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.