Arrival Day at Koc Worlds

The time is winding down on arrival day at Koc worlds here in Turkey. Here are some basic observations, nothing too serious.

• The facility is incredible: modern, huge, varied, high quality, lots of bars, places to gather, great beachfront, billiards, tables for chatting, multiple bars with free liquor, fitness center, several pools, stores, etc.
• Registration seemed very efficient, lines were not long, and before you knew it you were on your way to your room with your swag bag.
• Teams from the USA are having travel problems because of snow and weather there. Good luck to all of them (and my three students who are missing).
• There will be six training sessions tomorrow for beginner and intermediate debaters to help them do better in the tournament. This is a great addition to the program. Rhydian Morgan is coordinating it, and he even asked me to do a session on rebuttal. I also got asked to be a public speaking judge. Anything to demobilize me, it seems.
• As with any worlds, lots of friends, lots of meetings. This is an incredibly international group and says something wonderful about the nature of global debate today.
• I saw the two Iraqi teams, so apparently they got visas to enter Turkey. I also saw the Venezuelans here for their first worlds. Congratulations to both.
• Adiba Shareen of Malaysia will, in fact, be chairing the worlds council meetings. She is very concerned about issues facing the future of worlds, things that should have been seriously considered long ago and have not been, including a bigger break and a better system for registration.
• Several candidates have emerged to lead the worlds council, including (these are rumors, of course) Jonathan Leader Maynard, Rhydian Morgan, and Adiba Shareen (at least) but I am sure more will pop up.
• The organizing team seem to be doing a great job, hustling all over the place and solving individual problems that people have. Hopefully, their energy will last through the tournament.
• There is a lot of free booze, but people seem to be moderate about it for now. There is beer, wine and Turkish branded liquors. These will be available only during some hours. Seven bars are open and drinks are free until midnight. After that they cost you. Imported liquors are by the drink charged. There is considerable speculation about what things will be like in this regard as the tournament goes on and people get into the swing of partying.
• There is free Internet wireless in the central areas, and in the rooms it is available via ethernet cable at 5 Euros a day.
• A number of teams had practice debates today and more will be scheduled tomorrow.

Tomorrow's schedule:

8-10 Breakfast

10-11 Free voluntary training sessions part 1

11-12 Masters Round 1

12-13:30 Lunch

13:30-14:30 Masters Round 2

15-16 Compulsory briefings

16:30-17:30 Free voluntary training sessions part 2

17:30-19:30 Pre Council meeting

19:30-4:00 Opening Ceremony & Party