* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
One week, 168 hours, 10080 minutes, 604800 seconds
When the journey comes to an end, some people reach out for their notebooks and review what they had written. The music flows - “Claire De Lune” - thoughts shake off the morning dew and the writer stares at her title: “Unforgettable Experience at Thomson Reuters Foundation.” The writer is satisfied and ready to tell her short, but memorable story.
From Beirut to London
When I received an e-mail from Tracy Hart saying I was accepted to attend a Thomson Reuters Foundation Journalism Training Programme in London, I simply smiled while reading it and couldn’t believe the news. “Really?” I read the e-mail again. This is how many people react when they realize they are about to experience something new, meet journalists from around the world, learn new lessons and enter the realm of Thomson Reuters. Noam - who comes from Lebanon, a small land somewhere in a region called The Middle East - was excited. It was a beautiful feeling.
The weather was cold in Canary Wharf…Noam Crossed the Bridge…Thomson Reuters Foundation: Good morning!
I arrived in Canary Wharf on March 25, 2012 and the weather was cold, but there was something lovely in the air and new faces around me. “This is not Beirut. It’s Canary Wharf.” I crossed the bridge for the first time on March 26 and saw myself standing before Thomson Reuters’ headquarters. “Here we go.” It took me a few steps to enter the new world and my notebook was ready in my handbag.
Bob & Matt: The Instructors
We learned together, discussed topics, laughed and drank coffee, hot chocolate and tea.
The News Writing and Reporting course I attended was managed by two instructors: Robert (Bob) Hart and Mathieu (Matt) Robbins. The course lasted for five days during which participants learned about news writing, ethics in journalism, war correspondence, interviews, finance and business reporting and social networking. I will never forget how Bob & Matt taught us to interpret NUMBERS when reporting on financial news. The training programme lasted only for five days, but there were so many lessons to absorb: “Persistence,” Bob and Matt said. I will try again teacher.
Our instructors took us to the Financial Times bureau in London and we had the opportunity to learn how a prestigious newspaper prepares its news. Beautiful experience. Yes, we met the Financial Times – “The Old Lady.”
During our “tea breaks”, we drank tea, coffee and hot chocolate et cetera, and talked about many countries and politicians, in addition to the latest political developments. We exchanged some pieces of advice and engaged in debates. Those moments – so valuable.
Left Lovely London for Beirut
When the course ended on March 31 we bid each other farewell and promised to stay in touch. I returned to Beirut on April 2nd and on a Wednesday morning I went to my favorite café in Achrafieh in Beirut and started writing about the unforgettable experience.
I met you, learned from you and loved you. I shall never keep myself in a box. Thank you. It was a “dream within a dream.”
