The 38th IFATCA Asia and Pacific Regional Meeting was held last October 20-22, 2022, in Cebu City, Philippines. This is the first time for PATCA (Philippine Air Traffic Controllers' Association) to host an international event. Also, this is the first face-to-face conference/meeting since the APRM in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2019. At that time, travel restrictions were eased in most countries.
We barely had three months to prepare since the travel restrictions weren't proactive. It was indeed a gargantuan undertaking for us! While on duty, my colleague approached me and asked if I wanted to host the 3-day program. I did not hesitate and said 'yes' at first, thinking that was my only contribution to PATCA (later, I had too many tasks for the event, but I ain't complaining). They also asked Katrine to be my co-host for two days, which is also a good thing since she's one of my close friends in the office. Communication and coordination won't be a problem for both of us.
I never felt nervous and anxious until two weeks before the program. While Kat and I were finalizing our script, it finally hit me. I was starting to regret it. Firstly, I NEVER hosted a formal program in my ENTIRE LIFE (parties not included), and secondly, talking in front of an audience frightens me. But I told myself this is just a challenge, and I had Kat with me. I am not alone in this ordeal since she felt the same thing.
The first day of the program was nerve-wracking, and my hands were shaking during break time. But you know what? As soon as I heard positive remarks from my colleagues, it gave me the strength and confidence to continue my task. The flow of the program wasn't 100% smooth. There were a few minor technical glitches, and as a host, I need to keep the show running while the tech team is busy fixing some things. I need to think fast, and I was also surprised that we pulled it off and even made the audience laugh and highly engaged!
Because of this, I got recognized by some of the people from IFATCA. Today, I am part of the World Communications Committee for Asia and Pacific Region and a facilitator for the IFATCA's Speak English Program. If I didn't say yes to this hosting task, I'd probably be stuck in a rut.
This shows that we grow outside our comfort zone. My heartfelt gratitude to those who supported me in all of my endeavors and those who pushed me hard to strive even better in my craft and skills. Maraming Salamat!
