With the implementation of the national “Belt and Road” strategy, China is accelerating its pace towards the world, and Weihua is also accelerating its “going overseas”. As one of Weihua’s important international markets, Kazakhstan has become a beautiful sight while many projects are being implemented.
Ma Xiaoting, the “rookie” of Weihua International Business Center, used responsibility and belief to shape her growth into a brilliant picture in Kazakhstan.
From walking on thin ice to being at ease, she has experienced various tests in complex and diverse tasks. She has not only developed excellent translation and communication skills, but also forged the excellent character of perseverance, courage and independence.
From the same window, some people see the mud, while others see the starry sky. Ma Xiaoting said that she discovered the Milky Way.
Weihua International Business Center Sales Engineer Ma Xiaoting
m Before wearing the sword, he turned around and entered the world
"When an opportunity comes, you must seize it and never let go!". Compared with unforeseen difficulties, Ma Xiaoting longs for passionate growth. Her weak and quiet appearance cannot conceal her inner tenacity and bravery.
This is a confidence gained by overcoming difficulties, and it is also her original intention that remains unwavering.
Ma Xiaoting’s university major is Russian, which is a minor language and requires more practice and practice than English. However, due to the epidemic, I never had the opportunity to practice in a native language environment during college. Until graduation, I was unable to realize my long-cherished wish to go abroad.
Ma Xiaoting’s graduation photo
If you never forget it, there will be an echo. Not long after Ma Xiaoting joined Weihua, a project of International Market in Kazakhstan entered the product installation stage. The local official language was Russian, and a staff member who could translate the crane installation was needed. When the leader asked Ma Xiaoting for her opinion, she responded readily without any hesitation.Yes.
It was only half a year since she joined Weihua.
Ma Xiaoting is not without concerns. For her, this is a very challenging decision. She had just stepped out of school and started working. Both in terms of translation experience and professional proficiency, she was still at the stage of book theory and lacked practical experience... Obviously, she was not ready yet.
"But there is never such a thing as being 'ready' in life, and you cannot wait until everything is ready before doing it. Taking action is the way to go. Challenges will not be different based on gender or age. You must be the first to play, constantly discover and solve problems in practice, and turn setbacks and hardships into stepping stones. Only then can you become a better self." After a short period of hesitation, Ma Xiaoting devoted herself to preparations for going abroad.
m Scab turns into a cocoon and steps into a thousand waves
On February 10, 2023, just after the Spring Festival holiday, Ma Xiaoting arrived in Kazakhstan thousands of miles away with a ticket.
Before setting off, Ma Xiaoting was worried about the inconvenience caused by environmental differences such as regional culture and living habits. Although she was fully prepared mentally, the actual situation was far worse than expected.
In February, it was extremely cold in most areas of the country. Even in Ma Xiaoting's hometown in the northeast, the temperature was as low as -30°C. However, the average temperature in Kazakhstan at this time reached -40°C. A heavy snowfall could be as deep as one meter, and it would sink into your thighs as soon as you go out.
It caused great trouble to Ma Xiaoting’s work. The most difficult part was finding the material boxes in the warehouse. The thick snow covered the material boxes and could not be seen at all.
Ma Xiaoting asked the warehouse workers about the approximate location of the unloaded goods, so she and her colleagues went on a "treasure hunt" in the open-air warehouse, checking them one by one until they found the target material. Often at this time, her hands would be red from the cold, and her eyelashes would be covered with frost.
Ma Xiaoting inspects the goods and materials
The customer ordered a total of five crane models, which were installed in four different workshops. The distance between workshops is as far as 12km. Ma Xiaoting needs to wear heavy protective shoes and rush to four different installation workshops. At the end of the day, her legs are sore and her whole body feels like falling apart. The journey is far longer than a marathon. She also suffered a lot from the bulky protective shoes, which were heavy and did not fit her feet well. The blisters on her feet broke and popped again, until they slowly scabbed and turned into calluses.
m Breaking from the inside is growth, breaking from the outside is pressure
Compared to the physical training, the psychological challenges made her even more miserable. Quiet and reserved, timid and shy, she was pressed to the ground and "rubbed" repeatedly by reality.
Ma Xiaoting’s Russian name is Viktoria, and she is affectionately called “Vika” by her colleagues. But at the beginning, Ma Xiaoting was afraid of someone calling her name.
Because every time someone calls her, it means there is something unexpected to deal with. At this time, she cannot fully understand the local language, and she needs to communicate with the local owner, installation team leader, installation company leader, workshop director, safety engineer and other people. Coupled with the lack of lifting professional knowledge, she is faced with a formidable enemy every time.
"This situation will happen countless times in a day. Most of the time, I am nervous. What's even more melancholy is that I don't know when this kind of day will end, because the project has just begun."
Ma Xiaoting’s daily work moments
Compared with the politeness in China, the way local owners speak is a bit "aggressive". Once, the arrival date of the materials was repeatedly delayed due to incomplete customs procedures. When Ma Xiaoting translated for them, before they had finished flipping through the pages, the other party slammed the table hard, stared angrily, and loudly asked when the goods would arrive, and they had to give a specific date on the spot.
The frail Ma Xiaoting had never seen such a battle before. The other party's exaggerated body language, ferocious expression, and burly figure scared her so much that she almost cried on the spot. She tried her best to calm down, held back tears, and continued to explain to the other party in a neither humble nor overbearing manner. She introduced the latest progress of logistics, and the meeting was able to continue.
Ma Xiaoting spent more time at the installation site.
Because she fell down the stairs in high school, which caused a serious psychological shadow on her, Ma Xiaoting is very afraid of climbing stairs. She often needs to support others or hold on to the railings before she dares to go up or down the stairs. When workers are welding and assembling on the crane beam, she needs to climb up with the workers and translate the correct operation methods to them on the spot.
Ma Xiaoting communicates with customers on the lifting truss
When Ma Xiaoting climbed up the ladder for the first time, she spent five minutes mentally building up and constantly cheering herself up. Driven by her work tasks, she could only bite the bullet and muster up the courage to give it a try.
When she trembled and gritted her teeth and insisted on climbing to the top, her heart was pounding like a drum. Although she was still afraid, she was more happy with "I can". As a design master said, "self" is invisible. Only when it hits something else and bounces back can you understand "self".
It broke through the shackles in her heart and gave Ma Xiaoting unlimited confidence. "If you can do the things you fear most, you can do other things too!"
m prosperity and frugality depend on people, crisis turns into opportunity
Soon, Ma Xiaoting faced a crisis and a turning point.
During the installation process of the half-door machine product, a technical dimension was repeatedly measured many times. The final data was significantly different from the theoretical value, which was obviously wrong.
In order to find the root of the problem, the installation team was asked to conduct multiple measurements. Repeated work caused the workers to lose patience and generate strong resistance. This not only wasted a lot of time, but also delayed the installation progress, causing the owner, installation team, and workshop director to become impatient.
At this time, the installation team leader proposed his own measurement method, but Ma Xiaoting and his technical colleagues insisted on following Weihua's measurement method. Both parties had their own opinions and were in a stalemate, and the conflict was about to break out.
Weihua lifting product installation site
Ma Xiaoting and her colleagues checked all the key steps. After confirming that the theory was correct, they communicated with the installation team leader and took the last measurement, provided that they were strictly in accordance with the requirements of Weihua technicians.
Due to schedule pressure, the installation team leader reluctantly agreed. So Ma Xiaoting marked each measurement point on the product and supervised the workers to measure strictly according to the marked positions. When calculating the data, Ma Xiaoting was worried that she would repeat the same mistakes. Her heart was in her throat. Every time she added a piece of data, she had to check it several times for fear of making a mistake...The final result was within the error range!
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the tense atmosphere disappeared. The installation team leader looked at Ma Xiaoting and the technicians with admiration and gave them a thumbs up.
From then on, the project installation cooperation went more smoothly, and Ma Xiaoting gradually became friends with the installation team leader. In addition to cooperating with each other at work, she would also ask the team leader for help when she had difficulties in life, such as asking him to recommend local supermarkets, introduce local print shops, etc.
Ma Xiaoting takes a photo with the installation team leader
In order to do a better and faster translation job, after finishing work every day, Ma Xiaoting would sit down to learn the local language vocabulary and expressions, and have simple conversations with the installation team workers. Gradually, her language translation skills improved qualitatively, and communication became smoother, which also greatly promoted the execution efficiency of the project.
At the same time, through continuous consultation and learning from professional and technical personnel, as well as practical training, she gradually mastered the professional knowledge related to cranes, and gradually became more comfortable in various tasks.
m After all the journeys, I am still young when I return
"Every day is a valuable learning lesson, with new discoveries and gains every day." The fulfilling work makes time fly by. In the blink of an eye, it is the end of July, and 80% of the project installation has been completed. At this time, there is a new and larger project that requires Ma Xiaoting, so she reluctantly bids farewell to her colleagues, the installation team leader and other work partners, and embarks on a voyage back to China.
Bracing the spring breeze all the way to midsummer, in just five months, Ma Xiaoting seemed to have experienced half a century, but she also gained a lot. Overcoming many difficulties and challenges, she learned to listen to and respect everyone's opinions and realized the importance of teamwork.Sexually, he also becomes more brave and confident.
Ma Xiaoting is preparing for bidding for new projects
"Persistent pursuit, down-to-earth learning and growth, can break through originally insurmountable obstacles."
She said that growth comes from continuous practice and exploration in action, and from the summary of blood and tears. Only through personal pain, and only when one’s head is bruised and bloody in the face of difficulties, can experience and ability gush out.
"I don’t regret my original decision, and I’m even more fortunate to be able to fulfill my original intention and not insult my mission. I’m so happy!"
I have been through a thousand sails, but I am still young when I come back. She did it.
