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The Toastmasters
program came to me by osmosis. When my husband and son joined a local
Toastmasters club and Youth Leadership program, respectively, I found
myself listening – during our family dinner-table discussions – to their
comments about building communication and leadership skills. They talked
about improving vocal variety, body language and gestures in project
speeches. While serving their food, I soon noticed that our spontaneous
chatting about daily events had transformed into well-organized
communication, just like Table Topics.
我漸漸被演講會同化了。我先生和兒子，參加了當地的演講會，和青少年領導課程，在家庭晚餐的餐桌前討論時，不知不覺我也在聆聽。我聽他們評論有關於建立溝通，與成為領袖的技巧；討論在演講時，如何運用聲音的變化，身體語言及手勢的表達。用餐時，我很快的注意到，我們每天日常生活的聊天，已經轉化為有系統的溝通，就像是即席問答一樣。
Becoming
a Toastmaster
成為演講會會員
Gradually, my
grudge against their evening club meetings faded, and I began to soak up
the information my husband and son brought home.
Instead of nagging, I provided constructive evaluations! My work as a
teacher – I had been a university professor – convinced me that I was an
experienced and practiced speaker, but with the energy permeating these
dinnertime Table Talks, it dawned on me that I should join Toastmasters
too. This was the
beginning of an awakening: Formal education may end, but learning never
ends.
漸漸地，我對他們晚上參加演講會例會的嫌隙消失了，進而開始參與他們帶來的訊息。我甚至提出有建設性的評論，而不再嘮嘮叨叨。我過去曾經是大學教授，因此，我確信自己是一個有經驗、熟練的演講者。經由用心的參與晚餐時的即席問答，我突然覺得，我也應該參加演講會才對。我剛開始意識到：學校的正規教育也許會結束，但是學習是永無止境的。
I
eventually joined the Town and Gown Toastmasters at the University of
Guelph, in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The club meets Wednesdays at 7:15
in the morning. It took me six months just to convince myself that I
could make it to the club’s early-morning sessions before starting my
work day. But leaving home on Wednesday mornings, I started looking
forward to the fully charged meetings in the university’s majestic
Johnston Hall. Then arriving at work 15 minutes earlier than my regular
time – following a stimulating Toastmasters session – helped me start
the day in a more refreshed and cheerful mood.
This was the beginning of
exhilaration: Passion for work may end, but passion for learning never
ends.
最後，我加入了在加拿大安大略省基輔大學的Town
and Gown演講會。例會的時間，在星期三早上7:15分，我花了六個月時間，才說服我自己，可以在上班之前，參加一大早的演講會。現在，每星期三早上離開家時，我就已經開始期待，在基輔大學雄偉的約翰生大樓(Johnston
Hall)裏，一場充滿能量的例會。在一個激勵自我的演講會時間之後，我比平常還提早十五分鐘到工作地點。演講會幫助我開始心情愉快、精神氣爽的一天。這是令人振奮的開始：對工作的熱情也許會結束，但是，對學習的熱情永無止境。
Succeeding
as a Toastmaster
成功成為演講會會員
Teamwork is the most important lesson I’ve learned in Toastmasters. It
works! In the past couple of years, our club’s list of accomplishments
has blossomed – from members excelling at the area, division and
district-level contests to achieving the President’s Distinguished Club
award. Every member seems committed to helping the Town and Gown
Toastmasters while in the pursuit of individual goals, and our motto
reflects that: Together
Everyone
Achieves
More
(TEAM).
團隊合作，我在演講會所學到最重要的一課，的確有用。過去幾年來，我們分會的成就達成表，有了很大的進展；從會員在分區、分部以及地區層級比賽的優秀表現，到贏得世界總會長傑出分會的獎項。在追求個人目標的同時，每一個會員也盡心盡力的幫助Town
and Gown演講會，所以我們的座右銘是：團結成就更大。
We created the
club Web site, welcomed five new
members (and earned credit for the Beat the Clock membership-building
award), organized two speech marathons (under the VPE’s leadership) to
help members catch up on their project goals, designed an orientation
booklet to help new members start their training, launched a brochure
to familiarize first-time guests with club procedures and kept an
inventory of club resources. All of these projects were examples of our
club working together.
This was the beginning of
realization: Individual goals may reach an end, but learning as a team
never ends.
我們設了一個分會網站，招募了五個新會員(並贏得期末招募會員獎的分數)。分會安排兩次演講馬拉松(在教育副會長的領導下)，幫助會員趕上他們的計畫目標，並設計方針手冊，來幫助新會員，開始他們的訓練；另外發行小冊子，使新的來賓，能熟悉分會的進行程序，並記錄分會資源清單等等。所有這些企劃，都是我們分會會員一起合作的例子。這是一個認知的開始：個人目標或許會抵達終點，但團隊的學習永無止境。
Helping
Others in Toastmasters
幫助其他的演講會
I passed another
milestone in my learning curve when I was assigned to mentor a
struggling club as a requirement to earn the Advanced Leader Silver
award.
在我的學習曲線中，我超越了另一個里程碑，為了達成銀牌高級領導員的榮銜的要求，我被指派要指導一個經營困難的分會。
Like some other
mentors, I tried too hard to get the struggling club to do things
successful clubs were doing. In hindsight, I realize that I missed
seeing what this club was doing. For example, the meeting time was in
the middle of the day, from noon to 12:40 p.m. Leaving in the middle of
the day was something I had not experienced in any other club. It
occurred to me that attending meetings regularly required a significant
level of commitment, determination and organization from every member.
就像其他的指導會友一樣，太努力要這個分會，做得跟其他成功的分會一樣好。後來發現，我沒有去了解這個分會原來的進行模式。舉例來說，例會時間是在中午12:00到12:40，利用中午的時間來參加例會，是我未曾有的經驗；我赫然發現，要固定參與例會，需要每一個會員，展現相當程度的決心，以及自我的責任安排。
Over the ensuing
months as a club mentor, I learned many lessons in true leadership.
Others needed a model to emulate, but for me, it was a huge challenge to
effectively demonstrate the various roles that people fill in a regular
session. Even showing how to stay within time limits was an issue. I
went through many days of frustration when one step forward seemed to
bring two steps back. I felt that I let myself down.
在確實做了幾個月的分會指導員，我學到真正的領導；有些人需要一個典範去仿傚，但對我來說，要有效的在例會上，去示範各式各樣的角色，是一個極大的挑戰，即使要達成時間的標準，都是一個課題。我經歷了許多挫折的日子，每當前進一步，又好似退步兩步，我讓自己失望了 。
These
initial hiccups made me understand that change is a slow and natural
process that brings sweeter rewards when given its own time and space.
Recently, one member who had been in the club for a couple of years
finally stood up and delivered his Ice Breaker. It was a moment of
elation not only for him but for everyone in the group!
This was the beginning of
self-actualization: My journey to achieving awards in Toastmasters may
end, but the journey of learning through Toastmasters will never end.
剛開始的這些阻礙，讓我了解到：雖然改變是一個自然而緩慢的過程，但是只要經過時間按步就班，終就會帶來甜美的果實。最近，一位參加分會已經一兩年的會員，終於面對他第一次初試啼聲的演講；這不止是對他個人，也是對整個團隊來說，是一個歡欣的時刻。這是一個自我實現的開始：我在演講會贏得獎項的歷程，或許會結束，但在演講會學習的歷程永無止境。
Leaving a
Toastmasters Legacy
留下演講會傳承
Some time back, I
was struck with a chronic illness that can be controlled but not cured.
Along with a string of X-rays and blood work, a sense of finality crept
into my heart. It felt as though a curtain had been drawn on many
activities that I loved.
前一段日子，我一直受慢性病的折磨，這疾病雖然可以控制，但是無法根治；隨著一系列X光和血液檢查，我有想要結束這一切的念頭，彷彿有人拉上黑色的窗簾，將我所喜愛的活動拒之千里。
We went on
vacation to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and my husband and I took
a walk along a lake at one of the resorts. He asked, “What legacy would
you like to leave behind you?” What a Toastmasters-style question from
my Toastmaster husband! Again, it seemed like Table Topics. I was
reminded of an e-mail that we had received from Neha, our 20-year-old
niece in India. About three years earlier, I had sent her a copy of the
Toastmaster magazine and she expressed interest in joining a
club. However, it didn’t work out. In this recent e-mail, she mentioned
again coming across the magazine I had sent her.
我和我先生，去佛羅里達州奧蘭多市的迪士尼樂園度假。我們在渡假村的湖邊散步，我先生問我說，你想留下什麼樣的財富？好一個演講會風格的問題，就像即席問答一樣，讓我想到一封Neha寄來的電子郵件。二十歲的Neha是我們姪女，她住在印度，大約三年前，我寄一本演講會雜誌給她，她表示有興趣要加入演講會，但是，後來就沒有結果。最近這封郵件，她提到偶然又看到我寄給她的雜誌。
I
Googled Toastmasters’ Web site again to find a club near my place, and
this time I wasn’t disappointed, as I found a club in Dwarka [in New
Delhi]. I was happy and I decided to go there. The meeting day arrived….
And I must say it was an awesome experience. I thanked myself for
traveling all the way there. There were around 35-40 members in the
club: students, professionals and retired people. I interacted with them
and got to learn so many new things in a single meeting. I have attended
two more meetings and am looking forward to joining the club soon.”
她說 :
我又上谷歌查詢演講會的網站，找到一個我家附近的分會。這一次沒有讓我失望，我找到Dwarka
(在新德里)，我很高興並決定要參加，參加例會的那天，我慶幸我有一直去追尋它，因為對我來說，這真的是一個太棒的經驗了，這個分會大約有35到40個會員，有學生、專業人士、以及退休人士。我在這一次的例會，與他們互動之間，就學得許多新的事務，我已經又參加兩次例會，並期望很快能參加下一次的例會。
This gave me the answer to my husband’s Table Topics question about the
legacy I would like to leave. I promised him and myself, “It is the
legacy of living
Toastmasters – supporting lifelong learning across countries and
continents. That is what I would like to leave behind me!”
這件事給了我答案，來回答我先生即席問答的問題：要留下什麼財富？我對我先生以及我自己承諾？對現在的演講會的傳承，也就是支持終身學習，遍及各個國家以及各大洲，這也是我想要留下的財富。
Bani Arora, ACG,
ALB, is a member
of Town and Gown Toastmasters in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. She is the
owner and operator of the Oxford Learning Center in Guelph. Reach her at
nbbarora@yahoo.ca.
作者：Bani
Arora, ACG, ALB 是加拿大安大略省基輔大學的Town
and Gown演講會會員，她在基輔市經營管理牛津學習中心。她的電子信箱：nbbarora@yahoo.ca
譯者：康碧紜
Christina, ScienTech Toastmasters Club |
