Talents Show

Last year, I was invited by a colleague of mine to attend a conference organized by MATE ( The Moroccan Association of Teachers of English). With pleasure, I attended it, and the thing that drew my attention most was the talents show that was presented by students. I entered the hall and went to have my seat at the middle row. From a distance, as the talents show began, I looked at the students from right to left and from left to right, but I could not find myself there. I mean by this that I could not find my kindred spirit there because when I was almost their age, I never had the chance to take part in such amazing shows. When I was almost their age, I did not know what a talent show was for, nor did I know how to show my talents to the audience. And it was here where I grew to abhor the stage. The talents show immediately brought me back to my schooldays when we pupils were merely invited to attend some shows and not to participate in them. The primary school I studied in was on the outskirts of Tafraout. And whenever there was a talents show, we had to go to Tafraout just to attend it. My ex-teachers never encouraged us to take the initiative. When I entered high school, I had already grown with a dislike of the stage, and even though we had the chance to participate, I never dared do that. It was only when I entered university did I give up the idea of not liking the stage. And I eventually fell in love with the stage. But it was too late, then. I wish I could have taken part in such shows as a pupil, not as a mature student or as a teacher. Back to last year's talents show, I frankly felt envious of the students' early ability to face the public and to speak their mind uninhibitedly. The ability I am talking about will surely help them confront certain stumbling blocks in life with more ease. Anyway, I would admit that I was amazed by the students' performance, and had I not been a bit older than them, I would have asked for permission to join their talents show.