The First Speech in Year 2008

Upon the invitation of Toastmaster Alex Hsiao, I participated in the first regular meeting of Success Toastmasters Club in year 2008 this afternoon.

Alex and and his wife Kasumi chartered Success Toastmasters Club ten years ago. Being retired from Taoyuan Elementary School, Alex and Kasumi spend most of their time promoting educational activities actively in Taoyuan area. In the past nine years, Alex and Kasumi have helped many young members hone communication and leaderships at Success Toastmasters Club with their enthusiastic, passionate and ardent gudiance and direction.

I made acquaintance with Alex ten years ago when I was invited to serve as the Club Mentor of Peace Toastmasters Club, the frist Japanese speaking toatmasters club in Taiwan. Even though I didn't speak Japanese much at that time, I was happy to take the challenge to develop Japanese speaking toastmasters clubs in Taiwan.

Ten years pass. I am grateful that I can deliver a speech in Japanese on the spot in Toastmasters. I also make a lot of friends with Japanese toastmasters. This afternoon, I was honored to deliver a speech about my one-month trip in Japan from the middle of October till the middle of November last year.

After my 30 minutes speech about transportation, education, tourist industry, toasmasters clubs in Japan, I entertained many questions from the floor. Many toastmasters members became interested in solo traveling in Japan. They asked about the budget travel and about the JR pass. On the first weekend of year 2008, I felt extremely lucky and happy to be invited to Success Toastmasters Club at Taoyuan Elementary School for five reasons.

1. It is auspicious to deliver my first speech in Year 2008 at SUCCESS toastmasters club.
2. It is auspicious to walk along the SUCCESS Road to the main gate of Taoyuan Elementary School.
3. The theme of table topics was about longevity today. Kasumi shared with us the secrets of longevity of her mother-in-law who is 102 years old this year. (Alex is 80 years old, famous for his filial piety in Taoyuan area.)
4. The granddaughter of Toastmaster Yu of Success Toastmasters Club is getting married today.
5. Taoyuan Elementary school is celebrating her 110 anniversary in 2008.

Taoyuan is not far from Taipei. It takes less than one hour from my home to Taoyuan. I hope I can visit Success Toastmasters Club more often in year 2008 to grow with Alex, Kasumi and members of SUCCESS Toastmasters Club.