View from the Pera Hill

View from the Pera Hill

I would like to share the transcript of the seventh speech of mine, with some alterations made to it over the years.  This speech was given to my peers in January of 2012; for our Toastmasters group. 

Here it is below.  

Toastmasters, Speech number 7

View from the Pera Hill

On the communication manual it states that project 7 should be a “Research Your Topic” speech.  I actually did not know we were following the manual this close, really? Therefore thought back and realized that my last two speeches were not exactly done as the manual wanted and I want to correct this today.

Speech 5 guideline states that this should be a something that has an element of “Your Body Speaks”.  I definitely did not do that. I remember, I just stood out here and therefore, I would like to show you my delayed reaction…”Ohhh my, a TV!!” and “I cannot believe my eyes!".  (Make like your hands are in the air and start jumping around).  For those of you who missed my speech 5, this was a speech about the first time a Television was brought into our home, when I was only 5 or 6 years old.  

Speech 6 guideline states that it should have “Vocal Variety”. Again, I did not do that.  But, I want to correct this and here is my impression of, Lets see if you can guess this character actor? “Ahhh, A make him an offer, he can’t refuse…”  (Say it with an Italian accent) Anyone? The answer is Marlon Brando, starring in the oscar winning role of the The Godfather.

Most of you do not know, but I love to write.  I have over a dozen short stories in my native language.  I am in the process of slowly converting these stories into English.  My goal one day is to take a long leave of absence from work and try to chase this dream of mine to convert the stories into English and also expand these short stories into novels.

My speech today is titled “The view from the Pera Hill”.  I am not referring to Pisa in Italy.  I might add that, that would be a nice place to visit, right?  It would be nice to see the Leaning Tower, can you imagine standing by the leaning tower and having your partner take your picture while you are doing this (Make like you are holding up the tower).  Also, did you guys know that Pisa has less than 90,000 residences, but over a million tourists visit that city each year? That is over 10 times the population. Think about that. If we use the percentage calculation for Edmonton, that would mean that if there is 1 million residences living here (Give or take), we would have 10 million tourists visiting here. Imagine the traffic? Yuk!!

Also, my speech today is a just a very small part of one of my short stories.  The story is based in the year 1453.  This is a very important year.  It is said that “History, is written by the victor”, (Say this in an English accent), that is suppose to be an English accent by the way.  Can anyone guess who said that very famous phrase? Winston Churchill is the answer. 

I do not like wars, I am absolutely against them. “Wars are no solution to peace!” Therefore, I took an event which was a very important date in the history of Europe. 

The concurring of Constantinople. 

The fall of the old Rome. 

The end of the Byzantium Empire. 

The beginning of the mighty Ottoman Empire. 

My birth city, the city on the seven hills.

Therefore, what I did was that since the city was going to fall to the New lions of Anatolia. I dreamt up a way for not one person to die while the ruling hands changed in this city.

I describe the conversation between Fatih Sultan Mehmed; the young 21 year old conquer of the city that backs onto the Golden Horn body of water.  A body of water which holds 3000 years of treasures.  And the conversation is with a 74 year old Priest Patrick Gennadius Skolarious, who lives in the St. Aposteli Church.  A Church which has a secret item buried deep in the catacombs below it.  And, whoever has possession of this item, which dates back to the City of Jerusalem, and prior to that, to the town of Bethlehem.  The item once owned by a poor Sheppard, we all know who I am referring to.

Whoever has possession of this item, would have his one wish granted.  This conversation occurred between the two characters at 3 am on May 25, 1453 in the wooded parts of the Pera Hill on the East/North side of the Golden Horn body of water, overlooking the treasure below, the walled city of Constantinople. 

The trade occurs which saves every person, not one drop of blood spills, and everyone’s happy.

I am running out of time and therefore leave it to your imagine of how the two characters meet and communicate.  How one is at the prime of his life, full of brute force and the other advanced in years, full of wisdom share. 

Thank you for reading.