Hans's space

       On Friday, my stomach was still hurting and so was my mom’s. We went to the doctor’s today and after some tests (I’ll leave that out…), my mum and I got food poisoning from a yogurt! How unlucky we were, it was too bad for my dad because he had to take care of us. In the afternoon, my cousin, Toto (who just got to London before us and now studying there), came to visit us. I was getting better but my mum wasn’t, so she went to sleep in the afternoon.

My dad, Toto and I went to the national car show right beside our hotel. It was awesome! People came all over the country came to see this car show. It lasted for half-a-month, and we got to see it! There were all kinds of cars there! Bentley, BMW, Porsche, Rolls Royse…I just couldn’t name all of it! But the sad thing was because of my stomach ach, my energy was all used and I had to go home. But still, I was happy.

    That morning, I woke up suddenly with a stomachache, so I ran straight to the bathroom, my stomach hurts like crap, but I had the free breakfast provided by the hotel anyway. After I got back to my room, my stomach started aching over again. Because of me, my family canceled the plans made for that morning, so Cai Jing had to go alone in the strange and complicated of centre London. She was very brave of course, unlike me, she has never been to a English-speaking country before, and she almost learnt the map by heart when she just spent a day out in centre London! I really hoped I would get well soon.

    So after the competition, the judges from England decided since I was old enough to go to England by myself, they invited my parents to go with me too! My parents were as excited as me! So we started our trip on July 19^th.

    That day, my parents and I and Cai Jing (university section winner) went excitedly to the Hong Kong Airport by bus. We waited a couple of hours in the airport, and finally got on plane. We had, well, I had some delicious meals and watched tons of movies on the plane, while the others were asleep as soon as they got on the plane. I just sigh to myself: they just don’t know how to enjoy the relaxation on a plane, do they. Since I didn’t really sleep on the plane, I had jet lack when we land.

  We saw Li Bing, the person who contact between us and UEL (University of East London), when we land in London five o’clock in the morning. It took the taxi almost two hours to get to the hotel from the airport. We stayed in Ramada Hotel, which was very good for us. After we put our stuffs down we went to UEL to have a tour around the Dockland campus. Then all of us were too tired to go on, so we went back to our hotel and had a good night rest.

   It was on a Sunday night, when a couple thousands of audiences entered the theater where the competition took place. The competition was big, it was called "The Fifth Guangdong University and High School Spoken English Competition" It was a "battle" between eight of the best English speakers in the Guangdong province, and I was one of them. That night every competitor was shaking, on stage and even off stage. We knew we were going to be on TV, that's probably why we were so nervous. When it was my turn in the speech part, I got on stage and I looked down, it was pitch-black (maybe because didn't wear my glasses).  Anyway, I heard cheering and booing, but I didn't give a damn what's going on down there, and I started making my speech. Blah, blah, blah....

  After I got off stage, I was very hot and thirsty, (because the lights were like the sun, "burning" everyone that got on stage). I knew I did horribly. But I didn't have any time to think about my speech, because I still got another part coming up, "The Talent Show". All those who knew me know that I haven't got any talent, must be saying "What are you going to do? What can you do?" I just simply answered them "Rap" They were very surprised, because I don't have a good voice. I knew that, but we didn't have much time to practice and rap was the only option I had. It was my turn and I slowly got up and walk to the stage wearing a scarf on the head and a cap over it (please don't laugh). When the music started, I began to rap like I hadn't never rap before, my head was nodding like I was crazy, my body was shaking like I was freezing, my hands were waving like I was saying good-bye and my legs were moving like I was dancing. I was rapping so fast and saying the words in a hurry that no one probably even understands a word that I was saying (well, at least that’s what the host said). Still, I finished. There were clapping, but I just stuck my tongue out and when off stage.

  After everyone was finished with their talent shows, it was time for the award ceremony. All the contestants when on stage and lined up in a roll, waiting for the hosts to call on our name. One, two, three, four and five contestants from our section were called to the front of the stage to get the honorable mention prize. Now, there’re only three contestants left from our section. It was time for the third prize, when they didn’t call out the number, it wasn’t mine! So I was pretty relief to hear that. And now, for the prize which would decide who will win the competition. This was an exciting but rather nervous moment. I wouldn’t have a chance against the other guy, I thought, he’s a lot better than me, he’s got more supporters than me, he’s older and more confident than me. I’ve got no chance of winning. So I thought it the second prize would me enough for me. So when the hosts were about to announce the second prize winner, I was almost put my foot out and was about to walk to the front of the stage when they called out the other competitor’s name! I was so surprised and exited! I just didn’t really believe it, it was like a dream, and so I had to pinch myself to see if I was asleep. But I wasn’t, I don’t believe it, I actually won the competition! I was so excited that I didn’t even wait for the hosts to finish saying my name; I just walk in the front of the stage and wait for my award. I almost fainted. I’m so happy, I finally get to go to England!