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For my first day of my Speech 1A, I was very nervous. Not just because I didn't grow up
here, I didn't study here too. And so I've been here for 10 years. But I came here to
work, to make my American dream come true. So I didn't have a chance to go to school
until last year. I decided to go to school. So I don't know anything about American school.
And also compared to my am classmates, I think I am the oldest one. They are just 18 or 17,
and I was already 32. So I was very nervous about speaking English. Also I am very nervous
about school.
Yea, the accent is very challenging for me. That's why I was just so nervous, but then
my classmates were just so helpful. I think they were young so they didn't mind. So I
get encouraged. And so i try to speak more and ask them if they understand me. For me,
a, e, i, o, u, l, r, s, x are very challenging. For me I just encourage myself and talk more
and ask them if they understand me.
For nervous level, I'll say in the beginning it was like 8. And then after 4 months, because
the class was 4 months, in the end it was 3-4 out of 10.
To do practice, I do recording and listen to it and practice, practice, practice. And
get a friend to practice and ask him to correct it for me.
For recording I went to the SSSC Center and they provide a very prof recording room You
get to see your facial expression and listening to your voice very clearly. At home I recorded
with just a regular MP3 device.
Making friends, I guess because I look younger than my age, you know that typical Asians
look younger than their age. So actually my classmates always approach me. They feel curious
about me. They always ask me "How old are you?" I say "32." "I thought
you were the same age like us." "No, no no because I am Asian." So they start laughing.
Laughter shortens the distance between people. So that's how I make friends. So as time goes
by, they feel I am very funny. I don't know, and maybe my accent. Also I always am very
open minded. And I try my best to do things. My speech is kind of different from them.
Even my professor said that. I just put 100% of my effort because I know I don't speak
English. English is not my first language, so it's difficult enough. So I know if I don't
put more the outcomes will not be so great. And I think they admire my hard working spirit
so I am funny in a way for them. So I make quite a few friends.
The big challenge for Speech 1A is still the accent. Yea. Sometimes I get frustrated with
my accent, especially if I have no time to repeat myself. I just want people to understand
me. And even I try my best. Because I work in a hospital, you know, I have to ask "how
is your pain level?" It's very challenging- the word "pain level." P A I N. Sometimes
they don't understand me. They think I mean "pen," like pencil. Then I start using my
facial expressions and my body language. "Hey how's your pain?" And I just feel so stupid.
Why can't I say that word correctly? So the accent is still very challenging for me.
The biggest benefit for me in taking the class is it inspires me so much. Because in Taiwan,
in my country, we don't have a class named "Speech," I never knew that speech is a process.
Also there are many techniques that you can use to make your speech lively and attract
people's attention. In the class, our professor taught us different techniques how to give
a speech, how to present in a clear manner. It helped me a lot at work. If I have to organize
a brief or meeting, I know how to organize, to make a list of the points I want to make,
how to prioritize my speech and present it clearly. It's the biggest benefit.
Does it open doors for me? I've been thinking about that. It's a challenging question. I
don't know if it means in my personal life or school. It has positive influence in both.
At work I feel more confident to organize a meeting. At school I do feel I am more confident
and I am not so shy because English is not my first language. I understand that English
is a communication tool. Even though I have an accent, it's not the....the... I don't
know how to say. Accent is a challenge. But accent is not the factor that affects your
speech. So did Speech class open doors for me, I think it does.
I just want to offer my advice. Don't be afraid. And be enthusiastic about your speech to find
a topic that you really like. Then you feel confident to prepare. And then find a way
to make your speech memorable for others. That's' the feedback I got from my classmates.
They like my speech because I present it in a different way that they remember, and they
enjoy it when they think about my speech.