Dylan and I are taking a Toastmasters class that one of the homeschool moms set up. Last night was our second meeting, and all those attending had a week to work on a speech and then present it on the night. I had a little problem though, working at the Embassy. Working takes a LOT of time out of your day, so I hardly had any time to work on my speech, but this I what I ended up with yesterday before we left, I was literately working on it until we scarfed down dinner so we wouldn't be late:

 Toastmaster's

Sailing: One of my hobbies

I like to sail in my free time. I like being out on the water when the wind’s blowing and the sun’s shining.

            I guess living in Uzbekistan for two years sparked my interest in sailing, it being one of two doubly landlocked countries, and our week long Blue Cruise during our family vacation to Turkey probably influenced me as well.

            When we went to visit our family on our mothers’ side in California for six months before coming down under, I got as many sailing books as possible from the library. Books that tell you how to sail, novels about sailing, books on building your own boat, books about racing rules and tactics, and many more.

            Well, it’s no surprise that my family found out that I love boats. So for our first Christmas here in Australia, my parents signed me up for sailing lessons at the local YMCA SC. It was a five day course, every weekday from nine to five.

            Dan, former sail training instructor at the SC, taught us; the different parts of the boat, how to sail, sailing theory, how to execute a man overboard recovery, how to recover from a capsize, tactics to help you sail faster, how to come ashore, and much more. I finished the course and received my Small Boat level two certificate.

            After I graduated from my course, I started attending the Tuesday Twilight learn to race days at the SC; where Dan taught you how to sail faster, and racing tactics. I also came to race day on Saturdays.

            Dan then invited me to be his crew for the Bateman’s Bay Regatta, and although we didn’t win it was a great learning experience for me, because it was the first time I had actually raced on a catamaran bar the three or four practice races we had on the lake, but the best part was on day two when we had dolphins ride our bow-waves all the way from the beach to the start line.

            At the end of the season during the awards ceremony I was awarded the Trainee of the year award for the ’05-’06 season.

            Dan called me up before the next season started, and asked me if I would like to be a volunteer sail training instructor. I jumped at the chance knowing that it would look good on a collage application but it would also be a learning experience and I would enjoy it. I took a course so as I could drive the powerboats and help out.

            I showed up each day at 8:00 and helped get the SC opened, all the powerboats in the water, and made sure everything was ready for the morning. Then the kids showed up, and we did some classroom time for an hour or so depending on the wind (the wind can be a harsh dictator), and then we would head out on the water until 12:00 or so, take an hour for lunch (to keep the kids out of the sun, because skin cancer is not fun), and then we would have some more classroom time (sometimes longer, sometimes shorter depending on what day it was), head back out, and then pack up at 4:00-4:30 and then just chill with the kids until their parents turned up to take them home. One week we had a kid who was left with us until 6:00 because her dad thought she was at the CYC not the YMCA, and he didn’t bother calling to see where she was. Dan finally called him at 6:00 and asked him where he was, the guy said he was at the club at 4:30 and waited until 5:00 but no one was there, so he left without his kid. Then Dan told him that we were on the shore at 4:00 and there was no one around. So he apologized and came to pick his kid up. Can you believe it?

            Well, that’s my hobby. I can’t wait until the sailing season starts back up.

And here  is what my Evaluation was:

Toastmasters International

Youth Leadership Program

EVALUATION GUIDE.

Name of Speaker..................Devon............................

Title.............................Sailing: one of my hobbies........

Evaluator.......................Barry Blight...........................

Date...................................6/8/07............................

Was the speech well prepared?

Excellent. Thank you Devon for an infomative presentation.

Did the speech have a definite opening, body and conclusion?

Yes.

Was the speaker's voice lud and clear?

You are very confident and positive. Definite powerful voice, kept audience interested. Keep up with this and I can see you becoming a top presenter.

Ded the speaker use words that were simple, concrete and vivid?

I like the phrases like "The wind can be a Harsh Dictator"

Did the speaker achieve his purpose?

Yes

What could the speaker have don differently to strengthen the presentation?

Voice variation. Eye contact with all in audience or attempt to. With a large audience pick several spots around the room.

Well done!! Congratulations Barry Blight

In Toastmasters, when you are being evaluated, they have a system they like to use. It goes like this. First you praise the speech, then you suggest something the speaker could have done better, then you praise the speech. It works pretty well, that way you know what they thought of your speech and then they tell you things that they think would have made the speech better, you don't have to use their advice, but they are there to help you so why not.