The World Is My Family

My love for networking and creating meaningful connections, along with being extroverted, is what brought me here to Toastmasters.

Of course, my passion for public speaking and playing with words also plays a part, and today I am excited to present my first Icebreaker speech.

When I came to the United States to pursue my MSc, the university I attended had a very diverse student community. If my memory serves me right, people came from more than 33 countries, and the university’s motto was, “The world is my family.” At the time, I did not realize how much that simple motto would shape me.

Over the years, it quietly became part of how I connect with people. I made friends and acquaintances from Ethiopia, Uganda, Iran, Mongolia, Ecuador, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, and different parts of the United States, and the list goes on.

If you ask my friends how I used to walk into the cafeteria, they will tell you, “She holds her food tray and greets everyone with a bright smile all the way to the usual eating spot.” That was one of my happiest moments. I loved making a little grand entrance and making sure everyone felt welcomed.

Even on days when I was stressed or tired, that habit stayed with me. It became my signature, and I met a few of my friends because of it. Moments like that helped me realize that “the world is my family” was not just a motto. It was becoming my everyday reality.

Fast forward to now, and I am grateful that many of those friendships and connections stayed with me. Every job I have had so far came through referrals. I even had a mini nomadic phase for a little over a year, traveling around the country to visit friends.

I think I visited around 16 states during that time. Along the way, people showed up for me in ways that truly felt like family. When I lost my job, friends supported me without me even asking. Some took me on short trips so I could reset after getting laid off, while others invited me over for weekend sleepovers just to help me change my environment.

That same care showed up in other ways too. An acquaintance gifted me six months of LinkedIn Premium during my job search, and a close friend helped me get non-revenue flights through American Airlines. That meant I only had to cover service fees and taxes instead of the full ticket price.

Networking opened doors for me, not because I asked, but because people cared enough to help. That is when “the world is my family” truly felt real in my life.

There are downsides to being extroverted. I did not always like doing things alone when I could do them with people, and I have always thrived in teamwork and collaboration. With maturity, I have learned to appreciate the value of my quiet moments. It is still a work in progress, but I am getting better at it.

Another challenge of being extroverted is wanting to be everywhere at the same time, especially on those weekends when everyone seems to plan their events and gatherings all at once. That is the funny part of believing “the world is my family.” Sometimes the whole family plans things on the same weekend.

All this is to say, by welcoming me to Toastmasters, you have already helped me feel encouraged and supported. I have grown a lot in the few weeks I have been here, and I am grateful to be part of this group.

I cannot wait to share many more stories and to hear yours as well. I appreciate people’s time, whether they give me an ear to listen, help me solve problems by sharing insight, or provide resources to improve my life. I am incredibly grateful, and I do not want to take anything for granted.

Connection is my compass, and resilience is what helps me keep going, even when the path gets hard.