Journalist by chance

Someone once asked me if I had become a journalist by choice to which I replied it was by chance.

I still remember the first job application I wrote. It was in 2006 I was a fresh graduate with no set goals. All i wanted to do was sit for the RCSC exams and get myself employed in a government job. My friend Wesel started working with Bhutan Observer right after graduation as a reporter.

I used to visit her and hang around in the Observer Office. One day Wesel was excited. She said that there was an announcement that Observer would be employing more reporters. She said that it would be a good practice for me because for the RCSC exams they had viva tests. I did not even have a paper and a pen to write. I asked for one from the receptionist and started writing a job application.

They had set a date for the interview and i had to lie at home. My dad insisted that I got a government job so did not want to go against him. On the day of the interview (it was on a Saturday) I left home saying I was going to go and meet Wesel. Dad did not even have the smallest of the doubt. i smiled at myself.

I was nervous because it was the first interview of my life. I went to the Observer office and they made me sit for a written test along with 12 others. They asked us to write about the role of media and there were some other short questions.

I was a B Com student so the essay I wrote was sure to be rejected by the editors. I just praised their paper. After completing the paper they said that the editors would correct the papers and call those who have been shortlisted. I went home with all smiles not because I was sure of getting selected but because i was imagining the face of the editor who would edit my rubbish articles.

A week passed and I did not receive any call. It was a Tuesday and my cell rang early in the morning. I saw a fixed line number calling me. I answered and the phone and the person talking on the other said said that I was called for an interview by Observer and had to report at 9 am in their office. I didn’t know what to do, how would I tell my father if I got the job, how will I explain the employer, how, how. With lots of questions in my mind I walked to the Observer office. There we were three of us shortlisted. A girl was already inside being interviewed by the Editor-in-chief Sonam Kinga. I was the last one.

I went and he asked me all sort of questions. I remember one. He asked me what type of news I would be reporting from a village keeping in mind the course I took in college. I didn’t know what to say. So quickly answered, "I will report on sale of maize, tengma and other items." he smile at me and said they will call me if i get the job.

I went home and hoped they didn’t call me and I didn’t receive any calls. After a month I sat for the RCSC exams and the results were yet to be declared when I got a call from Observer. They said that if I was still interested I could join them from the new week. I was dumb for a second. But why? I went to meet the owner and came to know that they were short of reporters. I told her frankly that I was waiting for the results and then my dad always insisted that I get a job in the government sector. She was understanding and gave me an option. I came to know from her that one of the editor was impressed by my written test.

She said I could work for a month till my results were out and then if I got through I could join government sector but if my work were not impressive they would kick me out. It was a fair deal and I talked about it with my parents. My mom as usual said I could do whatever I want provided I was happy with it and dad was a little hard to convince. But ultimately he agreed.

For a week after joined Observer I did not know where to go and what kind of work to do. No one guided me. Two weeks after idly sitting in the office I got my first assignment to go an interview a person who had escaped an accident. I was nervous, my heart was beating faster. I did not know how to start the conversation, nor did I know what questions to ask. Lucky I, our photographer Au Lhendup came to my rescue. He was so used to going reporting with reporters that he was familiar with such situations. He did all the questioning for me. I returned to the office happy because I got all the information my editor needed. I wrote it and submitted it.

The story did not come out in the paper I was angry because I worked for it. I didn’t think I would last in this profession and was hoping that I get a government job. After that I got more assignments and I delivered them to my best. The third week in my office I had my first front page story.

For reporters it means a lot when our articles come out on the front page. My editor congratulated me and I was feeling on top of the world. After that I did various kinds of stories and my editors appreciated me.

Meanwhile RCSC results were out and I was on the waiting list, I was sure of getting a government job but by then I had started liking my profession. I talked to my parents again and they said it is up to me. My employer said they wanted to keep me so I forgot about the government job.

Today I feel I can not do anything better then reporting.