1 in 3 countries actually stay within that time limit - and when a country in concise - such as only taking 2 minutes, the President makes a big deal about their efficiency).


These comments can go on for a long time - and i have never really seen any of the questions or comments answered. Either all comments are taken and noted and then that agenda item goes to a contact group (a smaller group designed to deal with the specifics) or the comments far outlast my ability to sit there - because i have to get to a different session or just can't sit there for more than 2 hours at a time.

Contact Group:

I plan to attend one of the contact group open sessions today - so i will be able to report more on these later.


Side Events:

Along with all of the open and closed sessions and press briefings, there are a multitude of "side events" throughout the day. These are usually panel discussions hosted by an organization. So, the science panel by the Bellona Foundation was a side event, as was the REDD panel. There are so many of these going on - often at the same time - it is sometimes hard to choose what you want to go to!!

Somewhere in there i eat some lunch, sometimes get more coffee, usually get a little lost in the Bella Center (though by now i think i can find all the rooms) and endlessly search for the combination of plug & seat inbetween sessions.

Around 5,6,7 pm (or should i say: 17:00, 18:00, 19:00), i leave the Bella, catch the 4A and head back home to make some dinner, blog and usually crash!

I always have the intentions of going out and about - but i am so exhausted that i usually just crawl into bed - lame, i know - but i think we are going to switch from UN delegates to tourists this weekend - so i won't totally miss out on exploring this amazing city. And, it will be a refreashing and needed break - to get ready for next week - which i imagine will be even more intense, crazy and exhausting than this one!