Reviving Mandarin in Emperor Toastmasters

[Zaldy O. Co]

I thought myself crazy when I decided to bring back the full Mandarin meetings of Emperor Toastmasters Club. I am already President of two clubs and bringing back the Mandarin meetings is certainly like taking on the presidency of a third club.

I recall it was the discovery of italki (爱拓奇) that led me to declare the return of the full Mandarin meetings at a club meeting last January 9, 2008. I actually only had a single language session in italki from its discovery till the club's first Mandarin session last July 30, 2008. It was actually having these Mandarin meetings that compelled (and motivated) me to make full use of italki and I had spent an hour daily with italki language partners since then. As another meeting approaches this Wednesday, I now feel confident that I can speak mostly in Mandarin in that club meeting. I can say this early that bringing back these Mandarin sessions was well worth it.

It's a case of having another website help me out this year. Last year, it was FreeToastHost that brought 13 members to both Emperor and CaMaNaVa Toastmasters clubs. I will be going much further this year with the help of italki.