"If you want to know where you are going, you have to know where you are coming. If you want to lead, you must serve." -Rozy
先介绍下头马:
Toastmasters 国际演讲会是一个全球性的非营利事业组织，其成立的原因是基于帮助有志人士学习说话、倾听与思考，进而运用这些技巧，达到推动自我实现、增强领导力的目的。
国际演讲会最早建立于1924年，在美国加利福尼亚州，距今已经有92年的历史。
目前于全球135多个国家和地区拥有超过1.5万个会员组织以及约332,000名会员。
他们是一群活泼朝气的人，
他们拥有热情，拥有知识，
他们热爱学习，热爱分享，
他们心态开阔，心胸宽广，
这里是一个完全不一样的世界。
会员们在头马卓越的培训体系下，学习和不断实践着演讲、沟通、组织、领导才能，成为高效的沟通者和领导者。
俱乐部常规会议一般一周或两周举办一次，每次会议时间在1~2小时左右，视俱乐部规模和参会人数决定。每次会议有严格的时间把控，借此方式提高会员的时间意识。
会议的基本议程一般包含三项：
即兴演讲
既定演讲
点评
We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.
我们使每个人成为更高效的沟通者和领导者。
Speech Transcript：
The Contest Chair was relieved, my title’s only 3 words long.
But friends, why is this story unbelievable?
June 2018, I fly to India to attend the wedding of my friend Brandon and his fiancé, Devicka.
Brandon and family are White; Devicka and family are Indian. And I am the only Black man there. I can’t help but feel different. But I try my best to blend in.
I buy formal Indian wedding attire. What do you think?
I even participate in a sacred Indian wedding ritual: Protecting the groom’s shoes.
During the car ride to the wedding, my friend Sunit explains this ritual.
“When Brandon takes off his shoes during the ceremony, Devicka’s bridesmaids will try to steal them. The groomsmen protect the shoes from the bridesmaids. If they win, they hold the shoes ransom, forcing Brandon to buy them back.”
“It’s a game” Sunit says. I think it sounds like a spy movie. Sunit says, “Aaron, the bridesmaids will try sweet talk, they will try deception, but don’t give the shoes to anybody! Will you accept this mission?”
Quick fact about me. When I am given a mission, I take it very seriously. I look at Sunit and I say, “I accept the mission.”
At the wedding ceremony, Brandon takes off his shoes. I swoop in, grab the shoes, sit down in the front row. Smooth, stealthy, I feel like a black James Bond.
The leader of the bridesmaids walks over, she smiles at me. But gentlemen, have you ever seen a girlfriend or wife smile, yet at the same time, you just felt scared?
I call her the Ominous Smiler. She says, “Aaron, you look very handsome today.”
I say, “Thank you.”
“Could you pass me Brandon’s shoes?”
“No!”Sunit said the bridesmaids will try sweet talk. Don’t give the shoes to anybody! “But Aaron” she says,“That’s against Indian tradition.”
When I hear that the global ambassador within me gets nervous. I don’t want to cause an international incident over a pair of shoes. I could see the headlines, Idiot Ruins Wedding And India-US Relations.
I almost hand over the shoes, but remember Sunit,“They will try deception. Don’t give the shoes to anybody!”I say “No!” again.
Then the Ominous Smiler, she moves closer. She says, and I quote, “We can do this the easy way,or we can do this the hard way, but you will give us the shoes!”
I am now scared for my life at this wedding. However, I must protect the shoes, because when I have a mission,I take it very seriously.
So, I curl over in my seat, I press the shoes against my chest, and this is how I watch the wedding for the next 30 minutes.
The Ominous Smiler tries to steal the shoes,but I hold firm. Then she disappears for 20 minutes, before taking a seat to my right.
She says, “Aaron, I don’t care about the shoes anymore. You win.”I say, “Do I look like a fool to you?”But she doesn’t move. I think I won.
Sunit runs over, he’s ecstatic.He says, “Aaron, I’m proud of you.”I say,“Thank you!”
“You took this mission very seriously.” I say,“That’s right!”
“Now, give the shoes to me.”
“No!”
Sunit said “Don’t give the shoes to anybody!”
The Ominous Smiler disappeared to recruit backup and I know a traitor when I see one. Then the Ominous Smiler pounces.
She starts pullin’ my arms. Sunit joins her. 2 versus 1.
They pull, I pull, but I hold firm.
The other bridesmaids run over, 5 versus 1. They pull, I pull, but I hold firm.
The other groomsmen run over; I think “Yes! The cavalry has arrived!” But they join the bridesmaids. 8 versus 1.
They pull, I pull, but I hold firm because when I have a mission, I take it very seriously.
They said Aaron, “Just give us the shoes.” I said, “Neverrrrrrrr!”
Keep in mind, the wedding is still going on. Devicka’s family is watching the ceremony as if nothing else is happening. I start wondering, “Is this normal?”
Then the Ominous Smiler signals the wedding photographer. And this dude is huge.He puts down his camera, then he starts charging. He jumps on top of me. 9 versus 1.
They pull, I pull, but I... I lost the shoes.
Brandon paid 10 times what those shoes were worth. But what makes this story unbelievable is not the shoes, nor the events. It is the context behind that game.
That game is designed for the families of the Bride and Groom to get to know each other. Which means, that among White and Indian families, a different, lonely Black man, was accepted like family, too.
We experience so much divisiveness nowadays, that acceptance despite difference, seems unbelievable.
But there are people who still believe in it. Do you?
Open your culture, your mind, your heart, to people who are different from you. Show the world that acceptance despite difference is not an unbelievable story.
