My very first conference as both a speaker and an audience

Hello Everyone,

I hope everything is going well for you. I was gone for a few days and traveled extensively. I’ve simply sat down to write down my thoughts.
In 2022, I established a goal that should be a speaker for an in-person conference. I was submitting papers to a number of conferences. And I got chosen for HUSTEF. It was, without a doubt, one of the most memorable days of my life. At the same time, I was apprehensive and doubtful that I would make it. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that this is my first travel to Europe, my first in-person conference, and so on.

I began to concentrate on mentally and physically preparing for the conference. Fortunately, my talk was based on my personal experience, so putting everything together was a breeze. Meanwhile, the event organizers are quite nice and helpful.

I have to leave my family behind for personal reasons and must go alone. The day arrived after much planning and preparation.
I went thousands of miles to reach Hungary. The HUSTEF team hosted a special dinner for conference speakers the day before the conference. It was a pretty delicious supper (most of the food was new to me). I had the opportunity to meet and greet a number of the speakers.

The next morning, October 5th was really exceptional. I got dressed, and the location was walkable from the hotel that the organizers had reserved. I gathered my belongings and began going toward the site. I found the location, which was pretty hidden underground. The welcome message was written on the entry doors in the languages of the speakers. Isn’t it lovely?

It was beautifully organized and I got my speaker tag and moved on.

The organizers assisted me in locating the stage where I will be speaking (since there were two tracks). Another session was in progress. I sat patiently with the crowd and observed it. Because my talk was scheduled after lunch, I had plenty of time to unwind.

I was shy on the first day and didn’t speak with many of the attendees or other presenters. Dusanka, on the other hand, was one-of-a-kind. We met outside the hall and soon became friends. She has a kind heart. She made my entire trip more bearable by being there for me anytime I needed a friend.

When it was my turn, I prepared the microphone and walked onto the stage. It was a wonderful experience, and I observed a few legends seated in the hall and felt honored to make a speech in front of them. I spoke from my heart and I hoped that the audience enjoyed it well. I was able to finish the talk on time and I had a few questions to take.

When I got down, one of the audience members went up to me and told me how much she loved my talk and asked if she may hug me. That was a memorable occasion for me. That single hug calmed all of my anxiety. The first day of the conference had come to an end, and we had a great social gathering in the evening. I went to bed peacefully! Then the other presenters were saying that those who finished their talks on the first day of the conference were fortunate since they could rest and enjoy the second day.

Day 2 was absolute bliss, as I had the opportunity to meet with several speakers and Testing heroes. I met a handful of wonderful people in the crowd, and they all said they loved my lecture. And many others approached me, inquiring about my experience dealing with the languishing, how I encourage my team, and so forth…

Meanwhile, I had the opportunity to explore Budapest, Hungary. That city boasts numerous magnificent structures, as well as kind people. Fortunately, my friend’s mother came to see me and took me to many places. She is a kind and generous person. I had a fantastic day with her family. I took a lot of photos, so I’m only posting a handful here.

Finally, after a tonne of experiences and learning, I must say goodbye to Hungary and HUSTEF.

I personally thank everyone who helped me to get in there!

I believe you enjoyed reading this. Hoping to see you again in another post ❤