tcworld 2008 event report

KyoungYeon Won, BENEXtra Korea

From November 5 to 7, 2008, the tekom annual conference took place in the Rhein-Main-Hallen in Wiesbaden with a program of 180 lectures, workshops, tutorials and presentations as well as 183 exhibitors from Germany and abroad presenting technical innovations, new products, and services. Tekom reports that a total of 2279 participants from Germany and abroad attended the conference, and 1168 visitors came to the trade fair, compared to 1950 attendees and 800 visitors last year. On more than 2200 square meters of exhibition space, 183 companies presented their products and services, among them 51 from abroad. To educate attendees about our field, GALA hosted the Localization Forum with twenty sessions and workshops. GALA also hosted a group exhibit and the Localization Chill Zone to promote members. What a successful event! I am so proud of being counted as part of it. (^^*)

When I decided to participate in the tekom annual conference, I did not know what to expect. But, it did not take long to see that this is a dynamic event. I was thrilled to have met so many people and seen so many things. Compared to other conferences in the localization business where localization vendors and clients get together, this event saw participants with a lot of diversity in their backgrounds and professions. Many did not have an established conception of what localization, globalization and internalization are or how existing and emerging technologies are adopted. For those of us, including me, who have been in the industry for a long time, it’s easy to overlook fundamentals and the perspective of newcomers to the field. I was glad to see the high level of curiosity from participants. It gave me the chance to stand back and get a bigger picture of where I am and to re-evaluate my own work. I took the opportunity to reflect on my experience in the field and the knowledge I have accumulated thus far. And, because the Localization Track sessions focused on basics that can be easily taken for granted by industry insiders, I think that this event would be especially valuable for Asia-based vendors who might be lagging behind Western vendors and clients in terms of localization technology and marketing activities.  

BENEXtra participated in the GALA group booth along with eleven other member companies. Our booth was located in the lobby, across from the Localization Chill Zone and the Localization Forum session rooms. I found it especially enjoyable to reconnect with GALA members and staff and to have the opportunity to meet a number of members from Germany. I know that I am using a much worn-out cliché when I say that time files, but it really does! It’s always so great to see old GALA friends, and this time I got to enjoy meeting with new GALA members, too. In our group booth, I met Jürgen and Tony of UnaLingua, based near Stuttgart, Germany, and Vladimir and Andrei of AIT (Advanced International Translations), based in Kiev, Ukraine. Jürgen and Tony kept us all in good spirits with their fresh brewed espresso throughout the conference. 

In addition to the networking possibilities in and around the GALA group booth, the conference also provided a congenial social environment. On the evening of the second day of the conference, my colleague and I enjoyed an evening on the town with fellow GALA members. We settled into a cozy, traditional German restaurant to eat "Sauer Kraut" and "Schnitzel". There, we ran into several other participants from the conference as well. They recognized me from the nametag I was still wearing -- how embarrassing! But, it was a good thing, I suppose, since it made me a walking billboard for my company and it helped me to meet others. Before long, they joined us, and we all had a nice time enjoying the wine, beer, and good conversation about our respective cultures and traditional foods.

My journey started by traveling almost 10,000 km to Germany for the purpose of winning potential clients and understanding new trends and emerging technologies. It turned out to be that as well as an agreeable time with friends and colleagues, which was very refreshing. While it is difficult to measure the tangible outcome so soon after an event, it is important to recall that in a competitive business, world relationships are also an important element of good business practice. Tekom offered an excellent forum to develop both aspects.

My drizzly days in Wiesbaden have now turned to a chilly winter creeping in on Seoul. I hope that you all are warm and cozy in your respective cities, and I look forward to meeting you, too, at a future event.

KyoungYeon Won is the manager of business development and marketing at BENEXtra Korea.