KEY EXPERIENCE

...The next day, after our arrival, the first round began. I remember how we waited our turn backstage. One couldn’t really warm up well there, partly because it could be heard in the hall, and also because there were simply a lot of us. I felt horrible there, worse and worse. Suddenly someone started telling jokes, a group formed and started to laugh merrily. I think it was those who had already played. Moreover, there were also some students there who were responsible for organizational issues.      What a relief! I began to listen in and laugh with them. Suddenly I felt like someone had freed me from the torture chamber. I didn’t think about what was coming. I just enjoyed the fact that my thoughts had wandered somewhere completely different. I was convinced it was a good thing. I felt relaxed – it seemed as if my mind needed to be refreshed before what awaited me.      The more pleasant this escape became, the bigger the surprise was when they opened the door and I heard my name being called…