AIC+Debriefing+PF

Based on your experiences, what advice would you have for a future AIC participant about getting into character and/or playing effectively? -Keep out personal biases to the best of your ability and get fully into the ideology of your character. Was your NSA helpful to you? How about your game mentor? If so, how? What could the NSA or the Game Mentor have done to be more helpful? -I didn’t interact much with the game mentor but my NSA took a long time to approve things and get back to me. There were many instances where I would submit a press release and by the time it is finally posted it is irrelevant to the game.

How could we improve AIC? We invite your suggestions about the structure and rules of the simulation, the role of the NSAs and game mentors, or the website that would help make AIC better for future participants. -I think it would be easier to get into if it were more visual. The map is the only visual in the whole simulation so it feels more just like I’m sending a bunch of emails that don’t actually do anything.

As a consequence of participating in the simulation, did your outlook change regarding the people of the Middle East or their beliefs? If so, how? -Yes, I feel as though whoever you play in the simulation you will pick up at least some of their ideology just because you are seeing the situation from their shoes so much.

If you liked the simulation (or at least parts of it!) please tell us what you enjoyed or found interesting? -I liked how two different games could go completely different ways even though they both have the same countries with the same issues. Goes to show how many different ways the conflict in the middle east could be handled.

Tell us about yourself. In real life, what are your interests, and what are your plans and dreams for the future? Who did you play in the simulation? -I am a senior. I play football and am going to college at Valparaiso University next year. I will be studying Civil Engineering. I played the Palestinian Fatah in the simulation. Not a group with much power but just through diplomatic means we were able to make great strides towards peace just in the short time that the simulation went on.