Toastmasters World Tour

Brendan
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Welcome to my Toastmasters World Tour Podcast. I’m your host, Brendan O’Sullivan. Come with me as I embark on a virtual tour of the world chatting to Toastmasters. My tour starts at home chatting to potential Toastmasters at the very start of their journey, contemplating their first Toastmasters club visit. It then takes off to explore the globe on a quest to seek out Toastmasters from all walks of life, from every continent, and from all levels of experience, from novices to the best in the world. Let’s learn from and be inspired by their journeys! 

  1. 1d ago

    From Shy Kid to Master of Ceremonies (MC) | Marty Pouwelse, Mundoolun, Australia, Ep 45

    Send us Fan Mail Have you been asked to MC [ Master of Ceremonies] a Toastmasters Conference or a social function like a Wedding, and never done it before?  Marty Pouwelse was shy as a kid. Out of curiosity he just wanted to be a fly on the wall during Toastmasters District 69 Conference planning meetings, but soon found himself nominated as MC for the first time….and loved the experience!  Listen in to find out how he did it ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    From Shy Kid to Master of Ceremonies (MC) | Marty Pouwelse, Mundoolun, Australia, Ep 45

  2. Oct 26

    Prison Toastmasters: Friday Night Out | Monique Tonna, Sydney, Australia, Ep 44

    Send us Fan Mail Given a high rate of recidivism, wouldn’t it be great if we could find ways to reduce re-offending when prisoners are released and avoid the “revolving door”? Monique Tonna, the Immediate Past International Director from Region 12, started a Toastmasters Gavel Club 7 years ago in a maximum security male prison which went on to charter as a full Toastmasters Club. The aim has been to teach and practice communication skills so they are better equipped and appropriate for life on the outside. Tune in for Monique’s remarkable and inspiring journey  Note: This episode discusses prison language but contains no explicit language. #Toastmasters #GavelClub #PrisonClub #InternationalDirector #Region12 #Recidivism #SecondChances ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    Prison Toastmasters: Friday Night Out | Monique Tonna, Sydney, Australia, Ep 44

  3. Oct 19

    How a Brit Became a TEDx Speaker in Japanese | Nick Godwin, Tokyo, Japan, Ep 43

    Send us Fan Mail Do you want to feel more confident when speaking? Who better to get advice from than a Language Confidence Strategist. One with runs on the board. How can foreign language learners with limitations due to their linguistic level build language confidence and confidence in communication in general? Nick Godwin is a British Expat who lives in Japan and teaches English to Japanese speakers. He has travelled the full journey of a foreign language learner, from complete novice to fluent Japanese speaker, doing a TEDx speech in Japanese. He shares the lessons he's learned and his teaching approach as a Language Confidence Strategist.  Nick's English TEDx talk "Hidden in Translation: How we see the world through words | Nick Godwin | TEDxAwaji" here Nick's Japanese TEDx talk "Language Learning is a Serious Sport | Nick Godwin | TEDxInnovation U" here Nick's online English Coaching, Bylingua here Bilingual Toastmasters clubs help learners of foreign languages Nihonbashi Century Toastmasters Club ["the best club in all of Japan and all the world"] here Chapter Markers: 00:00:00 Cold Start - Why confidence beats grammar 00:00:32 Welcome to the Toastmasters World Tour 00:01:44 Irasshaimase? Welcoming in Japanese 00:03:35 Why move from Plymouth to Japan? 00:06:09 Enough Japanese to get into trouble 00:08:08 Starting Bilingua & Japanese perfectionism 00:10:32 Favorite mistake - The dentist and Ki Ni Naru 00:12:38 The Buddhist altar flowers story 00:15:58 What is a Language Confidence Strategist? 00:19:03 How Toastmasters helped in English & Japanese 00:24:22 Bilingual clubs - What level do you need? 00:28:10 Two TEDx talks - Why in Japanese first? 00:34:28 TEDx #2 - Hidden in Translation 00:39:25 Lessons from the TEDx stage 00:45:02 Best advice - Go hard, go early 00:48:54 Speech contests - Training vs Test 00:52:14 Thank you & how to connect ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Topics: Toastmasters, TEDx, Japanese, Language Learning, Life in Japan, Bylingua I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    How a Brit Became a TEDx Speaker in Japanese | Nick Godwin, Tokyo, Japan, Ep 43

  4. Oct 12

    Who is Denise Buckby? International Director, Rotarian, but who? | Denise Buckby, Brisbane, Australia, Ep 42

    Send us Fan Mail If you could effect one change in a global organisation like Toastmasters, what would it be? I asked Denise Buckby, newly appointed to the International Board of Toastmasters International and in a strong position to help effect that change, what her number one would be. I also delve deep to find out just who is Denise Buckby and what passions drive her ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- for the time poor, there are chapter markers you can click on so you can just click on the sections that most interest you: 0:00 - Don't You Know Who I Am? Traffic stop teaser 0:54 - Welcome to the Toastmasters World Tour - Brisbane 1:56 - Congratulations - How does it feel to be International Director? 2:36 - First day at school on the International Board 3:22 - Explaining Australia - we don't ride kangaroos to work 4:36 - From District 69 Director to International Director 6:23 - The 10-month campaign journey 9:06 - It's about the voters, not the candidate 11:11 - Getting a campaign manager & going global 13:46 - When Toastmasters is a luxury - global accessibility 17:38 - Electricity bill vs Toastmasters fees 19:18 - Handover from Monique Tonner - Be yourself 21:46 - Pulled over for a traffic offence - the full story 24:31 - The gift of the gab 25:25 - Who is Denise Buckby? The Anger Management question 28:45 - What makes Denise tick - Rotary, polio, community 37:36 - Should we poach Rotarians into Toastmasters? 38:57 - That plane ride home from Anaheim 2024 43:44 - Anaheim vs Vancouver - convention comparison 45:06 - The 13-hour podcast that never was 47:46 - If you could effect one change to Toastmasters? 49:20 - How to bring more diversity - paying in your own currency 52:17 - The most controversial issue - five generations in one org 55:25 - Advice for someone contemplating joining 56:43 - Member of nine clubs & final thoughts 59:21 - Wrap up and thank you -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    Who is Denise Buckby? International Director, Rotarian, but who? | Denise Buckby, Brisbane, Australia, Ep 42

  5. Oct 5

    Role model for kids, Philosophy, AI | Dirceu Da Silva, Rotterdam, Netherlands (2/2), Ep 41

    Send us Fan Mail Where does a world champion draw inspiration from? In this episode of Toastmasters World Tour, I conclude my chat with 2026 World Champion of Public Speaking, Dirceu Da Silva. We go beyond the trophy. Dirceu shares the lessons from his 10-year journey. He also reveals the one thing that stood out to him more than anything else about winning on the world stage. This is Part 2/2. Link to Part 1/2 here Didi's winning speech on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBnc5nfl8ow **This episode has video version on Youtube here -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dirceu was named after Brazilian footballer Dirceu [full name Dirceu José Guimarães, wiki article here], who scored the winner vs Italy in the 1978 World Cup 3rd place playoff [Brazil 2-1 Italy, Dirceu 71']. Details in wiki  article here Youtube footage of Dirceu's winning goal 1978 v Italy here Cape Verde's incredible debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup...smallest nation ever to qualify, reaching the Round of 32 vs Argentina. Details in wiki article here I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    Role model for kids, Philosophy, AI | Dirceu Da Silva, Rotterdam, Netherlands (2/2), Ep 41

  6. Sep 28

    2026 World Champion of Public Speaking | Dirceu Da Silva, Rotterdam, Netherlands (1/2), Ep 40

    Send us Fan Mail What does it feel like when YEARS of dreaming, striving for your goal, comes down to ONE moment?  This episode of Toastmasters World Tour I chat to 2026 World Champion of Public Speaking, Dirceu Da Silva and ask him what that moment was actually like for him when they called his name  Didi's winning speech on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBnc5nfl8ow **This episode has video version on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/1-RpXLrVJKg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    2026 World Champion of Public Speaking | Dirceu Da Silva, Rotterdam, Netherlands (1/2), Ep 40

  7. Sep 21

    AI & Future with new International President | Stefano McGhee, Weymouth, USA , Ep 39

    Send us Fan Mail Where is Toastmasters heading over the next year?  Meet the new Captain of our Ship, International President Stefano McGhee, DTM.  Hear his thoughts on the role tech and AI could play in our organisation, and who ultimately controls our destiny... 🎥 WATCH the full video interview here:  https://youtu.be/7zro3ZrtWps ......................................................................................................................................... Toastmasters Magazine article Stefano mentioned that he featured in: "Do’s and Don’ts of Using AI in Speechwriting Key rules for using artificial intelligence in speech prep" here: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2026/april/dos-and-donts-of-using-ai-in-speechwriting I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    AI & Future with new International President | Stefano McGhee, Weymouth, USA , Ep 39

  8. Sep 14

    The Gambler: An Ice Breaker Like No Other | James Caldwell, Brisbane, Australia (2/2), Ep 38

    Send us Fan Mail Did you know your Icebreaker speech doesn't have to be your whole life story?  In fact, it's usually better if it isn't. It's better to just share something interesting about yourself to break the ice.  If you want to hear an example of this in action, listen in to this episode where James employs the very interesting device of using song lyrics and applying it to lessons he's learn in his life. He uses the key lyrics to Kenny Roger's song "The Gambler": "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run." as the backbone for his icebreaker speech Songs: Kenny Rogers - The Gambler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hx4gdlfamo Leonard Cohen - Anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8-BT6y_wYg Brittany Runs a Marathon imdb link here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7671064/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you have enjoyed this Podcast episode. I'd love to hear your feedback, and any ideas or suggestions for improvement. Your comments can reach me via my email toastmastersworldtour@gmail.com You can also subscribe to this Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube,  et al.  Follow me on Facebook There is also an interactive map of the world you can view and click on showing the city or region where the interviewed Toastmaster/ potential Toastmaster lives here. If you click on the location, the persons face will pop up with a link under it to the episode. Hopefully a fun way to explore the library as it builds as it's not necessary to listen to them sequentially.  To find a local Toastmasters Club in your area, click here For a list of online only Toastmasters Clubs, click here ...

    The Gambler: An Ice Breaker Like No Other | James Caldwell, Brisbane, Australia (2/2), Ep 38
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About

Welcome to my Toastmasters World Tour Podcast. I’m your host, Brendan O’Sullivan. Come with me as I embark on a virtual tour of the world chatting to Toastmasters. My tour starts at home chatting to potential Toastmasters at the very start of their journey, contemplating their first Toastmasters club visit. It then takes off to explore the globe on a quest to seek out Toastmasters from all walks of life, from every continent, and from all levels of experience, from novices to the best in the world. Let’s learn from and be inspired by their journeys! 

Information

  • Creator
    Brendan
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Toastmasters World Tour
  • Show Website
    Toastmasters World Tour

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