today's theme: WAIT

I guess you could say the theme of this enire conference is waiting - waiting to see what what parties negotiate; waiting to see what kind of treaty comes out of this conference, but today was the manifestation of a different kind of waiting - the standing around kind.

We got to the Bella Center at our usual time - around 8:30 am and were met by a huge line or queue as it is called here. there was a queue for people who have not yet registered - which has been long every day - but then there were also 2 huge lines for those people with badges to get in. We stood in this line - outside - for almost and hour and a half! It was sooo freazing i could not even feel my toes any longer - and we had no idea what we were waiting for or for how long.

At one point, though, they were playing some pretty good music (dancing helped a bit to warm us up) - Bob Marley and James Brown - nothing like a little "sex machine" at 8 am in the cold.

But then, the music stopped and the people's climate action demonstration started. They had a pretty awesome painted mural/banner of world leaders from what i think might have been the G8 - Obama was in the middle and all the other leaders were pointing to him - except Canada who was for some reason drooling? weird. anyway, it got even weirder when they begun throwing shoes at the mural. no joke. they had a bucket of shoes that they pelted at the mural. At first i thought it might have been a mock of when Bush got the shoes thrown at him - but i think they were saying something about how we will all be walking barefoot because of climate change. I am not sure, but it was mildly entertaining for the moment and took my mind away from the on-set of frost bite to my toes. (of course this was the day i decided to wear a dress, heels and no tights).

At one point during the wait, some Britsh news station came over and interviewed me asking how long we had been waiting outside. At that point it had been over an hour - which means i was a frozen popsicle - i am sure my nose was red and running and then to top it off, they zoomed in on my badge - which if you read my previous entry - was not the most flattering photo. Great - my "15 minutes" of fame marked by wind-swept tresses, barely audible speech from my frozen lips, a red runny nose and a close-up of my mug shot-esque badge photo! All who read this are strictly banned from attempting to find said news tidbit on the internet.

After (FINALLY) being let into the Bella Center - and walking past throngs of people waiting to be registered, we got in and through security with hardly a wait. I still don't know why we had to wait outside for over an hour?

After picking up the daily programme, grabbing a cup of coffee and slowly dethawing - we realized to our disappointment - there were not many great sessions to attend. Usually there are are multiple panels and talks that i want to atend each day. This is most likely my last day in the Bella Center and there are no sessions i really want to see - or the ones i would have wanted to see started and ended as i watched people throwing shoes in subzero temperatures.

There was, however, a plenary session that i was excited about and decided i would just sit through that the whole day. It was a President's informal consultation inviting all parties to address major issues requiring political guidance. On the agenda were issues ranging from long-term emission reductions and sustainable development, mitigation, market-based approaches, financing, trade, etc. Perfect! what a great way to end my conference-attending experience. We got into the plenary an hour early (because that is the only way to ensure you won't be locked out) - and we waited. The hour went by - the room filled up, yet they did not start. Then they made all NGO's move to a certain part of the room (which has not happened to me yet. Usually you can sit anywhere in the back section). Wait. Wait. Wait. Announcement: the plenary ois delayed (really) but everyone please stay where you are. hmm? ok. wait. wait. wait. Annoucement: the plenary will start at 1:30 (it was supposed to start at 11:30 and we had been waiting in the room since 10:30.). By this time, it was 1:10 - so 20 more minutes is no big deal. snacks and more waiting. Until, 1:45 when security came around and announced that all NGOs had to leave the room. they were closing the session and only parties were permitted. No one knew why, but we had to pack up and leave immediately.

So, yaicha and i decided not to completely leave, but rather hang out in the lobby - incase they let us back in to the plenary. But outside of the lobby - they were turning away anyone that was not a party (not even press is allowed where i am right now). So, right now in the lobby we are covertly acting like "party" members and hoping not to get kicked out.

As a side note this is where the benefits of proper attire come into play. In preliminary meetings before coming here the youth delegation that we are with discussed how they did not want to dress up but would rather just dress in normal "street clothes" as a statement of non-confomity. And, i think that is fine. For me, i knew that i wanted to dress up and look professional - you never know who you will meet - or in this case where you get to be. I think because I "blend" in at the moment - and i am sitting quietly on my computer, no one is questioning me being in this room, where technically, i am not allowed to be. Had i been dressed differently, i think security would have singled me out and made me leave. Not that it means anything - it's just a very interesting aspect of society that i have been thinking about lately - presentation matters.

Anyway - the reason for being kicked out for closing the plenary is that there is a flury of activity. African nations have walked out of negotiations until the developed nations agree to step it up (YAY for them!). They have said they will not come to the table until an agreement is reached that developed nations will increase their emission reduction targets.

It has been awesome to sit in this lobby to the plenary! No one but parties are allowed in, so you can see the flury as they are rushing around! At one point i looked back and the President of COP15 was right behind me!!! She said something about the issue being resolved. I really really wish i could be in that plenary right now!! I imagine the discussions are so intense and contentious!

If i could be granted one wish right now, it would be to understand all languages - so i could hear what groups of people are saying as they furiously gather, chattering in the lobby.

Outside the lobby there is some sort of demonstration going on - i can hear the clapping and chanting - but i dare not move for fear that my covertly turned badge would betray me to reveal my yellow NGO badge status.

i am currently sitting in the middle of what i believe to be the entire India delegation. need a genie in a bottle - pronto!

So much going on in here, outside!!! but i have no idea what!!

check out these articles for more information:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121405009&ft=1&f=1025

here is an interesting twist? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121352495&ft=1&f=1025