4/3/2008
First speech in the curriculum. Please leave constructive comments for improvement.
Transcript: ----- "Libre"
I'd like to share the events of the past year in the context of a rather unusual Filipino custom. It actually seems fitting to reflect on the past year because earlier last month, I celebrated my 25th birthday. It was a bitter sweet evening: dinner out with my friends... my treat... on my birthday. Strange isn't it? It's true. I paid for the food on my birthday. Treating people is weaved into everyday life in the Philippines. It is not only for birthdays. There's the casual, "hey, treat me out." And there's also the "Hey, I'll treat you out." Libre mo ako. Libre kita.
My Japanese friends, my American friends, my Irish friend, they still can't fully understand it. Why is it that Filipinos love to be treated so much? It has been really difficult to explain, maybe because it's an old custom. It does not need reason. Another is that it does help in making new friends fast. But on a deeper level it can actually be an expression of gratitude.
Because With that I remember the mother of one of my friends. She was mugged at knife point. Fortunately, only her wallet was taken from her. Isn't it amazing to think how one small thing could hold so much? Wallets hold your cash, they hold your cards and IDs, but most importantly, they hold your sense of security. What do you do when you lose your sense of security?
I'll tell you what she did though. A week later, she hosted a big party. She invited all of her friends and her family. She treated them to a variety of Filipino delicacies. And she even ordered the lip smacking Lechon, an entire pig roasted on a bamboo stick. She may have been mugged, she may have been threatened, but she still had her wonderful life and its remaining years to live out with her family.
My security lied on my creativity. Back in high school I acquired a passion in making websites. I started with my own website. Then I made the class website. Before I knew it, I was in charge of making project presentations. People started paying me to do posters, brochures and calling cards. But with college, and then with work, I couldn't do much of those things anymore. I'm an IT engineer now. Probably the most creative I get is how I could teach my mother to use the internet.
At times when I think about the past, I would remember what it felt like to be creative and to be able to express myself. But I'm burned out. Nothing I did nowadays could satisfy my own harsh criticism. Naively though, I thought, hey, why don't I learn to be creative again! Why don't I go back to school...design school... in New York no less! What a dream after I get my chance to get out of IT! I felt that with this, my future was very secure.
My sister though, a brilliant person who I love and respect, she stole my security. No. Not at knife point. She asked me, was I still drawing everyday? Was I still building my design portfolio? Was I even doing anything to really show myself that I was going to make this dream into a reality?
I could only remain silent in front of her.
My friends would testify that I wasn't a fun person to be around with after that happened. So what did I do? What do you do when you lose your wallet, your sense of security?
I didn't go out and buy a whole roasted pig. What I did though, I bought myself a good pair of jogging shoes. I splurged on books and learned what I could. I started reconstructing parts of my life, and this is why I find myself in Toastmasters today. I now have new dreams and new goals, but I'll reserve that for another time.
So going back, I happily treated my friends to Mexican last March 4. This is me right here, wearing a rather large sombrero. Written around are short messages from each of them. It was a whole lot of money. But it was well spent, in gratitude for good food, good friends, and a good life with unlimited second chances. Speaking of which, it is rather fortunate that I'm still here in Japan. It's never too late. I still accept gifts until now.
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9:58
Ice Breaker Speechby Toastmasters282773,641 views
hey how's your progress?
docpacundo 1 year ago
oh my god! how poor! it doesn't look very natural.. but nice trying! keep it up! don't gesture like a kinder child! or a high school student.
your speech seems to be practiced and scripted you know,... very dissapointing...
Charles55661 2 years ago
Follow ur goal. Nice speech.
v5search 3 years ago