10,000 people

They say third time is the charm, well it definitely was. Don’t get me wrong, my first two times in Colombia were amazing, but this experience was so different, and one of the greatest thrills I’ve ever had in my life. My dad had the opportunity to talk to 10,000 individuals in Medellin, Colombia at a convention. I couldn’t be any more proud of him when he broke the news to us; my mum and I insisted that we accompany him on the trip to share the experience with him.  We were to fly out to Medellin and stay for 4 days, and attend the event. My dad, Anil Gupta, had a 90-minute slot in which he talked about happiness, giving, growth, and gratitude.

The group of individuals he talked to were full of energy, and were ready for anything. They filled an entire bull arena. They had blow horns, lou
d voices, high energy, and their country flags. It was one of the coolest thing knowing that everybody was there for the same reason, to make a difference and to step out of their comfort zone. All of the people were super grateful of life, and were ready to go to the next level.

            To be honest, I was a little nervous at first just because 10,000 people is a lot, even though I wasn’t speaking, but naturally it got the best of me. The real nerves kicked in when my dad requested that at the end of his talk, that my mum and I would come up and say a few words. At first, I was super cool about it because I thought he was joking… he wasn’t.  I’ve talked in front of about 300 people, but adding another 9,700 was a whole other story. But nevertheless, I was ready to assist my dad.

            My dad had an announcer go on the stage and introduce him, while I went around waving a flag. I just remember praying to myself that I wouldn’t trip and fall. I MADE IT. No bumps, bruises, or mishaps. I went off stage and exchanged places with my dad. The crowd went crazy; he had a standing ovation. I felt amazing knowing that so many people respected and loved my dad, but I can’t even begin to imagine how he must have felt.

            By the time it was my turn to talk, surprisingly, my nerves kind of went away. I don’t know what happened because usually I’m a little stage freight, but I walked confidently on stage ready to give some advice to everyone. It was short, sweet and to the point. It felt amazing, I got to experience a small snippet of what my dad was feeling.

One of the coolest parts was that the coordinators of the event treated all of us like loyalty; we had a makeup crew, a personal RV, bodyguards, and VIP treatment. It felt so cool, and the people were so nice and humble.