Ah so world schools is now over. The debaters, coaches and adjudicators have returned home. However, flying home the happiest will be Team Scotland, who are now the world schools debating champions. Fantastic. I can honestly say watching them speak so well in the final and then be announced the winners, is the happiest moment I have had in Korea. Without exaggeration, it wholly makes up for all of the bullshit and the problems. It was a privilege to be there.

Moreover, being involved in the tournament was a fantastic experience. In fact I would even go as far to say that it has been the most rewarding tournament I have ever been to on a variety of levels. World schools brands itself as not purely a competition, but an educational experience as well. I was somewhat skeptical about this, but it really is true. World schools is not all about the results, the debaters and coaches care absolutely, but I think everyone recognizes there is a greater purpose. A value in taking some of the most gifted and articulate young people and just having them talk to each other, be it in formal intellectual exercises or just over breakfast.

It was also great on a social level. University debating competitions can have a nasty sort of social hierarchy to them. Sometimes the oxbridge guys can seem a bit cliquey and it can seem that the higher you are on speaker tabs, the more people want to come and say hi. “Ooh, ten more A Level Points and you would be able to sit here.” Nothing like this was present at WSDC. People seemed genuinely interested to socialise with each other and people were just well, really nice. I personally met some great people and will always look back at the 'OB Camp' down Gangnam way with great fondness. ( I am fairly miserable everyone is gone actually. )

The kids were also amazingly respectful. I gave back lots of feedback to some obviously gutted kids. Yet, never once did their glare seem to say: “What debate were you watching you fat Scottish moron?” Comparatively, at university level, pissed off speakers have been known to hire the Mossad for reprisal killings of judges. In reality, speakers were almost universally respectful when being given constructive criticism. Astonishing, when at the world uni championships for example, the sheer density of massive egos threatens to tear a hole in the fabric of space and time.

Amazingly, I thought it was a fantastic event despite many of the problems that occurred. Most prominently the debates were supposed to have large audiences of school kids to watch. (Part of the educational aspect.) However, some of the rooms did not have seats for the spare team members and coaches. Communication was not great, the hotel was priced towards Donald Trump not kids and the buses had gear changes like a panzer tank. Nevertheless, I had an extraordinary week and I am delighted and gratified that I was there. For, at the risk of sounding saccharine, I would have to say that at WSDC I did not just see debaters at their best , but I saw people at their best.