408. We had our student meetup in Barcelona! | My Relocation Diaries

Hey, everyone. Welcome to my Relocation Diaries series, where I share with you the behind the scenes of my life and what it's like to move to a new country. All the struggles and joyful moments that I'm experiencing. And today I want to talk about something really, really big that happened to me. I shared. I teased you about it in previous episodes, and if you're a student of mine, you already know what I'm about to talk about, and it is the community meetup, Student community meetup that we just hosted on June 1st in Barcelona, which is where I live. Oh, my goodness.

I don't even know where to begin.

So I guess the easiest for me would be with just describing what happened over the weekend, and then I can go into the details of what it felt like and my biggest takeaways from this experience. So we've been planning this for quite a few months. Our last community meetup was in October of 2022. So that was a while back. And since we had that meetup, which was amazing, I've had so many students ask me, okay, when do we meet next? When is our next meetup? When are we going to see you, Hadar? And I kept saying, soon, soon. I promise, I promise we're going to tell you the date ahead of time. Don't worry about it. But then, you know, like, life happened and all these different things were happening. And one of my students, Bushra, it's you.

If you are listening to this, then.

I'm speaking about you. Bushra was like, hadar, you got to give me a date. I need to plan. I need to come and see you and the community. So you got to give us a date. I'm like, yes, I know, I know. And every time we would meet in one of the sessions in beyond my program, she'd be like, hadar, do you already have a date? Speaking about holding someone accountable, right? And at some point, I said, okay, I can't. I can't go on a zoom call again and have Bushra ask me for. For the date without having a date.

So I called my team and I'm.

Like, you guys, we have to make a decision. I'm saying it as if it was their problem.

It was totally my problem for not.

Coming up with a date and a place. Because we were like, where are we going to do it? Should we do it here or there? Like in Europe, in Asia, in the Americas? Where should we do it? And then I said, well, I just moved to Barcelona, and I know the easiest for me would be to organize it here, I can oversee it. I can make sure that we find the right venue, the right vendors. So we decided to do it here in Barcelona. And then right after I moved here, we said, okay, we gotta think of a date. Because I made a promise to get.

Back to the community with a date.

So I think it was, like, the day of the next Zoom call that we were supposed to have. And I knew that Boucher was going to be there, and I knew that I made a promise to get back to her by a certain date. So we sat down and we started, like, we looked at our calendar and all our plans and the programs that we enroll people into, like, when we launch different programs, when we have other events. And then we said, okay, it seems like Yellen on my team is getting married in August. There is another team member that is. Yeah, Kayla is getting married in July. We're like, okay, all of these events. What are we gonna do? Let's have it in June. So we decided that it's going to be at the beginning of June. And I showed up on Zoom, and I said, you guys, we have a date for you. And I told them that it's going to be the beginning of June. And from that moment on, that's it. There was no turning back. Not that I wanted to turn back, but it had to happen. So we told our students, we gave them the date June 1st, and we started planning. People started buying tickets, and, you know, they're like, okay, tell us what the plan is.

We're like, we don't know. We just set a date, and we have all these other things to do.

But then we said, okay, let's sit down, have, like, a general plan, and then go into the details as we get closer to the date, and we finish, like, all these other big things that we have. So we ended up planning one long day on a Saturday. So an entire day where our beyond students and all of our New Sound students are invited to come join us for this event. Now, here's an important thing. Our community is one of the most rewarding, fulfilling things that exist for me personally. Like, it has been a dream of mine for many, many years. I've always dreamt of building an online community with people from all around the world that would make connections and practice English together, but to make it not about English, but about the connections. And throughout the years, I was able to do that, of course, with the help of my team and with the help of our leaders inside of our community. But it has always been an online community. Now we've had several meetups, like offline meetups, small offline meetups. And we had the big meetup in New York. But it was amazing to see how strong this community was or is. Even though it's an online community now, the connections between people are absolutely incredible. These are people who meet on a regular basis. They know so much about each other. They allow themselves to be open and vulnerable and to share things. And sometimes the relationships are more profound and closer than real life relationships. There is something really freeing about meeting someone online that you don't know that holds space for you and is interested in you and is interested in sharing more about themselves. And it's a format that doesn't really exist in real life. Because think about it, when you meet a person in real life, like, you first of all meet them in your circle. Maybe it's a parent from your kid's school, or maybe it's someone you went to school with, right? And they're like, it usually starts with a superficial friendship. And then like, if you have the same vibe or values or same circles, you end up forming a stronger relationship, which is incredible. Like, you know, I have. My real life friends are people who have been with me for many, many years, and they're like a huge part of my life. But being a part of an online community where the rules are different around how you make connections and how quickly you become more personal, and especially when it comes to speaking in English, because the topics that we use in our communities are deep and challenging and thought provoking. And it gets people to be at their best and just like themselves. Like, they don't have to bring, like, patterns or behaviors that they have that they don't like in their personal lives. And this is why I think the community that we created is really so special and unique. And taking that and putting it in a physical space is really so powerful. And we've experienced that over the weekend. Now, planning for it was exciting. Like, really exciting. I was dreaming about it, I was thinking about it. Anytime we would do something else, it'd be like, I just want to plan or for the meetup. But also it had like, an insane sense of responsibility. I mean, think about it. Here I am hosting an event where dozens of people sign up. We ended up having 80 people from around the world come to Barcelona to be with us. Think of the responsibility that we have.

Felt hosting this event.

What if something would not work out?

What if all of a sudden the.

Venue would tell us, oh, we actually double booked and you don't have A space. What if the food is bad? What if, I don't know, something happens, there is a train strike or I don't know, like think of how much responsibility we have to making sure that everything works out smoothly. Now luckily we are very experienced at making things happen. And I'm not going to go into all the details, but technically in terms of the planning, everything worked perfectly. Thank God. You know, I'm so grateful. But we also planned really well. But also like, what if people don't enjoy? What if people regret? What if it's boring? What if they don't connect with each other? So I kept asking myself all these questions, like really wanting to make sure that it works out. What I didn't know is that it wasn't about me or the space or the food. They came because they wanted to see each other. Now, yes, of course they wanted to meet me and the team. But also it was about going into a place where you can physically feel what you have been a part of for months or years. That was completely virtual. You know, I gave a speech and.

I said at some point and I think that part was the part that.

Everyone resonated with the most. And I said, you know, I know what it took you to get here today and how you had to over explain yourself to people, why you're getting on a plane to meet a bunch of people you have never met in your life.

And everyone started laughing and clapping and I was like, I know, I know what it has been like because no one gets it.

No one who is not a part of a really strong online community. No one gets what it's like to want to see these people, that these people are true friends are like family. They're like family, you know, and it's really hard to explain it to someone who is not a part of it. And the thing is that this community has created such an incredible environment for people to thrive personally, but also in English. Because when you feel safe and supported and loved and that people are interested in you, then it gets you to speak. And when you speak, you see progress. When you speak confidently, you realize that you can and you keep doing it more and more and more. So usually like, you know, the. The experience of being a part of a really strong, powerful, supportive community is not just about the people, it's also about what it does to as a person. And we have seen that. We were able to see it because we were all in the same room together. I feel like I'm a little scattered, like talking about all these different Things. But I'm really, like, I feel so charged with everything that happened and so incredibly grateful. So let me go back a little bit and tell you about how this all went. So we planned it. People started buying tickets and plane tickets, but also tickets to the event because it included breakfast and lunch and drinks and everything. And when we saw that people actually sign up and we had like, 50 and then 60, I booked one venue, and then I was like, okay. It kept growing. 70, 80. I'm like, okay, I need a bigger venue. Let's look for the right place. And we found this gorgeous place in the historic center of Barcelona, like this big art gallery and flamenco theater. And it was just perfect. And we anticipated, like, we all imagined how it would feel like and look like. So that was planned for Saturday, but on Wednesday before that, Saturday, my team came into town, and on Thursday night, we had a team dinner. No, actually, like, I'm going to share with you all the events that we have. On Thursday, all my team came over to my house, and we met and we hugged and we talked, and we got excited. Excited. And we started planning for, like, the specific details of the event. And then in the afternoon, our Barcelona volunteers came in. So I have a bunch of students from Barcelona, actually, who, of course, plan to attend the event. And they also volunteered to create a lot of activities around it because the event was only on Saturday. So they planned things for Saturday night and Sunday evening. They planned this incredible picnic in Escape City, where. Where you can find. You need to find the location of the city. They did a remarkable job planning that. And as a thank you, and also, we wanted to get to know them more in person, I invited them to my house. It was amazing. They brought us a lot of small gifts, and it was really, really great. So I had that on Thursday. Thursday evening, a friend of mine who was a chef came over to my house and cooked dinner for my entire team. And that was also incredible, just to be with my team and talk and hang out, say thanks, you know, because also, as a team, we work virtually. And it was amazing to be in the same room together. Friday, we met again in the morning for a bit more planning. We planned a kahoot game. I hope you know what that is. Kahoot. And that was a lot of fun. We came up with all these ridiculous questions, and we were planning to do a kahoot and karaoke. And also we had speeches and a team panel. So we were kind of like, going into the details of all of that, making sure that everyone knows what they're supposed to do. On the day of Friday night, we had a special event for our community leaders. So inside our programs, New Sound and Beyond, we have students who have completed or participated in the program and they are more active in the community and beyond. These are hosts who host conversation groups and sessions. And in New Sound it's ambassadors who also host conversation groups. But they also help facilitate the program to new students. They share their experience, they support our new students and help them get to the finish line. And these people are really, really important and critical for our community because they help us maintain the vibe of the community and make sure that everyone is supported. Because I can't see everything and the team can't see everything and everyone. But we can see the leaders, the hosts and the ambassadors and they tell us what's happening inside their groups and they're sharing, they bring the impact and the philosophy to our students and they're so generous and they're so incredible and they're volunteering to do this. And of course, you know, it's, it's a part of their own personal journey. But also they make a huge impact on our students lives. And we just wanted to take a moment and spend some time with them and to say thank you. So we planned a special dinner just for them. It was like a three course meal in this gorgeous place in the historic center, the Gothic Barrio Gotico. And that was really, really amazing because these are people that have been with us for years. And it was really great to have that private time with them because I knew that the next day 80 people is going to be insane. I'm not going to be able to have like a serious deep conversation with anyone. So luckily we had that on Friday night and that was amazing. And then Saturday morning we woke up and at 11 the team was there. At 10am we went there. I was like mainly thinking about my speech and making sure that everything is planned out. I also had my parents come in and my daughters come in because my parents came here for the event. And from that moment on it was like one of the most memorable days of our lives. People started coming in and the love that was in the room was just remarkable. Now I'm not kidding when I say like it all flew by so quickly. At the beginning we had our reception, a lot of hugs and conversations and food. Then we went into the theater and I spoke, the team spoke, we danced a little bit. Then we had a team panel and we kind of like we asked the, the audience to ask any question they have and we Got some really amazing questions about us, about life, about the company. And after that we had lunch and we played games, we danced. There was also a photo booth there and people were taking photos. Look at that. Like, I have about a million different photos with my team, with my students, with everyone. This is, is such an amazing memory. So that was. Yeah, I took a lot of photos, as you can see. That was pretty incredible. And I think that the energy that was in the air of just like everyone together in the same room was something I would never, ever, ever forget in my life. And I realized that it really wasn't, like I said at the beginning, it wasn't just about me, it wasn't just about that one day. And it definitely wasn't about the or venue, even though that was lovely and everything worked out really nicely. But seeing them meeting each other, thanking each other, remembering each other from the different sessions and the different programs, learning about each other's journey was just so complete. Like it really was something that it was a huge win for them to be there that day as a milestone for going through this incredible journey, building their confidence, opening up and doing the work to make English the means to living the life they want. And on that day it felt like everyone was really at their best. They were themselves, they were communicative and most of them spoke English from 11am to 6pm non stop. And that's a win in and of itself. But beyond that, you know, there was like a WhatsApp group for everyone in the community. And they kept sending photos not just from the day of the event, but from the night before and two nights before and the night after and the following day. They kept meeting each other and they hung out in all different places in the city in different groups, one on one. And we kept seeing them just sending those photos with another sangria and glass of wine and tapas and like it was just so wonderful to see. Now at the end of the meetup, I went home and I was like, yeah, I'm going to go and meet them and we're going to go and hang out.

But I was so exhausted, I was just like done.

So I got into bed. My daughter, my sweet daughter Asya came over and she's like, mom, you did great today. It was really, really good. You spoke really nicely.

And I felt, oh, this is such a nice validating feeling right now hearing her say that.

And my parents, they were so proud. They just walked there and everyone came to them and they hugged them and they thanked, thank them.

And my parents were like my mom.

Said, I have never been so proud in my life. And we did a karaoke party there. So we sang a few songs and I invited my dad to sing with.

Me and we sang together and everyone started crying. I was like, wait, no, that's not what I meant.

We sang you've Got a Friend by Carole King. So that was a really, like, there were a lot of really cute moments. And then the community planned a flash mob. So like, like they dance together and then they started doing all these line dances and they danced salsa. Jelena from my team is like a remarkable salsa dancer. And apparently one of my students is also a salsa dancer. We had a lot of salsa dancers in our community and they all danced and I was just like, dude, that is remarkable. So we discovered each other in a different way, both the team, the family, and the students. And that was. I love the online world, but gosh, meeting in real life is just amazing. But it's also good that it's like once in a while, right? Because otherwise that wouldn't have been possible because we had so many people from all these different places. The next day we had our picnic. We had the escape city. So they did these different routes, different groups. 70 people signed up for it.

So it's just incredible.

And we met for a picnic and kind of like hugged a bit more and talked more. So it was good to have that experience. It was more chill and we were able to have deeper conversations on Sunday. And yeah, I met with the team a few more times over the weekend and that's it. And people started sharing their experience and how grateful they were and how happy they were to have had this, this experience. And I. After everyone left, I think it was Tuesday or Wednesday, I felt so, like I couldn't focus. I felt completely drained. Not in a bad way because it was really good and there was so much giving and receiving, but also I feel like receiving all this love is like, it's so enormous and big that I had to kind of like check out from being practical and like my day to day life and just rest and be in it for a little bit. And this is why I felt like really tired because it's a lot to receive all this incredible love.

My God, I'm gonna cry from these amazing students that I've known that like.

They'Ve opened up and share their lives.

And gave so much for, for me and for my community and.

And I really did feel so loved and appreciated and I felt like I love everyone so much and I appreciated everyone so Much.

Oh, my God, this is becoming really, really cheesy.

But, you guys, this has. This was really big, and this is why I have to share all of this with you, because it's a huge part of my life and. And my business, and I am so freaking grateful for it.

And it's really the essence of what I do and what we do. And for those of you who have been in the meetup, I just want to say thank you for making this day so special and for being a.

Part of it and for trusting us.

And for freaking getting on a plane.

And I came from Colombia for three days, and Caro came from Argentina and Lisandra from the US And Jessica as well. And, like, so many people came from Europe, and Claudiana came with all her siblings here that I got to meet.

Not all of them, only four, but, like, you know, I got to see my students, spouses.

And Vicki came from Mexico with her.

Family, and her son was like. He was, like, so excited to meet me. He was like, gave me a big hug because he does the sprints with Vicki.

And it's like, you. You realize that you are part of people's lives and they are a part of your life. And it was just really overwhelming, in a good way. But also, I feel like I need to take some time to recharge and find the place to hold all that love, because it really is a lot. And I'm so blessed. I'm so grateful for this and for, you know, having the right team, the, you know, my amazing team who has been there and made everything work so beautifully and they enjoyed so much being with a community. You know, Jelena and Christina and Avi and Luca from my team and Gil, you know, we've all worked together so well, and, you know, doing this together, making this happen, showed us that we can, you know, if we get together online or in person, we can do a lot together. So, yeah, that was my weekend, and now I'm going to rest a little bit more and find my center again and plan for the next meetup. Everyone was like, okay, when? Where are we going to meet next?

I'm like, wait, let me. Let me catch up on my sleep, and then we can make a decision.

Okay, so that's it. If you're listening to this and you're not a part of any community in your English experience, studies, first of all, dude, join our community. We have a free community on Facebook. It's called the influency community. And if you're not a part of it, come join, because There are conversation clubs, and the magic is already there. And, of course, we have beyond and new sound with the most incredible, most committed, most inspiring people I know. So just so you know, that is waiting for you as well. I'm not trying to market it. I'm not trying to sell anything. Anyway, doors are closed for both programs, so that's not the point. But please get yourself in a community or a place that gets you excited about speaking, that challenges you, that makes you want to open up and share, that allows you to be a better listener and to pay attention and to hold space for others, because that not only improves our English, but it makes us better human beings. And I've seen all those incredible human beings, really. And it's good to be around people who are like you and who make you want to be a better person, because my students definitely make me want to be a better person. So thank you, students, and thank you, listeners. And that's it. I also want to say, by the way, thank you to my students for not putting me on the spot and asking me to speak Spanish with them.

They were just curious about my progress, but they did put me on the spot and started having a conversation with.

Me in Spanish, maybe. Except for Soraya, who did try at the end to push me to practice a bit, but I appreciate her for that. So thank you, Soraya. All right, I feel like I have a bunch of new friends from here, from Spain, from Barcelona, and definitely from within my community. All right, I'm done. I'm done. Because I'm gonna get even more sappy if I continue talking, so let's. Let's end it here. I love you all. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast today. And I'll see you or I'll talk to you next week.

Bye.

Sa.