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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–The Long and Winding Road
The theme for our April 25th meeting was about traveling the long and winding road. Our Table Topics Master, Meghan Burns, asked us about our favorite road trips and what was more important, the journey or the destination. She also asked us to comment on any games or music we enjoyed on our road trips…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Antarctica
We concluded our around the world travels with a visit to Antarctica, the coldest, windiest place on Earth. The travel season lasts from November through March, during the Antarctic summer. Tourists and researchers explore the animals on shore and in the sea. A recent National Geographic video of young Emperor penguins launching off a 50ft…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Oceania
Beautiful blue ocean and endless beaches were the themes of our April 11 meeting as we explored the countries of Oceania. Our Destination Master, Meghan Burns, provided theses clues for a country in Oceania: If you guessed Fiji, you are correct! Kit Myers presented her Presentation Mastery, Level 2 speech for the Understanding Your Communication…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Southeast Asia
At our meeting on April 4, we explored the culture, food and travel adventures in Southeast Asia. Our Destination Master, Helen Josephine, provided these clues for a country in Southeast Asia: If you guessed Cambodia, you are correct! The Travel Topics portion of the meeting also covered travel ideas and locations in Southeast Asia. Meghan…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–East Asia
At our March 27th meeting we explored traveling to East Asia. Our Travel Topics Master, Helen Josephine, asked us questions about places we had visited in Asia and our favorite Asian food. Samantha has just returned from a trip to Japan where she visited the Sacred Deer Park in Nara. The deer in the park…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Eastern Europe and Central Asia
We explored traveling to the countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia at our Travel Talkers Toastmasters meeting on March 21. Our destination master, Kit Myers, provided these clues for a geologic feature or landform in Eastern Europe: If you guessed the Danube River, you are correct! Our Travel Topics Master, Meghan Burns, took us…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–the Middle East
Travel to the Middle East was our topic for the March 14th meeting of Travel Talkers Toastmasters. Our Destination Master, Kit Myers, provided these clues for the mystery destination: If you guessed Saudia Arabia, you are correct! The Travel Topics Master at the meeting, Avis Russell, asked us questions about the different cultures, foods and…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Southern Africa
Travel to Southern Africa might include going on safari, exploring the beautiful coast, spending time in nature preserves, or enjoying big city life in Cape Town or Johannesburg. Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent including the countries of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Our…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Bonus Trip
Have you ever experienced a “bonus trip,” a surprise trip you had not planned to take? My bonus trip to Bangkok, Thailand happened when I was delayed en route from Manilla to Tel Aviv. I packed as much as I could into my 24-hours in Bangkok. I booked a morning tour of Bangkok’s gem and…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — North Africa
Our travels around the world continued at our February 22nd meeting with a stop in North Africa. The United Nations subregion of North Africa consists of 7 countries in the northernmost part of the continent — Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. Our Destination Master, Natasha Barr, provide these clues for a…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Western Europe
Travel destinations in Western Europe were the focus of our February 15th meeting. Western Europe is defined as including these 9 countries—Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, and Switzerland. These countries include art museums (The Louvre in Paris, Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam), castles (Versailles in France, Neuschwanstein in Germany), vibrant cities (Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna),…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — South America
At our February 8th meeting, we continued our travels around the world with a stop in South America. The continent of South America is home to nearly 400 million people and consists of 12 countries—Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname—plus an overseas department of France called French Guiana.…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — The Bahamas
Travel Talkers Toastmasters is an online club for everyone who loves travel and enjoys sharing their love of travel. We have members and guests from several states including California, Arizona, Washington, Texas, and Virginia. We also have members and guests from The Bahamas. I had the opportunity to attend the Toastmasters International Convention held in The Bahamas…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–North America
At Travel Talkers Toastmasters we are launching a 12-week trip around the world during our club meetings. We started our adventure in North America at our January 25th meeting. North America is home to 23 countries, including Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, and many island nations in the Caribbean Sea. Our club members are all located…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Destination Experiences
The theme of our January 18th meeting was Destination Experiences. We heard about travel and preparation for weddings, family reunions, and Toastmasters events. Everyone at the meeting agreed that we expand our horizons at Travel Talkers Toastmasters when we share our travel experiences. Our Destination Master, Kit Myers gave us these clues for a country: If…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Seek the Sun
During the cold dark days of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere many of us are wanting to find the Sun to boost our mood and warm our bodies. The theme of our January 11th meeting was “Seek the Sun.” Our Destination Master, Kit Myers, asked us about our favorite songs about the sun and sunshine. She also asked…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–New Year, New Travels
We started 2024 with our first meeting of the new year on January 4th. Our theme was “New Year, New Travels.” Our Travel Topics Master, Meghan Burns, asked us about trips we want to take, places we have visited that we want to go back to, modes of transportation we prefer, and where we would…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Winter Solstice
The theme of our December 21st meeting was “Winter Solstice.” We shared our memories and preferences for adventures on the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Our Destination Master, Kit Myers, gave us these clues for a city. If you guessed Chicago, Illinois, you are correct! Our speaker…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Winter Holiday Weekend
In between Thanksgiving and the end of the year is the perfect time to take a Winter Holiday Weekend. This was the theme of our December 14 meeting. Our guests and members had the opportunity to share where they would go and what they would do on their Winter Holiday Weekend. Our Travel Topics Master, Helen Josephine,…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Sand or Snow
Planning a winter vacation is often a decision between somewhere sunny and somewhere snowy. The theme of our December 7th meeting was “Sand or Snow.” We found out which of our members and guests prefer a sandy winter vacation and which prefer the snow. Our Destination Master, Kit Myers, gave us these clues for her…
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Travel Talker Toastmasters–Meet the Family
At our November 30th meeting, we talked about travel to meet the family. Our members come from many different cities and cultures and everyone shared their stories during our Travel Topics session. Crystal Campbell lead our impromptu session by asking us questions about our family experiences. She wanted to know which family member we hated…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Discount Trips
The theme of our November 16th meeting was Discount Trips. Our Travel Topics questions were provided by Carlette Curry and asked by Kit Myers. We explored the advantages of comfort over economy in accommodations and in restaurants, with Tym telling us that comfort always comes first in his travel plans. Samantha shared that her bargain…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Festival of Lights
Happy Diwali was the greeting at our meeting on November 9th. We learned about Diwali, the Festival of Lights and the celebration of light over darkness. Diwali is a five-day celebration that includes good food, fireworks, colored sand, and special candles and lamps. It is one of the most significant festivals in India. During the…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Travel Advice
Where do you go for travel advice? Do you have favorite websites, travel books or trusted advisors? At our November 2nd meeting we shared our best sources of travel advice. We also offered each other some of our advice on the best sites to check for hotel and restaurant reviews before you book your trip.…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Hollywood Vacations
The theme for our October 26 meeting was “Hollywood Vacations.” Members were encouraged to think about a trip they took that might have been inspired by a movie or documentary. Our speaker, Raji Bandanapudi, gave a speech about a trip she took with friends to attend the Hollywood Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Los…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Great Museums
At our October 19th meeting our theme was Great Museums. We explored the Louvre in Paris, the Guggenheim in Balboa and the Hermitage in St Petersburg. Our Travel Topics Master, Kit Myers displayed a picture of 7 great museums and asked us about our experiences visiting them and what we might expect to find. Our…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Australia and New Zealand
We invited our members and guests to take a trip to Australia and New Zealand for our October 12th meeting. Our travel topics master, Samantha, asked each of us travel questions about what we would like to see and do while visiting these two great travel destinations. We had fun creating our own unique vacations…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Traveling Solo
The theme of our October 5th meeting was “Traveling Solo,” which gave everyone the opportunity to talk about what we like and dislike about traveling solo. Our Destination Master, Raji Bandanapudi asked each of us questions related to the theme. Lisa Hamil told us about several long road trips she took and how she enjoyed…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Pathways
Within Toastmasters, Pathways is the educational program we follow to become better speakers, evaluators, and leaders. As part of this program we learn about our own communication and leadership styles and we learn how to recognize those styles in others. The speaking projects in the program encourage us to try new skills in our speeches…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Choose Your Destination
The theme of our September 14th meeting was “Choose Your Destination” and we enjoyed two speeches at our meeting. Vernitta Brown gave a speech on positive thinking and Meghan Burns gave a speech on passports as souvenirs. Vernitta encouraged all of us to think positive and never give up. She told us about her first…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Small Countries
We love to travel and explore new cities and countries. Sometimes we might discount the appeal of a small country thinking there might not be much to explore. In our meeting on September 7th, with the theme of “Small Countries,” we explored the many wonderful and exciting experiences we have had visiting small countries. These…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Travel Souvenirs
Do you try to find the perfect memento of your trip? Do you collect postcards, magnets, matchbooks, t-shirts, or city maps–small tokens that remind you of your adventures and gifts for those at home? At our August 31 meeting, Kit Myers shared her lifelong habit of collecting and sharing postcards in her speech, “Souvenirs from…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Crossing Borders
The theme of our August 24th meeting was Crossing Borders and we had the opportunity to hear a speech from Stephen Andert, “Tales of Border Crossings,” about his experiences. Stephen has visited over 25 countries around the world and he shared some of his adventures with us. Recently, while on a business trip, he spent…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters –City Parks and Peaceful Walks
Our August 10 meeting gave us an opportunity to find out about city parks and peaceful walks. Travel Topics Master Samantha Jamwal asked us questions about our favorite park activities, our favorite city park fountains and if we had unlimited money, how would we design a city park. Our Destination Master, Kit Myers, gave us…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Wide Open Spaces
We explored new travel destinations at our meeting on August 3 with the theme of “Wide Open Spaces.” Our Destination Master, Samantha Jamwal, gave us these clues for her destination. If you guessed Death Valley National Park, you are correct! Kit Myers was our Travel Topics Master and she asked us questions about where and…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters–Hawaiian Adventures
At our July 27 meeting we celebrated officially becoming a Toastmasters club. We added 6 new members and voted to become Travel Talkers Toastmasters, club number 04670726. We meet weekly on Thursdays from 6:30pm to 7:30pm Pacific time. To celebrate this accomplishment, we took a trip to Hawaii. Our Destination Master, Meghan Burns, provided these…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Moonshot
Our July 20th meeting commemorated the day that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Armstrong walked on the Moon 54 years ago on July 20, 1969. A moonshot is defined by Merriam Webster as a monumental effort and a lofty goal—in other words, a “giant leap.” While most of us will never set foot on the moon,…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Follow the Sun
The theme of our July 13 meeting was “Follow the Sun,” a phrase which reminds us to seek out and celebrate the long days of summer and to enjoy the world. Our speaker, Samantha Jamwal, gave a speech on optimism. She concluded that even though she tends to be a pessimist, seeing the worst in…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Coast to Coast
The theme of our July 6 meeting was “Coast to Coast.” Trips across the country or down to the ocean shore. Summer travel and beaches are the perfect combination. Kit Myers was our Travel Topics Master. She provided pictures and prompts that reminded her of coast to coast travel from California to Florida. We each…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Adventures in Europe
Travel to Europe from the US is very popular this year and is expected to grow 55% in the Summer of 2023. The theme for our June 22 meeting was “Adventures in Europe.” Kit Myers in her speech, “Before You Go: Travel Tips,” provide several suggestions for how to make our trips more affordable and…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Thrills of a Lifetime
The theme of our June 15 meeting was “Thrills of a Lifetime.” Was it a trip designed to test your fear of heights or help your explore an underwater paradise? Or perhaps it was a trip to one of the most famous cities in the world you never thought you would ever have the chance…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters –Wanderlust
Wanderlust, the feeling that you need to be out exploring the world, visiting cities and countries new to you, finding that Island getaway, or enjoying the natural beauty of the forest. Wanderlust was the theme of the June 8th meeting of Travel Talkers Toastmasters. We heard a speech from Samantha Jamwal about her recent vacation…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Summer Holidays
Our meeting theme for the June 1st meeting was “Summer Holidays.” Our Travel Topics Master, Vernitta Brown, asked us questions about our plans for a summer holiday this year, how soon we need to start booking our holiday, and any tips we had for how to start planning. She also asked us about tips for…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Music Everywhere
Our May 24th meeting was a celebration of music and travel. Vernitta Brown’s speech, “Who Doesn’t Like Music?” was a tribute to her favorite songs in many types of music genres including Gospel, Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues, Soul, and Reggae. She started and ended her speech with the beat of the drum and…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Capital Cities
The May 11th meeting of Travel Talkers Toastmasters featured travel to the capital cities of the world. Our speaker, Meghan Burns entertained us with her speech, “Three Dances in Mexico City,” about her recent work trip to meet with colleagues and enjoy Mexico City. The first dance was an evening performance of the Ballet Folklorico…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Never Stop Exploring Your World
The theme of the May 4th meeting reminded all of us that there is so much to explore in our world. Our meeting included a speech by Kit Myers, the mystery destination presented by Avis Russell, and travel topics led by Antoinette Thompson. Our Destination Master, Avis Russell gave us clues about a city she…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Eco Travel
The theme of our April 20 meeting was Eco Travel. We discussed how we experience eco travel and shared tips on how to participate in eco travel. Our destination master for the meeting was Meghan Burns. She shared these clues about a destination she will be visiting soon. If you guessed Mexico City, you are…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Romantic Destinations
The theme of our April 13, 2023 meeting was Romantic Destinations. We shared stories about honeymoons, island getaways, and outdoor adventures. Any destination can be romantic, but some have that special ambiance. The word of the day was, “nostalgic.” At the meeting, we were remembering special locations that reminded us of romantic interludes and feeling…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters — Springtime in Paris
Our April 6th meeting was all about Spring and trips to enjoy the beauty and bounty of Spring. The word of the day provided by Meghan was “resplendent” which was the perfect adjective for us to use while we described the flowers and scenery of our Spring trips. Our Travel Topics Master was Kit Myers…
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Travel Talkers Toastmasters – Travel Gone Wrong
Each of us has a story about a travel adventure gone wrong–lost tickets, cancelled flights, luggage delayed. But even these mishaps, missteps and missed connections do not deter us from enjoying our trips. At our October 27th, meeting we heard two speeches and enjoyed Travel Topics based on the meeting theme of “Travel Gone Wrong.”…