BBC - GNE Awards 2009

The International Public Speaking Competition

By Akhila Jambagi, Rijnlands Lyceum, Oegstgeest
Public Speaking Award runner-up 2008

The IPSC in London was one of the best times of my life. To be in a place where there are 58 people from 35 different countries, between the ages of 16-20, all winners in their own right was a truly invaluable experience.

We left Tuesday morning and the Dutch delegation met up with the Belgian delegation. We spent the afternoon roaming around London, taking a tour of the parks. We went to dinner in a truly frightening restaurant, not to get too much into the details, on entering one observes a mummy with a stick protruding from its stomach. That evening I met my roommate, a girl from Pakistan, how do I describe the relief beyond relief that we got on well and became friends.

Wednesday and Thursday we had a debate planned by the ESU. The imaginary country of Qwertyuiop (look carefully at the top line of your key-board next time you are in front of your computer) needed a constitution. How would the different political parties form coalitions and decide the military policies? Not too well after the Liberals merged with the Communists, encouraging "everybody to be a rebel inside". The king (a member of the ESU) was not impressed, letting us out an hour early as our constitution may damage the country more than anything else.

Wednesday evening we went to see a play The Woman in Black, the first theatre piece I've ever seen that was scary. Feelings were mixed, some of us (me included) squealed and screamed when the ghost appeared, and others fell asleep. Thursday morning we went to the house of Commons, which was not quite as "spine-chilling". I was surprised at the vast number of MPs present, namely eight.
Thursday evening, nerves were mounted as the competition drew nearer. The Dutch and Belgians went to see the musical "Chicago". In the evening we talked and tried not to think about the following day.

Friday was the big day, after getting dressed up and not eating we made our way to Dartmouth house. Our heat was the one with all most fluent English speakers including the UK and the USA, and many Asian delegates. The finals took place in the US embassy, where they seemed to expect some terrible attack from one of us. Only after leaving our beloved mobile phones and cameras behind were we allowed to enter the building. The winner of the competition was a boy from the Philippines, with his speech "Fish mucus and foot fungus", saying that scientific research can help the development of our society.

That evening we were all at our most relaxed. After getting some dinner with my roommate we met many of the contestants in the lobby at 9 pm. A group of us walked around London for a few hours, including students from Pakistan, Belgium, Lebanon, Belarus, Serbia and Russia. We came across street-performers and quite a few drag-queens, which London apparently is full of. After returning to the hotel lobby, we talked for hours and hours, going to Tesco's twice for supplies, then finally going to bed at 5.15 in the morning. None of us wanted the night to end because we were leaving the next day. Saying goodbye was eventually necessary, though we promised to stay in touch.

Saturday morning the Dutch and Belgians got a tour of the BBC office building in the suburbs of London. It was highly interesting, and the lady guiding us had a lot of inside knowledge. She told us about the time that Madonna had come to be interviewed, and demanded a life-sized portrait of the Pope be put up in her dressing room. Unable to find that, they bargained with Madame Tussaud's to borrow a life-size replica of the Pope. Madonna nearly fainted when she entered her dressing room.

Having participated in this competition, I feel that I learned a lot, regarding Public speaking as well as other things. In the many hours of conversation that we had, a lot concerning politics and philosophy, and in such a varied group it is impossible NOT to learn a lot. The experience was one I will never forget, and I hope that I will get a chance to see again some of the close friends I made.

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