Hey guys, how are you doing? I've been thinking of the next topic to discuss, and I found one that particuarly interests me - and I hope, you as well.

Let's talk about the art of saying "no". This Sunday, we'll explore why such a thing can be so difficult to do - and why creating and strenthening our personal boundaries might be one of the most important skills we can learn. Say "yes" to an engaging discussion full of stories, and practical insights! :)

Please remember to sign up and pay for your attendance before this Saturday morning!

What: ESC NN
Topic: The art of saying "no" 🗣️
❗️When: Sunday, June 28, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours) ❗️
Where: The Most Coffee

How much:
💴 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here by Saturday, 10 AM 🌱

Hope to see you on Sunday!
Andrei

The post was edited to reflect the new starting time (11:00 AM). Earlier we planned it at 10 AM (see the next post for details)

Guys, wonderful news! The Most Coffee is okay with us coming at 11:00! This is what happens when you say "no" to an inconvenient time slot! So - let's gather at 11 AM this Sunday 🕚 and talk about saying "no" in other tricky situations! Let's improve together 😉

What: ESC NN
Topic: The art of saying "no" 🗣️
❗️When: Sunday, June 28, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours) ❗️
Where: The Most Coffee

How much:
💴 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here by Saturday, 10 AM 🌱

P. S. The downside is that we won't have the 10% discount on drinks and desserts we had the last time. But I believe we will get through this tough challenge, right? 😜😜😜

We have enough payments and it means that tomorrow at 11 AM we are meeting at The Most Coffee!

What: ESC NN
Topic: The art of saying "no" 🗣️
❗️When: Sunday, June 28, 11AM - 1 PM (2 hours) ❗️
Where: The Most Coffee

How much:
💴 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here — if you haven't 🌱

See you tomorrow morning!
Andrei

Good morning, English speakers! This is the list of phrases you may find useful today:

1. People-pleaser: A person who tries too hard to make others happy, often at their own expense. (Example: As a people-pleaser, she found it difficult to refuse requests.)
2. Stand / hold your ground: To firmly maintain your position or decision. (Example: He stood his ground and declined the extra work.)
3. Turn someone down: To refuse an offer, invitation, or request. (Example: I had to turn down the invitation because I was busy.)
4. Draw the line: To set a limit on what is acceptable. (Example: I draw the line at answering work emails during vacations.)
5. Overcommit: To promise more than you can realistically do. (Example: She tends to overcommit and then feels overwhelmed.)
6. Put your foot down: To assert authority and refuse to change your decision. (Example: My manager finally put his foot down and stopped taking weekend calls.)
7. Spread yourself too thin: To take on so many responsibilities that you cannot do them well. (Example: He spread himself too thin by joining five different projects.)
8. Stick to your guns: To maintain your opinion or decision despite pressure. (Example: He stuck to his guns and declined the promotion.)
9. Take advantage of someone: To unfairly benefit from another person's kindness. (Example: If you never say no, people may take advantage of you.)
10. Assertive: Confident and direct without being aggressive. (Example: Being assertive helps you communicate your needs clearly.)
11. Know your worth: To recognize the value of your time, effort, and abilities. (Example: Knowing your worth makes it easier to set boundaries.)

See you in a couple of hours 🙂

Andrei

The art of saying "no": questions

Part 1

1. When was the last time you said "no" to something?
2. Do you find it easier to say "yes" or "no"?
3. Who is the hardest person for you to say "no" to?
4. What was the biggest thing you agreed to and regretted it later this year?
5. What is one thing you wish you could say "no" to more often?
6. Are you usually direct when saying "no" or do you soften it?
7. Do you prefer when people are direct and honest and say "no" immediately? What kind of people do you like more?
8. Have you ever been impressed by someone's ability to say "no"? Or to say "yes"?
9. Which sounds harder: saying "no" to a friend, a colleague, a family member, or a stranger?
10. What are some subtle signs that your boundaries are being ignored?

Part 2

1. Why do so many people struggle to say "no"?
2. Do you ever have to change the boundaries you have set up with someone?
3. Can saying "no" actually strengthen a relationship? Do you have any example from your experience?
4. What is the difference between kindness and people-pleasing?
5. Should we always explain our reasons when refusing something?
6. What situations make it hardest for you to protect your boundaries?
7. Do successful people say "no" more often than others?
8. What opportunities have you missed because you said "yes" too often?
9. What is one boundary you know would improve your life, but you haven't established yet? Why not?
10. Have you ever realized a personal boundary only after it had already been crossed?

Part 3

1. If you had a magic button that automatically said "no" for you once a day, when would you use it?
2. Imagine you cannot say the word "no" for one month. What problems would appear first?
3. If everyone had a visible "boundary meter," what would people learn about you?
4. Imagine a world where refusing requests is considered a sign of respect. How would society change?
5. If your future self could advise you on one situation where you should say "no," what would it be?
6. You can permanently remove one obligation from your life. What do you choose?
7. If your calendar could talk, what would it tell you to stop doing?
8. Imagine saying "yes" costs money and saying "no" is free. How would your life change?
9. If you could relive one moment and confidently say "no," which moment would you choose?
10. What would your ideal boundaries look like if nobody judged you?

So, guys, the next topic organically comes out of the nature of our club. Let's talk about community and belonging - after all, this is what our club is all about!

What makes a group of people feel like a community rather than just a collection of individuals? Why do some places instantly feel welcoming, while others never quite feel like home? And how much effort does it take to create a sense of belonging - for ourselves and for others?

Join us this Sunday to share your thoughts on the topic and to just enjoy a friendly chat 🙂

The time and place didn't change since the last Sunday - we will gather on Sunday, 11 AM, at our regular place - The Most Coffee.

Please remember to sign up and pay for your attendance before this Saturday morning!

What: ESC NN
Topic: Community and Belonging
❗️When: Sunday, July 5th, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours) ❗️
Where: The Most Coffee

How much:
💴 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here by Saturday, 10 AM 🌱

Hope to see you soon!
Andrei

Let's meet tomorrow at 11 AM! Don't forget to bring your good mood and some thoughts to share on our topic!

What: ESC NN
Topic: Community and Belonging
❗️When: Sunday, July 5th, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours) ❗️
Where: The Most Coffee

How much:
💴 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here — if you haven't 🌱

See you tomorrow!
Andrei

Hey-hey! We're gathering in just 2 hours, and as I'm assembling the list of questions for us, I've come up with some idioms that are fruequently used when people discuss the topic of belonging. Here you go:

- Find your tribe: To discover a group of people who share your values, interests, or personality. (Example: Moving abroad helped him find his tribe.)
- Fit in: To feel accepted and comfortable in a particular group or environment. (Example: It took me a while to fit in at my new workplace.)
- Have someone's back: To support and defend someone, especially in difficult situations. (Example: Good friends always have each other's backs.)
- On the same wavelength: Thinking or feeling in a similar way; understanding each other easily. (Example: We clicked immediately because we were on the same wavelength.)
- Open up: To start talking honestly about your thoughts or feelings. (Example: It wasn't easy for him to open up to strangers.)
- Feel left out: To feel excluded or ignored by a group. (Example: She felt left out when everyone talked about memories she wasn't part of.)
- Make someone feel at home: To make someone feel comfortable and welcome. (Example: The hosts made everyone feel at home from the moment they arrived.)
- Common ground: Shared interests, opinions, or experiences that help people connect. (Example: We came from different countries but quickly found common ground.)
- Tight-knit: Describing a group whose members are very close and supportive of one another. (Example: They grew up in a tight-knit community.)
- Go out of your way: To make a special effort to help or be kind to someone. (Example: She went out of her way to include the new student.)
- Feel seen: To feel understood, recognized, and appreciated for who you are. (Example: A good community makes people feel seen rather than judged.)

See you very soon!
Andrei

Good morning! As always there's a short video from the last Sunday talk :) I was quite invested in our discussions and almost forgot to take it, so this one was shot during the last 2-3 minutes of our meeting (don't be surprised to see your slightly tired faces 😅)

Thank you for coming guys, you're the best! I'm going to announce the next topic in an hour, stay tuned!

Have you ever learned something that completely changed the way you see the world? Or maybe you've always wanted to pick up a new skill but never found the time?

This Sunday, let's talk about Lifelong Learning - the idea that learning doesn't stop when we leave school. We'll discuss why some people stay curious throughout their lives, what motivates us to keep growing, and whether it's ever too late to start something new.

Please remember to sign up and pay for your attendance before this Saturday morning!

🇬🇧 What: English Speaking Club NN
💭 Topic: Lifelong Learning
🕚 When: Sunday, July 12th, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours)
🌆 Where: The Most Coffee
💵 How much: 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here by Saturday, 10 AM 🌱

See you this Sunday!
Andrei

Good morning everyone! Let's meet together tomorrow at 11 AM and talk about lifelong learning (and other things too, of course).

🇬🇧 What: English Speaking Club NN
💭 Topic: Lifelong Learning
🕚 When: Sunday, July 12th, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours)
🌆 Where: The Most Coffee
💵 How much: 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here — if you haven't 🌱

See you guys soon!
Andrei

Hi-hi! It's quite rainy outside, isn't it? I hope the weather won't stop you guys from coming today. 😉If it doesn't, let's freshen up our knowledge of some idioms related to today's topic:

1. Open someone's eyes: to make someone realize or understand something they hadn't noticed before (Traveling abroad really opened my eyes to different cultures and ways of thinking.)
2. Practice makes perfect: regular practice helps you become better at something (If you keep practicing your pronunciation every day, remember—practice makes perfect.)
3. Learn the ropes: to learn how to do a job or activity properly (It took me a few weeks to learn the ropes at my new job.)
4. Hit the books: to study seriously, especially before an exam or test (I have a big exam tomorrow, so I need to hit the books tonight.)
5. Jack of all trades, master of none: someone who has many different skills but is not an expert in any of them (Tom can cook, repair cars, and play several instruments—he's a jack of all trades, master of none.)
6. Trial and error: a way of learning by trying different methods until one works (I learned to bake good bread through trial and error.)
7. Go back to the drawing board: to start again because the previous plan or idea didn't work (Our first business idea failed, so we had to go back to the drawing board.)
8. The sky's the limit: there are no real limits to what someone can achieve (With your determination and creativity, the sky's the limit.)
9. Teach an old dog new tricks: to help someone older—or someone set in their ways—learn something new; often used to suggest that it is difficult (My grandfather learned how to use a smartphone—you really can teach an old dog new tricks.)
10. Get the hang of something: to become skilled or comfortable doing something after some practice (At first coding seemed impossible, but I eventually got the hang of it.)

Although we didn't have a chance to sit outside due to the weather, the talk still went great! Thank you guys for coming last Sunday and I hope you enjoyed the conversation ☺️
The new topic will be announced very soon 👀

What I noticed is that every time we have a talk, we suddenly stumble upon the topic of AI, over and over again 😅 I decided to take a more broader one this time - let's talk about our digital lives 😌

Technologies like the internet, social networks, messengers, AI assistants, or online banking are so tightly coupled with our lives that they feel sometimes irreplaceable. They help us be more productive - or mindlessly waste our time - depending on how we use them and what habits we built around these technologies. How do instant access to Google/Yandex search, smartphones and doomscrolling affect us? Is it really possible to fully go off-grid without sacrificing our comfort?

These are the questions I ask myself and would love to discuss them with you this Sunday!

🇬🇧 What: English Speaking Club NN
💭 Topic: Our digital lives
🕚 When: Sunday, July 19th, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours)
📍 Where: The Most Coffee
💵 How much: 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here by Saturday, 10 AM 🌱

Hope to see you soon,
Andrei

Let's meet tomorrow, guys, and discover how the technology we use every day affects us 🙂

Also, I would like to thank those 3 wonderful people who paid beforehand and made this event possible 😌 I have a feeling more people will join us tomorrow, but next time I'd like to ask you to pay in advance, before Saturday morning. This way we decide is a meeting worth holding.

🇬🇧 What: English Speaking Club NN
💭 Topic: Our digital lives
🕚 When: Sunday, July 19th, 11 AM - 1 PM (2 hours)
📍 Where: The Most Coffee
💵 How much: 700₽

🌱Sign up and pay here — if you haven't 🌱

See you!
Andrei

Goood morning! Are you ready for 2 hours of speaking English? These are a few idioms that might help you (and me) warm up a little 🙂

1. Touch grass (informal): to spend time in the real world instead of online. (After working all day, I need to go outside and touch grass.)
2. Go down a rabbit hole: to spend much more time exploring something online than you originally intended. (I went down a rabbit hole watching videos about ancient Rome.)
3. Digital detox: a period during which someone avoids using digital devices. (I try to do a digital detox every weekend.)
4. Go off the grid: to take a temporary break from modern technology and hyper-connectivity.(Camping helps me go off the grid.)
5. Stay in the loop: to remain informed about what's happening. (Social media helps me stay in the loop.)
6. Filter out the noise: to ignore unnecessary or distracting information. (It's becoming harder to filter out the noise online.)
7. A time sink: an activity that consumes a lot of time without much benefit. (Some mobile games are real time sinks.)
8. Be chronically online: to spend an excessive amount of time on the internet. (Some people are chronically online without realizing it.)
9. Game changer: something that dramatically changes the way things are done. (Generative AI has been a real game changer for me.)
10. Digital footprint: the record of your online activities. (Everything you post becomes part of your digital footprint.)
11. Remote-first: designed primarily for people working remotely. (Many startups have become remote-first companies.)

See you in a few hours!
Andrei

Our digital lives: questions!

Questions here are just conversation starters! Please pick any you like from the list and start discussing with your peers 😉

👋 Part I

1. How many hours a day do you think you spend online? Do you think your screen time is too high, too low, or about right?
2. What's usually the first thing you do on the Internet each morning?
3. Which app or website do you use the most?
4. Could you spend an entire day without the Internet? A few days, maybe a week?
5. Have your Internet habits changed over the past 6 years (since the beginning of the COVID pandemic)?
6. Do you ever check your phone without realizing it? Why do you think it happens?
7. How often do you use AI tools? What's the most useful thing you've used AI for?
8. Which online activity do you think wastes the most time?
9. Have you ever intentionally taken a break from social media?
10. Do recommendation algorithms help us discover new things or trap us in information bubbles?

💭 Part II

11. Do you use online subscriptions? If yes, do you feel any discomfort that a piece of media (a song, a computer game, or a movie) doesn't belong to you (e.g. in a form of a file on your phone/computer)?
12. Do you have online or pen friends? How does such kind of relationship differ from usual, offline one?
13. Is it truly possible to live a normal comfortable modern life without a smartphone?
14. Do you think social media connects people more than it isolates them?
15. Do you experience issues with your attention span? Why? And if yes, what could be the solution?
16. How has AI changed the way you work or study?
17. Which tasks should people always do themselves instead of relying on AI?
18. Does having unlimited information make us wiser?
19. What online habits have had the biggest positive impact on your life?
20. Should children have stricter limits on Internet use than adults?
21. Is privacy becoming impossible in the digital world?

🙌 Part III

22. If you had to live without the Internet for one year, what would you miss the most?
23. Imagine all social media disappeared tomorrow. How would your life change?
24. Would you let AI organize your calendar, finances, and shopping? Why or why not?
25. If you could invent one app that doesn't exist today, what would it do?
26. Suppose every person had to spend one Internet-free day each week. Would society benefit?
27. If you could permanently delete one website from the Internet, which would you choose?
28. If you could spend one month completely offline in a beautiful place, would you do it?
29. Imagine AI becomes smarter than every human expert. What jobs would still require people?
30. What advice would your future self give you about using the technology more wisely?