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PrincessMedyPi

1.) How did you find out about eRepublik?

In July, I was invited to join Beta by my good IRL friend, Phaedrus Lidox (Former President of Turkey).

2.) For people who weren't there, like me, what was it like in Beta?

I was only in Beta for about 3.5 months, so I am not the Beta expert. But, I will try my best to give a good answer. Beta was a far different game and something I find almost difficult to explain to those who weren't there. When I joined Beta, it was dominated by groups who met one another on forums. The two that I was most familiar with were the /v/akistanis from 4chan and the Goons from Something Awful (this is the group that I eventually associated with; for a brief history, I suggest reading this wiki article: http://wiki.erepublik.com/index.php/Goons). It felt very segregated, but it was also a much more lighthearted time, IMHO. During this time, I feel like more people saw this as a game and didn't take it so seriously. People did almost anything they could get away with and pushed the boundaries of the game, many of them to their eventual state of Permanently Banned. The media was littered with scandals, and it was a time in which Justin and I fought on opposing sides. Every time you moved, your paper was sent to paper hell: a citizen account that housed all of the defunct papers, and if you tried to open it in anything but Safari, your browser would freeze. In addition to congress, we had mayors, and the President had more power over the nation. Alliances were not Atlantis and PEACE (FIST, lol). There was a feed, in which you could see almost anything a friend did (so you even friended your enemies to keep an eye on them), and you could actually see what somebody donated to you. The thing I miss the most though: war was player vs. player (for Beta babies: yes, even I was a victim of Alucard Bloodlust). I really miss Beta because I love the graphics, layout, and mechanics of it. Furthermore, many of my fondest memories are rooted in Beta.

3.) Explain the early stages of your eLife (Levels 1-12)?

I lived in USA for the first month of my life, so I wasn't playing with Phaedrus until somewhere around the beginning of August. I actually was not well liked during my first month and a half in the game. I was trolled by just about everyone because I didn't come from any of the major forums. My life in the game began when I wrote a newspaper article sticking up for one of the few people who had befriended me in the game, who just happened to be a Goon. This gesture helped me fit in with some of the Goon populous, which made my life much more enjoyable...they were awful trolls. Eventually, around the beginning of September, the Goons thinned out of Turkey, and the nation was left with three ethnic groups: Turks, Greeks/Goons (mainly Americans), and Israelis. Around this time, I began to see that what Turkey really needed was a loss of separatist/nationalist action and a push for unity. The relations between ethnic groups there are very volatile, and being an outsider, I think it was easier for me to step back and reflect on how RL and the game were intersecting. So, I became a voice for the disenfranchised in Turkey and called for peace. I actually led some peace talks for a while and mediated between Israeli and Turkish leaders. Even though they they did not come to a fruitful end, they enlightened me to the ethnic relations that hampered the interactions of Turks and Israelis. This is where my political career really took off, and it was during this time period that I met my first eHusband, tekyoldevrim, a bonafide Turk. In October, I was elected into Turkish congress and as the Party President of ABK. I renamed the party People's Democratic Voice and fought off a hostile party takeover. Around this time, I began to be worn down by the constant turmoil and became torn as to how to proceed. My loss in the November Presidential Elections only added to my yearning to escape this constant struggle. My companion during the night of my loss, Benn Dover, wasted no time on bringing me back to the states as part of his "MOAR WIMMINZ" campaign.

4.) When and why did you get interested in Alaskan politics?

Ah, good old Alaska. Well, during November (the month I moved to the US), the admins decided to make congressional representatives regional. Since I had never really lived in the eUSA before, I was searching for a place to live. At the time, eUSA had a deficit of women, so, in light of the election, I decided to make a play on Palin. However, once I started learning about the great state of Alaska, I realized that it is a pivotal state in game. Even though the population is small, we have a high oil supply and border Russia (formerly Norway). I see it as a possible site of invasion in the future, which is why I pushed for a Q3 DS and Q3 H there during our previous infrastructure placement discussions. I would love to consider serving this state, which is why I'm running again! I'm trying for the fourpeat! (My campaign can be found here: http://princessmedypi.myucp.com/congressional-platform/)

5.) Do you plan on running for President one day?

I've been asked this question many times, and it keeps recurring more frequently, as of late. Originally, when I moved to the eUSA, I was like "zomg! I would never want that job in a million years!" But, the longer that I've been here, the more that I've been asked and have given it consideration. After serving this great nation with Justin as his VP, I feel a little more comfortable with the role that the President is supposed to take. In celebration of my birthday, I am thinking about running in April. I don't have the time or the energy to campaign for March, and the playing field is already pretty loaded 😃

6.) How did you know that Justinious McWalburgson III was destined to be your eHusband?

Hahahahaha. Believe it or not, as I mentioned earlier, Justin and I were enemies back in Beta. He was an adamant opposer of the Goons, and as they were my family, that made him an enemy of me. But, months lapsed between his articles outlining the Goon menace and my return to the eUSA, so when I returned, it was all water under the bridge. We actually were able to reflect back upon those times and reminisce on how they are so different from where we are today and how we as citizens are different from who we were in that time. In all reality, our relationship is very unexpected. Justin and I were reunited when Benn Dover brought me to #us. I don't really remember whatever prompted Justin and I chatting or getting to know one another, but it happened. After a few weeks of leaving the riff-raff of IRC together for private chats, Justin and I found that we had much more in common than we ever would have imagined. Put simply, he had a fast trigger finger, sniped me, and swept me off my feet. After about a month or so, I realized that he was my main mynz and that there was nobody else who could possibly compare. So, I asked him to marry me.

7.) Who, besides your eHusband, would you say is your "best friend" and why?

This is a very good question. I have to start by saying that I have a core group of people here who I love dearly. There are people like my Jewitt, a dear friend since my early days here in eUSA and man who drew the tiara on my avatar in paint; Benn Dover, my Made of Honor, who sent me the sweetest get well soon package; nomadbishop, who I can have hours of endless conversation with; anarco77, my Turkish brother; Dynimum, my other Turkish brother and dear friend who I will some day allow to buy me a cup of joe; Time, who I love to play games on Pogo with; and Jtree, who gave me some of the funnest nights of my life. I could go on for hours detailing the people from around the globe that I have bonded with in my months here. But, if I had to pick one person out of all of the others who is my bestest eRepublik friend, it would be scrabman. It's hard to describe how a person that I haven't spent all that much time with (in retrospect) can be such a close friend. But, I guess it comes down to having the same personal interests and having RL professions that we find admirable. We have an infinite amount of material for late night banter, and I have a feeling we can be great Scrabble partners, if only we could find the time in the day to make it happen...

8.) When was it that people started calling you your common nicknames, and do you like them? Why or why not?

Well, I guess my common nickname, outside of the derivatives of PrincessMedyPi, is MedyPalin. That, iirc, was originated by Geno Garon during my November campaign for the Alaskan congress seat. I think it's hilarious because it's a great play on words. Other than that, the only thing I'm usually called is Mel, which is on of my nicknames IRL (the other is MedyPi). Only the people who talk to me often on IM really call me that, and it would be kind of creepy if anyone else did. My favorite nickname though is Pi. It's the one that mainly Emerick uses, and for some strange reason, I think it's sweet.

9.) Tell me about your most interesting experience here in eRepublik, that you can remember. Please, use great detail.

My most interesting experience was getting to know RL Turkish citizens. I spent many hours chatting with them about real life politics and learning about their nation. I honestly knew nothing of Turkey, apart from the Ottoman Empire. Living in eTurkey afforded me the opportunity to begin learning Turkish (I still have my dictionary handy...but rarely use it) and widen my scope of knowledge about foreign cultures. If there is one thing that I can say eTurkey has given me that brings me great joy (besides great friends), it would be the poetry of Nazim Hikmet. I really suggest checking him out sometime, as he is a wonderful artist and has a very interesting life story.

10.) If you could change anything about your eLife, what, if any, would you change? If none, just explain how you love your eLife. If you wanted to change something, what would it be, and why?

Honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. I've made some mistakes, but everything I have done here has brought me to this juncture in my eLife. Right now, I would not say that I am the happiest person because I will always be a little discontent. I want to explore new places, meet new people, and learn more about some of the foreign cultures that some of the residents of these eNations have to offer. But, the thing about dynamic social gaming is that there is always the possibility of total collapse, but also the chance for redemption. How well one fairs is all in how one wishes to carry oneself and proceed with his/her choices.

11.) Any comments on my newspaper?

I am really glad that you have chosen to take the time to showcase different individuals from around this nation and am honored to be the first person you chose to interview!

12.) Any final comments, period?

I really just want to say thank you to the citizens of eAmerica. You have welcomed me with open arms and have made me feel at home here in the eUSA. Throughout my service to this nation, I am always giving back hard work and dedication for the happiness you have given me.