Toastmasters Icebreaker

I joined Toastmasters in January this year. It's been an amazing experience thus far. And Monday this week, I did my first speech. I want to share it with you today. The objective of the icebreaker is to introduce yourself, it should be 4-6 minutes long. And its to help you figure out where you are in terms of speaking skills. So here it is, presented at the Portlaoise Toastmasters on April 25, 2016 :

“It all started with salsa dancing”

Mr. Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters, and guests,

I'd like to start with one of my favorite quotes, from Henry David Thoreau. "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

How did you end up here?? That's the question I get asked the most these days. How did an American girl and a German guy end up here in Ireland. I have my standard answer at this point, nearly 3 years living here, which usually goes something like this: well we decided to move some place “in the middle”, a neutral zone for both of us. (I think he won out on that half-way thing) But if I really think about it, the true answer to that question of how I came to be in Ireland lies in something deeper.

First, a little more about me, I am an American, one of three girls that grew up in a Navy household. We moved about, from chicago, to louisville, to okinawa japan, finally settling in beautiful seattle area, which is where I call home. I was an avid athlete in high school, going on to compete in track and field at the university level. I'm 30 years old, a chiropractor by profession. And celebrating 7 months of marriage this April! I have a love for all things health related, cooking, chocolate, and dancing.

Lets go back in time.

7 years ago- fresh out of undergrad I moved to san jose california to pursue my dream of going to chiropractic school. For me, moving to a new place allows for a chance to reinvent yourself. No one knows you, so you can be anyone that you want. Striving for change and growth in my life, I told myself to try everything, to say yes to everything, and to find a way to be happy with myself. So I did. I tried everything I could, from horseback riding on the beach, to mountain climbing, to hiking, to rock climbing, long distance running, blogging/writing, painting, traveling, and salsa dancing, just to name a few. Some of those hobbies have since faded, but a few have stuck. Salsa dancing was one of those that stuck.

4.5 years ago- On a chilly wednesday night I headed to the local salsa studio in downtown San Jose with one of my best friends. In these dance lessons there is usually a big circle of people, and the men rotate partners every few minutes. My second dance partner was a cute guy with a strange accent, he ended up being my third and fourth partner too, because he didn't want to move! We talked after the lesson and danced together a few more times that evening. Just before my friend and I were about to leave, he some how found his way back to me through the crowd. He built up enough courage to ask me for my phone number. And I liked him enough to give him the correct number!! And that was it. That was the beginning of an incredible journey of friendship, adventures, traveling, salsa dancing, and of course love.

Today- we are here in ireland, living in newbridge, working in portlaoise and dublin and enjoying all that ireland has to offer! Wanting to continue working on my confidence and personal growth, I was encourgaged to join toastmasters (by one of your members- THANK YOU ANN), and I only wish I would have joined sooner.

There are many other details that got us here to Ireland, like work permits, flights, a road trip across germany and france, and a ferry ride across the irish sea. but now you know how it really started. If it wasn't for dancing, I wouldn't be here today! So how did I get to Ireland? It all started with salsa dancing.