Already stated, I come from Delaware, where sledding in the winter (if we’re lucky) consists of kids sledding down a shallow ditch by the road, because everything is flat. When we see things bigger than our homes, we stare with eyes the size of dinner plates while saying, “It’s a mountain! Look!” But, no, this is finally the real deal.

Whenever I can, I try to leave meals early and take advantage of all my free time by sitting on the porch, rocking and looking at the mountains. Because it’s all so new to me, it’s definitely a wonder. I try to keep as many people back home as I can, texting them photos of the mountains as the sky changes colors, even though my BlackBerry’s itty bitty 3.2 mega-pixel camera can’t even begin to seriously communicate or capture the truly stunning view: right now, it’s about 8:15pm, and the sky is a soft, hazy purple right where it meets the peaks of the mountains. You can barely make out the texture of greenery on the closest ones at this time, and the clouds are slowly migrating to my left, and even they have gentle hints of pink, purple, blue and gray laced underneath them.

The entire ride down here, I kept wondering, “Why a mountain? Why, of all places on this green earth, did they choose to place Blue Ridge Assembly in a  mountain?” Now it’s obvious to me. Up here, things are so beautiful, that it’s impossible to be in a bad mood. We’re just isolated enough from everybody else, where we can focus on each other and what good comes our ways, on meeting new people, and being able to share the common ground of being amazed and comforted by everything around here (except the bears).

So, why am I making a blog about the mountains? Because they’re inspiring, and because I know there are more parents back home (aside from my own) who are interested in where we’re all staying. Plus, during the year – and for those of us who may not return – people can look back here and easily remember their free time on Lee Hall porch, easily conversing with new people and taking in the occasional cool breeze, being able to not worry about life outside of the mountain for a while.

Biltmore Estate: unfathomably huge, vastly gorgeous, dangerously humid, and home to those who had long since passed.

The Estate was more than a house to owner George Vanderbilt; it was a constant work of passion and was opened in 1895. It was home to many joyous days, from dances and social gatherings, to brilliant dinners, and even to the birth of George and Edith’s daughter, Cornelia.

In 1914, George passed away from complications after an appendectomy. Taking the news hard, Edith was said to hold full conversations with George, even long after he had gone.

Today, countless people have reported numerous hauntings over the years. They include:
- Most reported is the presence of George himself – many people report seeing him reading, smoking, or sitting in the library, and sometimes in the 2nd floor Oak Sitting Room.
- Hearing sounds of conversation and laughter (assumed to be Edith and George) by the marble fireplace
- Footsteps walking around the home
- Laughter and running around the pool area. People have also reported hearing people swimming and splashing in the pool. Others claim to have seen a dark figure under the water’s surface, back when the pool was allowed to be filled.
- Seeing a young woman in a period outfit in one of the basement rooms
- Sounds of Edith crying from her bedroom
- Strangely enough, one of the most popular sightings is a headless orange cat running throughout the estate

I decided to go to the Biltmore trip Wednesday to see for myself. I did no research of anything until after I went  there, and compared my experiences to those of other people. Though I can’t say I saw George himself, I did find something.

I’m pretty sensitive to paranormal happenings, believe it or not. I get sudden, shooting headaches, feel dizzy, lightheaded and sick, and start to feel really irritated, among other things. My body tends to react physically before emotionally to it. Walking down one of the halls, I started getting the headache and felt dizzy, only  to look up and realize I was nearing the library. I stayed in there longer, closely looking around, and the more intense my feelings got. So, I quickly left, and started feeling better. The feeling came back in Edith’s room, and definitely near the pool, where I completely spaced out and almost fell down the stairs. Once I left the creepier rooms, I’d feel fine. The library was definitely the worst feeling though – I didn’t think I’d actually make it through the rest of the house.

I’ve read that a lot of rooms are closed off because of weird happenings. Employees aren’t allowed to disclose information, and photos aren’t allowed to be taken.
I really do believe something’s going on there, regardless of what other people think. There’s a very obvious “feel” of something inhuman. I plan to go back some time, hopefully with connections, and look around it more. I definitely recommend anybody going there – ghosts or not, it’s a gorgeous home. A great deal of rooms and the 4th floor are closed off, but enough of it is open to be astounded at. It’s extremely humid and sticky during the summer, and probably more crowded during the Winter (Christmas at Biltmore), but in between, it’s definitely worth the trip. From there, you can make your own decision.

~ Sam Jamgochian

1) For ladies: ALWAYS BRING A PAIR OF FLATS! Those heels may appear super cute on flat ground, but in case you didn’t notice, we are on the mountain. Heels plus the mountain equals feet in major pain, and no one likes that.
2) Carry deodorant around. It is a fact of life: get hot, and sweat. That’s not fun for anyone. So, please, deodorant is a must.
3) Speak up! It is an exhilarating experience to speak in front of people. You might even inspire someone else to speak their mind, too, and you never know – you might change someone’s perspective on a major issue.
4) Drink water! North Carolina is known for its humidity. This lovely addition to the atmosphere will make you even more dehydrated and exhausted. Carry water bottles around all the time: it’s cool to fall because of the dart game, but not so much when you’re dehydrated.
5) Keen an open mind. Your opinion matters a lot, but you won’t grow as a person if you don’t listen to other’s ideas, especially different ideas. You don’t have to agree, but it’s good to acknowledge difference and even accept that some contrasting ideas are true.
6) Be sure to keep your schedule and watch handy! The day is so hectic and busy, and if you don’t have the schedule to tell you where to go, it’s easy to get flustered. One thing to do is to highlight or circle all of the events that are relevant to you, that way it’s easy to find it when you need it quickly.
7) Make new friends. Some people brush off the idea that friends you make at CONA will be your friends forever, but it’s the truth. With social networking sites like Facebook and the wonderful invention known as texting, it’s easier than ever to stay connected with new friends. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll have a job interview with a new company in a new state, and your potential boss will be a CONA alumni.
Use those Spirit Fingers! True, they might look slightly out of place back home, but here they are a symbol of agreement and comraderie.
9) Delegates agree that you have to try the Eureka! This frozen treat is similar to a blizzard, with candy goodness blended into ice cream. Nothing served in the cafeteria can compete with the sweetness of this savory treat.
10) The most important aspect of this week is to live without regrets. The worst thing you can do is walk away from this experience wishing you had taken a chance or a risk. Live it up at CONA; these experiences will carry you over until next summer.

~ Caroline Tambling

Members Brooklyn Hildebrandt and Kate Breimann delivered moving speeches that encouraged fellow delegates to be involved and not to sit idly. The 10 minute presentation included a video clip of a CBS new report in which Iranian protestors were treated in a violent manner for expressing their opinions. Immediately following this, the entire Virginia delegation stood united on the stage wearing green headbands to symbolically represent the abused protestors now living in Iran.

When asked about his thoughts on the devotion, Virginia delegate Sanjay Kishore stated, “We tried to take a different approach on responsibility because it’s something that Youth & Government programs across the nation seem to emphasize.” As the youth of CONA left the assembly, they were given their own piece of ribbon to serve as a constant reminder. Not a soul was talking as the delegates exited devotion, proving that silence truly is golden.

“The staff is enormously benefiting from the constant English communication, as well as having hours of program participation for their resume. While some may feel that the foreign staff members greatly outnumber the American workers, the ratio is only approximately 31:20, and the number of American workers has significantly increased due to the lack of jobs with the current economic situation our country faces” says Mrs. Godfrey of her employees.

When discussing politics with Howard Gordon of Jamaica, he noted how “running for office as well as supporting politics in (my) home country is far more intense. We don’t worship our leaders like you do and we will criticize ours at the drop of a hat. We take freedom of speech to a completely different level.”

The American staffer, Caleb Bradford of Hartselle, Alabama, told the interviewers how he found it amusing to “watch the foreign students cross the language barrier. It was difficult for some to learn different phrases that meant more than one thing and I enjoy helping them as best as I can”.

When Xiaomeng Liu (Patty) came to America, she was overwhelmed by the “different habits, different ways of communication, and the extremely friendly people” that made her transition to the States a pleasant one. While she misses the food like that in China, she is slowly becoming more accustomed to American cuisine.

Raquel Morales Gomez is one of five participants of a partnership that Mrs. Godfrey has recruited with the University in Chihuahua, Mexico. “America may be close to Mexico, but they are very different nations. We are more warm in our greetings and our affection is expressed from every gender alike by hugs and kisses regularly” says Raquel. Gloria Medina Chambueta will attest to this as she is from a nation of Latin American culture. She also conveyed how in Bogotá, Colombia it is very different from where she is currently residing. When she came to the United States, the amount of fast food was appalling. At home, her daily meals would be purchased fresh from the market that was close to her home.

The last employee the girls spoke with was Juliya Davidzenka from Belarus and, while communication was limited, Juliya expressed how Americans have been generally friendlier comparatively than the more reserved people of her home country, and it was a nice change. While the international staff is very diverse, they have much in common with the rest of the delegates at the Conference on National Affairs, and the girls implore you to take a moment to meet the employees at Blue Ridge Assembly.

edited by cassie

As hundreds of delegates traveled to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina on June 27th 2009, rumors of the disease and urgent precautions to prevent it from occurring traveled to this week’s Conference as well. Although the precautions taken are most completely necessary, the hype of swine flu is becoming a blemish on the face of America.

The precautions being stressed at this week’s Conference include washing hands frequently and using excessive amounts of hand sanitizer, as it was encouraged in Sunday afternoon at the Opening Session. For many, this was not any change in their personal lifestyle. “I do wash my hands consistently,” commented Delegate Tyler Govek of Wisconsin, “and when there was no soap in my room when I first got to my Conference, I actually used shampoo to wash my hands.”

Hygiene is certainly an important practice this week. But what is more important is to not pay attention to rumors of spreading symptoms nearby. Proposal number 463 suggests “a new strategy to properly prepare our country for pandemics,” stated proposal author Lester Asamoah of Oklahoma, “giving our country a way to properly inform a steady response of any pandemic situation.” In First Committee Sunday afternoon, delegate Kyle from North Carolina agreed the “media plays [swine flu] up to be deadly.”

Delegates from enjoyably voiced their opinion on the steps of Lee Hall when questioned about the situation on Sunday afternoon; it was obvious that geographical location and media coverage had affected a delegate’s position. Some from South Carolina seemed to be more worried than others, especially Michael Prowse and David Dunlap. “We’re afraid to cuddle in public because of the H1N1 virus,” they jokingly claimed while still giving all an arguable stance on the issue. Pennsylvanian delegates seemed to be skeptical about the issue, where as delegates from New Jersey thought that the H1N1 virus should be treated of equal or less concern than the Influenza virus.

Various strains of the Influenza virus has been found in our nation for decades with about 36,000 deaths per year, which is why Nick Renard from Wisconsin has authored a proposal mandating a flu shot to all individuals who remain in the U.S. for six months or longer. Renard’s proposal, number 88, conveniently paired up with Maggie Li of Connecticut. Li is the proposal author of proposal number 237, a proposal that creates further precautions for pandemic situations.

As these three different proposal authors present commendable precautions in response to pandemic solutions, a delegate can only ask themselves where they stand. Is the swine flu something to worry about? Or is it all the media hype? But, only one answer should resonate within: no matter the situation, pandemic or not, the face of America should not be blemished by a viral outbreak or a media outbreak; the face of our nation should stay clean.

By Steph Luczak, Connecticut