What are Twitter chats and how do they work?

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You may be wondering, what the heck is a Twitter chat? I wanted to take a moment and explain exactly what Twitter chats are, how they work, and why you should join. Twitter chats are virtual online conversations held via the Twitter application. Most Twitter chats revolve around a particular topic that are of common interest to the attendees, such as travel, culture, health, running, food, business, etc. A typical chat lasts 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the hosts and conversation. The majority of Twitter chats are weekly, and each week the hosts will choose a specific topic that fits within their Twitter chat theme. Within that weekly topic, the hosts will ask a number of questions to the Twitter chat participants. Read on to learn more!

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Twitter Tweet Meets Around The World: Friendships that will last a lifetime

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I am incredibly privileged to know some amazing people across the globe. When I think about the people I have met and the stories we have swapped, I cannot help but smile. Thank you to #TRLT and #CultureTrav for introducing me to these amazing people. Read on to see all the amazing tweet meets I’ve hosted in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Detroit, Chicago, and more!

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How Does Travel Inspire You? Join Anywhere Workday and CultureTrav for a Special #TravelInspires Chat

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This Wednesday – and for the entire month of April – #CultureTrav is teaming up with Anywhere Workday. In light of recent world events, we are talking about how travel inspires us using the hashtag #TravelInspires. The chat will take place today at 2 p.m. EDT / 8 p.m. CET. We want to create a deeper connection and truly discover how travel can make this world a better place. Thank you to Anywhere Workday for allowing us to join this inspiring initiative! We are looking forward to hearing all of your stories and perspectives later today.

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Books That Inspire The #CultureTrav Community

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Books, books, books! When I was little, I used to stay up all night reading, practically devouring novel after novel. Not much has changed now that I’m an adult. I enjoy reading in my spare time and am even part of a book club here in the Netherlands. Additionally, I am a writer and soon-to-be author and have many writer friends. Therefore, when Erik Scalavino suggested we talk about books for an upcoming #CultureTrav, I was all in. The discussion on Thursday, March 24 was inspirational! It is great to see so many book lovers in the world, especially those that love to travel, too. Following the chat, I compiled the names of all the books and authors mentioned, listed in this post.

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The JACultureTrav Extravaganza and Amsterdam Meet-Up Was a Huge Success

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On Thursday, December 3, #CultureTrav and #JAChat teamed up to host a special #JACultureTrav Twitter extravaganza. The online portion of the event took place at 2:30pm EST (8:30pm CET), and people chimed in from all over the world to discuss the topic “Travel Inspiration.” In honor of this special occasion, we decided to hold in-person meet-ups on the same day: one in New York City, one in Chicago and one in Amsterdam. I led the Amsterdam meet-up, graciously hosted by The Hoxton Hotel. Thank you so much to everyone who joined – both online and off-line. It was a fantastic collaboration!

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List of Foreign Films and Travel-Related Movies

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On Thursday, 29 October the #CultureTrav community discussed the topic “Movies” together with special guest host Erik Scalavino. Following the chat, I collected the names of all the movies mentioned. Read on to see the list of foreign films and travel-related movies in alphabetical order.

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JACultureTrav Twitter Party Extravaganza and Worldwide Meetup!

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As 2015 comes to a close, #CultureTrav and #JAChat are teaming up for a #JACultureTrav Twitter party extravaganza! In honor of this special occasion and the upcoming holidays, we are celebrating on Thursday, 3 December in a variety of ways.

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Taking A Travel Trip Down Memory Lane

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On Thursday, August 6th I had the opportunity to meet the founder of ‪#‎CultureTrav‬‬‬‬ and my co-host Nicolette Orlemans of Culture With Travel in person. The two of us talk via social media almost daily, so it was special to meet up (finally!) in Amsterdam. Maaike van Kuijk of Travellous World, a regular #CultureTrav chatter whom I had met prior, was able to join us, as well.

We had ideal weather and a day filled with meaningful discussions – about travel, culture and friendship. We ended the gathering with #CultureTrav, an online travel-related Twitter chat that takes place every Thursday at 2:30 p.m. EST (8:30 p.m. CET). This week in particular was extra special, as we planned to discuss the topic “Memories.” The chat brought back some fond memories. The timing was also fitting as I just returned from the United States, where I was visiting family and going through old photo albums and pictures. All of these activities combined made me nostalgic, and I would like to share some of these wonderful travel and childhood memories with you.

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Culture With Travel: Interview With #CultureTrav Founder Nicolette Orlemans

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You may know her already, perhaps by her Twitter handle @Nicolette_O, but I would like to take a moment to formally introduce the founder of #CultureTrav and my amazing co-host Nicolette Orlemans.

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Expat Life: Tips to Integrate in a New Culture

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Moving to a new country can surface a range of emotions: the bubbling excitement in the wake of a new adventure; the five senses acutely stimulated, anxiously ready to explore the new environment; the anticipation of new experiences and meeting new friends. Relocating can also instill fear or dread, walking into the unknown and unsure of what to expect. It can be daunting to start over from scratch, having to relearn even the simplest of things like the location of the nearest grocery store. Expat life has so many complex facets.

Last week’s #CultureTrav topic with founder Nicolette and our guest host Cherrie led me to reflect on my own life as an expat. In February 2011, I moved to the Netherlands and have been living in the country ever since. We lived in Utrecht for a year and in Amsterdam now for three. Over the last four years, I’ve experienced a range of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade my time abroad for anything. This Blog outlines three tips I’ve learned along the way to help expats integrate into a new culture.

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