After more than 24 hours travelling, any normal and sane
person just wants to have a shower and go to bed. But it seems Round Square
Conference delegates are made of sterner stuff and after a quick hour or so to
freshen up (during which the three highlights were a shower, a cup of tea and
being charged at by a high speed ostrich), it's straight into the welcome
dinner. Dodgy handshakes and bad jokes abound - but by the end of it, everyone
is made to feel that they are with people they have known all of their lives.
Then it's straight into the Community Hall for a music and drama extravaganza
on the history of South Africa. Do these people never sleep?
Evidence that the answer must be no:
- The fact that the schedule starts at 7am every single day.
- The fact that the schedule ends well after 9pm every single day.
- The large ants nest that had appeared in TJV's bed by the time he finally got there, making sleep a virtual impossibility!
But it's worth it. After some particularly impressive flag-waving by Ben in the opening ceremony, it's time for the usual round of speeches, from Brian Dawson, the Executive Director of the Round Square, from the Head of Penryn, from His Majesty King Constantine of Greece - and from a young bloke you won't yet have heard of called Buhle Dlamini, who spoke to us about the concept of ‘family’ in Africa.
Evidence that the answer must be no:
- The fact that the schedule starts at 7am every single day.
- The fact that the schedule ends well after 9pm every single day.
- The large ants nest that had appeared in TJV's bed by the time he finally got there, making sleep a virtual impossibility!
But it's worth it. After some particularly impressive flag-waving by Ben in the opening ceremony, it's time for the usual round of speeches, from Brian Dawson, the Executive Director of the Round Square, from the Head of Penryn, from His Majesty King Constantine of Greece - and from a young bloke you won't yet have heard of called Buhle Dlamini, who spoke to us about the concept of ‘family’ in Africa.
Google Buhle Dlamani. No, seriously - google him now. His own story is quite remarkable, having shown unbelievable determination to overcome extreme poverty and the death of both his parents from AIDS/HIV, on the way to becoming the major success he is today. If you were going to invite a guest speaker to a student conference, there is probably no-one in the world who would do a better job in motivating and inspiring young leaders. In an unhappier time, I see him as someone who would have been a leading light of the fight against the South African apartheid regime. Today, he is the clearest evidence imaginable of why that regime simply had to fall. Future president? I wouldn't bet against it...
Ben flying the Felsted flag
Primary School students receive their end of term reports
Sunset on the Lowveld
Tom Vignoles
Felsted School
Deputy Head (Co-Curricular)
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