Toastmasters Cluj

Last week Anusca introduced me to an amazing organization: TOASTMASTERS (http://www.toastmasters.org/). It's a NGO present in 106 countries that has about 250000 members. TOASTMASTERS International empowers people to become better communicators and better leaders. Basically, it teaches you public speaking. And it does it by constant practice. It's simply great! Where else would you have the chance to practice your public speaking skills on a weekly bases? I used to tell my students in Lithuania that "practice makes it perfect". TOASTMASTERS is THE PLACE to practice, to become better and better, to become more aware of your habits and your abilities.

Why does TOASTMASTER fit me like a glove? In a few bullets:

• I discovered that I have ideas and I am a kind person, but most of the times I don't know how to express it, so I need to improve my communication skills
• I want to learn how to actually listen to the others
• Networking - the people that are attending TOASTMASTERS come from very different backgrounds than mine (ok, most of them are programmers :P)
• I want to become a person that can inspire the others
• I want to be more organized
• I want to be a better trainer
• I want to finally know how to react when receiving feedback
• I believe in this organization and in its clear benefits
• I love the idea of building an organization
• I am enthusiastic, energetic and I have free time to invest in great ideas
• I have the organizatoric skills that it takes to get things started
• I am constructive
• It makes me smile

It's gonna be great! I believe in it! And... guess what... I get to stay in Romania, close to my family, I get to reach some of my 2010 objectives, I get to meet new people, I get the time to invest "my eggs" (read hopes, dreams and plans) in more than 1 basket.

Happy, smiley me :)