You are everything I aspire to be

If parenting has taught me anything, it is the importance of getting down on your hands and knees and teaching not just facts, but love and enthusiasm for the natural world.

This is my son Q and me. I have dozens of photos like this by now, even though he is just two years old.

Every chance I get, I will kneel down with him and show him the little creatures all around us. Especially when they are frogs. He loves frogs for some reason. No idea why.

It is important that we all see this together. It is beautiful. It is magnificent. We are here. It is improbable to the highest degree. It is fleeting, but it is everything we get. And we can get so, so much of it. If we just get our faces into it and really absorb it.

So that's what l'm trying to do here, I guess. Get all of you to join me in the reeds. And I am so happy to have so many of you along for the journey.

30.01.17 - 05.02.17

NEW YORK

Glenn Denning - Glenn was an encyclopaedia of knowledge regarding sustainable development. He talked through how there were many sceptics who dismissed the MDGs either as they saw global goals as unrealistic or because they disregarded anything to do with the UN. However, they achieved quite a lot especially in terms of extreme poverty, malaria and HIV. The SDGs were an upgrade as they considered how the MDGs were too top down, did not address inequality or environmental issues and did not involve a lot of inclusive development as poorer countries were focussed on. Of course, the SDGs were criticised too and mainly for being seventeen of them. Glenn noted how this was a result of inclusive discussions and strong advocacy from groups. The increase from eight to seventeen was the price of cooperation and one would struggle to justify one of them being unimportant. On the positive side, there is now more direct responsibility for richer countries and the SDGs have captured the attention of a wider community of stakeholders. This is one of the pros of the UN - the UN is formed by governments but have the ability to mobilise non-governmental organisations, businesses, etc. The other issue Glenn deliberated was why people are hungry considering there is more than enough to go around. A few reasons include inaccessibility, increasing population, food security and wastage where not only food is wasted but the energy into making the food is blown. However, the most significant reason was that people’s diets are changing particularly in rapidly developing nations. For instance, China’s shift towards meat consumption means we need more animals, and hence, more grains to feed the animals so grains are taken out of the market. Policy instruments such as food stamps and vouchers need to be utilised. It is also time to demonise fast food and sugary drinks like tobacco has been. A side matter we discussed were GMOs and he pointed out that the populations’ unease at them is due to fear of the unknown and scientists are too geeky to make it look promising. If only the marketing department of Coke could help. University of Columbia - 100% would be one of the top results for a search on “university aesthetic tumblr”. Times Square - Overwhelming as expected... but not anymore than any of our own minds. NZ Permanent Mission to the UN - Most of the session was Q&A and we discussed how NZ were a large voice despite being quite small as we were committeed to the UN since the start, have no vested interest due to location so we are seen to be impartial, have a comparatively good human rights record, bravely called out what was happening in Rwanda during the genocide, have people in key position and we always taken a principled approach based on merits. NZ is a good person. School of Rock - Firstly, what a buzzing and epic show! Secondly, TALK ABOUT CHILD PRODIGYS??? WHAT THE??? Share some of that talent around, why don’t you.

9/11 Memorial and Museum - Despite this being my second visit to this museum, its effect was not diminished whatsoever. The museum presents a multitude of voices of those involved in the attack and does so in an authentic manner. Personally, I find this quote from James Gilroy to be the most memorable: “She had a business suit on, her hair was all askew… This woman stood there for what seemed like minutes, then she held her skirt and then stepped off the ledge…I thought, how human, how modest, told down her skirt before she jumped…I couldn’t look anymore.”  A melancholic reminder that we’re all human. Masterchef - Julia and I were on mains so we created the first thing that came to mind - nachos shaped in the head of the Statue of Liberty, of course. Our combination of blue corn chips, the smallest pinch of mince amongst a crowd of pinto beans, finger-licking good cream cheese and yummy guac deservedly won 1st place.

Youth Assembly Day 1 - All of us hustled in and were VERY excited to finally be at the Conference we had been buzzing about. Aaaand it was shit. Luckily, I do have a funny story to make up for it :) I wasn’t there but Michael was grabbed by a girl who said “You’re so cute, I’m bringing you back to Nigeria!” and of course, that served to be a good chuckle for all of us. That’s not even the good bit... The next day, Antoine complimented Michael on his tie and I told him to be careful or a Nigerian girl would snatch him away. A girl in front of us turned and looked at me with an unimpressed face and I assumed she thought I was being racist. The interaction then followed as such: “Oh, let me explain! Yesterday a Nigerian girl grabbed him and wanted to take him back with her.” “Yes, that was me.” “...Oh.” Funnily enough, she then tried to sass me: “You don’t recognise me but I recognise you.” My defense was easy enough: “Hun, I wasn’t even there.” WHOOPS UN Development Programme - In the middle of the day, we just had a casual meet up with Helen Clark, no biggie. She was COOL. Cool fact #1 from cool Aunty Helen: Syria will need 30 years to revert their GDP back to their previous GDP. Cool fact #2 from cool Aunty Helen: Turkey and Lebanon have hosted over a million refugees and have not complained. And cool fact #3 from cool Aunty Helen: Developed countries can help less developed countries beyond providing financial help by helping them to apply for financial help, such as with writing proposals.

Youth Assembly Day 2 - Again, no change. Again, shit. Youth Assembly Mexico Mission - Learning about Mexico’s activity with the UN was really insightful as it was something I knew nothing about. Our host, who I have annoyingly forgotten the name of, was such a gracious man. An interesting point he raised was that many discussions at the UN revolve around statistics in order to decide on indicators. He believed that the greatest threat against success of the SDGs is nationalism and this nationalism came from those who have been negatively affected by globalisation which is, unfortunately, fair enough. As expected, I also learnt plenty about Mexico! Mexico has the largest network of free trade agreements, was the first country to have law on climate change and all employed Mexicans have free healthcare! Metropolitan Museum of Art - The main attraction was The Costume Institute’s ‘Masterworks: Unpacking Fashion’ exhibit in the Anna Wintour Costume Centre. Just a tad better than my own wardrobe back home...

Visiting family - Going to New York on this trip meant I was able to see my grandma and visit her new place in Queens Boulevard. It was really touching because I could tell my visit was very precious to her and with a little luck, I’ll be back for YumCha with her again in a year or so :) 

Avenue Q - An absolute killerrr!!! Relatable, hilarious and such a good time! Not to be missed!!! I’m starting to sound like their marketing guy but seriously, it’s uproarious!!! Hahaha…go see it.

Flight to Auckland via Los Angeles and Sydney - 30 hours of flying resulted in quite the movie binge; I ended up watching Keeping Up With The Jonases, Focus, Anna Karenina, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Red Dog! Keeping Up With The Jonases didn’t have much on Keeping Up With The Kardashians but the rest are definitely recommended :)