Spring Conference 2018

On the 21st and 22nd of April 2018 our Moscow colleagues have organized an International Toastmasters Conference. The major theme of the event was dedicated to development, and growth and its motto “Go! Grow!” has still been actual for many of us.

In terms of the global communication between Toastmasters Clubs the event remarkably stands out. Valeriya Nabatova, an official member of the Atyrau Open Toastmasters Club(AOTC) took part in it and also opened the Conference with the keynote address. Valeriya is a recent member of the Toastmasters Club. Came to the Club in October, 2017 and since then she has represented seven projects and participated in speech contests.

Gladly, we’ve finally managed to discuss the event details with Valeriya.

Hi, Valeriya! I’m pleased to talk to you today. First, I’d like to ask you to give us more details about the Conference.

Hi, Akbota! I’m happy too that we’re having this conversation.

The concept of the Conference, which is a traditional collaboration in Moscow Toastmasters Area, is to gather people from Russia and other countries to inspire, motivate and reinforce each other for better growth as speakers and leaders, meet new friends and build up an intellectual network.

During the Conference there were arranged two bilingual Contests, English and Russian, including Evaluators Contest. Then, former and current clubs leaders were interviewed within the panel discussion answering various questions. Also, we were engaged in the workshop of the specific theme directly related to communication. Of course, we had afterparty, and fellows took me on an excursion around the Moscow city center.

As for me, participating in such event was a completely new experience in many terms uncovered unknown angles of communication.

How did you know about the Conference?

As you know past February was special for our big community because of first Toastmasters Open Central Asia speech contest (TOCA) arranged by the Astana Toastmasters club (ATC). Thanks to it, I’ve met speakers from other cities and countries. Among them was a speaker from Moscow, Sergey Saprykin with whom we discussed variations of developing clubs in Kazakhstan including welcome visits to the neighboring clubs. This idea has been precisely interesting for me because I love traveling, exploring cultures and traditions, establishing contacts, so I mentioned that it would be great to visit once Moscow Area.

After this event I came back home and a bit little later I have received a message from Sergey to participate in the Moscow Area Spring Conference. I was extremely surprised because I didn’t expect that it would happen so soon.

Why did you decide to go there?

It was going to become real just like a dream, so being thrilled I just could not say ‘No’ to his invitation. Well, I believe to make my answer whole I must share with you another background narrative (smile*).

When I first presented a speech in the AOTC session, I couldn’t help myself with the anxiety no matter what I had practiced - breathing techniques, special exercise and so forth. Though at the very beginning my essential purpose was to sustain my capacity to speak and communicate in English. Thanks to every speech I had to demonstrate, the language practice has been made into a challenge to myself and my inner fears.

Moreover, I also felt it as a chance to bring ideas into life, to express them as best as I can, to say and convey something important to an audience and to be heard. That’s the way I feel staying in front of an audience I can make a connection with the world through every ear and eye personally.

Then, after my ‘Camel Lady’ performance in Astana, I've been strengthened - I mean my inner force - to keep moving on, even though it seemed to be even more challenging experience.

How can you describe your presentation, the result of your job?

My purpose as a guest speaker was to open the Conference by representing the keynote address. Please keep in mind that this is on average a 20-45 minute speech. I have prepared a 20-25 minute speech. For the first time! (nodding the head*)

If you think that it was a successful presentation then I’m going to disappoint you because it has resulted in a complete disaster (laughing*). It was the worst presentation I have ever done. I totally forgot some parts of my keynote address.

I didn’t know what to do being bewildered and feeling ashamed that it happened in such a responsible moment! I was talking about my experience of improving my target language skills as if I were growing a cherry tree by demonstrating this process. I messed up the points that were very crucial to keep consistent because of the story structure. I was so afraid of people didn’t understand my message and that they didn’t laugh at my jokes. I don’t remember how many times I was saying “Sorry” for my mistakes while staying in front of the viewers.

Technically, it was a bad luck situation because I’ve never used a microphone before. So I was holding it too close to my mouth and it was producing too loud and noisy sounds that made it unbearable to listen.

So, in terms of a personal challenge it’s been an ideal ‘fruition’. But in terms of success - it was a total disaster, at least, I felt that way.

After all, I’ve got a lot of support from the fellows I saw for the first time in my life. Their feedback was sort of a healing medicine. I still gratefully remember all them and specially one that has given me a vast hope:

“Despite made mistakes the presentation was well-received because it was lively due to the natural emotions and body language. The speech result anyway resonated in a good way with the idea of the event”.

They also told me about some similar l situations with experienced speakers during the International presentations abroad, though they used to speak in public more than I did.

“Go, Toastmasters, grow!”, was the conference slogan, the definition of the personal and club - all together - development in the Toastmasters society. Briefly, the only way to build, elaborate and advance the skills is an action, errors are the inalienable part of it. So, I breathed out thinking that we’re all there to learn how to become at least experts and hopefully true professionals farther in the future.

to be continued...