English as a Second Language

Bonsoir à tous! Venez nombreux pour causer autour d'un repas ou d'un verre chez La Madeleine. On n'a que deux règles: (1) qu'on y parle exclusivement le français et (2) qu'on achète quelque chose à boire ou à manger (c'est La Madeleine qui le demande). Merci et à bientôt!

Improve your speaking skills in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere where speakers of all languages are welcome. This program is supported by library volunteers and requires a basic working knowledge of English. Registration required. Registration is required. RSVPing on Meetup does not register you for the program. [To register and see more details, visit our events calendar. ](https://pwcgov.libnet.info/events?start=today&end=2023-2-28&term=english)

It's time for the first England game as the Three Lions open up their campaign against consecutive semifinalists, Croatia, at Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas. This is the 17th World Cup finals for England, with their best finish being winning the trophy back in 1966. More recently, the Three Lions have twice reached the Semifinals in 1990 and 2018. Croatia gained independence in 1990. This is their sixth appearance in the World Cup finals. Their best performance was in 2018 when they finished second, with third place achieved in 1998 and 2022. The two nations have squared off nine times in history. England has five wins, Croatia has three, and one draw. We'll be meeting at Hawk & Griffin in Vienna for this one from 3 pm to see how this one goes down - Join Us!

Improve your speaking skills in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Mejore sus habilidades para hablar inglés en un ambiente amigable y relajado. Improve your speaking skills in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere where speakers of all languages are welcome. First come, first served until capacity is reached unless otherwise stated. Supported by the Literacy Volunteers of America. Mejore sus habilidades para hablar inglés en un ambiente amigable y relajado donde los hablantes de todos los idiomas son bienvenidos. Asistencia por orden de llegada hasta completar aforo, a menos que se indique lo contrario.

Let us meet up for a language exchange. We will give out name tags. You write your name and what language you speak and what language you would like to exchange. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. Also\, if you are a native speaker and would like to teach your language\, apply by email\, we are hiring\. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

**Our Meetup is off to another hiking adventure! Mt Kilimanjaro, as the tallest mountain in Africa, is included in the 7 Summits of the world.** **It is a bucket-list item for all hard-core hikers and mountain lovers.** We did this trek with Meetup in the summer of 2024 and it was a true experience of a lifetime (see photos below) Let's get to some numbers. It is 5,895m/19,340ft BUT . . . our starting elevation for the trek is 3795m/12541ft As such elevation gain is 2100m/6799ft To compare Everest Base Camp trek, is about 2754m/9035ft elevation change. And Mt Whitney is about 1828m/6000ft elevation change. The key to being able to succeed in this endeavor lays in the route and the support system. We are taking the Lemosho Route via the Northern Circuit. The Northern Circuit route is the longest and newest of the seven established Kilimanjaro routes. It's one of the best routes because it has the best acclimatization profile. This results in one of the highest summit success rates. Add to that stunning views, and comparatively relaxed pace. It is also much less crowded than the other Kilimanjaro routes. As far as our support system: We will be accompanied by experienced guides, porters and cooks. They are certified, ensuring our safety and comfort. Porters will carry our gear. We will have a high ratio of guides to hikers. Our guides will go our pace and support each and everyone of us, regardless of fitness level and pace. In other words...you go your own speed and we all get there safe. More about our trek/trip. As with all our international trips, we picked the best season/time of year to go for weather and wildlife. Lemosho and Northern Circuit is a scenically spectacular and varied route. At the lower elevations it has an abundance of wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, eland and lion which come over to forage during dry season. **Each of our trips is personally crafted to offer the best places and best use of time.** *But I don't have the needed gear?!* You don't need much more than the standard trekker's equipment. We will provide you with a list of what is already included and what can be rented there. *Does this include food?* All meals on the trek potion are included and a cook travels with us! *What is lodging like?* We are sleeping in new and comfortable tents (carried during the day by porters) *I am new at this.* That's OK. We do plenty of prep Zooms before we depart. And in California we have a number of local outdoor day or weekend outings you can test out with us. *How dangerous is this? What if I get sick or hurt?* We will be walking on an established, well used trail the entire time. **Our trip INCLUDES emergency insurance.** We are also Certified Wilderness First Responders and our guides are members of (AMREF) Flying Doctor. **Plain and simple, safety is our primary goal.** *How much does this cost?* **Kilimanjaro Mountain Trek $3950 per person, double occupancy. Land only (airfare not included). Solo supplement $600** Trip Cost includes: \- 9 nights accommodation \- 3 meals everyday on the trek \- All Fees & Entrances and Taxes \- Camping equipment such as tents\, tables\, chairs\. \- Lead Guide\, Assistant Guides\, Porters and Cook *RSVP to this event shows your interest, but does not hold your space.* ***The only way to secure your spot for this trip is a $300 deposit:*** ***[CLICK HERE FOR SECURE DEPOSIT LINK](https://www.paypal.com/instantcommerce/checkout/8P9NUAVQM8UEN)*** *Deposit is refundable up to 90 days before the departure (less PayPal fees).* *IF you need an airfare quote,* [Click here to message Anna](https://secure.meetup.com/messages/?new_convo=true&member_id=131297062) For more information about this or any of our other international events, fill out this form: **[INTERNATIONAL MEETUPS INFO REQUEST](https://forms.gle/cQdqYw74gAYqphXX8)** To see pictures from our Kilimanjaro adventure in 2024 [CLICK HERE](https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPkfkUp6sEZVQ-xse1di_K19d1QVmSb5KOLeIjynRoWGv_XFLXI8wBfT61XxAHavg?key=U2tKajBuOGRiZkxBOUtTUG1GbUVRVmlDaERCeG5n) We do a monthly Q & A Zoom: Meet others attending, be social, or come and get any questions answered. [Click Here to RSVP to our Zoom](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/296044209/) The MAIN location where this event is posted: [https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/302872805/](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/302872805/) (RSVP there for any conversation and comments) This events is cross posted to several other groups and the number of RSVPs on each is not reflective. We have a set of sister groups where we post our local free, local/regional camping, and our overseas events too. [Click Here ](https://www.meetup.com/CulturalArts/Events)for our other events: Live the adventure instead of only dreaming it! SOT 200318-10

Let us meet up for a language exchange. We will give out name tags. You write your name and what language you speak and what language you would like to exchange. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. Also\, if you are a native speaker and would like to teach your language\, apply by email\, we are hiring\. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

Let us meet up for a language exchange. We will give out name tags. You write your name and what language you speak and what language you would like to exchange. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. Also\, if you are a native speaker and would like to teach your language\, apply by email\, we are hiring\. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

Join us for a peaceful and inspiring Saturday morning at Glenstone on Saturday, June 20 at 10:00 AM! Nestled in Potomac, Maryland, Glenstone is a unique destination where art, architecture, and nature blend together in a beautifully designed space meant for reflection and exploration. **Admission tickets are reserved; please only RSVP if you are committed to attending and arriving on time. The ticket entry time is 10 AM.** We’ll spend the morning wandering through the indoor galleries, outdoor sculpture installations, serene walking paths, and landscaped grounds. Expect a relaxing mix of modern and contemporary art, peaceful scenery, and thoughtful conversation with fellow attendees. The campus is quite large, so comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended. Many visitors spend 2–4 hours exploring the grounds and exhibits. If people are interested, we can go to lunch afterward. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- If you have Instagram, you can check out our account at asiandiningandadventuregroup for photos and announcements of group outings!

🌎 Spanish & English Language Exchange What's in store: 💬 Guided topics to spark great conversation 🎲 Board games to practice phrases while you play 😌 Open, welcoming space — all levels and opinions welcome 📖 Pick up new words and expressions naturally Crossroads has a great atmosphere and board games ready to go — the perfect backdrop for meeting people and practicing in a fun, low-key way. ¡Todos son bienvenidos! / Everyone is welcome!

踏入《广论》研讨班，对许多人来说是开启生命转变的契机。或许您也会好奇：在繁忙的工作与生活之余，投入时间研读佛典，究竟能为人生带来哪些实质的成长与收获？ 《广论》研讨班秉持着日常老和尚以心灵提升、圆满生命的目标，提供大众身、心、灵健康的学习环境与循序渐进的佛法课程。学员通过听师父的录音带和研讨交流，对佛法建立整体认识，全面的理解，同时学习如何将佛法智慧运用于生活中，打造幸福人生。 **《菩提道次第广论》简介** 佛法大全，给与您心灵滋养，人生方向 次第井然，引领您脚踏实地，步步向上 心智科学，帮助您认识自己，了解他人 幸福教育，教会您正确取舍，离苦得乐 生命教育，陪伴您创造希望，走向美好

To secure your spot, purchase your ticket from the Eventbrite link ([https://www.eventbrite.com/e/language-exchange-happy-hour-and-friending-tickets-718774623247](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/language-exchange-happy-hour-and-friending-tickets-718774623247)). RSVPing only on the Meetup Page doesn't allow you to attend the Event. ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT. ABOUT THE EVENT As you all remember well, this event used to bring out hundreds of people every week. However, it was discontinued last year for obvious reasons and we couldn't gather that many people now, because of restrictions. Hence, we are downsizing and caping the number of attendees. We have super limited spots and advance ticket purchase is required. During this unprecedented time we were in lockdowns/confinements and we were not able to stay in touch with our old friends (as we used to) and couldn't make new ones. That is why we came up with the FRIENDING part. We have a lot in common :- We speak different languages, we represent different cultures, we lived/travelled to different countries, we appreciate different accents, we are internationally minded. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. After the formal session, we will rotate attendees from table to table. So that everyone meets everyone. During this session, we use our Lingua Franca, i.e, English. You would get to meet your future friends/acquaintances/buddies/pals /partner-in-crimes or may be more:) To hang out/go out or do things together, like Biking, Hiking, Skiing, Traveling,.....etc. Also, this is an ideal event if you are new in town or not! **Ticket price includes a House Wine/House Beer/Rail Drinks. Cash Bar afterwards (which means you pay as you go). Our signature cocktail Mer-Tini will be featured too. Ask your bartenders.** Rules to abide : 1. Event is 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. Refund & Ticket Resell All sales are final. We only refund the full amount, if the event is canceled. If it is rescheduled, we will send an email to ticket holders advising that. A full refund will be given to those that let us know within 2 calendar days of the update email, if you are unable to make it on the new date. No refunds will be given after that time. However, you can sell your ticket to someone else if you are unable to attend. Please, feel free to post in the comment box for the event, that you have a ticket for sale. Work out payment between yourselves, and have the seller only send the organizer a message letting us know the full name of the person taking your spot. You must let us know two hours before the RSVP close time, on the day of the event. **FOR FURTHER INFO, REFER THE EVENTBRITE LINK AND PURCHASE TICKETS. IT RULES**

Regular boba tea meetup for people to meet, make new friends, or enjoy general conversations. Great for those who are new in town or find new activities to do! We will meet inside Ben Gong’s, and afterwards, at 9 pm, we’ll decide on dinner at a nearby restaurant that is still open. Anyone is free to join us for dinner if they like.

Regular coffee meetup for people to meet, make new friends, or enjoy general conversations with coffee. Great for those who are new in town or looking for new activities to do! This will be held at Weird Brothers Coffee at Worldgate Centre in Herndon. Afterwards, if anyone is interested, we can grab lunch at whichever nearby restaurant in the shopping center. Additional Note: If you are on the Wait List, you can still feel free to attend if you wish.

Join us for conversations that go beyond small talk, diving into topics like the shifting nature of spirituality, the challenges and joys of midlife transitions, the impact of culture and capitalism, and the search for meaning in art, travel, and daily life. Our gatherings are about genuine, thought-provoking dialogue, with no set leader or strict agenda—just an open space to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences that matter to us. The direction of the discussion is shaped by everyone who shows up, making each event unique and enriching. Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others who are also seeking deeper conversations. Let the conversation flow from topic to topic. Optional questions are listed below.

Optional Questions: Life Stages & Transitions

1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging?
2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists?
3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about?

Optional Questions: Identity After the Roles

4. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you?
5. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed?
6. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted?

Optional Questions: AI & Being Human

7. What human experiences will AI never truly understand?
8. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do?
9. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated?

Optional Questions: Belief & Meaning

10. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space?
11. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live?
12. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self?

Optional Questions: The Modern Psyche

13. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have?
14. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire?
15. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept?

Optional Questions: Work & Purpose

16. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you?
17. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors?
18. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years?

Optional Questions: Relationships & Connection

19. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why?
20. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best?
21. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others?

Optional Questions: Time & Mortality

22. What are you running out of time to say or do?
23. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite?
24. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail?

Optional Questions: Society & Culture

25. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense?
26. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing?
27. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years?

Optional Questions: Personal Philosophy

28. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way?
29. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out
30. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Can Artificial Intelligence ‘See’?”** A look at how humans and artificial intelligence systems interpret the visual world in fundamentally different ways, with Arryn Robbins, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Richmond and cognitive scientist who researches visual attention, perception, and category learning. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-can-AI-see](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-can-AI-see) .] Artificial intelligence can now identify faces, categorize objects, describe scenes, and outperform humans on certain visual tasks. But does AI actually “see” the world the way that people do? Or does it arrive at correct answers using representations that differ markedly from human perception? Join Arryn Robbins of the University of Richmond for a fascinating exploration of how humans and AI construct meaning from visual information and a look at comparisons between human perception and AI that reveal just how dynamic and context-dependent our own visual systems really are. Dr. Robbins, who previously has given excellent Profs and Pints talks on flaws and biases in human visual perception, will draw from research in cognitive science, visual perception, and AI vision systems. She’ll explain how human perception is not merely a simple recording of the world, but an active process shaped by expectations, context, goals, and recent experience. You’ll learn how humans form flexible mental representations that allow us to recognize objects across changing environments and conditions, and why those representations continuously adapt as we interact with the world. Many AI systems, by contrast, learn visual categories through statistical patterns in data. They can produce impressive results, but sometimes they also produce strange and unexpected failures, and sometimes they classify images in ways that seem strange to us. Dr. Robbins will discuss what these differences reveal about the nature of perception itself, and why the mismatch between human and AI representations matters for technologies like self-driving cars, medical imaging, facial recognition, and automated surveillance. Important for anyone trying to understand the rapidly growing role of AI in daily life, this talk will explore one of the biggest questions in cognitive science and artificial intelligence: What does it actually mean to “see” and understand the world? (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: “Eye Farm” by Nevit Dilmen (Wikimedia Commons).