I noticed my photos put up on a
cardboard on one side of the hall. My uncle Benjamin and aunt Grace and
my other cousins also came for the function which began at 4 p.m. The
hall was quite full when I entered. I was seated in front with my
cousin Lucano next to me.
The programme was compered by one of the students. It began with the
prize winners of the elocution competition delivering their
speeches-one in English and the others in Marathi and Kannada. Then one
of the students introduced me to the audience and I was called up to
the stage to deliver my speech. I spoke in English and initially had to
halt every little while for Uncle Dileep to translate what I had said
into Kannada. Fortunately, however, after a few rounds of this
English-Kannada speech it became obvious that the audience did not need
the Kannada translation since they all understood English quite well.
Then it became easier for me to continue and I finished with great
confidence and was roundly applauded.
As I had done in the workshops I had conducted in the Bangalore schools
earlier, I then took out the red eared turtle which I carried around
for the audience to see at close quarters while my cousin took around a
local turtle which those who wanted could handle. There were many
students and parents who wanted to be photographed holding the turtles.
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