You’d love to feel confident in those international meetings, speak English comfortably, and make wonderful connections with other business people?

But you feel super uncomfortable just thinking about practising?

Relax! That’s where my free Speed Networking sessions come in!

I know how scary using English at work can be.  That’s why I created these sessions.

I want to offer you a relaxed and exciting way to:

• Boost your English skills: Talk naturally, get fluent faster, and feel more confident speaking English for work—all in a safe and friendly zone!
• Grow your network: Meet other cool business people from different fields. Who knows who you might meet and what amazing opportunities could come from it?
• Learn from each other: Share ideas, swap stories, and pick up tips from other experts in the group.

So, how do we make this magic happen?

• Organised fun: I have a clear plan for each session with short chats, so everyone gets a chance to talk and connect.
• Icebreaker helpers: We start with conversation starters to get things flowing and make the chats interesting.
• No pressure!: We focus on talking naturally—and don’t worry about making mistakes.

These free Speed Networking sessions twice a month are the perfect mix. Practise your English and build wonderful business connections—all at the same time!

Ready to boost your English for work? 

Sign up for my next Speed Networking session and experience the magic of connecting and learning in a fun and dynamic way.

You might be surprised at how much you can achieve!

P.S.  Perhaps Margot Dimi’s words can convince you: “Englisch lernt und trainiert man am Besten, indem man es spricht. Genau das ist bei Christine Burgmer ganz einfach via Zoom möglich. Ganz nebenbei lernt man auch noch wunderbare Menschen kennen. 5/5 Sterne von Herzen für ein wunderbares Angebot!“

My textbooks said Germans were sticklers for order.

My first day at work in Hamburg? Well, let’s just say the bus stop experience was a shock! 

Determined not to be late, I arrived at the bus stop way too early. Feeling like a model of efficiency, I planted myself firmly behind the bus stop sign.

Now, this is where things got interesting. 

As more people trickled in, they completely ignored the imaginary queue in my head.

Some stood casually in front of the sign, others just chilled to the side. 

Panic started to bubble up inside me. Didn’t these Germans believe in queues?  Didn’t they see the responsible newcomer patiently waiting?

After what felt like an eternity, the bus finally showed up. Everyone, including the apparent line-ignoring rebels, surged forward in a frantic scramble. 

And guess who ended up shoved onto the bus last? Yes, me! 

Flustered and a tad embarrassed, I vowed never to be caught so unprepared again.

It was a valuable cultural lesson, learned the hard way. 

Today I know German bus queues are a bit more relaxed than the textbooks let on. 

But hey, at least it makes an unforgettable story for my very first day at work in Germany.  Many, many years ago.

Forget your list of pros and cons. Sometimes shopping is all about the heart! 

In fact, almost 2 out of 3 people prefer to buy things from companies that care about the same things they do.

That got me thinking about why I started living an organic lifestyle over 40 years ago. (That’s quite a while ago, isn’t it?)

I still remember being the very first person to buy vegetables from a friend’s grandmother’s garden, and dairy products from a nearby organic milk farm. Plus, I was one of the founding members of our local organic shop—a place that provided everything the garden couldn’t—bread, eggs, chocolate, fruit, nuts, muesli, legumes, toiletries and more.

Of course, I’ve heard the rumours about ‘fake organic’ products lurking on the shelves. But here’s the thing. Many organic brands go through strict certification processes to prove their authenticity. (Just look for the labels that say a product has met strict guidelines for being truly organic.)

So why did I choose this path?

Well, there are several reasons.

I believe it’s good for my family because it means fewer chemicals and additives in our food and personal care items. And, it’s good for the planet because it supports farming methods that protect the environment and treat animals well. 

After all, most of us make decisions based on how we feel, not just what makes sense on paper

PS: Do you like to support companies that share what you care about?

Englische Zeiten! Da steige ich glatt aus. Christine musste mir die wichtigsten nochmal erklären. 

Heute war’s das Present Continuous. Irgendwie mag ich’s. Diese -ing am Ende des Verbs. Klingt so lässig, oder?

Deshalb quatsche ich es wohl auch ständig daher. Letzte Woche ist mir’s aufgefallen. Immer anstatt Simple Present.

Aber wann genau darf ich’s denn benutzen? Für allgemeine Tatsachen und wiederholte Handlungen war’s ja nicht. Hab ich letzte Woche gelernt. (Die Notizzettel kleben immer noch überall in der Küche, damit ich’s nicht vergesse.)

Christine hat Licht ins Dunkel gebracht.

Present Continuous wird verwendet bei:

• Aktionen, die gerade im Gange sind. So wie jetzt: “Gerda, what are you doing now?” “I’m making some notes* in my diary.”
• vorübergehenden Situationen. Zum Beispiel: “I’m working in Hamburg this week.” “I’m learning English.”

Gar nicht so schwer, oder? Naja, außer man will’s natürlich perfekt beherrschen. Dann muss man wohl mehr üben.

Am 16. Mai ist es so weit: Speed Networking! Endlich trau ich mich.

Aber wie sage ich das auf Englisch? I’ll take the plunge? I’ll go for it?

Puh, bin ich froh, dass ich wieder Englisch lerne. Es macht Spaß!

Deine Greta, die sich langsam traut

P.S. Franz war natürlich wieder der Klugscheißer und wusste alles. Ich glaube, der hat überhaupt keine Probleme mit Englisch. Aber ich lasse mich nicht entmutigen. Ich übe weiter, bis ich genauso gut bin wie er!

* Heute etwas Neues gelernt: Notizen = notes

Are you nervous when speaking another language? How often do you think to yourself: “Did I say that correctly?“

Well, guess what? Making mistakes is actually a GOOD thing! Here’s why:

Stretch Time
Making mistakes shows you’re trying new things in English. You’re not playing it safe. Good for you for being brave!

Learn and Grow
Sometimes you can feel when you mess up. Those are golden moments. Think about what went wrong to improve next time.

Help Native Speakers Help You
Your slip-ups remind native speakers to be patient and clear when they talk to you. They mess up too!

Confidence is Key
Speak with confidence, and most people might not even notice a mistake. Even if they do, your confidence inspires them to speak up too!

The Message Matters Most
People care more about what you’re saying than a tiny grammar hiccup. They hear your voice and see your body language, and don’t count any grammar slips.

One of my clients recently told me how his English had improved because he stopped worrying about mistakes. Now that’s the spirit!

So, what about you? Do you see mistakes as a positive or negative thing? 

Don’t underestimate the apostrophe (‘).

This little punctuation mark might be small, but it can completely change the meaning of a sentence!

Take a close look at these examples:

• My brother’s friend’s books: One brother has a friend, and these books belong to the friend.
  
• My brother’s friends’ books: One brother has multiple friends, and these books belong to all of them!
• My brothers’ friend’s books: There is more than one brother, and they share a friend. These books belong to the friend.
• My brothers’ friends’ books: There is more than one brother, and they have multiple friends. These books belong to all the friends (together).

See the difference?

Without the apostrophe, it gets confusing to figure out who owns what!