Speech No.10: Inspire Your Audience

The objectives of this speech are:
- to understand the modd and feelings of your audience on a particular occasion.
- to put those feelings into words and inspire the audience, using all the techniques you have learned so far.
- to introduce yourself to your fellow club members.
Time 8 to 10 minutes.

| Go to my Speech Bar Progress |

My Trip to Thailand
Maria X Magnaye
Date presented: March 15, 2002

Good Afternoon, Fellow Toastmasters!!!

I’m here in front of you for my prepared speech number 10 and my speech number 10 is about my trip to THAILAND!

We all need to be reminded of the need to take time away. It’s essential for clarity, energy and focus. Without it, we can’t operate at our best.

For me, taking time off from work and from the noisy corporate world is one way of regaining my energy. No emails, no meetings, no reports, with our cell phones with us, turned off, we’re in touch but out of reach.

Fellow Toastmasters, I would like you to take a few moments and come with me on a memorable trip and vicariously experience a few of the simple pleasures life provided for us. I hope it will encourage you to seek out your own getaway.

It was mid-April when my friends from Fluor decided to go to Thailand. We tried hard to get the cheapest package tour rate in town. It took us one month, one long month preparation, and finally, we got it US$320….that’s 5 days and 4 nights…. Isn’t it EASY ON THE POCKET!.

On the day of our trip, we were surprised to see that we were only like 40 passengers in a 747 airplane and a 747 Airplane can accommodate 250 passengers. It feels like we are in a private plane. It amazes me because I could still remember how these travel agents are giving us a hard time booking us. Anyhow, after the dinner was served each one of us got to sleep in preparation for our first night out.

We arrived in Thailand at 10:00 p.m. and met our tourist guide, he got chinky eye, he got a spike hair, he wore a leather jacket and bootleg pants which I believe is only for women. His name is Andy Poh. SAWASDEE KA!!! (sawatdikha) That’s the first word I heard from him! That means, WELCOME TO THAILAND…

On our first night out, we went straight to Hard Rock Cafe and listened to The Band, we felt at home right away because the band members were all Filipinos. We dance and drink all night long. This is the place were we had our first feel of Thailand.

The next day we had a quiet tour to the Grand Palace, a palace surrounded by imposing white walls. Within these walls are situated government offices and the Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha. The Emerald Buddha is carved from a block of jade. It is an object of national veneration and crowds come in to pay respect to the memory of the Buddha and His Teachings.

Our next stop was a place called Gems Jewelry Store. Thailand is noted for their precious stones. The government directive is to require all the tourists to visit this store, Why? Because, they want to promote their craftsmanship on stones to the world. And because of the beauty and artistic quality I was convinced to buy a jewelry set made of jade, which I gave as a gift for my Mom.

Our second evening was totally strange for us single ladies. We were told to go to a place called PATPONG… The red light district of Thailand. Patpong is best known as Thailand’s most notorious nightlife area. You see different bar girls dancing and doing acrobatic style using their organ. Like for example opening a bottle of coke using her organ. The land has over 100 back-to-back neon-lit bars catering almost exclusively men. And after sunset the entire pedestrian precinct of Patpong are transformed into a busy market for garments and other products. Bargaining is a must at this lively market, if you want to make a good bargain, start at half the price the vendor is offering. You won't get it, but you should end up somewhere in between the two.

On our third day, we decided to get a taste of Thailand’s wonders of nature, this time we went to Safari Zoo and Samphran Elephant Zoo. You see different kinds of animals trained and not trained… Picture shots here and picture shots there! WOW! I had a chance to hold unto tigers tail and I gambled my life to have a shot with a baby tiger kissing my cheek! Isn’t it SCARY!!!?

After mingling with these animals, we eventually felt a need for some food. If you go for SPICY food, Thailand is the best place for you… Not for me, I don’t remember any single meal that I enjoyed except for McDonalds Hamburger.

Our last day and night was spent in Pattaya City. Pattaya is 147 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, and faces the Gulf of Thailand and known as Asia’s premier beach resort. Remember my ex-boyfriend Leonardo De Caprio from the movie “The Beach”? We go around Pattaya riding on their famous Tuk tok, a big size tricycle. And of course, we won’t be leaving the place without taking a crack on the beach.

There is something about doing nothing but taking it easy, talking, shopping, bar hopping and just doing that, relaxes the soul and nourishes the spirit.

We returned home with lasting memories, great pictures and renewed energy.

So ladies and gentlemen, come one. Take time out to relax, get off from your busy schedules, forget your worries and leave your work for a while.

Give yourself a break and reward yourself by taking a vacation... it could burn a hole in your pocket that would require you to tighten your belt, but the rewards are definitely a thousand fold.

Go to anywhere you wish to be! I bet, you’ll be revitalized. Next time, we’ll try Singapore, wanna come?