The Turkish crowd were getting behind the performance, belting out approval in thunderous chants.

Nothing abnormal, of course, about such behaviour at a Janet Jackson concert ... only this was not Michael Jackson's superstar sister.

The singer strutting her stuff on stage was Bermuda's Tawana Flood.

A question of mistaken identity? Unlikely. A Turkish way of saying "We like you''? Probably nearer the mark.

"I don't think they knew who I was, so they just started calling out `Janet Jackson','' Tawana laughs.

"I would love to be as good as Janet Jackson! Any comparison with her is flattering.'' Flattering, too, one imagines to be likened to Tina Turner.

"Sometimes after shows people do say the weirdest things,'' continues 20-year-old Tawana, of Scenic Heights Pass, Southampton.

"When I was in Italy a lady said I reminded her of Tina Turner when I danced around the stage with a microphone.

"Naturally most of the times I reply by asking whether they enjoyed the show or learned anything from it. Generally, they say `yes', `ja', `si' or `oui', depending on which country I'm in.'' Tawana is fresh back from the best year of her life -- 12 months being whirled around the globe with the Up With People programme, a roadshow featuring an international cast.

Taking the lead female role in the show, "The Festival'', she toured Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida, Belgium Germany, Turkey, Holland, France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

Tawana, however, is keen to kill any impression she did little more than enjoy the glamour of a Janet Jackson lifestyle.

"Many people think the year was all fun and games, sightseeing, first class service and relaxation.

"No sir! That's definitely not the entire story. It's a lot of hard work and dedication which meant going beyond doing your best.

"It was continuous, strenuous activities, getting only four hours of sleep.

One day we found ourselves in Belgium, the next in Germany.

"Free time was spent rehearsing alone in a bathroom or with my singing partners, because usually that was the only place to find peace and quiet.'' Tawana describes the pace at which the cast moved.

"One time I bought a postcard in Turkey, didn't find time to write it until I was in Italy and wasn't able to mail it until I found a post office in Austria.

"That's how fast we moved. There wasn't any time to say `Oh well, I'll do it later'.

"It was `take advantage now, or forever hold your peace! Or lose out on something that may make a huge difference in your life!''' From visiting Germany's Belsen concentration camp, hiking in the Black Forest, touring NATO buildings in Brussels, to dropping from a 60-foot bridge during a survival course in Belgium, riding a camel in Turkey and meeting the Pope at the Vatican and Italy's president -- variety was certainly the spice of Tawana's life.

There were also many cultural experiences.

Up With People broadens young Bermudian's horizons From Page 24 "Kissing strangers was definitely something new for me. I didn't know which side of the cheek to kiss on, and one time after making a presentation to a mayor in Switzerland, I couldn't remember how many kisses to give him. It was hilarious!'' Staying with dozens of host families meant Tawana was able pass on some of her home-grown culture.

"One host brother laughed hard when I told him about codfish on a Sunday morning.'' As well as performing, Tawana also did community service, learned about stage production, and picked up business skills, such as marketing, human resource management and communications.

Her marketing work involved media events, interviews and promoting the show.

It is something she hopes will stand her in good stead in the years ahead, along with her good command of French and German.

She is already looking forward to studying international business in Paris ... and beyond that the opportunities loom large and exciting. Asked what she had learned from Up With People, Tawana replies: "The world changes so quickly, you have to be flexible, open-minded and ready for almost anything.

"One must dream big, set high goals for yourself. I know this for a fact because I would never have made it though the year without believing this.

"In fact, I would never have raised the money in the first place. I made valuable friendships with lots of people who shared common differences and were for the most part very interesting.

"Imagine sitting in a circle, gossiping with a Japanese, Norwegian, Australian and Italian and having a great time.

"People hear the word `diversity' quite often, but it can have a far greater impact after you've lived and understood it!'' She adds: "Too many people expect to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. Success comes through hard work. Anything worth having in life is worth working hard for.'' BERMUDA MEETS JAPAN -- Tawana Flood (centre) with two Japanese friends on the Up With People programme.