A Visit to Mauritius (Part 3): Working Day!

My other main objective of this visit was to be the guest speaker for the twentieth anniversary celebrations of the University of Technology, Mauritius during the first week of January 2020.

On the 7 January 2020, I went with Dr. Kit to University of Technology Mauritius to prepare. I met and got to know Dr. Kit's colleagues and staff. I felt welcome by the university because of their warmth and friendliness. I was also impressed by their professionalism in handling me. I was given a chance to visit the hall twice; to try out the sound system; to familiarise myself with the surroundings and I was also taken on a the campus tour by Mrs Sapna.

On the 8 January 2020, the day arrived! I went with so much nervousness but felt prepared. I have done this many times but doing it in other country is always a challenge. Things can go wrong. People might not get your joke and your presentation can be as dull as dishwater. I had a couple of hours to prepare before the event. So, I decided to take a look at the presentation again, went to the venue for final check and pulled my courage together. In the meantime, I met some guests and Dr. Kit's colleagues who were wishing me luck for the presentation.

I was a bit shocked to see the hall was full and everyone looked eager to hear my presentation. After an introduction by Dr. Kit; then my session began. I shared the experience I had in Kampung Kenang, in Ghana and the training in INTAN. I showed some videos and photos as well as sharing as much experience between all the events that happened through the journey of the book series: Life through my eyes! I think it was a successful presentation but there are some areas that I still need to improve for example getting more involvement from the guests.

Right after the presentation, at a buffet reception, I had some time to meet and greet some of the guests and university lecturers while sharing ideas with them. Then, I was told to get ready for a radio interview! I was not expecting that at all, but never say never. So I went to Wazaa FM Radio Station together with Dr. Kit and Vandhana.

The interview was done by Vandhana herself. So on the way to the radio station, I was actually with her preparing for the session in the car. She was very helpful and understood the context, and knew  right questions to ask to gain different perspectives. During the recording session, it felt easier and smooth because we had already got to know each other to get the right mood for the interview. Vandhana was very professional and you can check out the interview below:

The first visit to Mauritius was really memorable for me. The journey was full of challenges but I survived and gain much more experience and strength. Thank you!

PS: can't wait for the next visit! InsyaAllah