A German Speaking Toastmasters Club

How much can a man achieve in two months? A man can travel around the world in two months. A man can fall in love and get married in two months. A man can acquire a foreign language in two months.

For me, I want to be able to stand up and speak up in German in two months (from February 28th to April 28th). I want to cram the German language down my throat before I meet up with the Regensburg Domspatzen early Thursday morning, April 28th. And I want to charter a German speaking Toastmasters club in Taipei thereafter.

When there is a will, there is a way. Fifteen years ago, I charted the first Japanese speaking Toastmasters club in Taipei without being able to speak the language. Today I can deliver a speech in Japanese without difficulties. In Toastmasters, we learn by doing. In Toastmasters, we have friends who help me succeed in a friendly and supportive environment.

Many thanks go to Toastmaster Ronald Wiplinger who helped me with my first German lesson Thursday afternoon, January 10th. We have been exchanging the languages on weekly basis eversince. Is it possible I can charter a German speaking Toastmasters club in Taipei? Yes, it is. It's all about the will, it's all about the determination. Once we make up our mind, we go for it, we work on it, and we move toward our goal one step at a time.

In the past month, I followed 20 lessons of Learn German. I signed up the free of charge online interactive German course on Deutsche Welle. I attempted the German language course on BBC, not to mention how many German textbooks I borrowed from the Geothe Institut in Taipei.

To be honest, it is fun, but quite often frustrating to challenge a foreign language. But, with the advancement of the internet, learning a foreign language is convenient, accessible, effective. Just think about how much I have achieved in the past month and how much I shall achieve in the following two months. I am feeling excited!

If we are what we think, the German thinking has turned me into a different person. I don't know what the future has in store for me, but for sure the German Impact will be part of it.

The First Toastmasters Demo Meeting @ NDMC

It was a very successful Toastmasters Demo Meeting at National Defense Medical Center (NDMC) with 25 participants (13 Toastmasters and 12 non-toastmasters) on the Lantern Festival 2011.

The high quality TOASTMASTERS demo meeting at NDMC campus featured four DTMs (Distinguished Toastmasters), including Mike Yang, YS Jap, Ronald Wiplinger, Trini Ding, and many D67 Officers, including District 67 Governor Mike Yang, PR Victoria Wang, Secretary Bonnie Chen, Division G Governor William Chiu, and Division H Governor Tim Wang.

The non-toastmasters are the NDMC medical school students, dental school students, pharmacy school students, and graduate students. In addition, Mr. Daniel Steve Villarreal, Lecturer of NDMC English Department, also joined the demo meeting and answered a tabletopics question by encouraging the participants to grab every possible opportunity in life.

Toastmasters YS Jap and Bonnie Chen won the hearts of NDMC students because of their devotion to the Toastmasters International and their love to their alma mater. Special thanks must go to two Toastmasters Steve and Eileen from NTU Toastmasters Club for their friendly support. Steve served as the Sergent-at-Arms to call the meeting to order. Eileen answered a tabletopics question. They impressed the NDMC students in the audience.

I'd like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the group efforts of NDMC students, Bruce Huang, Dean Lin, and Jean Chou. I met them at the Regengsburger Domspatzen Concert Tour meeting in early December last year. I encouraged them to charter a Toastmasters club at NDMC, and they made the Toastmasters demo meeting a reality this evening.

Bruce Huang delivered a successful C-4 speech about an old love song of a young man. He mesmerized the audience with his singing talents. Dean Lin served as the timer and Jean Chou served as the Ah counter. Both of them were non-Toastmasters, but they performed their jobs with quality.

Of course, I can't thank Professor Hsu-Shan Huang enough for introducing his outstanding students to me. Dr. Huang is the Dean of School of Pharmacy & the Dean of Department of Research and Development at NDMC. We were on a government research project to study the operation system of pharmacy in Germany in 1998. Dr. Huang showed us his alma mater in the beautiful city of Regengsburg. He served as the interpreter and tourguide when we were in Germany. Thank you, Dr. Huang for the wonderful memories.

After the joyful Toastmasters demo meeting at NDMC, Ronald, Daniel and I took the 9:10 shuttle bus back to the old TDGH. Daniel and I continued our talk about the second demo meeting at the Second Floor Cafe' on Ding-chou Road till 10:30PM. Daniel was kind to invite me to visit his English corner at NDMC one of these days to promote the Toastmasters.

We had a good turnout at the first Toastmasters demo meeting at NDMC with many outstanding Toastmasters and many promising non-Toastmasters on Lantern Festival 2011. How I look forward to the second Toastmasters demo meeting at NDMC in March from the bottom of my heart!

Shanghai Reunion in Taipei

Toastmaster Harry Fong invited a group of Toastmasters friends to join the Karaoke Party at his mansion to welcome Dragon Lee back to Taipei for Chinese New Year this evening. It was more like a family gathering, with Toastmaster Harry and his wife Lydia, Toastmaster Harrison with his wife Cecilia, lady friends of Lydia, and the Toastmasters who visitied the Bilingual Drama Toastmasters Club in Shanghai with Harry and Harrison, the two founders of Legacy Toastmasters Club, on the 24th of September, 2010.

Dragon Lee is the big brother of Toastmaster Harrison Lee. He is a successful business person in China. Upon the invitation of Harrison, Dragon joined the Bilingual Drama Toastmasters Club meeting in Shanghai with us. I met Dragon for the first time, we didn’t have much time to talk with each other.

It was the second time I saw Dragon this evening. My hears became upright like a rabbit when I heard Dragon sing for the first time. When he opened his mouth, his sexy voice mesmerized all the ladies and gentlemen as well. In addition, he can accompany any karaoke singer with a male or female key instantly. He is a music talent. Too bad, he is not interested in public speaking. Otherwise, D67 Toastmasters Chorus can recruit another great singing Toastmaster!

Woolloomooloo

Woolloomooloo! That's the name of the restaurant golden ladies had brunch for the Spring Wine Party 2011 today.

When Pamela suggested we have brunch at Woolloomooloo Cafe', I went on line to seach for the origin of the name. As I had expected, the word had something to do with the aboriginal tribe. No wander when I first saw the word, I felt like dancing on my feet!

The moment golden ladies sat down at the table of Woolloomooloo, Toastmaster Kate Hsu in her auspicious red sweater gave every golden lady a cute dangling stone turtle as the souvenirs of her trip in Vietnam during the Chinese New Year. She took the opportunity to wish every golden lady a longevity and a great fortune at the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit.

Kate also lent me the book of The Skull and the Golden Cangue about Wei Hai-min. In return, I gave her a newly published book in January this year. A Rulebook for Arguments by Anthony Weston was translated by the classmates of the Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpreation of National Normal University ten years ago. At last, it got published!

The Spring Wine Party 2011 was special. Everything was back to the basic, from the Austrian simplism interior design, to the plate of tepid food, it was a brunch party without sparkling wine and without hot coffee. We didn't read any article in the Toastmaster Magazine January issue, either. Every golden lady was in a hurry to go home in the cold weather.

As I was not in a hurry to take care the family chores, I took it easy, drank a cup of hot latte by myself at a warm coffeehouse at Taipei Arena on my way back home. I couldn't wait to read the book about the Renowned Peking Opera Diva Wei Hai-min. And I finished reading it in two hours this afternoon. It made my day!

The Skull and the Golden Cangue is Wei Hai-min's personal reflections upon her roles in "Orlando" directed by Robert Wilson and "the Golden Cangue" written by Eileen Chang. I saw Wei's both shows at the National Theater with Kate. I found the book very inspring, to the performing artists on stage, like you and me, the Toastmasters.

Being a loyal fan of Wei Hai-min, Kate never misses any show of the Diva. Because of Kate, golden ladies knew the Diva and became more interested in the Peking Opera. Many thanks go to Kate, we shall be able to see the unprecedented show of Diva Wei with Mei Lanfang's son on stage together at the National Theater in May, of course with Kate and golden ladies.

A Leaping Rabbit

So many things to accomplish in year 2011, I must move like a leaping rabbit to have as much done as possible after the Chinese New Year holidays.

It was sunny in the south throughout the entire holiday season. I took the advantage of the good weather enjoying the countryside life with my parents-in-law. I practiced piano with my niece living next door in the morning. I taught children English and Mandarin in the front yard in the afternoon. I studied the German language on-line in the living room in the evening. I read "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and "Ein liebender Mann" by Martin Walser at night. In one word, it was a relaxing and educational New Year holidays in Po-tzu with Mr. von Goethe around.

The star fruits grew well in the front yard. Nobody in the family was interested in eating the fresh star fruits. So, I picked most fruits on the tree, preserved them in two big jars. It is said that the star fruit juice is good for the throat. Maybe I could give a jar to the Regensburg Domspatzen when they are in town in May. I could give the other jar to golden ladies when we meet for the Toastmaster magazine reading in Summer.

Being a goat, I am curious about the forecast of my fortune for the Year of the Rabbit. It is told, "March, April and September are well-starred for work advancement and positive changes. The past couple of years have been challenging for the Goat and 2011 will be much more upbeat, positive and happy. There will be many chances over the year to make new friends and attend social outings – just what the Goat needs. The support and friendship of others will be very important this year. The whole year will bring happy social occasions. It’s going to be a busy year!" Yes, just what I have been expecting!

What's your Zodiac? I'm curious about your fortune in the year of the Rabbit!