Page 17 - VoicesJan2015 .pub
P. 17
Your Toastmasters Skills when You Travel
Jim Wolak, DTM
Navigating your way in a new location, as I
did while visiting Europe last year, is a
great opportunity to use your Toastmas-
ters skills. Ask someone for directions and
you create a table-topics situation: simply
ask that person to tell you places to visit in
that area.
Tasks we take for granted, like ordering Jim Wolak posing with his class of English Immersion students
from a menu, engage us since they often
require translation. Add to that dealing The program includes one-on-one, group
with a different currency, understanding sessions, and language games. Free time
the local transit system, plus learning a lit- during the day, plus evening activities, al-
tle of the local language and you’ll see that low everyone to interact socially. The pro-
all these activities require communication. gram culminates with each student pre-
Sometimes even trying to understand an senting a 5-7 minute speech in English
English speaker from another part of the evaluated by that person’s mentor. Sound
world is a challenge in and of itself! familiar?
Part-way through my first trip, I received an On my second trip to Poland, I provided
e-mail from an English Immersion school students with information about the loca-
called Angloville (www.angloville.com), tion of local Toastmaster clubs and their
asking if I wanted to teach English at week- websites, plus some literature and past is-
long seminars in Poland. I said yes! sues of the Toastmasters magazine. This
What an opportunity to help other mid- year I plan to teach again and visit some
level speakers gain confidence through clubs with my students.
use of my Toastmaster skills. My vacation
had just gained a new dimension. When you next travel overseas, interact
with locals and immerse yourself in their
The week-long programs are held at re- culture. Take Toastmasters with you and
sorts located some distance from major visit a foreign club.
cities to help create a more complete lan-
guage immersion environment. Partici- I challenge you to utilize Toastmaster skills
pants are composed of one group of fif- during your next trip—and please tell us
teen English native speakers from around about it in Voices!
the world, and one group of fifteen Polish
participants, ranging from entry-level man- Jim Wolak is a member of Wonderful Oregon Wordmasters
agers to doctors and lawyers. and Coast Toasties. He is an avid photographer and frequent
world traveler.
17
Jim Wolak, DTM
Navigating your way in a new location, as I
did while visiting Europe last year, is a
great opportunity to use your Toastmas-
ters skills. Ask someone for directions and
you create a table-topics situation: simply
ask that person to tell you places to visit in
that area.
Tasks we take for granted, like ordering Jim Wolak posing with his class of English Immersion students
from a menu, engage us since they often
require translation. Add to that dealing The program includes one-on-one, group
with a different currency, understanding sessions, and language games. Free time
the local transit system, plus learning a lit- during the day, plus evening activities, al-
tle of the local language and you’ll see that low everyone to interact socially. The pro-
all these activities require communication. gram culminates with each student pre-
Sometimes even trying to understand an senting a 5-7 minute speech in English
English speaker from another part of the evaluated by that person’s mentor. Sound
world is a challenge in and of itself! familiar?
Part-way through my first trip, I received an On my second trip to Poland, I provided
e-mail from an English Immersion school students with information about the loca-
called Angloville (www.angloville.com), tion of local Toastmaster clubs and their
asking if I wanted to teach English at week- websites, plus some literature and past is-
long seminars in Poland. I said yes! sues of the Toastmasters magazine. This
What an opportunity to help other mid- year I plan to teach again and visit some
level speakers gain confidence through clubs with my students.
use of my Toastmaster skills. My vacation
had just gained a new dimension. When you next travel overseas, interact
with locals and immerse yourself in their
The week-long programs are held at re- culture. Take Toastmasters with you and
sorts located some distance from major visit a foreign club.
cities to help create a more complete lan-
guage immersion environment. Partici- I challenge you to utilize Toastmaster skills
pants are composed of one group of fif- during your next trip—and please tell us
teen English native speakers from around about it in Voices!
the world, and one group of fifteen Polish
participants, ranging from entry-level man- Jim Wolak is a member of Wonderful Oregon Wordmasters
agers to doctors and lawyers. and Coast Toasties. He is an avid photographer and frequent
world traveler.
17
