[토스트마스터즈] 첫 번째 스피치, Ice Breaker

Tecumseh Toastmasters Club에 가입하고 일주일이 지난 후, 나의 첫번째 스피치를 했습니다. 원래 무대에 서 본 적도 많이 없지만, 무대에 서서도 엄청 긴장하고 말을 잘 못해서 걱정했는데, 역시나 엄청 긴장되고 떨리더라구요. 준비해간 스크립트에서 한 문단을 잘 발표하자마자, 머릿속은 백지상태;; 그 후론 어떻게 발표했는지 정신없이 지나갔네요. 

아이스 브레이커란, 이제 자기 안의 얼음을 깨고 나오라는 뜻입니다. 보통 클럽 멤버들에게 자기를 소개하는 내용으로 많이 발표를 하는 것 같아요. 4-6분의 준비된 스피치를 하게 됩니다.

• 주제 선정: 저는 주제 고르는 시간이 오래 걸리는 편입니다. 주제를 정하는데 스피치의 스토리를 선택해서 적절한지까지 고려하면 좀 오래걸리더라구요. 이번엔, '내가 어떻게 이 클럽에까지 오게 되었나'를 주제로 하기로 했습니다. 

• 스크립트 작성과 발표연습: 스크립트를 작성하고, 먼저 클럽의 멘토에게 보여주고 교정을 받았습니다. 사소하지만, 굉장히 어색한 표현들을 바로잡을 수 있어서 좋았습니다. 그리고 스크립트를 외우는 것부터 시작하여, 일어서서 실제 발표하는 것처럼 반복 연습을 했습니다.

  
  

스스로 총평하자면, 훨씬 더 많이 연습을 했어야 했다는 것입니다. 스티브 잡스는 애플 신제품 발표 전에 하나하나 동선까지 다 연습을 했다고 하죠. 어떻게 생각하면 그렇게 연습하고 노력하는 것 자체가 그 사람이 가지고 있는 하나의 재능이 아닐까 싶어요.

그리고 미팅시간보다 더 일찍가서 준비하기. 발표장면을 녹화하려고 카메라도 챙겨갔는데, 너무 긴장한 나머지 그것도 까먹었어요. 그래도 멤버들이 격려해주고, 응원해주니까, 앞으로 더 잘하면 되지라고 생각하기로 했습니다. 

앞으로 저에게도 무대에서 물 흐르는듯한 발표를 할 수 있는 날이 오겠죠? 그날까지 연습 또 연습! Practice makes perfect란 말을 명심해야겠습니다.

[발표 후 고칠 점]

• 아이컨택에 조금 더 신경 쓰기: 너무 짧거나 너무 오래 한 사람을 응시하지 말자.

• 긴장감을 조금 덜고 여유를 찾자.

Good morning, fellow Toastmasters.

This is my first speech, the “Ice breaker” where I will be talking about myself. Last week, I told you how to pronunce my first name. It is the combination of the first syllable of the word ..... . I spent a few days agonizing over what I would tell you about myself. Now, I will talk about how I ended up in West Lafayette, particularly, this Tecumseh Toastmasters club, and then talk about my final goal for when I go back to Korea.

My wife and I are from South Korea. We are having a wonderful time in Lafayette. We are scheduled to leave here this December. So, I have about 9 months left before I go back to Korea.

I was born and raised in a rural area, it's a very small town. I was not until I was 14 years old when I encountered the English language. During the next six years through my middle school and high school, I have “learned" English by memorizing words and studying English grammar. Looking back on it now, I only did that to get a high score in the entrance exam for the university.

But, when I was a freshman in the university, I realized that English is much more important than I had previously thought. Describing my feelings, writing logically and correctly, making an impressive presentation, delivering my knowledge and thoughts efficiently to other people, these are much more important than the entrance exam. From then on, i began to struggle against English.

Before I came to Lafayette, I have traveled to the U.S. several times for international conferences. Whenever I prepared the presentations for the conferences, I realized that I really needed to improve my English, especially, speaking skill. So, I really wanted to be in the States for a couple of years for the chance to improve English as well as to do some research abroad. Meanwhile, one day last fall, my advisor suggested that I visit Purdue for a year. That’s how I ended up in West Lafayette. I was very lucky.

To be honest with you, listening to native English speakers' speeches or watching TV here is not easy for me yet. I think that, if I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk, a serious conversation, and a business meeing with native speakers, not only speaking and listening skills, but also understanding their culture, their convention, and their manners woulde be very important. So, I’m still doing effort to improve all of those things.

About a month ago, I found the webpage of this toastmasters club by chance. It was a serendipity. When I visited this club meeting for the first time, I sat beside Denise. After that meeting, I was totally fascinated with you all. I feel that all of you are very confident, optimistic, energetic, enthusiastic, and pleasant. Recently, I have been looking forward to Friday mornings.

I want to keep feeling joyful moments at this Toastmasters club until I go back to my school in South Korea. Unfortunately, there is no Toastmasters club in the city around my school. But, after I learn many things and improve my speaking skill, I will establish the first Toastmasters club in my town. I want to introduce this club to my friends there, many undergrads and graduate students, many professors, foreign students there, and other citizens around my school. 

I am still nervous to talk to strangers, especially on stage. My English still needs a lot of improvement  But yes, I am continuously growing and someday, I dream of speaking without any fear. It might be a long journey, but I know that you Toastmasters will help.