I have to hand it to Alex and her networking skills. Moments after we entered the mindblowingly lavish hotel ($4 billion and the most gold in the world), she found a high-up in a VIP-like area that she had sat next to at the conference and consequently impressed with her questions. He in turn introduced us to some of the day’s financing panel speakers. The guy from Cleantech was amazing and talked to us for such a long time…he mentioned a company 20 mins from my house that deals with financing small/medium businesses to combat climate change and poverty while promoting clean energy. It was like…all my current focuses rolled into a nice package. Couldn’t make it up if I tried. He said some interesting things also about the disconnect between the macrolevel and microlevel – that people’s mindsets had changed, but that our institutional structure was not conducive to real change, since it was designed for a world of the 19th century. Later on I left my bag at the table and returned to find it gone. I was then contacted by – get this – a TUPD officer. The person who had my bag (a cool German guy at our table) found Officer Morales’ card in my wallet and contacted him. TUPD was so into solving a crime 9 time zones away, they emailed me, contacted my boyfriend through facebook, and called my house. I’m hoping no one at home picked up, or else I’ll be beheaded upon arrival back in New Jersey.
Can’t wait to show you guys the video of me, Alex, Jared and Jayson model-walking down the massive Emirates Palace lobby. Today’s speakers were mostly symbolic (though we could decode some interesting messages) but tomorrow should be more substantive! Also Shell gave us a goody bag containing crank cell phone chargers, solar flashlights (“torches”…whatever) and USB drives! Ridiculous, guys. RIDICULOUS.
Off to bed,
Renee
