Specialty Speeches (226-E) Project #1 - Women Driving in Saudi Arabia

Advance Manual 226-E

Special Speeches

Project #1:   Speak of the Cuff

Title:  Women Driving in Saudi Arabia

Evaluator:   DTM Ron Jacobe, Jr.

Topic Given by the Evalutor:  What is your idea of allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia.

Note:  This is an impromptu speech where the speaker opted NOT to select a specific topic to discuss.  The Evaluator was given the freedom to choose any topic, any subject and any question from anything.  

Here's the outline of the speech presented


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Ask successive questions to set the tempo of discussion:

• Who among  you here are drivers?  
• Who among the ladies here knows how to drive?  Did you miss driving cars.. ladies?
• For the boys, what is your general experience while driving in Saudi Arabia?

Salutation and greetings.

Sweeping and general comments on driving

• Male are generally fast drivers and more reckless
• Women are generally slow and more careful

General impression of Saudi roads

• Driving at 140kms vs 40kms while in Singapore  
• Large Cars and wide roads
• Signs are suggestions - have improved lately due to Shaher Traffic monitoring !

Share personal experience in Riyadh

• Riding an Aveo at 60kph and got "windsweeped" by a Suburbun at 140kph.  Felt the car transferred to another lane.
• Careless parking and stopping at the middle of the road
• Cutting at the pedestrians, blocking right turn way, blocking personal parking, dangerous maneuvers, over speeding and many more

 Share experience in Khobar and Bahrain

• Driving in Khobar is a basically the same as driving in Riyadh
• The "different" driving experience in Bahrain.  Slower and generally organized.
• Women driving in Bahrain

 The idea of allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia

• Could possibly make male drivers to be "more" accommodating and may entice them to drive slower
• Poke fun of having women driver wearing covered bur-qua which may limit driver's visibility. Will this result to more accidents?
• Driving could symbolize giving "freedom" to women. Is the male dominated Saudi Arabia ready to accept this change?
• If women are allowed to drive, are the women ready to take this freedom?  Cited an example of a domesticated animal who was afraid to venture out and would prefer the safe confines of his/her cage.

Closing

• Summarize the speech emphasizing the four points of my idea about women driving in Saudi Arabia.
• Made a personal prediction that women will eventually be allowed to drive but not in my lifetime
• Women themselves are not ready to accept this freedom

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Evaluation given by   DTM Ron Jacobe, Jr.

Form:   

• Full of confidence 
• Good control of the speaking area, eye contact, pauses, phrasing and timing.
• Well groomed and dressed.
• Delivery was superb

Substance:  

• Made sweeping generalization of how people drive in Saudi Arabia. May not be true and personal experience could be bias and should not be a basis for a recommendation that affect others.
• Good transition and emphasis of each major points, giving a clear separation of ideas
• The evaluator found it "lacking " especially on actual application.  Could have been better if the speaker provided concrete example on the advantage and disadvantages of women driving.
• Advantage such as:  practicality of women taking their children to school instead of waiting for husband.  Women doing regular chores instead of wasting precious time waiting for someone to drive for them. Not all Saudi can afford male drivers in their homestead.
• Share disadvantage if there are any.

Final Verdict:

• Form was good but lacking in substance
• Can be credited if the speaker wants it - passing mark of "Fair"

Speaker's response:

•  Agrees with the evaluation of DTM Ron
• Will repeat the project on the grounds that this is a quest for personal improvement
• The speaker may not need the norm.  He is already an Advance Communicator Gold.

Contest Piece International - 2010: High School Reunion

Piece for International Speech Contest
Program Year   : PY 2010-2011

Title          : High School Reunion

Delivered at   : Area Level International Speech Contest

Evaluated by   : TM Irfraleen Fuentes Amores

Target Norm    : - not yet identified - 

Note:  

• The speaker represented Filcom-IT Toastmasters Club
• The speaker won 2nd place behind TM Roi Ontiveros - 1st who represented Toast of Comsofil

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Few months ago, I received a long distance call from someone who asked if I am Mr. Jorge Nathaniel H. Amores, the Toastmaster.  I said “Yes, I am… and how can I help?”   The man replied “Mr. Jorge, I am Dr Alfred Norman, your high school principal.  Please attend and be the guest speaker of our silver anniversary”.  Surprised, I asked “why me?”  He politely replied “Mr. Jorge, you came from the bottom 5 of the class.”

Fellow Toastmasters, judges, contest masters, ladies and gentlemen, good evening!

Was that a complement or an insult: inviting me to deliver a speech because I belong to the rejects?  What was he thinking?  But honestly, I was really skyted – excitement that goes to the sky – skyted!  This is my first time to see my classmates after 25 years, and I was wondering how would they look now?   I for one would like to show off that the small boy has grown into a handsome man.  Hah! They would be drooling with envy.  My speech:  it will highlight my achievements, my conquest, and my victories in life.  I was planning to show off -  Toastmaster!

And when the big day arrived, I came prepared. I wear my best tuxedo and I didn’t just get inside, I entered the hall. It works and I could hear whispers… “who is he?”.   Then from nowhere, someone shouted “Horheeeee…” and then everyone nodded “ahh… Jorge, he looks good”.   A close friend greeted me: “Hey Jorge, you never changed, you used to have big tummy full of worms, and now you still have one”.  I immediately cut him “yeah, it’s full of fats”.  There were laughter and good time as we make fun on how fun on how we old we are, on how our belly has grown large, and for some their vanishing hair.

Amidst the laughter, I saw from the dark corners of the hall some of my classmates. Curious, I took the first step and ask how life is?  They simply replied “Jorge, we are not as fortunate as you are”, then they move away.

I was taken aback.  There, reality sank in.  I felt their pain: on how it was to be left behind, humbled and defeated when all of your friends have succeeded.  When I look around I realized that most of my classmates came in ordinary shirts and jeans.  Yes, there were few who came in formal clothes – the noisy businessmen, politician, and military officers.  Yet these few... we all hug all the limelight, while the majority can only basks on the faded reflections of our vanity.

I was so ashamed of myself, of my speech that glorifies me.  I was insensitive and totally out of touch.  So right there and then, I throw away my piece and delivered an impromptu speech. This time, the message was on the small successes of each our classmates, reminding them on how they made a difference on their lives, their love ones, and the people around them.  I asked them to count their blessings, try naming them one by one and be surprised on how fortunate they were than they ever imagined.

How about us fellow Toastmasters?  Have we tried counting our blessings and try naming them one by one?

On a global scale, some of us may feel sad that we were not born in the USA where we enjoy standard of living to the max, or perhaps China where good were so cheap.  But look around.  Saudis, you have a rich and prosperous country. Indians, you have the number of talented people who now spearhead in research and technology of the world. Filipinos, you have a resilient spirit that could make you survive anywhere in the planet. And you can sing very well.  We don’t need to be in the USA to enjoy life; we could do it here in Riyadh… anywhere! 

Let’s go local… in our club.  Had there been time that we envious of the big clubs like RTM, Sabic, PICPA because they produce good speakers, champions, and they seem to achieve DCP awards easily, isn’t?  But you know what?  They do worry about new members, attendance, tardiness, and getting members to deliver project speeches. They do have the same problems just like the rest of us.  

I challenge the clubs to try naming your blessings.  You maybe few, but your meeting – superb quality!  You may not have champions but look at your members, they all grew up.   These are little victories that made your club, something that other clubs didn’t have – that is why they now close shop.  

And if you allow me to get personal….  have you counted your blessings lately, and tried naming them one by one?  Financial problems? Don’t worry we all have that.  What is important is at the end of day, both end meet?  Your looks?  Common’ be confident of who you are!  TM Roi is not worried of his vanishing hair. He is happy, he still have two dozens to count every day!  TM Tanga, he is not worried about diet! He just sits beside TM Mubin and myself then he feel he has eaten less.  Because we eat more!

Yes, we have problems – big and small.  It will always be there and even if you solve it, another one will come.  Instead of counting our problems, how about counting the numerous solutions that we pick up along the way that help made our life better?  

Dr. Alfred Norman, our principal, chose me among 200 graduates of Notre Dame Batch 85 not because I was the best.   It was not because I was the most successful, certainly not because I was the most good looking.  Toastmaster Alfred Norman knows that Jorge failed many times, learned along the way, and yes… I learned to name the numerous little blessing that I had… and shared it to everyone along the way.