On Thursday, 10 October I've paid a quick visit to the 2018 JCI Czech Republic National Convention (mostly just called CZEKO) in Pilsen. Yes, that's where they brew the Pilsen beer, and of course, they had it fresh on tap at the bar. But before we get to that part, I had great coffee and cake during the General Assembly (GA). Jan, the National President (the only one standing in the picture) asked me if they should do their GA in English with me being there. I know from experience from other national organisations that the GA agenda is usually always packed and it's just quicker and maybe more natural to do it in your local language, plus I travelled all the way to Pilsen in the Czech Republic and wanted to hear the local language and see how much I can pick up. So thank you kindly for asking and thanks for giving me a taste of Czech :) During GA I witnessed the election of next year's national board as well as reports of what local chapters were doing in 2018. I'm honestly amazed by the amount of activity and energy. JCI Czech Republic was well represented during all international conferences and also at JCI Regatta. Of course, they took part in World Cleanup Day and organised countless local events and projects providing development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. After GA it was time for the kickoff. Hana from JCI Prague (to my left in the picture wearing a contagious smile) prepared a fantastic pub quiz incorporating JCI international trivia as well as topics specific to the Czech Republic. She applied knowledge recently gained at the JCI Facilitator course in Riga on how to split a group into evenly experienced teams to give everyone a fair chance of winning. Some questions related to the European flood disaster in 2013 where the Danube river reached its highest level in 500 years, destroyed countless homes and JCI efforts helped raise roughly 8,000£ from over 120 people to help six families rebuild their homes. Those families will be forever grateful for the help they've received thanks to young active citizens taking action. JCI Czech Republic was also featured in this clip appearing on national television relating to the relief efforts. I've asked Hana and she will upload the material to the JCI.cc project database so you can run your own JCI Pub Quiz, which is a fantastic and unique opportunity to address serious topics playfully and in a very sociable setting. JCI Pilsen premiered their latest project. It's a hands-on guide for your every day. It helps you plan efficiently and keeps you on track and supports you to achieve your goals. The project is "My Awesome Development Diary for Opportunities and Growth" also known as MADDOG. Since I'm a firm believer in setting smart goals and keeping track of them and recommend journalling to everyone working on their self-development, I've obtained ten copies to pass on to friends or my coaching clients. I'm the first person to have purchased copies of this diary since it was just recently finished and shipped to CZEKO. I'm convinced that if you take your journalling and goal setting seriously, this MADDOG project will help you achieve great things. I've had a few Pilsen beers and excellent conversations about local culture, mental health awareness and how to sustainably grow your local JCI chapter before the bar was shut for the night and most of us went to the after party. Unfortunately, I had to leave early the next morning to deliver some business mentoring to a group of teens in Germany before I could even register as a participant. My conference badge, however, has been secured for picking up at a later date and I'm sure that CZEKO 2018 will be a fantastic national convention bringing people together, forming long-lasting friendships and creating further impact in local communities. Thanks for having me, albeit only for a short while and thanks for sending the warmest greetings to JCI London.