A few days ago, I was asked to interpret for a European maintenance expert who was visiting a limestone mining company in Dalian. Initially I thought it would be easy, even though I don’t often practice my oral English.

As soon as we arrived, the engineers gave an introduction to the company and their production process. This involved the use of a lot of jargon. I was caught off guard by my ignorance of such technical language. I found myself stammering as the engineers glared at me.

Before long, the expert comforted me, “Don’t worry, I will understand the process when I see it in action.” Luckily, one of the engineers knew the English terms, he quickly passed me the piece of paper on which they were written. With their encouragement, the day ended successfully for me.

If I had prepared beforehand, I would not have had those moments of anxiety at the beginning. From this embarrassing experience I learned the importance of avoiding complacency.