PICKING UP THE OLD AND DISCOVERING THE NEW

Today was meaningful in terms of picking up the old and discovering the new. I started the day a little nervous because I haven’t done much reporting at the field since I became copy editor for Spartan Daily. There was a sense of unfamiliarity, however, I went away and started talking to people, getting some nice quotes and encountering some trouble.

On this trip, where the time frame is less than three full days, you can plan as much as you want ahead of time but you can’t expect everything to go your way. There’s always something happening. And that’s the world of journalism, where the unexpected can bring you either a new angle for your current story or something you’ve never thought of.

As Mike, John and I were walking around London for the whole day, we came across some parks thinking we could find homeless people for John’s story. However, it seems to me that parks may not be the home for many homeless people in London. I saw a few of them sleeping on the sidewalks, but not one in the parks.

Hyde Park on Baywater Road (which was beautiful, by the way) was like a heaven for people who enjoy outdoor activities or just want to have a good time with family and friends. Soho Square was much smaller than Hyde Park, but people sat with their friends in small groups across the lawns, spending their afternoons with coffee, talking and laughter. For both places there was positive vibe about the city, but homeless people were nowhere to be seen.

The strong contrast reminds me of St. James Park in downtown San Jose, where it’s nothing like a social venue to me. Perhaps we can’t expect to see homeless people sleeping on the benches at every park just because that’s what we see a lot in San Jose.

One more full day in London, and more has yet to unfold.

Ya-an Chan
Magazine Journalism
My Blog.