TotalIRC is an international IRC network with people from all over the world
TotalIRC's IRC software has Hostmark encryption so you are able to hide your host while chatting on IRC. and feel safe from general annoyance, while you are still able to see the country people are from, providing the ip has a hostname.

TotalIRC's staff are eagering to help new IRC users, also regular IRC users.
TotalIRC is a clean network, it holds no warez at all