The Opera and The Game of Risk

I thoroughly enjoyed this past week. I did two things that I had never done, playing risk and going to an opera. I honestly feel that last weeks class playing risk was the best class I had in World Politics. The class finally put things into perspective in terms of REAL international relations. I was the diplomat for my team, so i got to see first hand how states might interact. I got to experience a situation in a realist point of view. Every team had their own interests that they were trying to further, in the game in order to win. This whole situation cause us to suspect other teams of world domination, begin to unite in order to protect ourselves, and secure a win. It was a state of anarchy because no one really knew whether what the teams true intentions were. We did not know whether to trust that the red team really only want X and the black team really only wanted Y. Then Professor Jackson introduced things into the game like the man eating virus that would continue to spread if all five teams didn't donate two armies. I started to think, "For the good of humanity or the ability to protect my interests?" I still don't know what to do and it is only a board game. It is really a person's job to make that decision.

As for the Opera, I was really excited to have that Prince. I am really thankful to the UC program for giving students the opportunity to experience culture they might not have before. Unfortunately, Salome wasn't my favorite. I don't think I hate opera as an art form. I just think that maybe I should go see something else. My fatigue could have played a part in my likeness of the opera, but I will not know until I go again. All in all this was a busy week full of new and exciting things. I look forward to having more.