And, the topic of the Blitz is…
The geography of the Comoros!
People erupted with cheers and boos on two sides, the excitement, and the disappointment. We were told to quiet down with the noise and went straight into the resources. 30 minutes on the clock were ticking with pages rustling, children chatting quietly, and staff members telling students to be quiet.
Soon, the 30 minutes are up. Everyone frazzled, we all put our resources away, hoping for the best. They bring us the test, 15 questions in 10 minutes. Groans are heard all over, as it is so short. As the halfway mark is announced, students are shocked with the speed of time. Finally, the time is up.
They announce our rooms based on how we did on the exam. Some students are nervous, some are excited. We walk to our rooms, hoping that out of the 6 or 7 kids, we will be part of the 3 that will move on.
In my room, I buzzed out first with a comfortable lead. But as the questions finished, there was a problem. We had a three-way tie. They were nervous as only 2 were going to the finals depending on 1 question. However, one qualified, but two were still left. The angst grew inside the classroom, and the question was asked. The words, “That is correct,” were uttered and cheers and clapping erupted from the room.
We walked to our room for the finals, hoping that we were in luck with who qualified for the finals, but we weren’t. At the finals, a runaway lead with 31 by Malcolm McIntyre was established, so we all knew that second and third place was up for grabs. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to secure one of these seats and in the end, the top three got 31, 3, and 2, from highest to lowest.
My personal experience with this competition was a unique one. I enjoyed the fast-paced competition, with the studying in between. I would love for this competition to be held once again next time in Ecuador.