ALLeGRO (01-04/12): the comeback!

ALLeGRO (01-04/12): the comeback! – You thought it was over, but we continued to work, and now we want to share it all with you, our fellow Toastmasters…

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To many of us, December 2018 remains an unforgettable period when we felt even more proud than usual to be Toastmasters. This is because we were experiencing a fantastic event held by two Districts (109 and 59), a unique celebration that will go down in European Toastmasters history. The time has now come, therefore, for us to share parts of our Allegro experience with all the rest of you so
that you can also understand why it was so special.

It was held on a cruise ship.

We are attending a major Toastmasters event in a floating village owned by Costa Cruises. This village is not a small boat, but a massive one that can travel from Europe to the Caribbean. Although our Allegro sea journey is limited to the Mediterranean, it is still captivating. The ship is like a modern version of the old TV series, “The Love Boat.” Getting from our cabins at the back of the vessel to the restaurants and meeting rooms at the center takes us about 20 minutes (even after we stop getting lost).

There was a wide variety of training available.

Toastmasters are conducting all of the workshops from different districts. Although speech contests usually take priority at major district events, this time, the focus is solely on training. This event is highly successful in achieving its primary goal of providing training opportunities. In addition to the traditional Toastmasters workshops, we also have the chance to participate in other learning opportunities such as “How to protect yourself if the ship is sinking” and “How to elegantly dance to Italian music in the middle of a packed restaurant,” both of which are led by the ship’s staff. It’s worth noting that everyone is included in these activities. For more information about the workshops, please visit the website. Additionally, Allegro created a unique mini-Youth Leadership Program for the young people on board, which we all enjoy immensely.

It offered us excellent fellowship opportunities.

We are currently having a great time at the Allegro event. We are forming close relationships with Toastmasters from our own and neighboring districts. Fun events, such as rhetorical battles, are filling up our evenings. In addition, we can meet even more Toastmasters on their home grounds. We are being greeted and hosted by locals who have organized “Walk and Talk” events for us in Marseille and Barcelona. We enjoyed exploring beautiful cities with unique visitors from Districts 107, 95, and 110. while playing tabletop games. It was a fun and educational experience that left us with beautiful memories. If you missed Allegro, don’t worry! There are many more enjoyable and informative events to attend. We encourage you to check out the Division and District conferences being organized for this spring. After all, as Dr Ralph Smedley says, “We learn best in moments of enjoyment.”

Arrivederci to all!
Lilian Shaftacola and Virginia Calabritto

PS: We’re grateful to Captain Patricia Mansencal from Italy, who organized the event, and all the Toastmasters who helped make it happen.

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