Photography slideshow

Photo Credit: Christian Garrucho / Special to The Daily

Click on the photo above for a slideshow collection of some of our amazing photojournalists' images.

Photos edited and selected by Spartan Daily Photo Editor Carlos A. Moreno.

One last picture

This was one of the last real photos I shot in Paris. I think I shot a couple more, but they were just snap shots on the train.

This picture will forever be my final image of a beautiful city, until I am able to return again.

This image just doesn't capture that specific moment as I walked to the train with two other photogs. This picture was the sum of an entire day of picture taking, in which I traveled all over the city.

I walked from the Arc de Triumph to the Eiffel Tower. I walked from the Elysee Palace to the Louvre. I saw the Mona Lisa and I saw North Africans get chased by police three times.

All in one day, on one trip, for one experience.

I waited on the corner of a street, for ten minutes to get this picture. I have to thank Mike and Trina for waiting with me. It was cold and a little wet; we had a long week and just wanted to take a load off at the hotel.

This picture wrapped up my spring break, that included a stop in London prior to Paris. It just might be my favorite.

Love at first sight

A woman passes by a fashion boutique on Champs Elysees. Photo Credit: Carlos A. Moreno

If I would have to sum up what I felt about my experience in Paris it would have to be love at first sight.

Inspiration flowed through my veins when I landed to Paris. It was all that I had envisioned and more. London has cosmopolitan down

...but Paris had charm and romance.

Everywhere you turned history and love filled the air. Pictures surrounded me effortlessly.

It was magical and exciting.

London was an interesting city but Paris had class and style - making the city a league of its own.

Parisian culture was both oddly adventurous and calm all at once. People expected you to be quite on public places but had no problem showing affection for each other on the streets.

The people, at least some of them, where friendly to me. I knew no French when I arrived, but after a few days in the mix of the streets and the Metro - I felt some of the language sip into my consciousness.

I had even gained an accent too. All without effort.

Maybe it was because I grew up with Latin roots. Possibly my fluent Spanish speaking abilities helped me in not feeling alienated by the culture and city's fast paced life style.

It definitely came in handy when I was conducting interviews and/or when I was getting around through the city.

One thing is for sure, it is a city that never sleeps. The food in Paris was the best I had tasted in a while.

Even a loaf of bread tasted more real. U.S. grocery stores have nothing on France.

It's amazing what a little traveling can make you realize. It allowed me to understand how others live, work and still manage to have time to play.

If only the U.S. was more like this.

If anything this trip to Paris confirmed to me my desire to venture on to distant and familiar lands and learn more about the people who inhabit them.

Paris struck me as a place I would like to visit again and maybe even live there one day myself.

Luckily, according to legend, I might have that chance to return to Paris, since I touched the star outside of Notre Dame on my first night in Paris.

So maybe my return will mean inspiration not just in waves but random as love at first sight.

Carlos A. Moreno
Photographer
Photojournalism

A HISTORY LESSON

Thursday, 26 2009

I had another long day working with Kim Nguyen on a broadcast story and I filmed some pretty good content. The story turned out to be more than interesting and relevant to the economy, but I was expecting to do more hard-impact stories that spoke of the ugliness of the economic situation in Europe. Regardless, I enjoy, more than ever, working as a journalist.

The restaurant we covered, Foyer Vietnam, filled up with students and other local Parisians within twenty minutes of opening their doors. I felt an overwhelming warmth and coziness while we were filming and doing interviews, but it could have been the great French wine that the owner insisted I try. Either way I felt welcomed and honored to be there. Everyone was very hospitable and I think the story will turn out great.

It was also interesting to see the students and teachers interacting together in a social environment. When I asked if it was common I was told that the professors in Paris look after their students like family and often go out to eat together. It’s not uncommon to find them drinking together at night as well.

For those of you who haven’t read up on international conflict and history, there is a strong connection between France and Vietnam. Long before the U.S. made it’s presence known in the beautiful Southeast Asian Country, Vietnam was under French rule. The Vietnam War, as it’s known in the U.S., took place after the Vietnamese fought a long and bloody war of independence. When they finally gained their freedom from France, fueled by socialist ideas, the U.S. stepped in and tried to impose capitalistic ideas. The clash became a tragic war lasting over a decade and remains a dark cloud in the history of U.S. foreign policy, at least from my perspective.

Overall it was a productive day and I learned a lot about what it takes to get a strong broadcast story. Comparatively speaking, it seemed like it took longer that a traditional print story and it will probably have less information when it’s put together because of the time restraints. If I can, or if I think it will help the story, I’ll add some photos and written content.

John Ellis
Print Journalism

GREATER THAN EXPECTATIONS

Wednesday, 25 2009

There is an odd confidence that comes when you are thrust into a foreign environment and successfully navigate around without too much trouble. On the one hand you’re expecting to get lost a few times. On the other hand, these transport systems are pretty self-explanatory so you feel kind of dumb if you do get lost. In London, the Tube made things easy. In Paris, the Metro gets you where you want to go.

I was reluctant to go with the rest of the students to Radio France because I thought it would be more touristy than real experience. I am so glad it was mandatory because, so far, it was the highlight of my trip. To see newsrooms in action working with media from all over the world was very inspirational for me. I would love to work somewhere like that in the future. Definitely a dream job!

Kim Nguyen and I covered a lot of territory today. We didn’t see too many monuments on the way but we did experience some authentically Parisian locations. We checked out Asian communities in a few different spots and saw some strong working-class neighborhoods, which I think is just as important to experience as anything else, if not more so. We ended up in the Latin Quarter where Kim’s original source was. The area has two universities and it’s bustling with students. I’m not sure what I was expecting but it was interesting to see how similar students are in different countries.

All in all, it was a long day that yielded more conformations for tomorrow that any actual story content, which feels a little wasteful, and the focus for the story is going to be one restaurant rather than comparing nightmares to success stories, which I wanted. If everything pans out like expected, though, it should be a good story.

John Ellis
Print Journalism

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE A BITCH

Tuesday, March 24 2009

Today I said "Cheers" to London and "Bonjour" to Paris. During the flight, I started to get that language barrier tingling sensation that starts in the stomach and somehow makes its way all the way up to the back of the brain, fogging any knowledge of foreign tongues. I never made an ass out of myself in London but I knew it would happen often in Paris. I think this is the body’s way of preparing you for your inevitable doom, worst-case scenario wise.

Anyways, by the time we got to our hotel and did the check-in thing, which had an excessively brutal tone set forth by the sight of twenty unruly students, it was already pretty late and the editors decided the day would best be used to rest and gather our thoughts. My body was thankful but my mind was full of ideas. After all, I did just arrive in Paris.

A group of us went to the Eiffel Tower to take photos for the Web site and I was surprised I liked it so much. It wasn’t even on my list of things to do. We got there as the sun was dropping so the light was fantastic for photos, although my incompetence of SLR cameras made that a moot point. We checked out some other spots around the Tower area that seemed really awesome in my haze of tiredness and I told myself I would come back to really see them after I got some sleep.

I also made a plan to work with Kim Nguyen, another broadcast student, because I knew I would run into the same problems as I did in London and be forced to do a similar story. She had a pretty solid lead so we’ll check that out tomorrow. After working with Diana Nguyen, I realized that videographer experience is just another good line for my resume.

I’m not sure how I’m feeling at this point. I definitely should have worked harder at setting up interviews before we arrived in Europe. Or maybe I should have bought a suit so people would take me more seriously. Either way, I came into this trip a tad overconfident. I’ll chalk it up to a learning experience and leave it at that. No use sweating the petty.

John Ellis
Print Journalism

THROUGH THE LENS OF SOMEONE ELSE'S CAMERA

Monday, March 23 2009

Today I saw my first real action in broadcast journalism. I’m usually a tad critical of video news because I see the format as too time limited, but working with Diana Nguyen on the Cancer Research U.K. piece showed me a positive side. It was definitely a learning experience and I can see that I need more skills in that department.

We started the day out like most – an early morning meeting after a small breakfast then defining the day’s grand plan. Afterwards, Diana and I went looking for a source she discovered while asking locals about thrift stores. Again, I love the Tube here in London; it almost never lets you down.

I began realizing early on during this trip that my story about the working poor was going to be difficult considering I have no press credentials and apparently I’m “only a student,” a quote I heard from numerous possible interviewees. There were plenty of panhandlers and homeless folks around London, including some talented street musicians, but government officials and professionals were not taking me seriously.

So, given the situation I found myself in, I focused on the people because they were a little more willing to talk to me and many of them had interesting stories. I found two stories in particular that I thought shed some light on economic issues as well as exemplified London’s personality.

John Ellis
Print Journalism

PEOPLE STALKING

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Today I spent most of the day going around London trying to interview college students for my story. I never realized before today, but journalism involves the skill of people stalking. It might sound weird and a little creepy, but I found it completely necessary.

Places I found myself stalking people today were: Gap, Brompton Road (where Harrods is located), and Boarders.

Brompton Road was filled with loads for young people. However, they all had shopping on their minds and it seemed like nothing could get in their way. An important tip I learned while trying to find college students in Gap is people can look younger than they are. That seems obvious and the older lady with the a-line bob was surprised that I didn’t know this tip when I asked her if she was a college student. I tried asking if there were any college students working at Gap but she told me even if any of her employees were college students she wouldn’t let me interview.

Next up was the street across from Harrods. My roommate and I looked up and down for people that looked like college students. I kept asking Brielle Washington, my roommate, if any person looked like a college student, I didn’t want another Gap incident. I finally found a group of girls that looked like they were in their early 20s. I ended up interviewing one of the girls who attends college at Newcastle which is located in Newcastle, UK.

Last up was Boarders near China Town and on the way back to our hotel, the St. Giles, through the Soho district. This is where I tried to not think about how ridiculous what I was doing was. I saw a couple girls that looked college age on the second floor. I went to approach them but they moved too quickly and went down stairs to the first floor. I followed them down the stairs, around the corner, and down an aisle all while trying to seem like that’s were I was going regardless. I finally introduced my self and started to interview one of the girls. Even though she had graduated in 2007, what she had to say was very interesting.

All in all I think people stalking is an important skill to have. The con is being creepy and odd. However, the reward of getting an interview out weights the con, because in the end we are all a little creepy and odd anyways.

Shiva Zahirfar

Magazine Journalism

HELLO LONDON, GOODBYE USA

Sunday, March 22, 2009

So here I am, my first day in London and I am up to my neck in stress already. What? I just got here? Well that’s what I originally thought but “being stressed” is definitely an understatement because I most definitely don’t think I’m suffering from jet lag. I was ready for this trip three weeks before we embarked on this next journalism adventure of mine and I was nervous but very excited at the same time. Today was filled with a lot of different emotions; the anxious feeling of traveling and arriving to in a new country, the anxiousness about exploring some foreign territory, and arriving in your new destination where I would have to hit the ground running and get my work done ahead of time so I may have room to breathe.

The craziness of a new groove and new vibe of a new city excited me but after having seen what I’ve been through today in London? Let’s just say I was honestly hoping my first day here in London would have gone better. Sleeplessness hasn’t even kicked in yet and I miss my trusted journalism partner who did not join me on this trip. Speaking of this trip, this is my third time traveling with Dr. Michael Cheers, my professor. I think he’s taught me many wonderful things , he’s given me numerous chances to rise to the challenge of doing some foreign news reporting. I would prefer to call it “freelancing”….but then again I’m not sure which reference is better suited for me here in this context.

All in all, I’ve had very high highs today and experienced many low lows at the same time. Am I missing home yet? Not really. I’m in touch with my mother through email so missing home and being homesick hasn’t really occurred yet.

Speaking of Email…checking Email at the hotel is ridiculous. It’s very expensive but I guess we have to do what we have to do to stay informed while we’re in our new environment. I told my friends on Facebook, I’ll be traveling to London. Most of them message tagged me and said “ENJOY YOUR VACATION”…what vacation?

This London/Paris Spring Break trip has been a big multimedia boot camp and although we’re in a foreign country right now, thousands of miles away from home, I feel like I can rise to a challenge provided by my instructor or fold. I guess we shall see what my time here in London will bring....I guess for now it’s about taking this experience in for a bit but also working numerous hours to churn out something extremely wonderful. We shall wait and see…


Kim Nguyen
Broadcast Journalism

MISSING HOME BUT KEEPING BUSY

Monday, March 23, 2009

Today was our only full day of reporting in London. A full successful day of reporting wears anyone out, but if you’re a news junkie then you’re excited about having managed to hit the ground running as soon as possible and managed to pull a full day's work.

I checked my email this morning and the thought of missing home is sinking in, but I am much too busy to think about what’s going on at home right now. All I know is, I have a job to do and I will do it as best as I can, I just hope it will go well in a place where I don’t know the directions and lay out of the town or city because again I’m only here for a short time.

I’m sure all successful news reporters have dealt with this pressure of being up against deadlines and time. Having time to do a news story can be a good thing, but time can also be your worst enemy as I’ve had to find out here in London. I don’t know much, all I know is, I chose the right profession to get into because I have fun, I enjoy it, and I love what I do. I can’t wait to do this after I graduate for a living, but deadlines are horrific. I feel like I’m sometimes completely out of my element…I just hope I find my comfortable “grooving” zone again so I can get back to being me and deliver the “stuff” everyone knows I can deliver, just not right now.

Kimberly Nguyen
Broadcast Journalism

FINDING OUR WAY THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND

Sunday, March 22 2009

The Underground tube system never fails!

Any destination is easily accessible, making the possibilities practically endless. Today, Mike Anderson, Ya-an Chan and myself trekked around Hyde Park all morning looking for sources for some stories. It was a beautiful Sunday morning in London. The sun shining with a nice breeze and people were out in bunches, but with little commotion in Speaker’s Corner. To say the least the park is huge and it’s easy to get a little lost.

It took me the better part of an hour to cruise one quarter of the park on my skateboard looking for a story while Mike and Ya-an scouted for people willing to talk about the nationalized health care system. They were more successful than I but it’s hard to say the morning was wasted because I was having so much fun.

I came across two inline skaters doing their thing in what, at first glance, looked like freestyle dancing. One cat, Samer Alhabash, 32, was a dreaded hair, semi hard-body with his shirt off who seemed like the rowdy type. He set up about 12 three-inch plastic cones and speedily criss-crossed in between them with backward spins, one-footed turns and ballerina-like pliers.

I took some pics and chatted with them long enough to find out that they were “freestyle slalom in-line skaters.” Apparently, according to Mr. tough guy, it’s been the craze the last five years or so but has yet to catch on in the states, aside from a small New York fetish. Sure enough, about a hundred yards away, there were another four or five sets of cones with another fifteen or so skaters. Samer (I love the name for some reason) took the cake, though.

After I met back up with Ya-an and Mike we made the journey to Big Ben, the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, to take a group photo with the rest of the students on the trip. We also checked out a couple of hospitals for Ya-an’s story and a park to try and find some homeless folks for mine.

On a side note, Mike and I talked to a receptionist at one of the hospitals about health care. We asked about services for the homeless and she told us that everyone gets the same treatment regardless of their situation. She seemed surprised to hear that the homeless in the United States usually only get treatment when they are super ill. Mike and I pondered that for a little while we waited for Ya-an to do her thing. It is kind of crazy if you think about it. What a world, huh?

London is fantastic. I could easily live here.

John Ellis
Print Journalist

PREPARATION IS THE BEST PREPARATION

Wednesday, March 25

Lesson learned today: The best thing in the world is working while having fun, but you need to prepare a lot for it as well as have a tremendous amount of luck.

Before the trip, I spent hours sending tons of e-mails to people I’d never met, researching for story ideas and not sleeping until 5 a.m. for many days.

It all paid off, as I was able to enjoy parts of Paris on the way to my first interview in the city, though the weather was ridiculously cold and windy.

Walking on Quai du Louvre along the Seine River from Musée du Louvre and seeing Conciergerie-Palais de Justice and Notre Dame on the other side of the river were experiences that I couldn’t leave Paris without. After my interview, I also got to experience Paris’ jam-packed metro at Châtelet Les Halles during traffic hours.

I could see what a bunch of busy people the Parisians are. My Parisian friend said that a lot of times people just rush past when someone approaches them. I considered myself lucky because my interviewee was very helpful and I have a friend in Paris who helped me during my interviews. However, this whole experience --- from not sleeping until 5 a.m., making contacts, to enjoying the scenes in Paris --- it's made me realized the importance of preparation.

It’s true that there are lots of unexpected things in journalism, but the more you prepare, the more likely things will work out for you.

Ya-an Chan
Copy Editor
Magazine Journalism
My Blog.

... AND SUZANNE SAID, "LET THERE BE WORK"

I took a digital SLR out with us for our first day in Paris. I'm not normally a photographer, but this trip has been entirely about getting our hands dirty with multimedia. "All-platform journalists," as they say. So I got out there with the group to the Eiffel Tower and started playing around with the camera.

It's been roughly 10 years since I've taken a photography class. The last SLR I worked with was film, so it was a lovely change of pace to see exactly what went right and what went wrong after each shot.

And as I was reacquainting myself with F-stops and shutter speeds, I took this photo.

Our photographer Carlos Moreno ran in front of me and I snapped it without thinking or paying much attention. It ended up being my favorite picture of the trip, because it says it all. We are here to work, with this amazing city as our backdrop. And work we did, and work we shall.

Suzanne Yada
Managing Editor

Magazine Journalism

www.suzanneyada.com

HA HA HA AMERICANS

My story assignment in Paris is about college tuition and fees. At Hotel de Ville there was a protest (again) to change the Parisian government, but mostly to change the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, who wants to change to the current school systems. The change would affect every level of education.

The major con of course to trying to interview Parisians is the language barrier. I really only know how to say pardon me, thank you, hello and please, which isn’t enough when trying to interview a person who only understands and speaks French.

Another not so great thing about not knowing French was not being able to understand what the protesters signs said.

One negative side of Paris that anybody from America has to face is getting laughed at. Today I got laughed at because I couldn’t understand French.

A Parisian man approached me to ask what we were doing, and I couldn’t answer his question. I tried to explain but he just went back to his friend. All I could understand was him laughing as he said American.

On the other hand, three professors came up to Christian Garrucho, Alex Ruiz-Huidobro and I to see what we were doing. All three professors were able to communicate with us through English and explain their position on the matter.

Another great thing was the passion the professors had as they talked to us. They would go on for minutes explaining what had happened to make these teachers and unions angry.

Seeing how much passion they had about the issue, in turn, made me want to work harder to make this story a really good piece. It makes me feel that even though there is a language barrier I can still have a good story, which is all that matters to me.

Shiva Zahirfar
Print Journalism

CALLING CARDS AND CALL GIRLS

I think the hardest thing in Paris as any one would assume is the language barrier. For one trying to find a café with internet connection is hard enough. I went to a couple of places that I would consider 'convenience stores.'

The first one I went into they didn’t speak English so they didn’t understand when I was asking for directions and when I was asking them for a calling card.

The third store I went into was run by an Asian family who spoke what sounded like French. Lucky for me, one of them spoke a little English because he had family living in the United States so he was able to help me get a calling card that I could use to call home. It took me awhile to understand him because of the accent but he was a big help.


Later in the day I made it to the Montmartre district of Paris. I went and saw the Moulin Rouge and on the same strip there were tons of sex shops and strip clubs. There were guys standing outside the strip clubs trying to get people to come in all while making gestures at women walking by. I am not sure what they were saying because it was in French, but it sounded like they were, I guess one would say, 'getting fresh' with them.

Liz Mitchell
Public Relations

PUNK'D BY THE FRANCAIS

03-24-09

My first night in the beautiful city of Paris was extremely memorable not only because I was overwhelmed by the scenery, but because I was a victim of a French prankster.

A handful of our group dined out at a fondue restaurant near Notre Dame and got real taste of what France had to offer.

Suzanne Yada and I, being the daring individuals that we are, tried escargot for the first time. The French couple sitting behind us were amused when watching Suzanne fling shells across the table as they slipped out of the grip of the prongs.

Our garçon seemed frustrated as he watched us Americans struggle to get the snail out of its shell. He disappeared to the back of the restaurant, returned with a metal hammer and bludgeoned the shell in front of me. The garçon presented me with the snail's meat and I was surprised how delicious it tasted.

After finishing our authentic French cuisine, we put together 116 Euros to pay the bill. We set the bill on the side of the table and all of a sudden a man grabbed the Euros and ran out the door.

Everyone was confused and thought we got robbed and I was so afraid we were gonna have to pay again or wash dishes in the back to cover our meal. But the act was a prank and the man who grabbed the Euros was the owner of the restaurant.

Bursting in laughter he walked back into the restaurant and asked: "What would you have done if someone really did that?" I didn't have an answer to that question but the whole table breathed a sigh of relief that the robbery was only a prank.

I need to be more aware of my surroundings while in a foreign country and try not to get punk'd again during the rest of my stay in Paris.

Brielle Washington

PARIS WHEN IT DRIZZLES

This wet Thursday marked our final full day in Paris.

I headed out to the 6th arrondissement to meet with an SJSU International Business student who is studying abroad for the semester. Her name is Carly and she is living with extended family while attending school in Paris. She speaks French and has a job as an English tutor for a family who lives in the 17th arrondissement.

After we had lunch I ran over to Notre Dame. Although this trip was my second voyage to Paris, I had not been able to fit Notre Dame in the first time.

After about 2 minutes, I was done visiting and checked that off my list of things to see. I think when I am older, I will take the tour, but for now, seeing the outside was fine enough for me. Besides, there was no place to rest my feet as the rain took care of every possible chair, bench or ledge.

I have yet to set one foot in the Louvre, but I think that will have to be its own trip as I hear it is a maze of wonders not to be rushed through.

Andrew Martinez

Magazine Journalism

IF YOU DON'T ASK ...

“Je suis… uh… journaliste… student…?”

I was embarrassing myself royally, but the man and woman behind the counter of the artisan bakery seemed to recognize what I was attempting to say. Joe Proudman and Katrina Kane pulled out their digital SLR cameras as I asked, “Photo?”

We had stopped at this bakery near the St. Augustin Cathedral hunting for a photo opportunity. Its window displayed artisan bread molded into shapes like elephants, bicycles and the Eiffel Tower. If we could just capture them making the bread, shaping the bread, baking it and selling it, we’d have a lovely but simple little photo essay.

The woman was friendly enough but the man was more suspicious after I butchered his native tongue. She dashed downstairs after I asked the question while the man held his hand as if to say “Wait one minute.”

So we did.

Suddenly, a torrent of shouting, clanging and what I assume was French cursing bellowed from downstairs. Joe, Kristina and I looked at each other as another man, presumably a baker, yelled up a storm from beneath the shop floor. Then the man who was still behind the counter suddenly left through another door.

No one else was left on the shop floor but three very bewildered American student journalists.

“What happened?”
“I have no idea.”
“Should we leave?”

My first thought was to repay this awkwardness in kind by taking all of their bread and running like mad. But my taste for practical jokes gave way to my desire to be ethical, and so we stayed for a few extra minutes just in case anyone else would come back and, you know, tend to their storefront.

One girl did, but we wanted to talk to the original couple to see if all was well with them. They didn’t return. And so we awkwardly backed out of the store and on our way to hunt down another story.

“Was it something you said?” Joe asked me as we walked.
“I have no idea!”
“Well I’m going to blame you anyway,” he said half-jokingly, I think.

Will we ever know what the hell happened?
Probably not.

Am I proud of my complete lack of French skills?
No.

Am I glad we asked anyway?
Yes.

Because if you don’t ask, you never know. And if we talk to 100 people who all reject us, we simply move on to person number 101, and keep moving, moving, moving until we get the story.

Suzanne Yada
Managing Editor
Magazine Journalism
www.suzanneyada.com

A REUNION

This spring break, I could have seen New York, I could have picked up an internship, I could have stayed home and saved my quickly dwindling funds from hemorrhaging even further.

There was a reason I picked this trip. Guess which one:

1) To advance the noble journalism profession.

2) To enhance my portfolio with international coverage.

3) To meet a challenge to my journalistic abilities and to rise above them.

4) My violin.

Yes yes, I'll say all of the above, but it's that number 4 that sold me.

Let me explain. Four years ago I lived in Nottingham, which is about two hours north of London, for about eight months. I planned to go to university there in 2007, and I even went so far as to move half my belongings - including my violin - to my good friend's room in a Nottingham suburb.

Then my university funding fell through, and my bank account couldn't afford to free up enough cash for another trip to England anytime soon. I could have my friend just ship the stuff home, but it would have cost just about the same as a plane ticket. He agreed to hang on to it for me until the next time I found myself in Old Blighty.

It took me a year and a half to return.

I missed my violin like crazy at moments, in that way that only happens when something you take for granted is all of a sudden missing. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, Joni Mitchell reminds us, and now that my good friend has dragged all of my belongings from Nottingham to London on a coach ride, I know what I've got, and I am extremely grateful.

Tomorrow I just might break it out and busk. I could do it as a fundraiser for the journalism department at SJSU. Or it could be a fundraiser to save the starving students of the world, aka me. Either way, carpe diem.

Suzanne Yada
Managing Editor

Magazine Journalism

www.suzanneyada.com

MONTMARTRE

It's funny that I travel a pretty good distance to the Montmartre, a pretty big tourist area, and come away with a picture of two older women surrounded by pigeons and watching a cat run away. To the left of those women happens to be a gorgeous cathedral, in an impressive area plagued by North African peddlers.

Joe Proudman
Assistant Photo Editor
Photography
proudman.blogspot.com

A NON-SPONTANEOUS SPONTANEOUS PROTEST

Today's agenda was fairly casual. After the gracious tour of Radio France International, I had planned on heading to Rue de Grenelle via a short walk through the Esplanade des Invalides.

When I arrived at Invalides I saw a large crowd assembled on the lawn with large signs, loud chants, fire burning and flare guns.

My first French protest.

I was a tad hesitant at first, as I really just wanted to pick up a quick gift for my mother and get back to the hotel, but since I was the only one from the cohort on site, I decided to take a few shots. I mean the French did go through the trouble to set trash on fire.

The demonstrators today were farmers from the agriculture movement. There were probably 400 people there. They were very vocal and seemed genuinely concerned with their cause in light of the fact that protests are a regular occurrence in Paris.

Andrew Martinez

Magazine Journalism

COINCIDENCES SAVED MY STORY

Coincidences are a wonderful thing, especially when things are looking grim while working on a story. I originally had two stories planned out for London. Neither of them panned out. So what did I do? I wandered the streets a bit just trying to figure out what to do after all of the twenty or so shop owners I talked to brushed me off when I asked for an interview. Then I ran into Christian Garrucho somehow and we decided to go grab a tapioca drink from somewhere.

We figured our best shot at finding a shop that sold them was in Chinatown so we headed in that direction. While walking we noticed a small group of people on the sidewalk wearing pink and accompanied by a guy in a pig costume. I talked to one of the gentlemen about what they were doing and it turned out that they were doing a bit of charity work.

Bingo!

A story with interesting visuals and an angle that ties into the economy just as I needed one. I felt like money. Two days later in Paris, Mike Anderson and I headed over to the Montemarte district to try and get a few interviews about young people traveling. After a few mishaps on the Metro, and our apparent inability to properly use a map, we finally found the hostel we’d been looking for.

I walked in, asked the receptionist if he spoke English, and it turns out he’s from Washington D.C. Easy! – But it gets better. He goes to speak to the manager to clear the interview with him, and while we’re waiting four or five girls walked by us pulling their luggage into the hostel. I asked them if they spoke English, and it turned out they were American.

But that wasn’t the best part. As we’re waiting for the girls to come back down, I heard a gentleman speaking to the receptionist with an American accent. I approached him for an interview and it turns out he’ll be attending San Jose State next semester. What are the odds of that?

It just goes to show you that with work and a little bit of persistence, sometimes things just fall into your lap … wait, that doesn’t really sound right.

Sometimes, you just get lucky.

Hang on a bit, let’s try that again.

Work hard, and it seems like things just magically fall into place.

Harvey Rañola
Multimedia Editor
Broadcast Journalism

WILD GOOSE CHASE IN LEICESTER SQUARE

I know there’s constant rejection in journalism whether it is in employment or story ideas, etc. But, today was filled with more rejection than I anticipated and made me realize how much harder the task at hand will be.

Being the worst and most directionally-challenged person at home in the United States, I knew finding my way in a foreign country was going to be damn near impossible. That wasn’t a surprise. But, when we are on a time limit to get our things done, not knowing where to go made me reach a higher level of frustration than normal.

Carlos A. Moreno, the photographer, two reporters Heather Nacht and Heather Driscoll and I could not figure out which tube to take to get from Westminster to South Kensington and from there to Leicester Square. After about half an hour, we figured it out and were on our way.

Right away, Carlos and I knew we had to get to business and find the restaurants for our story based on how restaurants are being affected by the economy.

The first restaurant we decided to use for our story declined any interview. Okay, that was one. Onto the next. The next one was another bust and by the third bust, I grew nervous. What restaurant would allow us to do both interviews and photos?

The fourth restaurant, a pub-grub kind of place, was a success at last. But, after some interviews and pictures, they seemed ready to get us out of there. I stepped out and waited for Carlos. Just a short while later he came out and let me know that they had asked him to leave. I wondered why it was such a big deal that he take some pictures but apparently it is a big deal in London because that was the primary hesitation for a lot of restaurant employees and managers.

It was either we were rejected for both interviews and photos at some places or just photos.

We received more rejection than approvals but we managed to score a handful of interviews and Carlos was able to get some photos. We also did some “man on the street”-type interviews asking people about their take on food and the economy but many declined to speak and/or have their photo taken.

After about four hours of walking and countless instances of being turned away, we were exhausted. But, I was happy that we came away with something.

Now I have also learned that doing this entire running around in high-heeled boots is probably not the wisest idea. So, tomorrow for round two of the chase in Leicester Square, I’ll definitely be wearing my sneakers.

Samantha Rivera
Magazine Journalism

A FACE IN THE CROWD

London is a great city of public transportation. A tourist like me could go anywhere with a map in my hand, and it felt nice (for me, at least) to walk among London people as if I were one of them.

When I was younger, my family used to travel with tourist groups and I hated it. We left the hotel, got onto the bus, drove to the first tourist hot spot, got off the bus to take photos, got back to the bus … you know the rest. I saw the places, but I won’t remember them for a long time because I was sleeping on the bus and got off the bus with my eyes half-opened.

Now when I travel to a different country, I always try to absorb the lifestyle and fashion. It’s not like I don’t want people to see me as “another tourist who’s taking random photos,” but more like I want to get a sense of what it’s like to live here, even if it’s just one percent.

What I like about this trip is that, not only do I get to visit the places I’ve only seen on calendars and screens, but I also get to be closer to everyday London folks.

I’m the one with the worst navigation skills among my family and friends, and that worried many people around me prior to the trip. Today I did have to walk a few more steps because I missed a block or exited the wrong direction. But at the end of the day, after I finished two back-to-back interviews at London School of Economics, I found myself in a crowded train, walking the same direction and wearing professional-looking attire like everyone else in the Tube station.

I felt like I was one of them.

Ya-an Chan
Copy Editor
Magazine Journalism

Photograph: Outside of London Stock Exchange Group near St. Paul’s Cathedral on Monday, March 23, 2009.

FIVE-FOLD REJECTION

Today was my day to complete my story. I left the hotel early to talk to an agency and get some information about the real estate market.

The receptionist let me know that the sales manager was not available at that office but that she could try another office for me. And with that, she got on the phone with the sales manager of the Pimlico office. Henry, the office manager, asked to speak with me. After a brief conversation he agreed to talk about the market and how it has been affected by the economy. He jotted down my number and told me he would call me back with a time I could come in to his office to have our conversation.

I didn’t waste any time.

My best friend Joe Proudman, a photography major, and I made our way down into the Underground and figured out how to get to the Westminster neighborhood where Henry’s office is located. It took us about 20 minutes to get there and about 50 minutes to find the place.

After about an hour and a half to two hours, we finally reached the real estate agency but still hadn’t received the phone call from Henry to set up an interview time. Oh well, looks like I’ll just have to come right on in!

Henry was polite. He shook my hand, apologized for not calling me back, and we engaged in a conversation of what the market is like today. He gave me a lot of good information and I thought for sure I had made a connection with him. I told him about my old days in real estate.

After about 15 minutes of discussing mortgages, rates and money down, I ever-so-sweetly asked if he would be kind enough to say all of this information on camera.

Right before my eyes Henry changed on me.

“Absolutely not. No. I won’t do it. No. Not even for 5 minutes. No. I’ve got too much to do and my boss isn’t here. No,” was something like what he said. I asked him again a couple of times in different ways and the answer was the same.

No.

Shucks. Why was that so hard? I thought for sure I was done! I walked into another real estate agency next door and asked to talk to the manager of the office. Only an agent was available. We briefly chit-chatted about the market. I also asked him if he would be on camera and he politely said, “No. I just can’t. No.”

And just like that, agency after agency declined to be on camera to talk about the market. Really guys? It’s just an assignment!

I called our media director Harvey Rañola and asked him what to do. And guess what? He had the same problem! I don’t understand why the English have such an issue about being on camera. Off camera, they are polite and eager to give lots of information. The minute you mention video camera they quickly turn cold and are no longer interested in continuing the conversation.
Luckily, I found someone kind enough to give me an interview. I ran into her around 1 p.m. and she told me to come back later around 5.

I showed up around 4:45 p.m. (didn’t want to be a second too late) and she agreed to do a short interview with me, on camera! Yes! After making sure that this interview was not going to be broadcasted and she wasn’t going to appear on YouTube anywhere, she spilled all her knowledge about the current market.

I got lucky. But what I still don’t understand is why the English are so “camera shy.” They are extremely helpful and informative, until you drop the “C” word, and then they turn off like a switch.
Who knows? But luckily I got my interview. This was definitely a learning experience that I will take with me. I am not good at rejection. And the first rejection from Henry hit me hard. But I sucked it up and got rejected another 5 times before I finally got my interview!

Alex Ruiz-Huidobro
Broadcast Journalism

TRASH CANS AND CIGARETTES

During my time in London, which is rapidly coming to an end, I feel I have covered a lot of pavement. When walking around London, it is really rare to see a public trash can. I have had to hold my trash in my hands and pockets, because the only other option would be to put the trash on the street.

However, unlike trash cans, there are cigarette butts everywhere. It seems impossible to take five steps without stepping on a cigarette butt. Maybe if the government put out more trash cans on public sidewalks, people might be inclined to put their cigarette butts into one of those nifty ash trays some trash cans have on their lids.

Shiva Zahirfar
Print Journalism

FREE MUSIC FROM THE WORKING POOR

Musicians litter the streets of London, showcasing their musical talents in hopes of just a few coins dropped in their instrument case. They are in the subway, standing in street tunnels and around every corner.

The sounds of flutes, saxophones and violins filled the air as I ventured out into the Soho district of London tonight. While I walked up and down the streets in search of a non-crowded pub or restaurant, a violinist and his son crossed our path.

My best friend Harvey Rañola, a broadcast journalism major, approached the gentleman and began to ask him questions about being a street musician. It turns out the gentleman is an immigrant that barely speaks English. To make ends meet, he currently plays the violin along-side his son on the tambourine.

I couldn’t help but feel awakened to the harsh reality of what life is like for the working poor. To walk the streets of London, late at night when the temperatures drop, is not something I would have ever imagined my father to ask of me. How desperate must their situation be to have a father ask his son to accompany him as he performs for strangers on the street?

And would Americans do the same thing? I see homeless people all the time in our city of San Jose and they don’t “work” for their handouts. I wonder if, when push comes to shove, Americans would humble themselves enough to try and perform in order to feed their families? Or would they just sit there on the street corner with their hands out?

We gave the violinist four pounds and thanked him for his time. He turned around and with his son by his side, continued down the road playing the violin, and his son shaking the tambourine.

Alex Ruiz-Huidobro
Broadcast Journalism

HEART OF LONDON

Visiting Brixton Lane today was a moving experience. Brixton is where many Black, Caribbean and Muslim immigrants reside. Though getting to Brixton is the fairly long Tube ride, it was worth the experience.

As soon as I stepped out of the Tube I felt the different atmosphere Brixton brought to London. Jamaican music could be heard blocks away, African hair supply shops were on every other corner and prices were less expensive. I felt like I was in a different city. The Jamaican residents embraced me with open arms and were more than willing to give interviews for my immigration story. Only a few became shy and stood away from the camera. The hospitality of the residents made me feel like I have known them for years. I was invited to parties and talking in pubs all within an hour.

The immigrants I interviewed both said that Brixton will not be their permanent home and that they wish to go back to Jamaica one day. This made me realize that even though there was a strong presence of Jamaican culture in Brixton, it could never be the real Jamaica. I feel that I visited the heart of London where there is true genuine people who are just trying to make a living.

I suggest, when visiting London, before seeing Big Ben, Buckingham Palace or Tower Bridge, visit Brixton.

Brielle Washington
Broadcast Journalism
My Blog.

BUSKING

Veteran busker, Darci, is a staple in the London Underground Tube system. He says there are somewhere around 500 buskers that frequent the Underground. Darci relies on his street performances as a supplement to his regular income, though he wouldn't reveal how much he brings in from busking.

Joe Proudman
Assistant Photo Editor
Photography
My Blog.

LONDON - LAST FULL DAY

Really busy day today.

While working on my projects, I noticed that there are cameras at almost every street corner in London labeled with a CCTV sign.

I asked someone on the street about them. He said that CCTV stands for 'Closed-Circuit Television. They monitor and survey public safety. If there was an attack on UK soil, the government would be able to respond effectively and quickly. He told me that a system of cameras would be able to find a missing child or to deter crime.

It's almost right out of a movie.

I feel little uneasy to have 'Big Brother' constantly watching the public because it echoes the Homeland Security issues from back home. However, I can understand how these cameras could serve a good use.

I'll do more research later out of curiosity when I get the time. Right now, I am very tired and would like to finish up on my story and finish going through my photos.

Wake up time is 7:45 a.m. then leaving on a jet plane to Paris.

Christian Garrucho
Photographer
Radio Television Film

HITTING THE STREETS AGAIN

Bicyclists zoom past cars on Bridge Street, near the Eye of London during rush hour in Central London. Photo Credit: Carlos A. Moreno / GMI

Today was a good day.

There were some bumps in the road here and there but Samantha Rivera, the writer doing the food beat, did a great job gathering facts and making my job easier as a photographer. With her guidance and help I was able to look for images that reflected her story accurately and in an interesting way. Hopefully the end product from both our London and Paris stories will be successful.

As I write this, I wonder how I am to get everything edited and polished before 12 midnight. I would like to get some sleep since tonight can possibly be the only night that I could potentially have some sleep.

Our baggage call is at 7:45 a.m. I don't know if I can handle not getting sleep for a third night in a row.

However, knowing that I still need to work on other projects and help a couple of writers with their work, does make it highly unlikely that I will get sleep. Nonetheless, I will be a trooper on this - I've always had the help of others to make me look good - it just so happens that it is my turn to let our hard-working editors have that chance too.

It is only fair.

Hitting the streets of London today was less stressful than yesterday. Sources were willing to talk and be photographed. There were of course still some cultural issues, especially in Chinatown, but it seemed less intense.

I don't know why.

Maybe it was because I felt more optimistic and inspired to work hard after seeing the big picture of Samantha's story.

Our last day in London brings both relief and sadness...

'Oh London if only I had known you better.'

Unfortunately, work took over my day, but it paid off with great photos and exciting stories to tell people back at home.

Even a few laughs between some newly formed friendships, made it easier to work here in London.

I just hope Paris is as beautiful and exciting as everyone tells me it is. Especially their food, since I will be taking photos of delicious desserts and food for my second story with Samantha.

On to France and on to fancier things!

London was good but Paris is the place to be for me. Let's see if hitting the streets again will be different or similar to my experience here in London.

I can't wait to see the streets of Paris.

Carlos A. Moreno
Photographer
Photojournalism
My Web site.

WHY DO THE WRONG PEOPLE TRAVEL?

"Why do the wrong people travel

When the right people stay back home?
What compulsion compels them
And who the hell tells them
To drag their cans to Zanzibar
Instead of staying quietly in Omaha?

"The Taj Mahal and the Grand Canal

And the sunny French Riviera
Would be less oppressed
If the Middle West
Would settle for somewhere rather nearer."

This windy Monday swept me to the Tower of London, a popular tourist spot that instantly took me to these famous lyrics penned by the United Kingdom's own national treasure Sir Noel Coward.

I was quietly marveling at the humbling history that is the Tower of London when out of the corner of my eye I see an empty Coca-Cola bottle hurtling toward a trash can as though it were a basketball.

The simplest Texan-twang then peeled through the quiet cool morning breeze,"Hey, y'all, did y'all see? I almost made it in!"

My mortification was complete when I heard the teenager's chaperone yell, "That's alright Brad, try again!"

Gentle readers,

"Please do not think that I criticize or cavil
At a genuine urge to roam.
But why, or why, do the wrong people travel
When the right people stay back home?"

Andrew Martinez

Writer

Magazine Journalism

WHERE ARE ALL THE RUBBISH BINS?

As we were making our way through the city of London I was looking around and I couldn't find a trash can to save my life. What I am I suppose to do ... litter?

For a place that has so much traffic from tourists, where are we suppose to put a wrapper from a snack when we are walking through the city?

I don't know, I just notice that while we where out.

Liz Mitchell
Public Relations

WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Westminster Abbey is a gorgeous place to observe a church service. It was the fourth Sunday of Lent, also called mothering Sunday. When I walked into the church it was beautiful. The walls stretched high above me to the ceilings all covered in great detail.

There were many sculptures in the church and along the walls of hallways. The hallways also had many inscriptions on the walls. I made my way to the navel to take a seat for the service.

There were about thirty people who had come for the service, and all were dressed casually. The setup of the service was a little different than most I have observed. There were chairs set up on the sides facing the podium. Everyone stood when the priest entered and then remained standing for a song.

The service was different from my own church services, because the priest is a women and they literally give you a pamphlet of what to do, say, and when to stand and sit. It literally says 'stand now' in the program and 'sit now.' I am sure that is not uncommon, but for me it was.

The service was dedicated to mothering, so stories were read from the Bible about mothers such as Mary, Jesus' mother.

Overall it was a very nice service.

Liz Mitchell
Public Relations

EXPERIENCE: THE BEST TEACHER

Tourists can take posed photos, flock to famous buildings and dine at restaurants that offer food they can’t pronounce.

All fine and well, but there’s no better way to dig deep into another culture than what we, as students, are doing right now.

I was thinking this as I saw my classmates whip out their weapons of choice — digital SLRs, camcorders, notepads — on the bus drive from the airport to our London hotel.

The tour guide announced some fact or another. “That’s a story idea,” someone said. Then the guide mentioned some other unrelated yet interesting information. “That’s another great story,” someone else said, shutters clicking and B-roll rolling.

The buildings themselves housed story ideas galore, and the city was so shimmering with promise it could have been mistaken for a flash of a camera.

I scribble these story ideas and names of places down in my notes. “We gotta make these new assignments,” I tell myself as a mental note. “We gotta hit the streets. We only have two full days in this city, and I have a lot to do as managing editor.”

Oh man. That title.

Let’s just put first things first: This trip is an Olympic-sized pool and I have the swimming capacity of a rock. I’ve had editor positions before, but I can safely say I have never handled a task so complicated and demanding as the one that awaited me in London and Paris.

But with the right velocity and support behind it, even rocks can soar.

We have been meeting weekly all the way up until this point, and I have gotten to know nearly every student by name, major and story assignment. I didn’t know it on the bus ride to the hotel, with lenses a-blazing and excitement rising, but some of my classmates would become my best teachers in just a few short days.

More later,

Suzanne Yada
Magazine Journalism
www.suzanneyada.com

CELEBRATING IN SOHO

This photograph is one of many with no reasonable connection to the economy, but to let them walk past me would have been gruesome.

Jodie Vidal, 16 (right), leads her blindfolded classmate, Dyon Braithwaite, along Tottenham Court Road in London on March 21, 2009 in celebration of Braithwaite’s 16th birthday.

Mike Anderson
Photo Editor
Photojournalism

FREE-FLOWING ALCOHOL IN THE UK

Having just turned 20 this past month, I now understand why so many people continue to tell me that they consider their 20th year to be their “worst birthday.” Year 16 means a license and, therefore, a sense of freedom, while year 18 means the responsibilities of adulthood. According to my sister, year 20 simply means 365 more days until you can drink. The saying, “So close, yet so far away”, definitely comes to mind.

Luckily for me, this is not the case in London or Paris. Being one of the youngest members of the Global Media Initiative, the 18 and over legal drinking age enforced in these two countries is certainly an additional perk. I was aware of the lower drinking age before departing on our trip, yet I was still shocked at the extent of their leniency when it comes to the availability of alcohol.

My first surprise came during our ten-hour flight between SFO and Heathrow. When giving us the options of chicken or beef for our dinner meal, they also gave us the option of red or white wine. Now, I know alcohol on flights is not uncommon, but the fact that they offered it openly without checking IDs, seemed a little more lenient than most U.S. airlines.

My second, and biggest, surprise came when I decided to search for a late night snack on our first night staying at our hotel in London. Not only did I find a vending machine full of sweet and salty treats, but I also found a wide range of beverages. Right below the packs of Twix candy bars and chips, were a couple rows of canned beer, available for anyone to take!

I’m not much of a beer or wine girl myself, so I didn’t take advantage of these particular situations, but it has been a unique experience discovering how other countries view the consumption of alcohol. From vending machines full of beer to bars and clubs letting me in without even asking to see an ID, I have decided that the United Kingdom has a much more lenient policy when it comes to alcohol.

Katrina Kane
Photographer
Photojournalism

A DREAM COMES TRUE

A scene from London's Big Ben. Photo Credit: Carlos A. Moreno / GMI

It is said that opportunities like these don't always come true every day in our lives. So when they happen you should take a chance and go for them - and that is what I have done...

...yet again.

After long hours of what seemed endless work before my departure to London, I felt that maybe this trip was not going to be worth it and was not going to secure me some much needed rest.

So far, the last stands true, as for the first, I could not have been any more wrong.

I found my departure to London to be a sweet breeze of fresh air and one where work and play were possible, if you managed your time effectively. It is the first time I have traveled to Europe or for that matter across the Atlantic Ocean. It is still surreal to me that I am here in jolly old England. The feelings and emotions of this trip have not yet sunk completely.

I've seen so many places. London is now my temporary home and can't wait to see what will happen tomorrow as I venture out to London for a second time for a story that will satisfy my needs as a young journalist and as a curious traveler.

My experiences so far have been a mix of accomplishment and doubt on my part. This has definitely made me think about my expectations and readiness in the field. It seems amazing that even after spending so much time in the journalism world that the strange and unusual scare me, yet still entice me as a photojournalist.

Today was one of those days.

Having the chance to speak to the people of London was challenging. It seemed like they were at times uninterested and just dismissive about taking me serious - maybe because I'm not English, I don't know.

I felt like a true foreigner, distant and fascinated with my surroundings. I will admit that it hasn't been easy for me to handle the culture differences here in London. Usually I never have problems talking and explaining to people what my objectives are in the United States. This was expected of course. I will just have to get over these complications and get to it because there is no take two here.

Even after all this time, I still care and still believe in the power of journalism, even when the task at hand seems difficult or unnerving. It might seem like gloom and doom for the print journalism industry but I still see the press playing a very important role in all world communities - London included. This is the time to show people what we are made of.

To be able to cover so dynamic a topic as the global recession for both London and Paris is not only amazing, but astonishing to see how much we all must pitch-in to make this Global Media Initiative project a success for us and for the people back home in San Jose, Calif.

If anything, I can say that this trip so far has given me the right to say that 'I was there' and that I was a journalist, even when times seemed hard for not just journalists everywhere but for all of us economically.

London has called my name and made an impossible dream a reality.

Carlos A. Moreno

Photographer

Photojournalism

SURREAL, BUT FAMILIAR

In anticipation for this trip to Europe, I did extensive research and tried to understand the cities I’d be visiting as much as possible. I lived and breathed Google Earth for weeks. I bought street maps and studied them like textbooks. I even checked out Craigslist international to see what interested the people I’d be interacting with on a daily basis — all the while procrastinating on important school papers and midterms (sorry professors back home).

To say the least, it paid off big time!

Every big city has a hectic heartbeat and when I got separated from my group at the busiest airport in the world I had to find my own way to the hotel. It took all of five minutes to figure it out. London’s intricate and self explanatory subway system, the Underground, or Tube, was a short walk from where I last saw my fellow students. I secured directions and a three-day pass quicker than I even realized.

After 22 stops, one transfer, and meeting three new friends, I arrived safely a block away from my hotel, though it took me 45 minutes to actually find the joint. London is a beautiful, unique city that is big enough to intimidate the savviest of travelers, but it’s also a place that feels somewhat close to home. Aside from the heavy English accents, royal family, century-old buildings and a genuine European glamour, London wouldn’t be a far cry from the wildly enormous cities of the United States.

I’m just starting my journey and I can already say that Londoners respect international tourists in a way that is not only supportive and helpful, but makes you feel comfortable and welcome. I couldn’t expect anything more and would love to stay longer than planned. I’ll be sorry to leave so soon.

John Ellis
Print Journalism

OUT OF PLACE PROTESTERS

A weekend day in a major city is a sight to behold indeed. The city of London today proved no different; the energy was palpable. Tourists and locals alike filled the Tube stations and sidewalks, double-decker buses careened down the street filled with eager travelers and their equally eager cameras. Vendors were doing there best to make each transaction as uniquely memorable as possible for those looking to bring home anecdotal stories on their "perfect purchases." Yes, the usual suspects were all here today. There was, however, another group of people that I almost overlooked.

Prominently situated on the perimeter of Parliament Square near Westminster Abbey, sat 12 to 15 protesters. From what I could tell from their motley encampment of chairs and tents, the protesters were well-settled to make their message a strong one.

These protesters had signs and pictures protesting the wars of the world. Specifically mentioned were the loss of life in Iraq and the Israel/Palestine conflict.

During my observation, there was no dialogue or shouts of opposition to their demonstration. In fact, no one even approached the group. The average spectator just watched from across the street and many took pictures.

What I choose to interpret from this particular response of spectator-inaction to these protesters is that people accept these subjects to be legitimately protested. In other words, I choose to interpret that their inaction affirmed a shared idea with the protesters.

Andrew Martinez
Writer
Magazine Journalism

THE TUBE IS NO PLACE FOR FALLING

Word to the wise, don't fall up the stairs in a London tube station. It will hurt your knees and bruise your ego - unless you have a good friend to laugh it off with you.

Today I wandered around London and explored a city outside of the United States for the first time in my life. My reaction, welcome to the real world, baby. Without the comfort of my trusted companion, my Blackberry, I felt alone in a city with millions of people bustling all around me.

At home I know the routes to all of my favorite destinations as well as which way cars are going to be coming at me if I try to cut across the street when the light is green going in the other direction.

But today, I was lost.

I was also in the way of far too many double-decker buses. For nearly 30 minutes, three of my friends and I tried to find the right platform we needed to be on before we realized we needed to go up the escalator two more levels to get to Leicester Square.

Why were we so foolish? I'm really not sure. Maybe, though, it’s because we are so used to figuring it out on our own. Maybe we were just too scared to look like "tourists." Maybe we really are the typical American stereotype, ignorant and arrogant.

Either way, the longer we stood in one place looking and waiting, the more annoyed stares and harsh whispers were thrown in our direction. All we had to do was ask someone. Once we started asking for help, people were more than willing and much more friendly.

The moral of the story is, don't be afraid to ask for help when you're in new territory. Also, slow down and smell the roses - or else you just might fall and smell the pavement.

Heather Nacht
Magazine Journalism