我加入英文演講會至今大約7年多了，也認識了一票獨特尊貴的朋友及賺到許多珍貴的友誼，這些朋友包括台灣的還有國外的。 
I have been joining in Toastmasters for about 7 years. I met a bunch of prestige people here, and I earned a lot of friendship not only in Taiwan but also in foreign countries.

我們豐原英文演講會有六位俱魅力又可愛的美女(賴秀春、張海星、林素香、吳素芬、 劉秀貞、王秋芬) 剛從愛爾蘭和英國回來。在出國前我試著寫e-mail 給在愛爾蘭的都柏林和英國愛丁堡的演講會的會長們，表示我們要去貴會拜訪。很快的我就收到了一封又一封非常溫馨友善的歡迎回函。其中之一的回函如下:
We FYTC (Michelle, Teresa, Susan, Barbara, Amanda, Melody) 6 charming, lovely ladies just came back from UK and Ireland. Before going abroad, I tried mailing some mails to some TMs clubs in UK and Ireland. I mentioned that we want to visit their clubs. Very soon I received very warm and friendly welcome replies from them one after another. Let me show you one of those e-mails.

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親愛的 秀春 (Michelle) 及朋友們: 
Dear Michelle and friends, 

很高興聽到有朋友遠從台灣來訪。在九月23日那天我們本會有舉行幽默演講及即時問答比賽，很開心有你們的參與。您也許會想到是否要入場費，對於千里迢迢來訪的台灣朋友是免費的。
Great to hear from Taiwan so far abroad! We do have a meeting on the 23rd September. The club would be delighted to have you guys for a Humorous Speech and Table Topics competition night. You may consider the entrance fee, no cost for guests who travel so far away from Taiwan.  

會議地點距離都柏林市區很遠(搭計程車約40分鐘)，本會有兩位會員自願開車至你們的飯店接送，您們不用夜宿公園、火車站或路邊。
The meeting place is far away from Dublin city (40 min. by taxi) two of our members with cars have volunteered to drive your party to our club and back to your hotel after the meeting. No need to stay overnight in the park, train station or roadside. 

我們熱切地期待您們的來訪，我們會在您指示的地點與你們見面，或是我建議在”國家音樂廳”會合應該也是一個不錯的主義。你在緊要關頭時可以打電話給我，我的手機號碼是+353 86 811 5054，兩名司機一位叫 Mary，一位叫 Judy。
We are eagerly awaiting you and will meet you in town where ever you choose. As a suggestion I would think the National Concert Hall would be easier for you. 
Having the cell phone numbers is a good idea for last minute arrangements.
My cell phone number is : +353 86 811 5054
The drivers are Mary and Julie.

期待我們的會面
Looking forward to our rendezvous.

你的朋友Brian敬上 / 愛爾蘭都柏林 Rathfarnham Toastmasters 的會長
Your friend, Brian, the president of Rathfarnham Toastmasters, Dublin, Ireland

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未抵達都柏林我們己嗅到溫馨歡迎的氣氛了，我那能拒絕如此溫暖又歡迎的回函呢? 為了表示感激他們親切、熱情、超完美的安排，我向我們會上的劉遠山買了45張的 ”招財進寶” 春聯贈送給國外的會員 (感謝劉遠山只收我一點點錢) 這些照片是我們與愛丁堡和都柏林會員的合照。我們更驚訝的是他們竟然又回贈我們每人一個杯上點綴著 ”IRLAND” 精美的水晶杯。 
Before arriving Dublin, we already smelled the warm welcome atmosphere.  How can I reject such warm welcome response as friends? I was so touched by their perfect arrangement. To show our appreciation to their friendliness and enthusiasm, I bough 20 pieces of Chinese Calligraphy from our member, Mountain Liu and presented to TMs clubs. (Thank you Mountain, you just charged me a little money) Here are the pictures we took with their members. To our surprise, they also prepared very beautiful and delicate glasses for each of us.  

在都柏林演講會幽默演講比賽後我們豐原演講會的會長張海星被邀請上台回答即時問題，而我也當場主持笑話單元，我們台灣去的會員也都上台分享笑話。這些都是非常特別和溫馨的經驗。
After the Humorous speech contest, Teresa was invited to answer the Table Topic question, and I held the joke session there, and Barbara, Susan, and Teresa shared jokes. Those are very special, warm experiences.   

如果我沒有參加演講會的話，我到那兒去找這般契合的朋友一起到國外自助旅行?
If I didn’t join TMs, how can I meet such good friends like you, how can I get such excellent travelling partners to go abroad together with

如果我沒有參加演講會的話，我那有能力在國外及眾人面前當場即時主持笑話單元?
how can I have an impromptu perform in front of TMs clubs in foreign countries?

我們展現了自己，我們讓豐原演講會延伸至國外，我們將台灣推展到英國及愛爾蘭。
We showed up ourselves and expanded FYTC from Taiwan to UK and Ireland. We push out Taiwan to meet the world and extended our reputation.

實際上我們是在做國民外交，做非政府組織的國民外交。我覺得我們值得台灣的外交部頒獎給我們。我要在此大聲的說 “英文演講會讓我們走向全世界” 我們以台灣為榮! 我們以演講會為榮!
We were actually doing People-to-people diplomacy (做國民外交), we are doing NGO.(Non-Government Organization) diplomacy (做非政府組織的國民外交). I think we deserve our Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affair to award a prize to us. I would like to say it out loud, “Toastmasters Integrates us into the World!” for in where I am proud of Taiwan.

Chair of Central Marketing 中區推廣主席
賴秀春 Michelle Lai ALB, CTM, CL
FYTC 豐原英文演講會