SPEAKER_02 0:00

I really enjoyed doing it. And I'm pretty proud of myself of achieving that.

SPEAKER_00 0:07

And so you should be. But most people find public speaking scary. When your mum first asked you to do it, did she have to bribe you with lots of ice cream?

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Absolutely not. It's like a gift to me. I just when I'm told I have to do with like the speaking, I just say, yes, please.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Welcome to my Toastmaster's World Tour podcast. Please join me as I travel virtually around the world and chat to Toastmasters from different countries and all walks of life. Let's explore. I chat to Charlie Preem, who recently, at the age of twelve, gave the opening welcome address at our district conference. Let's learn how he managed that at his tender age and be inspired. Hi Charlie, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Thanks, it is a real honour to be here.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

You recently did the opening welcome address at the Toastmasters District 69 conference in Stanthorpe. So first of all, congratulations on not only the remarkable achievement of doing that in front of well over a hundred adults, but for doing it so well and with such enthusiasm.

SPEAKER_02 2:28

Well, I really thanks for that. Um I really enjoyed doing it. And I'm pretty proud of myself of achieving that.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

And so you should be. But most people find public speaking scary. When your mum first asked you to do it, did she have to bribe you with lots of ice cream?

SPEAKER_02 2:49

Absolutely not. I love public speaking. It's it's like a gift to me. Um, I just when I'm told I have to do with like the speaking, I just say, yes, please.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

That's awesome. I love your spirit. I must say, if it was me, even if I wasn't scared, I'd be thinking this is an opportunity to get a bit of ice cream. So how did you feel when your mum asked you to open the Toastmasters conference?

SPEAKER_02 3:16

I'm a bit excited, but I hate when she said, because she came said to me the week before it happens, I only had a week to practice.

SPEAKER_00 3:25

Only a week? Oh my goodness, it's amazing. You've done some public speaking before, have you?

SPEAKER_02 3:31

Yes. Um the f if I'm correct, my first public speaking was in 2023 with one of my English assessments.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Mm-hmm. And how did that go?

SPEAKER_02 3:43

Um, really well. And on the last one that was last year, it was Anzac Day. I had to do a bit of a um poem, and it the poem was already done for me. I just had to say I was one of the people had to say it out.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

Okay, wonderful. Were you scared at all?

SPEAKER_02 4:05

Um at my very first one, yes, I was a bit shy, but after you get on and do it after some times, it just you get used to it and you it just you g it just feels like you're at home just practicing.

SPEAKER_00 4:20

What about with the Stanthorpe Toastmasters conference? Were you scared of doing that at all?

SPEAKER_02 4:25

Um No, I was not really nervous. Um I actually was excited because I got to be with my mum at of instead of of being in bed. So that was a bit of an advantage.

SPEAKER_00 4:39

Mm-hmm. Well, you're putting me to shame. I know that I definitely get nervous when I get up in front of all those people. So that's really amazing. Is there anything that scares you?

SPEAKER_02 4:48

Um something that scares me is uh the snakes around us.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Fair enough. What is the bravest thing you've ever done?

SPEAKER_02 4:59

Ooh, um the bravest thing I would ever done is uh my student leader speech. Um because I recently changed schools last year. And because I just joined beginning of term three, um, I was off sick for most of the term because I was getting used to new school. When I got back, it was like all like student leadership sign-ups. I guess I've always wanted to be one, so I gave it a try, and after some hope and courage, I managed to get senior leader in a prep buddy role. I was almost getting house capped and I was this close.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Well, that's amazing. Did you know Toastmasters also has a leadership pathway?

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Yes, I am knowing that because my mum is the vice president of her Toastmaster Club.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Does Toastmasters interest you when you turn 18?

SPEAKER_02 5:57

Um, yes. And I say I can still get away from bed.

SPEAKER_00 6:03

And I think before 18, there's something called the Gavel Club. Have you heard of that?

SPEAKER_02 6:07

Um, no, I haven't.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

Okay, well maybe you could ask your mum and we could look into that. I think it's not official Toastmasters. I don't know a lot about it myself, but I think it's something that people before they turn 18 can join with people of a similar age and do Toastmasters like stuff. Okay. Did you tell anyone outside your family that you were going to open the Toastmasters conference?

SPEAKER_02 6:31

Um, my whole year level knew because I because it was still in school, I asked my told my teacher about it so I could have I could use my classroom to like to pract practice in front of everyone. Um it was good because I like to do this practice out of audience. It doesn't matter, be like friends, classmates, or family, it just gives you what you're gonna better face on.

SPEAKER_00 7:00

So when you told your friends, how did they react?

SPEAKER_02 7:03

Um Um they were they encouraged me to do it. Um uh when I did it, it was a bit um shocking, like because I'm not really I'm not like the brightest person out there, like I'm not the coolest kid in school. Um so I was actually quite impressed everyone came to encourage me.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

That's wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

Um they went they kept saying my name, going and bang on the desks over and over and over.

SPEAKER_00 7:38

Can you replicate that? How did they do that?

SPEAKER_02 7:40

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

How did that make you feel?

SPEAKER_02 7:45

Um, I was not s um the my teachers sometimes say my class is unpredictable, so I was actually quite shocked.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

Must have felt pretty good, I think, too.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Um one of my classmates said to um put in some sarcasm into the into the speech, which I did. Um, do you want to hear it?

SPEAKER_00 8:10

Yeah, what was an example of that? That'd be great to hear.

SPEAKER_02 8:13

Snail though was well known to their wineries, which they enjoy very much.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

I think there'd be many adults who would be relating to that.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

Do you remember how you felt just before you were about to walk onto the stage?

SPEAKER_02 8:31

Um, I had a bit of a h heavy heart. Um and w sometimes before I went up the uh mic was playing up, so I had to keep switching my the mic I had to go into one mic, then the other. Took a little longer, but we got there eventually.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Well done, so you're stuck at it. How do you think you went in delivering your welcoming address?

SPEAKER_02 9:00

Um, pretty well. I made a little joke after I I should have won one of the rewards.

SPEAKER_00 9:07

Did anyone say anything to you afterwards about your address?

SPEAKER_02 9:11

Um Yes, especially my mom.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

Yeah. Um What sort of feedback did you get?

SPEAKER_02 9:19

Um, law the adults said I did really well. I was like, they were shocked for my age. I can like just go up there and just speak.

SPEAKER_00 9:29

Yeah, because a lot of adults struggle with it. So how did that make you feel getting that nice positive feedback?

SPEAKER_02 9:34

I'm a bit proud of myself and what I achieved with my family. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:38

So you should. Did you enjoy the experience?

SPEAKER_02 9:41

Yes, I really enjoyed it. I was just like, their speech out of here.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

So if you had the opportunity again, would you agree to do public speaking to such a large group of adults again?

SPEAKER_02 9:53

Um, yes, because my biggest amount is around 300.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

Oh, really? So this wasn't your biggest crowd?

SPEAKER_02 10:02

Yeah, the biggest one was is always at Anzac. Because it was a community event. Um, because I'm no longer with that school, I I'm not gonna be doing the speech again. So that was like a one-off.

SPEAKER_00 10:15

Wow, okay. No wonder you didn't feel too bad. You'd already conquered a bigger crowd.

SPEAKER_02 10:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Is there anything you'd do differently if you did the same address again to a Toastmasters crowd?

SPEAKER_02 10:26

Um, I'd have m added some more like jokes. Like, for example, I can do like put some bad jokes or dad jokes in it.

SPEAKER_00 10:38

Can you think of any off the top of your head now?

SPEAKER_02 10:40

Um I do have one. Why do golfers wear two pairs of pants?

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Why do golfers wear two pairs of pants?

SPEAKER_02 10:49

So if they get a hole in one.

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Oh, of course. Very good. I'll pay that. Charlie, given that you've done this now, do you have any advice for anyone else presented with a similar opportunity?

SPEAKER_02 11:05

Um, all I would say is like don't be shy, because that's just some people I think it's just trying to over you just get scared. And so I think just if if it's like your first time, I always think to myself the first time is the hardest event uh soon enough it's gonna go easy and all that. So it'll just be easy to s stand up on a big crowd and just speak what you have written down or typed up, like show your thoughts or anything.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

Do you think this experience will influence what you do in the future?

SPEAKER_02 11:45

Um Yes. It gives me more confidence to speak up, because I always I like to think like speak up and stand up. Like not like don't let other people boss you around. Just have your own like say. That's what I like to have.

SPEAKER_00 12:04

It's giving you a voice.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

Yeah, like your own personal voice.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

Wonderful. Charlie, when I introduce my podcast, because I'm doing it to different locations around the world, I'll often also introduce that location by talking about three things that that location is famous for. And I've already done that with your mum's podcast about Stanthorpe. Yeah. But what are your three favorite things about Stanthorpe?

SPEAKER_02 12:30

Oh, that's a bit tricky. Um, I like the Stanthorpe cheese. Um the Groove and Grill and Scoops and Treats, because everyone loves candy. Um, and last is heavily chocolate. They do like big chocolates and all that, like bigger than you can get in the supermarkets.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

Fabulous. Have you got a particular type of cheese that you like to eat?

SPEAKER_02 13:00

Um Machuacheda. That's okay. That's my favorite.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

There was another place you mentioned.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

Grooving grill.

SPEAKER_00 13:08

What is that? Is that a like a hamburger joint?

SPEAKER_02 13:11

It's a burger diner. It's it's based on like the 80s. It's rock and roll. It has like those fancy strip chairs, um, and they have a big jukebox.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

I've got FOMO now. I feel like I missed out. Next time I'm in Stanthorpe, that'll be the first place I go. And then you also mentioned chocolate. Where do you get your chocolate in Stanthorpe?

SPEAKER_02 13:33

That's heavenly chocolate, dear Garrine. It's between um Stanthorpe and Tennefield.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

Um It's it's just you just do a turn off on the highway and it it'll it'll pop up. It's off the highway.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

Charlie, is there anything you'd like to add today?

SPEAKER_02 13:52

Ooh, um be with Toastmasters. Um my mum, I thought always thought my mum used Toastmasters to have a break from us when we were little. Three kids.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

What do you think now? Do you still think that?

SPEAKER_02 14:13

No, I think she just wants she loves public speaking, so she loves like telling stories and uh she loves teaching younger grades because she is a teacher.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 14:26

I thought she used Toastmasters to explain to the class a bit her class a bit more about what they're learning and uh uh about all and all that.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure. Thank you so much for coming on the show today. It's been so lovely chatting with you, Charlie.

SPEAKER_02 14:43

No problems.

SPEAKER_00 14:49

Thanks for listening to today's show. One of the key elements of Toastmasters is evaluations. This is how we grow and improve, both by encouraging comments for things we got right and points for improvement. We all learn and benefit from these evaluations, not just the person being evaluated. So any feedback in the comments is greatly appreciated. If you have a Toastmaster story you'd like to share or like to be on the show, I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me at Toastmasters World Tour at gmail.com. Thanks for listening.