Fellow Toastmasters and Friends,
At the recent Toastmaster’s meeting held on September 12th, we came together to celebrate the arrival of autumn. The evening was filled with three captivating prepared speeches, engaging table topics, and energetic evaluations, all contributing to our ongoing journey in honing our public speaking skills at our favorite guilt hall of Blue Monkey.
One notable moment during the meeting was the selection of the word of the day, “Laurels,” well chosen by our Grammarian, Zsolt. Best speaker laurel was awarded to Christina for her vibrant speech titled “Care for Tea.” In her speech, Christina shared a personal and engaging story, accompanied by expressive body language, recounting how human connection over a cup of tea helped her overcome a burglar’s intrusion during her days in England.
Fereshte also made an impact with her icebreaker speech titled “Resilience.” Through her compelling storytelling, she transported us to Iran and her childhood, where she learned to develop resilience skills that continue to serve her well today. Fereshte’s speech beautifully illustrated that once we know how to confront life’s challenges, they cannot hold us back.
Michelle, with her charm and creativity, offered insights into the world of coaching in her speech. She explored the intriguing topic of coaching oneself, addressing the question of what happens when you attempt to coach the most challenging person in the room—you. Her speech emphasized the importance of self-love as a key factor in positive coaching for both the body and the mind.
The Art of Evaluation
Alice excelled in her role was laureled by the audience. Not only ahe provided constructive feedback but also educated the audience on how to build the intensity of a speech. Alice dissected Fereshte’s speech to highlight its build-up, emphasizing that evaluation speeches are not just about feedback, but also about educating the audience on the effective use of speech elements. Ana-Maria and Ruxandra, our other evaluators, also contributed significantly, demonstrating how well we can learn from one another.
Table Topics Creativity
Our Table Topic master Habiba selected a fitting autumn-related theme, allowing us to delve into what autumn means to each of us, from cherished memories to seasonal clothing and rituals. Table Topic laurel was awarded to Samira for her adept use of creativity, speech structure, and body language in her response.
What’s on the Horizon?
As we embrace autumn, we continue to grow and thrive in our public speaking journey, learning from one another and setting new milestones. We look forward to the two upcoming regular meetings scheduled for September 19th and 26th. Be sure to step up and take roles in Easyspeak. Additionally, please note that we will be at the first floor, the Thai Heaven, so kindly confirm your attendance or absence in Easyspeak ahead of time.
In an exciting development, I am happy to announce that we will be hosting a panel discussion on October 17th! Save the date, and more information will follow shortly.
Best Regards,
Vanessa Stournari
President Zuriberg TMC