Entertaining and Informative

Barcelona Toastmasters club can be remembered for their friendliness, humor and energy. My second ever experience with a Toastmasters club was very positive; the first being with the same club, about a year ago, and equally as pleasant. Who would have thought that public speaking could be so enjoyable?

Like many people, I’m terrified of public speaking. That said, I know that in life, whether in a class, a business meeting or for those who have aspirations to reach the masses, the ability to speak in public - to connect with the audience and do so with poise - is a must. Toastmasters Barcelona is the best environment to develop and practice this ability. Members are welcoming to new people, encouraging to the speakers and have many opportunities to practice public speaking - progress in becoming a better speaker as time with the club goes on is noticeable.

My favorite speech of the night was “Traveling Abroad... and coming back alive.” As a traveller myself, I was curious to hear what the speaker had to say and he had me laughing! He told us a number of stories about trips to different countries, we got to know him, and he did a great job of involving the audience. The speech was based on the chapter in the Toastmasters manual “your body speaks”, and for me, someone interested in the messages of the body, I was excited to see this as part of the Toastmasters “curriculum”. He definitely embodied a great public speaker.

The club format moves quickly and the club is very punctual - the hour and a half flies by. Various members have roles and four members have prepared speeches to present, one from a different chapter in the manual and done in a progressive manner. There are opportunities to practice leadership, impromptu public speaking and prepared speeches.

One of my favorite parts of the night is the impromptu. The scenarios are interesting and the stories that people come up with are hilarious. This kind of on the spot public speaking definitely pushes beyond my comfort zone, but again, it will happen in real life, so this is a great way to practice.

What I liked most about the prepared speeches was hearing their personal stories. What this tells me as a beginner, is that I’m in a room with real human beings, with a past of ups and downs, and dreams for the future. Their courage to do this gives me courage. There’s a sense of openness, ease and support. But the best part is that there’s a lot of humor. What’s doubly awesome is that this group is bilingual (Spanish and English). As a native English speaker, I was impressed by the English of the non-native speakers. I left 100% inspired that I too could become a better public speaker, not only in my native language, but also my second - a challenge and a great opportunity.

The only negative is that there is a waiting list to become a member of the club, which of course only speaks to awesomeness of this group.

A future member of a Toastmasters club