A little bit of legacy

One of the highlights of my week is TABLEtalk. We never really know how many students will turn up and, even though we usually have a theme planned, one never knows how it might all pan out.

TABLEtalk has been an integral part of my life for the past 20 years.  Since 2011 alone, TABLEtalk has welcomed 665 students from the following nations (are you ready?):  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chad, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kurdistan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Philippians, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Kitts & Nevis, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, UK, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe 👏😀💖

Over the years we've been given lots of feedback, some written, some verbal.  These few comments are just from last week ...

"TABLEtalk = Love 💗  Thank God I chose to come to TABLEtalk ... it is my stressbuster!!"   Abi (India)

"TABLEtalk is a nice place to socialise. I loved the deep, intellectual conversations. Love the connections I've made (and the variety of snacks is much appreciated)."  Vaishnavi (India)

"On thing I looked forward to while coming to the UK was to experience different cultures and meet amazing people. That being said, I think TABLEtalk is one of the most beautiful things that happened to me! The energetic activities, the important discussions, the diverse opinions, and the mental and emotional support that TABLEtalk provides has given me colourful memories that I cherish. Thank you Lynne, Jon, Pauline, Barbara, and everyone else."  Emeka (Nigeria)

"Lynne, thank you for being such a lovely person, your kindness just smothers my heart. I enjoyed all of the TABLEtalks.  Actually, I used to wait for Thursdays, and for our TABLEtalk. It was not just a talk for me but a comfortable place and a heart-opening place where I found many new and wonderful friends.  I found changes in me as well, I've improved my skills to 'think outside the box'. Thank you so much for giving me some space in the sweet family of TABLEtalk."   Sushmitha (India)

"TABLEtalk = games, food, debates, talks, festivals, discussions, friends. Lynne is at the heart of our TABLEtalk. She has always been a person who's approachable at all times. If you feel low or down, Lynne and TABLEtalk is the place where one should be.  So, why TABLEtalk? What's so special?  Well, this is the only place where I was able to be myself. I had the opportunity to learn new skills. I had the opportunity to connect with people from different countries and opinions. This place is always filled with love, laughter and endless memories."  Gulakshitha (Sri Lanka)