Worlds part 1

Some of you may find this part interesting, some of you may not, but it happened so it gets to play a part in my blog.


The next day I met 2 Australians and a guy from Western Ontario(Lenny) who had also been at my hotel. We went to find the bus that would take us to Belek(town nearest the resort we were staying at). Along the way to the bus I discovered some excellent oranges that had fallen from a tree, made even better because they were free.
Eventually got to the resort and checked in.
For those of you who don't know the process at worlds the first few days are briefing and prep stuff followed by prelim debates and then break rounds after New Years.
So the first days weren't all that eventful, except of course the free Beer. Yes thats right, part of the deal with the resort was for the entire tournament to get free local alcohol. When I discovered this I made it my goal to drink my tournament registration in Beer. Over 9 days of tournament assuming ~$5 a drink(cost back home) that brings us to about 120 beers over 9 days, so 13 beers a day, I had my work cut out for me for now suffice it to say the first few days I was well ahead.

As more and more people showed up the fun times got better and better, only thing that makes a debate tournament better is friends to share it with.

First 2 days of rounds went decently, the first day we had one wonky decision one close round and one where we clearly were the best, so it was an ok day, ended on 5 points.
Day two of debate rounds started off better, taking a close 2nd then a clear first, we ended up in a room with Alaska A a Yale team and some other American team(decent, but not great). We were first prop, suffice it to say that we made a mistake, setting the punishment for not stopping an Honour killing as the same as carrying it out, set in Pakistan. We did not know at the time that the penalty in Pakistan for Honour Killings is Death. In effect we were comitting genocide to prevent honour killings. We took a hard 4th

I think that night was the night we played poker, I don't remember, but it seems to fit here, a bunch of us from CUSID West played poker, it was good times, I lost, so not that good.

Day three started out terribly for me, woke up around 5am with the worst stomach ache ever(got pretty close to the pain from appendicitis), by the time I got up around 8am I had a fever, knowing that I had to debate, I took some Immodium. powered through and debated. In between rounds I went to lie down wherever I could, all in all this day sucked. Felt shitty, debated shitty.
That night was also New Years eve, which I spent in bed alone with my fever, however sometime soon after midnight a rather drunk Robbie appeared at my door, and gave me the 2nd piece of good news I had gotten all day(1st was surviving), he was rather excited that 4 Canadians including me had broken to Public Speech Finals.

The first half of Worlds was fun, it was my first time debating so it was different, far more stressful, but something I'm glad I did. I debated the poorest I had all semester but had a good time doing it.
Next post, Worlds after debate(no responsibilities=more fun)