Yike Guo

Some Chairs. Broken Chairs. Yike Guo

"Some Chairs. Broken Chairs" is a 2013 memoir written by Yike Guo. The Author describes in this memoir his own experiences in the most recent two years participating in student conferences simulating the working procedures, negotiations across Europe, notably Model United Nations conferences (Model UN) and simulations of the EU and NATO. He took various roles and travelled to a wide range of countries, while managing to also study in his home town. He also possesses a frevent interest in international relations, human rights, diplomacy, art and cultures, among others. This memoir does not only reflect moments that were daunting and frustrating, but also those who were exceptionally rewarding and memorable. The author decided to immortalize some of the prominent and best moments in his life until then in this book. However, for many reasons, though worked hard on it, he could not cover everything in greater depth. The author provided more fragments of personal collection full of memories, anecdotes and expositions, but also some stories behind the scenes, expectations and realities, comedies and tragedies, and about his job rather than a patterned guidebook for everyone. Yike Guo wrote about some people who inspired and changed him, and gave insights to people wishing to find out more about what a Model conference is looking like, what one could learn and which motivation he had. The memoir contains also a great range of selections of position papers, articles and post-conference reports by his friends presenting the readership a different view than the author´s own. Starting with his first conference two years ago, the author mostly chronologically listed his journeys and events and ended in April 2013, having gone and thrived at some twenty of the most prestigious and meritorious European conferences, projects and dialogues.