Okay, so I just got back from giving my speech, and let me tell you it was recieved 100 times better than I thought it would have been! Luckily I gave it when all the Japanese student volunteers were in the room, which more than doubled my audience to about 30. I told about 4 people ahead of time that I was reading sailor moon fan fiction but most had no idea what they were in store for. I honestsly practiced this speech way more than I would have had I written a normal speech, because I knew delivery would be crucial for it to work. So in fact I think I learned more in spite of everything.

My favorite moments the speech were as followed. After I said the line about fan fiction the teacher was interrupted me and was like “umm excuse me?” so I repeated it and she just got this look on her face that like oh god, i know where this is going. At first only the people I told I was going to talk about sailor moon fan fiction as a joke were laughing but pretty soon everyone was laughing except for the japanese people who were absolutely mortified. I added some awesome parts to the speech that were not in my rough outline. About how during the scary parts of the rollercoaster ride she held my hand and it was awesome. and I ended it with when the date was ending I wanted to kiss sailor moon, but it hasn’t happened yet. I managed to keep a straight face throughout the whole thing, with only a little nervous laughter which actually made it seem a little more realistic. When I ended there was just this incredibly awkward silence. To which I added, “Any questions??” The teacher just looked at me and said, wow, your delivery and story is very good. I said thank you. Then Hikaru, who was the only native english speaking person who didn’t realize it was a big joke said, “You REALLY like sailor moon?” I realized then that it was the moment the joke had gone too far.

I came clean and said that my speech was a joke and I don’t know anything about sailor moon and i have never read the manga. At this Hikaru seemed a little upset, but the Japanese people in the room finally realized and they started laughing. My teacher said that she was very glad it was a joke because she was beinnging to think I was “a little dangerous” because of my speech. I don’t think Japanese people have much satire because it took some convincing to make them understand it was a joke. Anyways, the people in the class said I should win the best speech award, and it was the best day ever.

THE END