Living in central Florida, I get a heavy dose of influence from my Latino and Spanish friends from countries all over Central and South America.

They are all alike in many ways and unalike in others.

My local Toastmasters Club in Kissimmee is like a meeting of the United Nations. We have Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Brazilians, Haitians, Mexicans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Argentines and natives of China, Russia and the Philippines.

Almost 44% of Osceola County is of Spanish descent. Some of my books have been translated into other languages. “It’s the Customer, Stupid!” was translated into Brazilian, Portuguese and Russian.

Who knew the Russians were interested in customer service? I learned from 2 former members from Russia that 80% of their economy is “underground capitalism.’

South American Portuguese is spoken and written differently from the native country of Portugal. Brazil is more of a guttural accent with descriptive words. You learn about these differences when you are exposed to other cultures in the speeches of these extraordinary Toastmasters.

I struggle to understand how some members speak. I quickly realize they speak with an accent because they know at least one more language than I do.

One of the inspirational quotes comes from a fellow Toastmaster from Colombia: “If you are too afraid to try, you will never know if you can do it.”

I have learned from my Mexican friends that “Winners never quit and those who give up never win.”

How many of us would risk everything including our lives to come to America? My grandparents came from Beirut, Lebanon.

The Cubans immigrants taught me that in a year “You will wish you started today.”

Cubans are resourceful. Over the years, I have come to admire their tenacity of purpose and commitment to a cause.

Those who hate communism could not be more passionate than Cubans.

Many Cuban lost fortunes. Some in their families died under the strong-arm of the Castros. They will never be swayed.

Michael Aun, CSP®, CPAE® is a co-author “Chicken Soup for the Catholic Soul”