D67 Spring Conference 2010

I won Division H Speech Contest 2010 at Tatung University Saturday afternoon, March 27th. I am grateful to Toastmasters in Mongolia for the precious experience in Ulaanbaatar for three weeks so that I can tell my Mongolian story on a bigger stage in April. I must exert my efforts to be a role model for Toastmasters in Mongolia and to play my role of a public speaker to be best of my ability at the International Speech Contest at D67 Spring Conference 2010, April 18.

Toastmasters in Mongolia

Life is a journey. It is to see, to experience, to enjoy. We are Toastmasters. When we travel, we can enjoy the sightseeing, we can enjoy the friendship of toastmasters all over the world.

Six years ago, I was invited to visit Mongolia where I knew nothing, nobody. There were no Toastmasters clubs. To go or not to go was not a question, but a decision! Yes, to go to promote Toastmasters program in Mongolia.

I called Grace Lu, a senior member of Grand Toastmasters Club, invited her to join the Mongolia tour with me in August 2004. We flew from Taipei to Seoul in the afternoon and we arrived in Ulaanbaatar in the evening.

Mongolia is beautiful in summer, green grass, blue sky, we took many photos with our club banner. Wherever we went, we had Toastmasters meetings. On the tour bus from Ulaanbaatar to the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, we had joke sessions. On the overnight train from Ulaanbaatar to the Gobi desert, we had tabletopics sessions. Even riding on the horseback shouting "Ah Ah" at the national park, Grace counted how many ahs I made. It was a memorable Toastmasters journey in Mongolia! After coming back to Taiwan, I wrote Toastmasters in Mongolia for the District 67 website http://www.toastmasters.org.tw.

Last summer, to my surprise, I received an email from Mr. Dembee, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Mongolia asking if I could help them charter the first Toastmasters club in Mongolia. After six months coaching and exchanging of emails on the internet, I decided to meet with the descendants of Chenghiskhan in person. I flew to Ulaanbaatar alone this time in January this year. Was I scared? Nah! I was terrified to death! But if not then, when?

Mongolia is beautiful in winter, but freezing cold, 30 degrees Celsius below zero. I couldn't walk on the street for more than five minutes. My feet, my hands, my ears, my nose got frozen immediately. It was painful. The icy roads were so slippery. Even when I walked carefully one step at a time like a sumo wrestler, oops, ouch! I scored another touchdown! It still hurt with my thick winter clothes on. Whenever I shook hands with handsome men, oh, what a shock I felt, not love at the first sight, but because of the static electricity. It was embarrassing. But it was worth the lessons, I saw the beautiful winter wonderland, I ate the most delicious steak tartare, I experienced the hospitality of Mongolians.

Three weeks in Ulaanbaatar, I attended demo meetings, gave presentation and leadership training workshops and seminars. I met one thousand people, from elementary school children, university professors, business elites, government employees, medical doctors to ex-convicts. It was a meaningful and fruitful Toastmasters journey in Mongolia.

I joined Grand Toastmasters Club in 1986. For the past 24 years, I grew in Toastmasters with many good friends, I became a better person. Today I can stand here to tell you my story, I must thank Dr. Ralph Smedley who founded the Toastmasters club in 1924, Dr. Bennie Bough who chartered the first Toastmasters Club in Taiwan in 1958, and Mr. John Heard, the charter President of Grand Toastmasters Club in 1975. I shall follow their altruistic footprint to charter as many Toastmasters clubs as possible so that more people can benefit from the great non-profit educational organization.

Fellow Toastmasters, there will soon be a Toastmasters club in Mongolia. Let's embrace our new Toastmasters family member with our full support. If you have not planned your summer vacation this year, why not go visit Mongolia, to see the country of blue sky, to experience the hospitality of Mongolians, and to enjoy the friendship of Toastmasters in Mongolia.

Bon voyage on your Toastmasters journey in life! Contest Master!