My CC10 speech. Written a year ago.

Two years ago, I received an email saying that there will be an English club helping people to improve communication skills by presenting speeches. I was kind of interested. For more than ten years learning English, the only thing I can do is speaking to a wall, literally. Why not? What can be worse. So I decided to go.

When I got there, for the first time. There were a couple of people gathered in a small room. And it looks a little crowded. I was new. So I started to introduce myself. Like “hi, this is Jack...” and there was a guy, who belongs to another club, ran across by putting his ear toward me. And I was thinking: really? I know my voice is low, but is it that bad? do you have to do this? Anyway, he was interested at least.

That was a wonderful meeting. I enjoyed myself and I decided to join in. But I went there for the second time, there were only four of us. We made a serious meeting. Each of us took a turn to speak. Because there were few of us, we got more time to practice.

That’s how I started. As time goes by, the meetings go on. Sometimes we got a couple of people and made a meeting. Sometimes we got few people and the meeting was still. Sometimes it’s even worse. We had to cancel the meeting because no one can make it there.

Time flies. Until last winter, someone called me: hi Jack. We are planing something big. It’s called open day... I had missed several meetings. I was on business trip a lot. Now that it’s a big day, I was supposed to come.

I made it there and I made it almost on time. I took a role as timer. I explained the timing rules to the audience. I thought most of them understood me well, but some of them thought I was selling my cards.

It was great meeting for us and it’s successful. We gathered other three friendly clubs and held a competition. We showed our power and potential. We made us known by more and more people and gained many new members. And our club finally charted. We are now officially a club, a part of toastmasters international.

It’s been two years, but it’s never been easy. During these two years there were so many people and things impressed me, and impressed me deeply. I can’t wait to share some with you.

I remember Kevin, who started the club, in Linyi. While he lived in Tancheng. He use to ride a bike to attend a meeting. (he has a car, but it still takes willing) Because of him, we have a chance to meet each other. Because of him, we have a chance to become friends.

I remember Ivy, who was a seiner student in Linyi University majored in English. She made every possibility to join the meeting to help us to improve, to grow and to develop. Even now she is studying in Qingdao, make herself online to join the meeting.

I remember Liz, who joined us later and made her contribution to the club as well. I built the wechat platform, but it was Liz posting all those amazing posters. Every time I log in the platform, I see those wonderful articles, I see those beautiful pictures. I fell not alone.

I remember Patrick. I met him last winter. He is very active person. Once he joined in. He started planing something big. And because of him, the open day went very well. Because of him, the number of the member is still increasing.

I remember Lauryn. Because we are a non-profit organization. We don’t charge people. And that made us a problem. For a long don’t even have a certain place to hold a meeting. And thank to Lauryn, we finally got a home.

I also remember there are some many fantastic people, who come and go. They come because they think this is the right place. They go because we are not good enough to keep them stay. But we are now. With each and all of you, we are a team now. We can do this together. Together we can be stronger. Together, we can make this a better club. Together, we can make this a better home.

I said this several times and I’d like to say it one more time. You are supposed to join a family, you are supposed to become a part of it. And that family is toastmasters.