Holiday Mood
When learning a foreign language, don’t you just hate those “false friends” – words that resemble a word of your native language but have a quite different meaning in another? Presenting the word of the day, Diego shared with us the knowledge that “eventually” is such a false friend not only for Germans but also for Spanish native speakers.
Being a person whose aim it is to help others reach their full potential, Martin S.’s joke on the question of how many therapists are required to change a light bulb was highly appropriate, and also very funny indeed.
Hope reminded us with her thought for the evening that words are the most important tools we have as human beings. However, they are two-edged swords, and not only Toastmasters should therefore be aware of their impact on the people around us.
Ravi then took over to chair the table topics, which centered around the evening’s theme of gratitude. The complex emotions aroused by tax exemption were discussed by Günter, while Diego was asked to name a few of the things to be grateful for. Martin E. was given the task to select the most important piece of information he would like to know about the world 10 years from now, and Bernhard was requested to comment on the proverb “Gratitude is the best attitude”.
“Don’t trip on getting out” was Calvin’s advice for the upcoming holiday season, which focussed on the types of preparation necessary to reduce the stress of going on vacation. Hyejin informed us on the subject of “Doing business with a Korean company”, in particular the relative importance of time, quality and attitude towards the customer in German and Korean corporate culture. Martin S. explained how ordering plum pudding in London can open doors to “The mystery of synchronicity”, defined as the experience of two apparently unrelated events nevertheless being connected in a meaningful way, and thus different from mere coincidence. By his excellent use of body language and vocal variety JP permitted us a glimpse into the skillbox of an advanced Toastmaster as well as his inner life, which is dominated by a secret and dangerous obsession with “Deep dark holes”.
All in all a memorable meeting in a room filled to capacity with 23 participants, 6 of them guests, and a full agenda that had been expertly prepared by Alexander as Toastmaster of the evening in collaboration with our Vice President Education Martin S.
René, our President, had managed to put us into the holiday spirit from the moment he opened the meeting, and we wish him a fun and relaxing time in Israel!