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.

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