After watching two people signing to each other across a busy night club (not at all affected by the chaos around them), I was fascinated and decided that sign language was something I wanted to learn. I found a college that was teaching the subject and I started the following week.
I am level two certified and unfortunately it is as far as I am allowed to study without actually working with deaf people.
My cousin was going to be the best man at a wedding and he wanted to give a good speech so he did some research and found the Toastmasters organisation. When he mentioned that there was an organisation that allowed you to practice public speaking, I was intrigued so I found a club near me and attended one evening. I made a point of giving what are called 'table topics' on my first day. Table topics are speeches that are delivered with no preparation. When the presenter arrives at the front of the room he or she is given a topic and they then have five minutes to talk on the given subject.
I have been an avid snowboarder since 1998 when I travelled to France on trip with a group of my colleagues from SIEMENS, all of whom were skiers.
When we arrived they tried to convince me that skiing would be easier to pick as we were only there for four days, but my heart was set on snowboarding; and despite having no one who could teach me, and having to walk on all the flat sections of the runs they chose to ski 'down'. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
I have been snowboarding in the Alps or the Rockies almost every year since.
I enjoy experiencing new cultures, when I am not snowboarding, I enjoy exploring the historical cities of Europe, but I especially enjoy backpacking to remote parts of the world, that are not quite so popular. I have so far visited -- in Europe -- Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Frankfurt and Barcelona.
On my 'road less travelled' holidays where I spend a month travelling around one country at a time, I have been to Mexico and China. I hope to go to Peru or Japan this year.
I first started playing squash when I was at school, but then did not play again for many years. I have recently taken it back up and thoroughly enjoy this sport for its fast, aggressive pace.