Toastmasters in Addis Ababa

As a member of Toastmasters International for some years now, at my local club in Tokyo, we have often had visitors from clubs overseas who were passing through town. I finally was able to get on the other side of that experience when I attended a Toastmasters meeting in Addis Ababa. I heard about the club from my friend P, who is also a member of my club in Tokyo, so on Wednesday night, J and I headed over to the Imperial Hotel where the meetings are held once a week. They had a meeting room on the first floor and some 30 people were already seated in the room when we arrived. We took seats ourselves and soon the meeting began with a round of self-introductions--20 seconds each person. Most members were well-spoken, and as the meeting continues, we heard some very talented speakers, including a prepared speech by a young member in his 20s that told us how he felt growing up pudgy in Ethiopia. He was now a rather slim, handsome guy but he showed a picture of himself at 14 and launched into his speech saying, "This fat, ugly kid is me," and continued with well timed, self-defacing humor. He told us when he was young people would accuse him of being the cause of the famine, and kids would follow him around and chant "du-ba, du-ba", meaning watermelon, watermelon. However, he wrapped up with a message that showed he was obviously very comfortable with himself, no matter how he looks. After his speech, another member took to the podium and said when he was young he was so thin that cruel kids would clap and chant when he walked by saying, "pasta, pasta!"
 J and I both enjoyed the entire meeting immensely and felt it was a great way to jump into a community of people and experience Addis Ababa. I will definitely attend again next time I'm in town.