Networking, Dining, and Enjoying the View
Stand Out Networking Hub
As the Consul of the Putting Fun Back into Business Group in Bucharest, Andreea Elefteriadis was responsible for organizing the Social and Business Networking Event in May. Although the get-together itself was by no means out of the ordinary, the venue was impressive!
Tell us about this specific activity! What made it special?
When taking over the group as Consul, my approach was to find interesting locations that have a story and a vision and add discussion topics to each event so that we can have a central discussion point. This event was true to my original vision as it was hosted in the beautiful Vila Oromolu which now houses a creative space called Qreator. We also discussed work-life balance from the perspective of the members present. I think the central location and the mix of old architectural details with the new revolutionary details attracted so many people. We enjoyed a nice dinner in a nearby location after the formal meeting.
What do you love about the group/community? Tell us about the best experience you’ve had with them!
I enjoy the diversity in our group and the fact that you meet new people every time very much, and you discover their life story and their expat story in particular. I learned a lot by interacting with such bright and vibrant people. I cannot select just one experience to call the best as every event has its own flavor and dynamic.
How has organizing activities changed your life abroad?
It confirmed that I really like putting people together and “building bridges”. I like facilitating experience, sharing in an environment that showcases local culture and specificity. I appreciate all the people I have met during the events and I have grown personally due to these experiences.
Unique Dining Experience
The Grenoble Professional Networking Group is perfect for everyone who wants to learn more about business opportunities and expand their network. In May, Purity Hassan invited her group to a trading bar, where the drink prices are subject to change, similar to the stock market. Guests could act as apprentice traders at this networking night.
Tell us about this specific activity! What made it special?
Organizing these events is a thrill for me and a challenge at the same time because I always want to make sure everyone has the most fun and connects with each other organically. So, when I thought of this particular event, I wanted to fuse a professional lifestyle with something relaxing and fun. I found this new bar and thought it definitely must be an amazing place for acting out our New York Stock Exchange dreams! What made it special was that Julien had his birthday the same day, mine had been two days before and two other members had their birthdays within the same period. So, it turned out to be a birthday celebration. We had pre-drinks at the bar testing out the prices after each countdown. Taz, the DinnerNations Consul suggested having dinner afterwards, so we picked a random Japanese restaurant down the street. Walking in the rain, we headed out to dinner and then ended up at LocoMosquito, a Latino dance bar. It was absolutely fun! We ended up dancing the whole night to salsa, bachata, and lots more. At the end of the day, the spirit of the community makes the best memories!
What do you love about the group/community? Tell us about the best experience you’ve had with them!
The Professionals Networking Group has been a great experience. First, I met two amazing women, Cathy and Sabina, who are just phenomenal. At the first event I hosted, we had a fun and amazing night meeting top people in the tech industry. Some events after, I also met my now good friend, Julia, who just moved from Japan to France a couple of months ago, and her boyfriend. And there's Frederic, Denise, Pascale, and Francoise who are experts in the industry and always generous about sharing their experiences. Every time we meet up, we have the best experience and I believe this is driven by a sense of family, mutual benefit, and fun. These experiences go beyond InterNations, from recommending a new banking platform to attending each other's birthday party. We easily became friends. Everyone is open-minded, welcoming, and supportive.
How has organizing activities changed your life abroad?
Grenoble is a unique city. Embarking on the Professional Group is a bit daunting than other groups because there isn't a lot of options that appeal to the professional person besides everyone wants to have a great time after work. So I make them the subject of the events. I find out what they would love to do before I host another one. I also have to find ways to be creative and ensure I create a safe space where everyone feels welcome. I have come to learn about exciting topics and industries from technology to production and learn about different cultures. It's impressive the amount of experience and growth you gain from each event. One of the exciting memories I have was from the Networking Night, where we talked about Artificial Intelligence and the threat to our everyday lives. Was it a myth or not! The conversation that enthused is one I will never forget! My goal is to keep looking for creative ways to keep the conversation going and ensuring we all have a good time after a long day at work!
Best View
The Brussels La Dolce Vita Group enjoyed the impressive view at their May activity. From Kwint, a popular outdoor venue, well-loved by the group, they overlooked the center of the town of Brussels. As the Consul of this wonderful group, Marwan Chab aims to provide high-quality and exclusive events for them to enjoy their life to the fullest.
Tell us about this specific activity! What made it special?
Every summer, we organize a series of outdoor networking activities. It is the time of the year when our members enjoy the weather with great conversions. In this particular location at Monts Art, Brussels, we could get a whole glimpse of the city while we fetched drinks from the local bar nearby, and we also brought musicians to provide great background music. This particular event was in fact a double venue: we started outdoors to kick-off the evening and celebrate summer, and later on in the evening, we went to the garden of a nearby Italian restaurant where we listened to live music with a saxophonist. It was great fun!
What do you love about the group/community? Tell us about the best experience you’ve had with them!
The members of the group are all beautiful souls! They like to join in great numbers, and despite the large size of the group, they almost all know each other. The best experience I had with them was when I decided to re-locate to the UK. I got a lot of messages thanking me for those events that I organized, and I even got thank-you messages from some couples who had met at my events. It was nice to hear that I had really introduced them to each other!
How has organizing activities changed your life abroad?
This indeed made a big difference to my social life. For every place I really enjoyed visiting, I organized an event with the group. It was great to always be surrounded by colleagues and friends.
In my case, I have also studied part-time to be a sommelier and I also run the Wine Group to share my knowledge of wine. Without InterNations, I would not have been able to share my knowledge as a sommelier and organize great wine tasting activities with the group.
