July reflections, ASEAN Tropical Talk🌍🌴

Extent of Gratitude 🌹

To start off,

As an RVI Ambassador, I would first like to express my gratitude to Simarna, Joshua, Sheila, and Daryl. We are beyond grateful that Ms. Simarna took the time to join us as a guest speaker, sharing her expertise on the Green Economy in Southeast Asia. It is truly an honor to be part of enriching activities such as these as we continue our journey of growth in the ambassador circle.

In addition,

I would also like to thank Joshua for being a wonderful partner to work with on this talk. Both of us are currently studying for our diplomas, and it has not been easy balancing our studies while also planning the flow and structure of this session. Still, I want to take a moment to reflect and congratulate ourselves for the hard work we put in and for the positive impact we were able to make on others. To Sheila and Daryl, thank you for guiding and mentoring us through every step of the way. I truly believe everyone walked away having learned something new from this experience.

The talk, and it's takeaways 🗣️

Context

A “Tropical Talk” is an online session where someone is invited to speak about what they are passionate about. It can be anyone from youths to industry experts. For me, hosting such a talk was a first. I enjoy participating in open conversations in a shared space, but this was different since it had structure, planning, and preparation behind it.

The talk

Joshua and I were both excited on the day itself. We had a pre-briefing session with Simarna before waiting for the participants to join. The session, however, played out very differently than I expected. I thought that we, as facilitators, would be guiding the entire flow and asking most of the questions. But things shifted halfway. The event became more of a free space for the guests, where participants had the chance to ask their own questions and turn it into a conversation. Joshua and I worked hard to manage things behind the scenes. We constantly communicated, giving each other cues on when to end certain segments and what needed attention. It was teamwork at its best, and I am proud of the way we handled it.

Thoughts & Conclusion 🧠

We ended the session with a debrief, and I must say that this has been one of the most valuable facilitation sessions I have experienced so far. Though it was not perfect, it opened my eyes to what it truly means to facilitate. Another event carried out in success.

This session has been a huge eye-opener for me. I'm really looking forward with an open mind to see what's next for us iat RVI.

Sending thanks,
RVI Ambassadors💖