(1) I joined Toastmasters International over a decade to hone my Public Speaking and Leadership skills.

(2) I completed DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster). I also volunteered as Club Ambassador.

(3) I was a member of five Toastmasters Clubs (not concurrently). Although all clubs follow the general guidelines, they tweak the meeting agenda.

(4) My current club was founded by Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs. It is special in one aspect. It holds a mini “Pitch Practice” on the first meeting of every month and a full Pitch Practice on the middle month of every quarter. One has to state the problem, solution, the differentiators and finally ask for cooperation or funding (as appropriate). All in two minutes or less.

(5) There are currently no Toastmasters clubs in Myanmar. There have been TEDx talks for three years or so.

(6) In our younger days, there was a Rotary Club which had a public speaking component.

(7) This year, three women set the record by placing First, Second and Third in the “World Championship of Public Speaking”. It has been a decade since there was a woman Champion. The runner-up was from China. The winner and third place winner were from the USA.

(8) In the past few years, the winners were from Asia and the Middle East.

(9) Listening and evaluation are important in communications.