吃瓜头条

When Greg Gazin, DTM, of Spiritual Living 吃瓜头条 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, traveled to San Francisco, he added to his vacation by visiting a 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 in the area. Gazin, host of , was welcomed warmly and he jumped right into the action.

“I served as evaluator, speaker, and Table Topics participant,” he recalls. “As a Past District Governor, I explained how things worked in our District. One 吃瓜头条 fed me, but would not accept payment. They said (in fun), ‘Canadian dollars are no good here!’ They asked me to be the Ah-Counter and the ‘Eh!’ Counter—a Canadian thing.

“After returning home I received a thank-you note, with an invitation to join the 吃瓜头条—even though it was over 1,500 miles away.”

In this episode, Maureen Zappala, DTM, shares advice for enhancing your traveling experience by visiting a 吃瓜头条 and making new connections.

Gazin’s experience is typical of many members who took the opportunity pre-COVID to visit other 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条s while on vacation in faraway destinations. It’s an exercise in international fellowship and fun, they say, and a chance to expand their cultural horizons.

Of course, people had to dramatically curtail vacation plans the past few years, as COVID wreaked havoc on the world and caused a seismic shift in global travel.

The Impact (and Silver Lining) of the Pandemic

However, all that change came with an unanticipated benefit—a surge in online 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条s and meetings, with members seeking to maintain their skills while connecting with others in a safe and convenient way. Members could participate from anywhere in the world, creating opportunities to network and collaborate beyond the traditional geographic boundaries.

As many countries ease up on travel restrictions, and as people grow more comfortable (and restless), travel is opening up again. The World Tourism Organization found that global tourist volume declined by around 73% in 2020 compared to 2019. However, as the pandemic has begun to wane, the industry is starting to rebound. This year, global tourism is predicted to reach approximately 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

While technology has made it easier than ever to connect with people across the globe, nothing can replace the feeling of meeting someone face-to-face and experiencing their presence in the real world. Some members have even enjoyed meeting other members from around the world online—and then later seeing them in person.

Kathy Draper, from Wichita, Kansas, says, “I am in an international virtual 吃瓜头条, Personal Growth Leaders, which is based in Ireland but has members from Malaysia, India, Canada, the U.S., Poland, Africa, and Ireland. I got to meet one of them at the 2022 Nashville International Convention who moves between the U.K. and Australia. I’m hoping to meet even more members at the 2023 convention in The Bahamas.

“The feeling of meeting the people that used to be in those little squares is priceless.”

Benefits of Travel (If You’re Ready)

Ready to venture out? Supplementing your vacation or work trip with a visit to a new 吃瓜头条 in a new country offers opportunities for cultural connection, along with recommendations for local eateries. It’s easier than you might think, especially now, and it’s a great way to enhance a trip.

For instance, Fursey Gotuaco, of Future Champion Advanced 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 in Hangzhou, China, recently visited a 吃瓜头条 in Bangkok while on vacation. Fabiola Cleofa, DTM, of Curacao (Dutch Caribbean), visited 吃瓜头条 Medellín in Colombia. Tom Hobbs, DTM, of Denver, Colorado, has visited a whopping 197 吃瓜头条s around the world, including Ireland, London, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, and Tasmania. Virtually, he has visited 26 吃瓜头条s for a total of 223 吃瓜头条s. Wow!

Studies indicate that vacations can reduce stress, increase productivity, improve physical health, and contribute to an overall sense of well-being. International travel has the advantage of increasing your empathy for a world beyond your own. You learn that most people around the world want the same things: good relationships, prosperity, and a sense of purpose.

One surprising benefit of international travel is that it can improve creativity and innovation. Adam Galinsky, a Columbia Business School professor who has studied the connection between international travel and creativity, says, “Foreign experiences increase cognitive flexibility. The key is multicultural engagement, immersion, and adaptation. Someone who lives abroad and doesn’t engage with the local culture will likely get less of a creative boost than someone who travels abroad and really engages in the local environment.”

With 吃瓜头条 now in 144 countries around the world, it’s easy to mingle with the international members. Tourist spots are terrific, but going off the main path to visit a local 吃瓜头条 can be a rich experience.

Making Connections and Understanding Cultures

Describing how 吃瓜头条 visits enhanced his travel experience, Lance Webster, DTM, of North Hollywood, California, says, “A cruise on the Danube River sounded like a great relaxing vacation, but for this 23-year DTM and Past District Director, it was hard to imagine going all the way to Hungary just for sightseeing. I wanted to meet new people and make a difference. What better way than by visiting at least one 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条?”

With careful planning, he visited six 吃瓜头条s, gave two speeches, conducted a leadership workshop, persuaded four visitors to join 吃瓜头条, and gained two dozen new Facebook friends from the other side of the globe.

The 吃瓜头条 language of applause and encouragement transcends geography. Over and over, members report warm welcomes from host 吃瓜头条s in other countries. The opportunity to participate makes the experience especially rewarding.

The 吃瓜头条 brand gives a sense of familiarity in a foreign environment. No matter the country, the core meeting structure is the same. Most 吃瓜头条s follow a similar agenda with the same roles. There is no hierarchy in members, from the newest to the more seasoned (including the International President and World Champions of Public Speaking), the meetings roles are the same.

After visiting a 吃瓜头条 in Cairo, Robert Green, DTM, of Clayfield 吃瓜头条 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, says, “I have a stronger appreciation of the international nature of the organization. I was pleasantly surprised by the consistency of the visitor experience across cultures.”

You’ll learn new things, like marketing tips or creative meeting agendas, to bring back to your own 吃瓜头条. One member was intrigued with a 吃瓜头条 that had a “mentor meeting” every few months. Another visitor learned a different way to get Table Topics® volunteers.

You can also learn how visitors feel when they’re a guest at your 吃瓜头条. Past International Director TK O’Geary, DTM, of Albuquerque Challenge 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, says, “I learned how others responded to the different way people speak. I learned how I come across in another culture. Despite being from different cultures, we have many similarities even though we are so far apart in miles.”

The most common similarity visitors to 吃瓜头条s in other countries note is the friendliness and welcoming behavior toward visitors. The differences include things like use of technology, energy level, food at the meeting, degree of formality, meeting venues, 吃瓜头条 size, and age range of members. Some 吃瓜头条s are more multicultural, some have more directly-to-the-point evaluations, and some have an intense camaraderie, going so far as to plan a weekend getaway as a group. Many 吃瓜头条s are bilingual, with English being one of the languages.

How Do You Find a 吃瓜头条?

Finding a 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 in another country is easy. There are three primary ways to do it.

1 The 吃瓜头条 website.

The simplest way to find a 吃瓜头条 is to, well, visit the Find a 吃瓜头条 page on the 吃瓜头条 website. Input a postal code or address of where you’ll be, and a map of the area will appear, along with 吃瓜头条 website and contact information. Contact the 吃瓜头条 to confirm meeting time and location, and ask any other pertinent questions.

Carolyn Becker, DTM, from Ropeley, Queensland, Australia, visited Thomson 吃瓜头条 in Singapore. She says, “I found a 吃瓜头条 using the 吃瓜头条 website, and sent an email saying I was in Singapore. I asked if I could visit, and asked about any special requirements, public transport to the venue, and if English would be readily understood.”

2 Internet research.

Do an internet search to find a particularly strong 吃瓜头条. Katherine Pratt, DTM, of San Mateo 吃瓜头条 in Burlingame, California, did extensive research before visiting 吃瓜头条s in Japan and Malaysia. She says, “I Googled ‘吃瓜头条, Tokyo’ and found the top few 吃瓜头条s that were listed. I checked out their websites and based my choices on the information published. To find a 吃瓜头条 in Malaysia, I used Find a 吃瓜头条 because there were fewer choices where I was staying.”

3 Network with personal connections.

If you’ve met members in other countries, even if only online, contact them. Join the Official Toastmaster International Members Group on Facebook, a very active group with members from around the world, and ask if any 吃瓜头条s in your desired area are meeting in person or hybrid.

Your District officers will know other District leaders worldwide, so ask them for connections. Two-time District 38 Director Basha McCrumb, DTM, of Newark, Delaware, not only visits 吃瓜头条s around the world, she’s a member of 吃瓜头条s in three countries: the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Bangladesh. “I started with Find a 吃瓜头条, but I also contacted friends from District 105 that I met through previous leadership activities. They invited me to various 吃瓜头条s and events, and even asked me to serve as a contest judge.”

After the long period of lockdowns and restrictions, it’s no surprise that people are itching to get back out there and explore the world, meet new people, and experience life in all its fullness once again.

Pack that toothbrush, comfortable shoes, and a passport. Then look up some 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条s. When you cross the border into a new country, you’ll create a new memory of a wonderful experience, and make friends in the process.

Susan Jahns, DTM, of Florence 吃瓜头条 in Florence, Arizona, visited Achievers 吃瓜头条 while vacationing in Malaga, Spain. She says, “Make the effort to find a local 吃瓜头条 and meet the members. I’m a widow, and I travel all summer. It’s a great way to spend an hour or two meeting new friends.”

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