S. finally meets the Toastmasters.

My catch of moment @Toastmasters MBA Club.

I remember myself browsing around and coming across the Toastmasters International name and the time when first time heard, i wanted to know more of this sandwich name and see what is this about. Have to say, got to think of the sandwiches for just a short time as my curiosity brought me the true answer. If im not mistaken, then like year ago this all happened. Then i discovered that its nothing to do with toasts nor any other sandwiches and its all about improving your public speaking. And since some time they also say its about the leadership skills development.

All in all the first time I was curious to join their organization and to see what`s it all up was in Ljubljana.
I managed to talk with some of the toastmasters, however i actually never managed to join the meeting. My agenda and theirs just did not match together for the perfect timing.

My second try was this spring, when going back to Latvia, as I did not manage to join the Ljubljana group, so I said, i have to try Riga instead. It was cool, i managed to find them, get in touch, find out that all the meetings are in english, and they meet very often. However the same time I also managed to get a job, and unfortunately the job schedule did not like the toastmasters timings, so again, all these four months this summer, no Toastmasters meeting experience.

Like month of already being in Lisbon, and with quite free agenda, i decided to give a try for the Toastmasters once again. With not much of again thinking, I explored the online social media networks and managed to find MBA Toastmasters club existing in Lisbon. With a simple FB message I found myself into touch with the founder of the club. He was welcoming me to join their meetings, and even if I was not one of the MBAs. He also advised and told me about the other Toastmasters club in Lisbon. So out of zero, there were already two options to choose. For two weeks i tried to manage to go to one of the Lisbon meetings, but either i was late, or lost in their  university neighborhoods, not managed to go. 

Luckily this tuesday, while being in Lisbon, got to remember there is meeting just today. So I got to give a try once more, this time I was lucky, arrived just ten minutes late...and in the right place. Have to say, i was amazed, as at some time I did not believe i am in Portugal, as they were not only starting sharp on time, but more over going with agenda minute in a minute. The second thing, that before i did not pay enough of the attention, that they will have the meetings in portuguese, so yeah, turns out that this international club has the meetings in portuguese...a cool new challenge for me for my already very portuguese speaking week. And last but not least to tell, that they gather amazing people, that i had the pleasure to meet.

If talking about the MBA club then they have their meetings every two weeks, and as i spent time in Slovenia the weeks ago, then I missed the one of the meetings, however with the nice welcome reminder, i was still eager to explore how they do. And after the Lisbon Toastmasters meeting, even more curious to see if they are as sharp on time as Lisbon. Luckily or not this week just the day after my first Toastmasters meeting, i found myself into MBA Toastmasters club meeting. This time was lucky to find the place with first time and with no extra getting lost part. Here it was completely other experience than my first, as they were first of all smaller group of people, secondly everyone was running late, not only arriving, but also over-talking the speeches. However, i still much enjoyed as the human factor made it even better, to see things developing and growing, as they are much younger club as the Lisbon one.

So yeah, now i just have to pick up the club and my public speaking skills, here I come.

Thank you Toastmasters and see you soon,

S.