I’m baacckkk!!!

I would have posted where I was to go before I went, but I didn’t, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I didn’t have time, and I wasn’t sure that I was really going to…well, I wasn’t sure that the President really was going to be there. Ok, serious explanation needed here. After I’d got a distinction in literature in English in my O’ levels, I got a ceremony in Lahore held by the British Council. But for the first time in Pakistan, the government decided to give special recognition to all the world toppers in the country. It was a really big thing, because O’ and A’ levels are part of an international system, and there were no less than 37 world toppers in 2004. There has always been an excellent result from Pakistan in these systems every year, but this time, it was really exceptional. So, we all had free accommodation in Islamabad, the capital, for two nights’ stay, parents included, with meals and everything. The students were accommodated two to a room, with parents in the same motel, so it was kind of like a school trip. Well, actually it was like something we had never experienced before. I don’t know quite how to relate it. None of us knew anyone else, but we all had this one big thing in common; we were all world toppers! And the surprising thing is; no one was the nerdy type, no one studied there even though we had a lot of free time and everyone had a SAT test or their final exams next month. But no, we talked to one other for about ten minutes, and then we were in and out of everyone’s rooms, knocking on people’s doors and running away, talking and watching TV late into the night…. we just made full use of those 3 unexpected holidays! As for me, all my shyness completely disappeared. I did have to share a room with an unknown girl, but as luck would have it, there were no end s to the links in found there! My roommate turned out to be the best friend of this girl who had been MY best friend in my childhood, and whom I had completely lost track of. The other two girls that made up our group there (yes, we made and ended a group in three days) turned out to be friends of my current school friends. And there were these cute li’l kids from Beaconhouse Islamabad who were to sing at the ceremony…. their teacher turned out to be the mother of a friend of a friend…. that’s not quite a link, but that’s all I needed to talk to her without any shyness at all. And how I talked there! One girl who had topped in Pure Maths asked me ‘You LOOK very quiet and reserved, are you really like that?’ after we had spent a whole hour’s bus ride chattering non-stop all the way to the Aiwan-e-Sadar, where the ceremony was held. Well, what with being sick and not being able to eat anything, a completely useless rehearsal, early mornings and late nights, we had the ceremony on the 13th of April. I don’t know what I felt when I saw President Musharraf there, looking at all of us standing in reverence to the national anthem. He looked exactly like he does on TV, no more, no less, and sounds exactly the same too. And for those that say otherwise, he was NOT late…in fact he was five minutes early. He should be an example to the Governor of the Punjab, who was the chief guest at the Lahore ceremony. HE was 45 minutes late!! Anyway, the ceremony started with the Talawat and the kids singing a national song. And the President was soooo sweet! He kissed all of them on the top of their heads and awarded them, along with the older girl who gave the talawat 5,000 rupees! That’s as much as we got in the Lahore ceremony. But THAT is nothing to what he gave the world toppers. After a long speech, with some really intelligent stuff in it, along with some observations that kind of made me tune out *blush*, he presented each one of us a certificate and 50,000 rupees! What am I supposed to do with that kind of money? And after all that was done, he went outside with us to the refreshment tent and listened to everyone who had a complaint; especially about the educational system. He had answers to the stupid questions, and he promised to look into the genuine matters, such as the problem A’ level science students have in getting admission into medical universities in Pakistan. I only hope he acts as he listens. Anyway, it was a wonderful experience, well worth the nightmare of O’levels, and I guess it’ll get everyone through every examination that they give now. I’m going to write an article about this, because students ought to know what they’re going to get and experience if they achieve outstanding results, and need to be inspired by the special attention and recognition that they will get from the nation. This is one of the things that can truly provide hope for the country. And that’s all I have to say for now. Until then, I’ve got to catch up with missed studies if I want to go to a ceremony like that in two years.... and I am not feeling depressed at all!!!