Meeting #393

• Date: October 2026 (18:30 – 20:30)
• Meeting Format: Hybrid (Onsite + Zoom)
• Word of the Evening: Perspective
• Number of Guests: 2

 Meeting Summary

 Opening & Recent Updates

Our Toastmaster opened the meeting for the first time ever, and he admitted he was a little nervous. That honesty set a warm tone right away! In the ice-breaking round, one member told us he started using an AI English-speaking app two months ago and finds it very useful. Another member described a dinner with an old colleague that ended with a phone left behind in a taxi, followed by a 30-minute bike ride to get it back. And one family celebrated a 15-year-old’s birthday with so much pizza that they ate it for three meals in a row.

 Table Topics Session

This time our Table Topics Master, hosting for the first time, chose a simple but powerful theme: self-introduction. Everyone had one to two minutes to tell us who they are, and our Word of the Evening, “perspective,” was a good fit.

What we loved most was how different the introductions were. People shared why they joined, what they do outside of work, and what they want to build in the next year. One member asked a question that stayed with us: “Who are you if you don’t define yourself by your job?” Introducing yourself in English sounds easy, but doing it without a script, in a short time, is real practice for any meeting or client call.

 Prepared Speech Session

TM I.W. gave a speech from the Presentation Mastery project about his parents, who ran a small cleaning shop in his hometown for more than 40 years. They repeated the same routine every day and earned the trust of their customers. The shop closed this year, and he realized how much their steady effort meant. His message: consistency is power.

TM T.A. told a personal story about a close friend who is blind. He once postponed a message to his friend by one day, and he still regrets it. His message was simple and strong: words can save people, so say the kind thing today.

 Evaluation & Feedback

Our General Evaluator ran the session with a new format: evaluation, then open feedback from the floor, then a short reflection from each speaker.

TM M.T. evaluated TM I.W. He praised the calm, easy-to-follow pace and suggested more vocal variety, such as making the parents’ daily routine more dramatic.

Our other evaluator praised TM T.A.’s clear message and emotional story. He suggested using the remaining time and adding a more concrete call to action. Members from the floor added that a second story, or a pause to let the audience think, could make the speech even more powerful.

Every speaker had a chance to reflect and name one thing to try next time. That is how we grow.

 Awards

• Best Table Topics Speaker: TM A.K.

• Best Prepared Speaker: TM T.A.

• Best Evaluator: TM M.T.

 Interested?

Do you use English at work, but go blank when you have to speak without preparation? We’ve been there. Our Table Topics session is a safe place to practice that exact moment, with a friendly group and real feedback from peers who understand your workday.

We’re a small, supportive community of business professionals in our 30s and 40s, practicing real-world English through impromptu talks, prepared speeches, and honest peer feedback, in a space built for growth, not judgment.

Our next meeting is November 21, 2026 (Saturday). Guests are welcome to join free of charge for up to three meetings.

Come see what it feels like to speak with confidence. We’d love to have you!