1. Why did I decide to become a member?
I had been eager to study English since the beginning of this year and sought the most effective and suitable way for me.
Encounter with the Senri Toastmasters Club
I accidentally discovered an English speech club meeting being held in the same building when I went to the library. A sheet of paper with a member's photo, showing the location of the meeting, attracted me. At this moment, I had no idea what the Toastmasters club was. I became curious and took a peek at what people were doing from outside the room. The meeting looked professional as one person was making a speech in front of the audience with a monitor and a camera set in the middle. Although I had to leave there before the library was closed, I couldn’t stop thinking it must have been a very interesting place.
Then I found a group of people from the meeting and I tried my best to speak to them. They were so friendly to me, a stranger who wasn’t even a guest at the meeting. I decided to attend the following meeting as a guest. This is how I got to know the Senri Toastmasters Club.
My first impression of the Senri Toastmasters Club
I was a bit nervous before entering the meeting room for the first time. But the friendly greeting and welcoming atmosphere eased my nervousness. Then, I was so surprised to see that the meeting had started in a very formal manner. The meeting proceeded with set phrases and formal expressions. They even used a gavel and, whenever the person came in the front, they shook their hands.
Each member has a role such as Ah-counter, Timer and Grammarian, Speaker, and Evaluator. All of them are evaluated by a General Evaluator. There is a ballot after the speeches and the Best Speaker, the Best Evaluator, and the Best Table Topics are selected. The meeting is moderated by the MC, the Toastmaster of the Day.
It was a completely novel experience for me, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. I was called on to speak for the Table Topics, and my nerves were at their peak. However, warm support and smiles from the members lifted my spirits. I joined the meeting two more times. You can participate as a guest up to three times. This gives you time to think it over, so I think this is a good system.
I finally decided to be a member. The right balance between joyfulness and nervousness would surely keep me motivated.
2. What skills do I want to gain?
I have three skills I want to gain which are currently my biggest weaknesses.
The first is to organize my thoughts and clearly express what I want to say. When I try to write essays or even a few paragraphs, my mind goes blank. And I tend to speak without getting to the main point. I believe receiving training in the Senri Toastmasters Club would be the most effective way to get over these weaknesses.
The second skill is fluency in speaking English. I haven’t studied English for a long time, which contributes to my lack of fluency. I have a lot of words that I understand but struggle to use. Immersing myself in this club will help me improve this skill.
The third skill I want to gain is the ability to speak in public with confidence. I get very nervous when speaking in front of people, even at past kindergarten parent-teacher meetings. To conquer this fear, learning tips and practicing with supportive members would be greatly helpful.
3. What goals have I set?
I have been enjoying studying English because I like to communicate with people around the world, share thoughts and insights, and exchange cultural perspectives. However, I often get frustrated not being able to express myself clearly, and sometimes I just give up trying to make myself 100% clear.
I want to be a good communicator who can express ideas clearly and confidently in English, and connect with people from diverse backgrounds.
