Wednesday 13 June 2012

Networking

Wow, Bob...

Bob is registered with the Chamber of Commerce here in Oberwart and they sent an invite to a Networking evening which we went to last night. Bob is a tad on the shy side, and therefore was not too keen to go.

So, there were about twenty business people there and it was interesting to meet them. In the beginning it was just mingling with drinks, but then we all sat down and the speaker told us that we should all introduce ourselves in detail...

Now I think most people, including myself and Bob, get an elevated heart rate at this point. It is really not so easy to get up in front of people to speak ! We sat in the middle, so it took a while before it was our turn ( I was the only woman there and thought they would ask me first, but I dodged that bullet ! ). Bob whispered " Please speak for me " but I sort of ignored it worrying about my own dilemma..

Bob has only been learning German since we got here, and it is a difficult language to learn. But he is getting better by the day. So, when it was his turn to speak, he floored me with his eloquent and long introduction to the group - all in German. Wow !!! Even the members sat up. Super.

Afterwards a few people came up to Bob to speak with him and express their admiration. They all told him that they would have battled to speak so well in english.

This is what makes this move to Burgenland so exciting. Each and every day we grow and have new experiences and integrate.

What makes me chuckle, is that Chamber of Commerce functions are similar all over. Wine is the lubricator of meetings...

Biggi

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