Day One at a Rotaract Fellowship

Day One at a Rotaract Fellowship

Its 6:03pm, and am seeing everyone moving up and down. I am wondering when fellowship will start considering someone had told me it starts at 6:00pm. A little patience will not hurt, I think to myself.
It’s now 6:05pm, the President calls Fellowship to Order. She apologizes for the delayed start. Y
Well, that was appropriate. 
She asks a few Rotaractors to take us through "The Grace", "The Loyal Toast", "The Four Way Test" and "The Goals of Rotaract". 

She asks all to be upstanding. 

I follow as everyone does though I have no idea as to what is transpiring. It’s the first day at a Rotaract Fellowship. Having attended a few Rotary and Interact fellowships a few years ago, I hope that there will be a similarity as to the progression of events. But I am quite sure, I don't remember a thing from three years ago where I was at the Rotary Club of Kampala South as we celebrated Christmas. I do remember though, there was a lot of eating and drinking.

The Rotaractor asked to lead us with the Grace, requests all to humble themselves and recite The Grace.
As I prepare myself with the first line of The Grace; "May the Grace of Our Lord....."
I hear the Rotaractor intoning something different; " For what we are about to receive......"
Pause; Hold on a second, what is happening, (I know what you are thinking, but yes, it’s my first day at Rotaract Fellowship, and am completely muddled.)
This is when I remember that I have never been in time for any fellowship. 
I look around to see if there is anyone else with me in this boat. I try to read a few peoples lips just to be sure that I am not the only one who does not know this version of The Grace.
Before, I can identify any one; we are done with the grace.
It was time to sit back and be schooled.
I say to myself, "be patient, in three to four fellowships, all will be well"
At this stage, I hear another Rotaractor requesting all to recite 'The Four way Test'
My hopes at the moment are that I will not be caught off guard as was before. The Four Way Test should be as it was when I was in 'O-Level', Am almost sure it’s still the same. I prepare myself; and with the rest we all proceed to; "Of the things we think, say or do....."
The President then asks all to sit as another Rotaractor takes us through "The Goals of Rotaract"
At the twinkling, nothing amusing has yet transpired; someone had earlier told me that Rotaract fellowship was fun. Was this a lie? Was I going to go through a whole hour of crammed recitals? The questions were many. No answer to them so far.
Then it was time for make ups; well I can say a few Rotaractors are humorous. The way they told us about their make ups was one that caused for a light laughter. Everything was brightening up now. I thought to myself, the fellowship has begun.

The introductions of visiting Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and guests then follow.
I am a guest and it is time for introductions, no one is introducing me. So I stand up, and take matters into my own hands. I introduce myself. Little did I know that someone was going to pay for it. All I know is that at the end of the day, the Sergent at Arms fined my neighbour for my deed. Lesson learnt, you never introduce yourself at a fellowship if you are not a Rotarian, Rotaractor or Interactor. This doesn't matter, be it your 100th visit, if you are a guest, the rules apply.

 It is time for the guest speaker to speak, someone introduces the speaker and the speaker has a lot to share. Well, do not ask me what he or she talked about, I was being distracted by the niceties that were moving around at this time. Cookies and biscuits were being passed round by some ladies whom I got to meet later on in what one 'dubbed' the after fellowship; last I checked, the Rotarians call this the 'swallowship'. Now I know what is what and why it is as it is. But one thing is certain; the message by the Guest Speaker was an inspiring one.
After the guest speaker is done, a vote of thanks is given by a visiting Rotarian from the 'Mother Club'.
I later got to know that the 'Mother Club' is one that starts another club; in this case, it was The Rotary Club of Bukoto.

It’s now 7:03pm; The Sergent at Arms is called upon to take the floor.
People are being fined for various deeds; be it grammatical, indiscipline, foul language, or anything the SAA feels can amount to a fine. Talk about paying because you have enjoyed fellowship.
I later got to learn that this money was to be directed to a good cause; were these the niceties in the fellowship or the project being run. Either way, it is to a good cause and I am okay it.

Closely following are the statistics and 'The Loyal Toast'.
Fellowship is done and it is time for the after fellowship.
It’s now 7:12pm and I guess I should say hello to the one who invited me, a few new faces and run away from this place. I have somewhere else to be; and am late.