Confidence and communication

Hu Lan is interested in the improvement of the quality of education among rural teachers, so every time she has a chance to hear and share views on this topic she jumps at the chance. She has attended about six international conferences to date.

"It's very useful for each of us to improve and find our self," she says.

Here she shares the knowledge gained from attending international conferences and also gives suggestions about improving oneself to the international level.

Anyone can feel worried when attending a special event. So, you should take time to prepare yourself as much as you can.

Good preparation can help you to be less diffident. I remember that the first time I had to talk to audiences, I almost ducked my head into my computer notebook. I lost self-confidence. I couldn't face the audience.

But when you do it often and also prepare properly - presentations, scripts, keywords and key points - everything can go smoothly.

International conferences or events are always conducted in English, and many might be worried about their level of English.

Nobody is perfect and we're not native English speakers. It's very important that when we have to speak English, we should try to think in that language. And then just speak out. Don't translate from your first language.

Don't worry too much, or you'll leave the chances in front of you. This kind of conference is very useful for us. It's a very important way to improve ourselves. It's not just about our English but also confidence.

It also helps us to exercise our thoughts and offer opinions. Sometimes we get questions about presentations and also opinions from audiences. That's good for exercising the brain.

Actually I like to communicate to many different people, which is very interesting. Try to exchange views with different kinds of people, as well as keeping an open mind to learn things from the wide world of varied thought. This is all so important for professional study.

Attending an international event, you might find you've made some mistakes and have some weak points. But you have to have an open mind to accept and solve those things.

Sometimes I might find I'm not good at English at all. My English is still poor when I have to meet foreigners or native English speakers. But it's a way to discover and improve yourself. I always learn something from others. For me, making mistakes means progress.

When I was secondary school student, I was very shy about talking - even in Chinese. It's good my school wasn't just about teaching for academic sake, but also about communicating with each other. In my mind, language is not the first and most important thing when it comes to communication. Confidence is more important.

I attended a 2004 international education conference. I didn't know how to communicate. I didn't want to communicate with foreigners, but I learnt how to communicate with them. There are many kinds of foreigners.

"Tomorrow is mystery, yesterday is history. In everything you do, you can come across difficulties. Do the best for yourself," says Hu Lan.

Suwicha Chanitnun

The Nation