New Member Corner, Bonnie Tse

Why I’ve finally jumped into the water  by Bonnie Tse

Whenever I’m angry with my students, they will start saying the song, “My Bonnie is over the ocean, my Bonnie is over the sea…” and, often, it does the trick --- I’ll be tickled and exasperated at the same time and I’ll stop scolding them!

Hi, everyone in Oasis! My name is Bonnie and I’ve joined Oasis for several months. Actually, I first came to visit about 3 years ago. What took me so long before I decided to join the club?

Fear.

That’s the reason.

I feared that I wouldn’t be able to do well in making the speeches;

I feared that I wouldn’t be able to persist in this endeavour;

I feared…. I feared… I feared….

So, I just waited by the side of the swimming pool. I dipped my toes into it once or twice, but I never got into the water.

But one night, while I was in a concert, I got an awakening. In the concert, there were a group of young singers belting out the song You Raise Me Up. The song was so touching, the singers’ voices were pure magic and I was moved beyond words. Suddenly I turned my attention from the singers to the pianist, my sister’s daughter, and realized that the cute little girl whom I used to know had already turned into a young, confident lady! Yet, I, her Auntie, was still as timid as a mouse!

As an English teacher, I’ve often taught my students to speak confidently and eloquently. But ironically, (aside from speaking in the classrooms) I seldom have the chance to speak publicly in front of an audience. That’s why I still suffer from stage fright. After attending the concert, I told myself: THIS MUST STOP!

That’s why I finally jumped into the swimming pool and joined the Oasis. And I’ve no regrets whatsoever about this decision.

For, I’ve discovered that the members in Oasis are all very warm and approachable. And, above all, they are all very enthusiastic in improving their oral skills. I’m sure that, with such an encouraging atmosphere, we Oasisians, would all raise each other up; we would all grow and prosper!

Let me share with you the lovely song, You Raise Me Up. I’ve added the last 2 verses to describe the experience I have had in Oasis.

You Raise Me Up

1.          When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

2.          Chorus:
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

3.          When I come out and oh my heart keeps jumping,
My turn to speak but my mind’s all gone blank,
Then I look down and pray that I were elsewhere,
Until you smile and drive the storm away.

4.           Chorus:
You raise me up, Oasis in the desert;
You raise me up and give me back my voice;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up and make my heart rejoice!

Great Memories in Xiamen Spring Conference, Jess Cheuk

Why not? It’s the answer when Derek, our President invited me to go Xiamen Spring Conference 2011.

A wonderful journey was started from 13 May. Derek, our President, Betty, Edward, Steve and me flied to a beautiful place, Xiamen. In these 4 days, we listened to 72 Speeches and Table Topic Contests in both English and Putongua plus 5 workshops! (including the Keynote Speaker, Rory Vaden, the first runner-up, Toastmasters 2007 World Champion of Public Speaking) What’s more, we met a lot of people from Hong Kong and China.

Besides the conference, we explored the beautiful Island and bring a lot of joy and happiness memories.

In Toastmaster, I only expected to learn the public speaking skills. I didn’t notice that I have gain much more than I expected! Friendship, team spirit and an enjoyable journey… 

If you have more involvement in Toastmaster, you can also get more than you expected. “When is the next conference?” is my last question of the journey.  I hope to see more Oasis members in the next conference, November 2011 in Hong Kong.

Jess Cheuk

Oasis Toastmasters Club

Thanks giving from Wilson Yau to Anniversary project committee

Dear Gods and Goddesses,

56! Do you know what this mean?
Our team has formed 56 days after our first meeting on 5-Mar.
During these 56 days, we have had 4 meetings and our heaven is already built!
Did you enjoy the heaven? I enjoyed it so much!
We have tried to be a multi-national God varied from 玉皇大帝, 中國仙女, 希臘女神, 印第安神到埃及女神. Our multi-national "Heaven" team have created lots of fun to all of us as well as other Oasisians. May I take this chance to say thank to everyone?

Betty, my dearest partner. Thanks so much.
You have totally covered my insufficiency. Whatever I forgot to reply, she must finish everything for me. It's really fun to lead our team hand in hand. Without you, we can't have such a beautiful place. I don't know whether you notice or not. You bargaining power is really cool. You have bargained a very good price for us. So that we can create our heaven on budget....I really wonder if we have used our heaven to earn money, haha. Thanks for your hard work! You have really attended tons of Toastmasters' events and it worths, right? I can't see your stage-fright already! Please receive my sincere heartful thank.
You are really MARVELLOUS!

Derek, our efficient president. Thanks so much.
Thanks for all the rapport you provided. Thanks for your shot in our arms(強心針). With your leadership, we feel comfortable to create our Anniversary Dinner. With your strong selling, we got a full house! Though it seems impossible to create a heaven, we made it! Everyone is happy to meet 9 Oasisians in heaven. Thanks for providing us the gifts. Thanks for ordering the ever-best costumes for us. It's my first time to be the King of heaven and thanks for making the costumes arrive HK on time. Thanks for providing all resources we need for the event. I noticed that you have brought a luggage bag and inside your bag, it not only contained the materials, it also contained your love and support to all of us!
You are really FANTASTIC!

Steve, our light tower. Thanks so much.
Thanks for your great support throughout the event. Thanks for finding the heaven with Betty. Thanks for bridging our gap with Oasis. Yes, we are all new members and with your guidance, we can also do something great of Oasis. Thanks so much for bringing us something different. Thanks for bringing many guests to come to our tickets and make our heaven "FULL HOUSE". The BBQ is really a cool one! I also tried one even though my moustache has hindered me, but I really can't stop to have a try. It's really good! Thanks for helping us to get all resources we need and help us to arrange all those we can't manage like photographers andd everything. We can have time to build the heaven happily simply because you have helped us to clear all hinderance at the back!
You are really EXCELLENT!

Leo, our source of laughters. Thanks so much.
Thanks for your innovations. Without you, our meeting will be dull and crumpsy. Thanks for your continuous injection of laughters. I think after our heaven built. You will really take your book "5 people you meet in heaven" from book shelf to read. I will be in your queue to see whether our heaven meets the author standard! Thanks for your poster and promotion, it is really cool! Thanks for bringing us many good games and they are really amusing. You have made our Song Guessing Game become great! 帝女花之香夭 in english, I am still waiting for your answer. It's really so so so happy to have you in our team.
You are really WEIRD!

Tandy, our heavenly designer. Thanks so much.
It's really a pity that I can't see your dress-up mode. You must promise me to dress up and show me your beautiful look as a Goddess before I go to heaven again! Thanks for your video editting and design. Your input in 3W game was tremendous and it turned out to be one of a very interesting game! Be frank, everything is so natural, the tickets are so beautiful, the banner is so beautiful. So you must be a designer coming from heaven. As all designs are just as beautiful as you!
You are really GORGEOUS!

Tracy, our pretty creator. Thanks so much.
I think starting from today, no Oasisians will dare to say you are not pretty. Otherwise, they must become a devil with 1,000,000 like in youtube. Your video is so cool, the videos are as pretty as you and it can also be very crazy. Everyone enjoyed the videos you made. The decoration is so cool~ With the balloons, our heaven is warm. Believe it or not is so cool! The music is pretty and everything produced from you are pretty like you.Thanks for bringing me to become your model in the game and you created the image that Wilson can eat many things. So, in case I failed in my on-diet program, I will make you responsible and invite me a big meal instead! Thanks for the creator!
You are really WONDERFUL!

Jess, our beautiful angel. Thanks so much.
You were so sharp and your beauty attracted all participants eye-sight and thought that they have really entered the heaven. Though you were so busy to be the division competition preparation committee. You still manage to give us your support! The game was so great an Greek Goddess and Egypt Goddess was really a perfect match. You lead the game so well and all people have great fun! You are very detailed minded and always provided us very useful comment! Thanks so much!
You are really EXQUISITE!

Winnie, our mystery angel. Thanks so much.
I don't know you notice or not. We were so shiny yesterday! When we take photos together, the whole photo is shinning with golden light! Your beauty has shined through the whole heaven. With your continuous support in all meetings, even you were out of town, you still provided great support to us. The game was really great! We have tried table topics for many times, it's our first time to play with song topics. I think it also brought new experiences to all guests!
You are really ASTONISHING!

Connie, our environmental friendly angel. Thanks so much.
Thanks for bring us so many things. You not only bring us good ideas in meetings, you also help us to find all things. The table cloth was really great! It is with some stars on it and it was so attractive. The decoration you prepared were so cool. You hand-made was so amazing! You made a very good game "Believe it or not" I must give you a thumb up!
You are really ELEGANT!

Kit, our mathematics angel. Thanks so much.
Thanks for handling all money! Thanks for your hard working and made our heaven to become a "FULL HOUSE". Your work was really great! The excel nearly updated by you frequently and I totally don't need to handle the money related stuffs. Thanks for your talent in 講數 & 收數. I think later you can organize a workshop. "如何做個出色的收數天使!" Or you can put it as your next next speech! Thanks for your help in 3W game and prepare all the script. It was really great and the actors are really so interesting....
You are really AMAZING!

......
Wow, there's still a lot I need to praise and seems I am out of adjective already. So, President Derek, can you please help me to send my sincere thanks for all OC for helping us to organize a successful event?
Natalie had performed very very well. Our little angel was so lovely and cute! Thanks Teresa for borrowing us her little angel that night.
Pan has helped us to take video for whole night.
Bosco has helped us to take photos all night.
Grace has helped us to make a wonderful start. Good start was equivalent to half of the success to our event!
Thanks for all honorable guests to make our night memorable
....

Though it's the last email from [Project Heaven]. I believe the 56 would become a memorable memory to all of us as well as occupying lots of MB in our mail box forever. Please accept my final appreciation for all those helped our event to become a great success. Hope I didn't miss anything out and wish our friendship will last forever, since I don't think we will go to heaven so soon, right?

Well done all Gods and Goddesses! Good Show!

Wilson Yau
Co-project chair

2011 Oasis Anniversary Working Committee

Kowloon Putonghua & Oasis Toastmasters Clubs "Do What You Love" 18/4 Joint Meeting Post Meeting Note

九龍普通話演講會與O​asis Toastmaste​rs Club聯合會「隨心​所欲」晚會會後感

各位演講會會友、嘉賓：

 

本會與英文會Oasis Toastmaster Club合會的「隨心所欲」之夜，相信大家已盡興了，是晚超時甚多，達百份之四十，究其原因，首先是與會者真能盡其「隨心所欲」，盡情大笑；演講者興奮之餘，忘了時限。超時，是必然的了。

 

Betty與文曦，初作司儀，兩人用的是英語，又用普通話，時而兩語並用，時而兩人都用一語，語言錯綜複雜，亂像橫生，製造了不少笑料。

 

「至激」的演講有Emily Tung的高級作業演講，“My Beloved Doctor”， Emily演繹風趣幽默，風韻常存，情傾加拿大醫生Monkeyrich，實屬影視處IIB級之佳作。

 

即興演講由家騏夥拍Winnie，他倆準備充足，進退有據，是絕佳拍檔。第一次接觸演講會活動之嘉賓Eunis也不甘後人，走到台前，一試牛刀，嘗嘗演講滋味。

 

是晚雖特意製造歡樂氣氛，但亦不忘教育功能：先有黃偉昌指導的（普通話怎樣說），學習地道普通話，後有來自South Horizon Lui Min 小姐指導改正演講者的英語及普通話謬誤，會眾得益不少。

 

來自Division I的Angel Zhang為會議作總結評論，Angel雖然年紀輕輕，但演講經驗不淺，評論中肯，說話事事真切，語語清晰，細緻無比，其對會議之建議，值得我們參詳再三。

 

相信與會者都會承認，各演講實屬精英之作，經由會眾投票選出，精英中之精英如下：

一、最佳備稿演講：Emily Tung 的  “My Beloved Doctor”

二、最佳即興演講：梁素貞

三、最佳評論演講：Jimmy Yau

 

希望不久之將來，能與Oasis再度合作，協辦演講活動。在此，祝願Oasis演講會會務昌盛。

 

備註：提醒九龍普通話演講會會友：下次例會地方改在1113室，時間是五月十六日（五月二日是公眾假期，例會停一次），主題是（報紙）。

九龍普通話演講會會長梁啟章 (Mark Leung)

New Champions were borned, Oasis International Speech and Table Topics Contests 2010-2011

Oasis’s contest was exciting, high quality, filled with tears and joys. We had 9 contestants competing in each contest and more than 45 audiences witnessed the born of new champions. I am glad to announce the results, they are:

International Speech:
Champion: Derek Wong
1st Runner Up: Grace Cheung
2nd Runner Up: Katy Mok

Table Topics:
Champion: Angela Kwok
1st Runner Up: Grace Cheung
2nd Runner Up: Steve Yu

Congratulation to all winners. We have to thanks for the Contest Chairs, Jess Chuek, Leo Kwok and Adviser, Cherry Cheung. Without their hard work, the contest can’t be run smoothly. We also express our gratitude to all the judges and facilitators for contributing their time and efforts to make the event successful.

Grace, Angela and I will represent the club to compete in Area contest, which will be held on 12 March 2011.
Details will be announced at later time. We need your support, please mark your daily and come to laugh and cry with us.

If you have any encouragements, comments, thanks, advices to all speakers, committees or any Oasians, please feel free to post here.

Cheers
Derek Wong
2010-2011 theme “Oasis is FUN, Fulfillment, Unity, Network”

Quarterly Recognition Award (QRA) Programme Status (up to 14 Feb)

Dear Oasians,

Here is the up to date status of our QRA, please see below
Top 10
1. Steve Yu, 26
2. Betty Law, 15
3. Wilson Yau, 15
4. KF Tam, 14
5. Iris Lee, 13
6. Angela Kwok, 12
7. Derek Wong, 12
8. Connie Yip, 11
9. Jimmy Yau, 11
10.Grace Cheung, 8

Still have 2 more meetings (except contest meeting) before 31 Mar, Let's attend meeting, invite guests, take up role, write blogs, because Oasis is FUN

Membership
Oasis Toastmasters Club

Oasis International Speech and Table Topics Contests 2011

Dear Oasians and guests,

Enjoying your holiday? Have a new plan for the year of rabbit? Join the upcoming
International Speech and Table Topics Contests 2011! Being scheduled on 28 Feb, Monday, it will be a good chance for you to broaden your horizons in the coming year.Our contestants have prepared inspiring and interesting speeches to share with you.  So, please pencil down the event and see you there.

Oasis International Speech and Table Topics Contests 2011
Date:    28 Feb, Monday
Time:    6:45 - 9:30pm
Venue:  Rm 1105, Scout Center, Austin Road, Kowloon
Entrance Fee: HK$40 for guests
Enquiry:   Mr Leo Kwok (66853183) leo.thkwok@gmail.com
               Ms Jess Cheuk(97460263) jesscheuk@hotmail.com

Don't miss it - It's an experience you won't forget.

Cheers
Leo Kwok