The Annual Function

So, I found out why it is called the Annual Function... It FEELS like it lasts for a whole year.

I was told this morning, after breakfast, that I needed to give a speech at the annual function. I was told not to worry, because I could give it in English and no one would think less of me. Well forget that, If I am going to stand in front of a crowd and be unprepared to give a speech, I am going to stand in front of a crowd and be unprepared to give a speech in a language I don't know.

Then, as I was preparing a speech in a language I don't know, I was told that I had to sign a few certificates that would be handed out to the children. I was led to the office where a pile of 570 certificates loomed ominously on the desk. So, for the next 45 minutes I signed my name. I do not think I have signed my name 570 time in my entire life. But today I did it in 45 minutes

So I wrote my speech in Oriya.

It went pretty well actually, although my speech was the final speech of the night, and I followed 4 other speakers who each took a half an hour. From what I could gather, most of their speeches were political and kinda downers. My speech was well received, although people clapped at weird times. (Probably they clapped whenever I actually pronounced a word correctly)

After my speech, I thought I was done. Boy was I wrong. Remember those 570 certificates I had to sign? Well turns out it was also my job to hand them out (Something I found out when I was called upon to actually do it). The funny part was I am 6 feet tall standing on a 3 foot high stage. The stage has no stairs, so when the students would come up for their certificate (most of them being about 3 feet tall) I would need to kneel down to give them their certificate. Well after about 200 handouts in this manner, I jumped off the stage and just started handing them out from the ground level.

The Function started around 3PM and ended at 3:30AM. Indian know how to party LONG.