On November 8, 2022, Highland Park Model United Nations and Congress (HPMUNC) along with Mr. Gold, the club advisor, Ms. Kelly, the nurse, and Ken, the bus driver, departed from the front of the high school to Montreal, Canada. This was one of the first international post-COVID. Students in HPMUNC did not only travel to Canada for the Secondary Schools United Nations Symposium (SSUNS), a Model United Nations conference, but also to fully engross themselves in the culture and sights Montreal had to offer.
The team took a trip to the neighborhood of Old Montreal to immerse themselves in the history of the city. After their first dinner at the Centre Eaton Mall, the team quickly realized how dominant the French language is over English. Poutine, Schwartz’s, and Montreal bagels were all some of the classic foods HPMUNC enjoyed after going to the Museum of Fine Art and Mont-Royal.
During the club’s visit to the Kells Academy, a school in Montreal, HPMUNC discussed American and Canadian stereotypes while learning more about the similarities and differences between the two nations. The team then strolled through botanical gardens and competed in a game of laser tag.
Even with all the fun activities, HPMUNC worked hard inside the committee. Back at the Sheraton Hotel, where the team stayed and where the conference was held, HPMUNC debated, cried, and crushed it in the conference. Many awards were given in the most advanced committees, competing against Canadian and other schools from around the world.