In December, I got a rather unexpected response to the Christmas card I had sent Isobel. As well as commenting on how well I had drawn the cat, she also informed me that a man had contacted her about me, she didn’t know very much about them, but she said that he was from something called the British Education Awards and I should contact him because he was interested in my previous German achievements at Edinburgh college! I got this email first thing in the morning so my ability to explain things was limited so I forwarded the email to my mum. She was very sceptical about the legitimacy of this but I knew in my heart that Isobel was too intelligent to fall for a scam like this so I sent the guy an email.
One of the event organisers replied with a form for me to fill out with my personal details and my contact details. I did consider what my mum had said when I was asked to provide my social media profiles but again, my heart and gut were telling me that it was fine as I completed and sent the form.
The first Monday after New Year I received my invite. It called for formal eveningwear I had never been to such a formal event! I also noticed that it was in Manchester which is a very long way from my home in North Queensferry. Immediately I told my mum and Isobel the news!
Even though I was excited about the ceremony, I was a little nervous that Isobel wasn’t going to be there. However, as I was leaving the house for Manchester on Thursday evening, my PA came across a handwritten envelope addressed to me. I looked at it in confusion and then told her to open it. When I saw that it contained a small unicat pin, I thought “No, surely not!” but the accompanying card confirmed my theory… it was a good luck present from Isobel! Grinning like some kind of deranged Cheshire cat, I had my PA put it in my bag! I now didn’t feel so bad, excited about the ceremony and I felt like I was going to have a piece of Isobel with me. Yes, maybe not the physical person but a snippet of her spirit and that was better than nothing!
Friday night came. I decided to wear the unicat for emotional support. Weirdly I am normally quite a socially nervous person, but Isobel’s gift made me dramatically more confident. I even made friends with one of my fellow finalists and friended her on Facebook which is unheard of for me in a room full of strangers!
The time for the Special Achievement category came, behind my pin, my heart was racing like one of my dad’s ACDC tracks! Suddenly all 4 finalists were declared winners, I couldn’t believe it! In a minute, two men in suits were lifting me in my wheelchair onto the stage and I was being presented with a framed certificate and a glass trophy!
At the end of the night, the finalists were asked to applaud the people who helped them get where they are today; I looked down at my chest, not because I was shy but because I had one of the most influential people who helped me get to where I am pinned to my dress, when I came to Edinburgh College, I was a shy teenager who loved the German language for some reason, but I left the college as a passionate young woman who knows how talented she is in German. This wouldn’t have been possible without such a caring, supportive tutor.
In conclusion, I am not even 21 but I have two awards for my German education! It’s funny to think that all this started with one single person. 4 years on, I still don’t understand what Lisa has done to me but I love it!
The Non Verbal Linguist 