Language Exchange

Brussels is Europe’s heart, and our meetup is its friendly beat. [[ Whatsapp groupchat link to join ]](https://chat.whatsapp.com/CRmOwQksJ1g8qTd8z4RniU) Join us Saturdays at 7:30 PM for a language and culture exchange like no other. With attendees in their 20s and 30s from across the globe, it’s where ideas and friendships flourish. Let’s connect over words and waffles.

Has it been just you and your phone lately? It’s easy to feel connected yet still feel alone. Digital interactions can’t replace the warmth of eye contact, real laughter, and meaningful conversations. True connection happens when we step away from our screens and show up as ourselves — present, open, and engaged. At Fast Friending, we create spaces where real relationships begin. - just genuine conversations and shared moments. Because nothing compares to meeting face-to-face, discovering common ground, and walking away with a connection that truly feels real. **You will need to buy a ticket for attending -** [https://brusselswise20.eventbrite.co.uk](https://brusselswise20.eventbrite.co.uk) \*You can use any debit or credit card to purchase your ticket at PayPal checkout. It will ask you for your email address but that is only to send you a receipt. You do not need a PayPal account. TICKETS:- Early Bird - €5 per person Regular Ticket - €10 per person Cash at Meetup - If you do not purchase tickets in advance then you can pay €15 cash to your host Tanya when you meet her at the event. \- We will meet at 7\.00 pm when you will be welcomed by your host Tanya\. She will manage the evening and also help you make connections\. If you are a bit shy or anxious then please come early. Tanya will help you meet other members in a small group and help you settle down and get comfortable. All attendees are also welcome to bring a lady friend along with them for free. This will make it a lot less stressful for you as you will always have your friend alongside. \- From 7\.30 to 8\.30 pm\, we will start 'Fast Friending' where our host will ask you to speak to a different attendee every 3 minutes\. You will be able to meet lots of ladies and gentlemen and not be limited to only those sitting or standing next you\. \- After 8\.30 pm you will have time to interact with those you have met as well as others\. \- We are not a close knit tight group\. Our evenings are warm and comfortable for members attending for the first time and those coming alone\. You will not feel alone\! \- We have many groups in this city\. Members of our other groups who RSVP are included as guests of the organisers in order to give you an indication of expected people\. \- This evening is for ladies and gents in the 21 to 40 age group\. While some will be at the younger end of this range there will also be others at the other end of the range and lots in\-between\! You will naturally gel with others of your own age range and so you will always find many attendees who fit your range\. \- We are not a 'dating' group\. We are focused on helping ladies and gents meet other like minded ladies and gents\. You will generally find a good gender balance \(maybe not perfect\) at all our events\. Why do we have tickets? 1. Cover our costs - Our host is compensated for their time and work. We also pay meetup and have dedicated staff to manage our events, hosts, venues and communication. 2. Group Safety - By securing your ticket we have a record and you contribute to a well organized evening where everyone is more committed and better behaved. 3. Management - Tickets help us better manage attendee group size, book suitable space and activity. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ABOUT [fastfriends.co.uk ](https://fastfriends.co.uk/)- We have connected members successfully for the past 10 years in over 30 cities (operating as Expatsclub, MeetConnectDevelop and fastfriends.co.uk). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- You can contact our founder Dan on +447715705005 with any questions or ideas. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Here are some videos which will give you some guidance and comfort to make your attendance more productive.** Secrets of socializing at our meetups - [http://bit.ly/secrets-socializing](http://bit.ly/secrets-socializing) How to make new friends - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6GB0Hc_bSs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6GB0Hc_bSs) How to make people like you at our socials -[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4guProkKrI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4guProkKrI) Why you should attend our evenings - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEjwGBXzJE8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEjwGBXzJE8) Member feedback -[ https://youtu.be/zHOPHMg_7es?si=kK2A-MjisVue-jdw](https://youtu.be/zHOPHMg_7es?si=kK2A-MjisVue-jdw)

Our last meetup before the summer break... 😀 What is the purpose of education? How should we order our priorities: acquiring knowledge, developing skills, assimilating values, ... ? To what extent should the role of education be to train students for future employment? Until which level of education should schooling be obligatory in today’s world? What should be the most important subjects comprising universal general education? Tailoring to individual differences vs moulding all students towards shared norms: what is the ideal balance? What is the ideal distribution between generalization and specialization? What qualifies a person to teach? What are the most important qualities a teacher should have? What should the roles of teacher and student be? How should teacher and student interact? How should students interact among themselves? Competition? Cooperation? Is passing exams a necessary component of learning? Is it sufficient? How can we determine the difference between "objective" education and propagandistic education? How separate or intertwined should state and school be? Does paying for one's (or one's children's) schooling compromise/prejudice that education? What, if anything, is missing or can be improved in our current systems and cultures of education? How is A.I. changing education? Is education increasingly turning into the urgent task of arming humans against A.I.? How can we best continue learning lifelong? How can we improve our learning *how* to learn? "Learning is a lifelong process; learning to learn, a lifelong task." [https://www.universitymagazine.ca/person-with-the-most-college-degrees/](https://www.universitymagazine.ca/person-with-the-most-college-degrees/) [https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/chennai-professor-vn-parthiban-with-150-degrees-most-educated-man-2808237-2025-10-25](https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/chennai-professor-vn-parthiban-with-150-degrees-most-educated-man-2808237-2025-10-25) [https://youtu.be/Q7SECM3vYKI?is=CwYZpxhoWPlwHyy6](https://youtu.be/Q7SECM3vYKI?is=CwYZpxhoWPlwHyy6) 😉 Image: concept by Alan Woo realized by ChatGPT

***The “Hautes Fagnes” nature park*** is located in the east of Belgium and is ***one of the most special nature reserves in Europe***. It’s an ***exceptional biotope*** with colorful heathlands, special plants and animals. We wil start our hike in ***“Signal the Botrange” (694 m), the highest point in Belgium*** and mostly follow the ***GR 573 to Spa.*** On our way we walk through ***heathland and forests*** and pass by the beautiful ***Hoëgne valley***. ***After our hike*** we continue our good habit of ***taking a nice beer/pancake/snack in a local pub*** in Spa before returning to Brussels. **Please don't forget to pay Maikel a drink :-)** We will walk at ***an average speed of 5km/h*** both on paved and unpaved roads. ***I’ve never walked this road before so it’s possible that there are some mistakes in the planning***. This means it could become longer. ●●***Meeting point*** We meet at ***07h45 in front of Starbucks in Brussels Central***. The train (IC506 - Eupen) leaves from ***platform 3 at 08h01***. It arrives at ***09h22 in Verviers***, where will ***take BUS 390 (Rocherath) at 09h45 at the sation*** to ***“Signal de Botrange”.*** We **arrive at our destination at 10h14** and start our hike in Les Hautes Fagnes to Spa. ●● ***Train tickets*** \- single ticket Brussels to Verviers \(14\,90 € weekend / 9\,00 € with train card\+\) \- single ticket fort he bus \(TEC\) fort he last part to Signal de Botrange \- single ticket Spa to Brussels \(14\,90 € weekend / 9\,00 € with train card\+\) ●● ***Train back to Brussels*** There is a ***train every hour at XX:41*** (L6866 – Verviers) from ***platform 1***. It arrives at ***X1:06 in Verviers*** where we have ***to change to train (IC541 – Oostende)*** who leaves from ***X1:37 from platform 5***. **LAST TRAIN = 21h41** ●● **Specifics** distance: \~ 28 km elevation gain: \~ 218 m net walking time ***(breaks are not included here):*** \~ 6h30 level: ***intermediate – hiking experience is an advantage*** In the unlikely case of too bad weather we may cancel a hike even few hours before the event. If this must happen we will of course update the Meetup website and send out an email to those registered. So, it is important to have access to either the [Meetup](http://meetup.com/) website and/or your emails. **●● *What to bring*** \- warm comfortable hiking clothes – *waterproof hiking shoes* \- extra socks to change \+ compeed for blisters \- enough water \(min 2 l\) and food for lunch/breaks \- sun protection oil\, tick repellent\, a hat and sunglasses OR a raincoat (please consult the weather forecast on [www.meteo.be](http://www.meteo.be/)) **\- some cash money to pay Maikel a drink ;\-\)** **●● *Basic rules*** Please RSVP only if **you really intend to come**. And if your plans change **update your RSVP** so other people still have the possibility to join. This is basic courtesy towards others. **People who cancel at the last day (24h) or don’t show up for the hike will be blacklisted for future hikes.** **When you are on the waitinglist it means you should not come to the hike. When there is no +1 function it means you can't bring any guests. Everyone should register for him/her self.** **●● Acknowledgement of member responsibility and release of liability** By signing up for this event you agree to release the organizers from any responsibility and liability in all claims. As the participation is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves.

Spend time in the company of other writers putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. Work on your current project or start something new. If you are fresh out of inspiration a member of the Wordcraft Collective will be ready with a prompt to get you going. You can use that to unlock your creative brain before moving back to your own project or run with it. Who knows where the story will take you? Arrive when you like, leave when you like, or join us for a drink in the bar downstairs afterwards. Location: Pianofabriek, Rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles.

Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @ **Schmet !!!**, on Saturday, is 20 June 2025, from 10:00 - 13:00. - Outside! Schmet opened its doors last year. 😃 It's right at Place Poelaert. This is their Instagram account. It's still very new. https://www.instagram.com/schmet.bxl/ 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:30 - 12:30**. That's when most people will be there. 2. When you enter the place, you will see a long table that is set up for the event. 3. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 4. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 5. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** **As always, feel free to follow us on INSTAGRAM!** https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== *** **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I post the event on Saturday/Sunday for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder as an email or a comment on the event page on Thursday/Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON SATURDAY!** **LOCATION:** Schmet 2 Rue des Quatre Bras Brussels 1000 (right at Place Poelaert)

What's up Friends! 👋 If the weather gods feel generous 🌤️, we’re going full park mode: picnic 🧺🌳, games, laughs… and a touch of chaos ✨ ‼️If not - we'll switch to the usual indoor format at Le Pantin or Café Leopold PDN. 📍Where Park Cinquantenaire, Tour de Tournai 🏰 (that little castle-looking thingy in the park). Can’t find us? 🤷‍♀️ Just ping me here. 💡 The Idea Chill picnic: bring your own drinks 🧃, snacks 🥪🍓, blanket, and games 🎲🏸 (sharing always appreciated 😋). We’ll break into small groups depending on the vibe: games, chats, sports. ⏱️ Timing We kick off at 14:00. Stay as long as you like. Joining later? Just drop a message in the chat in case we decide to move 😊. 🎲🏸 Games All games are welcome in the park - boards, cards, balls, random stuff! I’ll have a few with me, but feel free to add your own favorites too. 🚦On the waitlist but really want to join? Or got any questions? Just DM me. 📢 Extra info might drop in the group chat or via DM 💬. Check your messages 👀 the day before so you don't miss anything critical 🙄. 🐈‍⬛ The Friends Code: 👉 Games we play = group decision 👉 Smaller groups = cozier vibes 👉 Got a favorite game? Suggest it or show up with it 👉 Can't make it? Cancel on time so someone on the waitlist can grab your spot 👉 If you’re on the waitlist, showing up is at your own risk 😄 See you there, folks 😉

Let's meet to write ! Schedule : 11:00 - 11:30 am : Presentation tour. Share briefly with the group about your project and your "goal of the day". 11:30 - 13:30 : Let's write ! 13:30 : Conclusion tour. Did you achieve your goal of the day ? See you soon !

Join us for some friendly Badminton games- all levels welcome! IMPORTANT- in order to secure your place you’ll need to both book a spot on Meetup AND pay €8 by Friday morning. This is to make sure we can cancel courts if demand isn’t there, and make sure we’re being fair to people on the waitlist. Refunds will only be possible after Friday AM if another player is definitely able to take your spot Always worth joining our W’app group as well for faster, often better, updates! https://chat.whatsapp.com/IL7Gbs6TmIm0GXyidQxCFS?mode=gi_t

**Join us for a relaxed Sunday morning meetup at Caffè Leopold in Porte de Namur!** We’ll meet from 11:30 to 13:30 to enjoy coffee, brunch, and easy conversations in a friendly atmosphere. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, practice English or French, and spend a nice Sunday morning together. Everyone is welcome — whether you come alone or with a friend. Just bring your good mood and be open to meeting others 😊 After the meetup, for those who want, we can also continue with lunch in a nearby place 🍽️ **📍 Location: Caffè Leopold, Porte de Namur** **https://maps.app.goo.gl/UvTUU1H59J4yatS86** **🕦 Time: Sunday, 11:30–13:30** **☕ What to expect: Coffee, casual conversations, friendly people, and a relaxed Sunday vibe.** Join the WhatApp group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EimXMXyRBjo7PfHRoVc1j7](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EimXMXyRBjo7PfHRoVc1j7) Personal number: 0471695419

How do we connect to people? What is so great about being different? Is love selfless? Should we be dreamers or realists? What values are we losing? When are we at our best? Does childhood ever end? Is morality a matter of convenience? What makes a person beautiful? Such questions, and many more, await you Sunday at Sister's Cafe (second floor) . After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations :-).

. Find us on Facebook to see what's actually happening. Bring your own knitting or crochet project and join other people who enjoy yarn crafts for a relaxing couple of hours on Saturday afternoons. The 1st Saturday of the month is not an in-person meet-up, but on zoom. All people and all levels welcome, including beginners, whom we are happy to help get started (although we don't run classes). No charge. All you need is some yarn and a crochet hook or a pair of knitting needles. We are very friendly so don't be shy. The venue may change from time to time so please check back on the day before the event to be sure you have it right. We mostly speak English, but people in the group are very international and speak many languages. Looking forward to seeing you.

Hello! This is a meet-up to play tennis from 2 pm to 4 pm on Sunday. Meeting is on the courts. The courts are booked under the name Jean-Marc. This event is for intermediate and advanced players and not organised for novice players or beginners. Please make sure to bring the exact sum of 10 € in cash. The event is non-commercial. This sum covers the cost of the courts reserved. The organizer is not there to make money out of you. Ladies are encouraged to join. If anyone wants to drop out, they should do it on Saturday morning, not on Sunday the day of the meetup, another wise it would be too late to find a replacement in time or to cancel a court in time with reimbursement. If you don't do this, you will be asked by the organizer to reimburse your participation fee. If this happens too late then those who have cancelled after Saturday morning will have to cover the extra cost for reserving the courts. In the past meetups, it happened too many times that we were an oneven number and because of that all those present had less fun to play. If you don't show up without giving a written excuse in time, the first future participation will be cancelled and you will be asked to reimburse the participation fee. If it happens too many times you will not be able to participate anymore. In case if we are an uneven number of players, then the last player (except the host of course who has to collect the money) can leave or persuade other players to play with him or her. Of course if the last player leaves, then he or she doesn't have to pay the participation fee. If this player leaves, he or she will be added on a future event by the host or organizer in the participation list if the player is far away in the waiting list. This is the advantage of leaving on a voluntary basis;-). We operate on the principle of Fair Play as we do not have umpires or referees. Any disputes or disagreements over line calls or scores should be resolved immediately on the court and, when agreement is not possible, the point or game should be replayed. To be able to replay the game, 3 players need to agree on that without manipulation of the one who disputes an entire game, anotherwise injustice could occur where in the end possibly the biggest cheater could win... This situation applies also, if the host or the organizer is involved. When one of the players still doesn't accept this compromise, then it should be reported (meetup message by preference) to the organizer or host of the meetup event. One of the consequences could be that the first upcoming event could be cancelled by the organizer for the player who doesn't comply with the compromise to play the point or the game again. If the same player does that again for a second time, then the person will see 4 of his next tennis meetups cancelled. If this happens a third time with the same player, then the player in question will be banned from all future tennis meetups with an exclusion as a final result. Whenever there is a big problem, it should be reported as well to the organizer of the group so he can, if necessary, take actions to improve the situation for all the players. Please also note that if you are the first on the waiting list, you will automatically be moved up to the attendance list if someone pulls out. So if you are on the waiting list and see that you cannot attend, please also change your status to not going. If you would like to organize a meet up either this week or next week please get in touch with me, my name is Jean-Marc. It will depend on your initiatives to create more tennis meetups per week.

# 🎈 Zoom Speed Dating: Columbus Singles, One Night _An evening of face-to-face Zoom rounds, Columbus singles your speed, and your matches landing in your inbox by morning._ **How it all works:** 1. Sign up and answer a few quick personality questions 2. Hop onto Zoom right as we kick off 3. Chat one-on-one through guided rounds 4. Wake up to your mutual matches in your inbox --- **Pick your group below and you're in:** 💘 **Ages 18-32** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Columbus&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=18-32&face_v=9.0) 💘 **Ages 30-46** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Columbus&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=30-46&face_v=9.0) 💘 **Ages 40-58** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Columbus&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=40-58&face_v=9.0) 💘 **Ages 55+** → [Grab your spot](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=574&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Columbus&groupurlname=cityscape-navigators-park-orienteering-team&ar=55+&face_v=9.0) > ⚠️ Don't get caught out: RSVP alone won't seat you. Register via your age group and take the quiz to hold your place. Spots go fast. **Show up curious — the rest is on us. 🌃**

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who enjoy talking to people from other countries, and those who would like to discuss international travel and culture, and who enjoy getting together for good conversations."

☕ Coffee and Kaiwa: Casual Japanese Conversation Please purchase a beverage or snack to support the venue. Join us for a relaxed, informal hour of Japanese-English language exchange and cultural chat! Whether you are a native Japanese speaker, a fluent bilingual, or just starting your language journey, everyone is welcome. There is no set agenda—just grab a drink, pull up a chair, and practice speaking at your own pace. Who Should Attend? Beginners: Practice basic greetings and phrases. Advanced Speakers: Maintain your fluency. Native Speakers: Meet locals and share your culture.

Inspired by our successful events like "Saturday Mornings @ East Market" and other "Pot Luck in the Park" lunches, this gathering promises to be a blend of fun conversations, language exchange, and cultural insights, all while sharing wonderful foods with each other. **Please bring a dish to share and anything you would like to drink.** We will provide plates, plastic silverware and napkins. So, come hungry and ready to chat!

We will be going to Jenny's Tex Mex after our English Chat at East Market. Whether you're a language learner, ESL student, or simply passionate about exploring new cultures, this event is perfect for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a diverse and welcoming community. Come join us for an enlightening afternoon of language, culture, food, of course, and connections! (Everyone will choose individually from the menu and pay for their meal.) I was told about this place and told that the food was great. We haven't been there yet so don't exactly know where we will meet there. We will try to find tables for everyone and put ESL signs on the tables. See you there!!

The aim of this group is to get together and practice our German. Doesn’t matter if are a beginner or a native speaker. The goal is to speak and improve our German. Everyone is welcome! If the weather is good, look for us in the Biergarten. Pro Tip: Get there before 6:00 for happy hour pricing.

### Hofbräuhaus Columbus Dresden Stammtisch is a monthly social gathering for members and friends of Dresden Sister City, Inc. The event is free and open to the public. We speak German or English - it is largely up to you!