No women bathroom
It’s contest season in Toastmasters. Fall is for the Table Topics (impromptu speaking) and the Humorous Speech contests while spring is for the Evaluation contest and the International Speech contest.
This last one is my favorite of the four. The written rules are simple: 5 to 7 minutes with substantially original material. However, to win, you have little choice but to have content that will interest the audience. Most, but not all, aim to inspire. To reach their division contest, like the one I organized on Friday and the one I attended on Saturday, they must win their club and their area contests.
Over the last few days, I listened to a number of speeches. One of the most memorable explained how extraordinary people are ordinary people doing extraordinary things, a simple message with an incredible delivery. Another used the speaker’s own gastric bypass surgery to discuss how life is not always greener on the other side. There was also the young man who reminded the audience of the importance of carefully selecting one’s obligations. Becoming a salary man may mean no more travels to New Zealand for a while.
My favorite one remains that of a young Japanese woman who explained her career path. She titled her speech “no women bathroom.” In her youth, she had dreamed of becoming a pilot only to learn that the flight university could not admit her, it had no women bathroom. This unfortunate reality, and the advice of her mentor, prompted her to go study in the U.S. for college. There she earned her flight certification. The story continued with her struggle to earn her permanent resident status, which American airline companies require of employees. More than ten years later, she is a flight instructor at the U.S. school and a corporate pilot on weekends. There are still less than 60 women corporate pilot in Asia.
Yes, you do hear some wonderful, personal stories in Toastmasters this time of the year.