Who knew my next post would be a few hours later? This is my job. I always knew that Thai culture was incredibly laid back but that took on new meaning when I started my first day at the Bangkok Post. I was 15 minutes late. I know; great start. But when I called my supervisor to tell him that the taxi driver had no idea where to go and I was going to be late, he replied that he was not even at the office yet. No worries.
When I arrived, we immediately sat down for lunch and hashed out the details of my work term here. Apparently, I don't have to come to the office EVER if I don't want to. I just have to let them know. If I don't feel like doing something, that's cool too. If I want to take a few days off to go somewhere on vacation, just say the word.
Being a volunteer is awesome.
Of course, I will come into work and I will do stuff. I'm really not sure what to do with myself otherwise. Well, I could catch an AC bus to Krabi and learn how to climb for the next 5 weeks, but I have a feeling that wouldn't fly well here or at school.
It was decided (mostly by me) that I would start working in 'rewrite' for the next 2 weeks or so. I would be working with Jaime, a Filipino guy with a Masters in Education, who is the usual rewriter. I'm already working on the star reporter's story on toxic waste. It's interesting work. I can tell the reporter is very good, but since English is her 2nd language, the writing is not very tight at all. That's my job. Apparently, I'm free to change everything if necessary. Delete words, move paragraphs, whatever. Just make it readable and tight.
I do my changes, write the blurbs and subheads and headlines and then it moves on to James, the copy editor. I think he just checks grammar and spelling. There's no style book but they use UK English rather than US English. How many times have I had to stop myself from changing an 's' to a 'z'!! (That was for all of you journo nerds out there. Big shout out to my people in the print room.)
Even though I'm in rewrite, my editor, Songpol, has given me a couple of assignments. On Monday, I have to go to the Israeli Embassy to attend a briefing by a counter-terrorism expert and maybe do an interview. I'll probably have that story in next week's Perspective (my section of the paper). And I also pitched a story about human trafficking. My friend Melissa works for the UN here and asked if I wanted to write a story about it. It's her particular area of expertise so she'll be able to get me some good sources, I think.
I hope more story ideas will fall in my lap, like this one. I'm feeling pretty out of the loop in terms of what's happening in Thailand. And I really don't know what I can write on around here. I just have to develop sources and contacts and see what I can turn up. I'm not sure I can write on ultimate and the expat community every week...
Now, the Bangkok Post itself is a microcosm of Thailand, I think. I already mentioned that laid back attitude. The building itself houses the editorial departments of 2 newspapers (the Post and the Thai-language version Today) and the printing plant. Certain parts of the building smell like ink and paper. There's a cafeteria on the ground floor which serves Thai food and sandwiches. There's a gym and a health clinic. However, as an intern, I'm not allowed in gym (which I think is only open 3 hours/day) and I have to get my editor to get medicine for me if I need it.
I have my own desk but there is no power supply or internet connection. There are tables with computers for the sections but they are in constant demand. They say if you get here early, you can get on them easily. The computers in my section are antiquated PCs. They have floppy drives but no CD drives. The internet is slow but passable. Most of them, apparently, cannot open MS Word documents. They have to be text files.
But, I have my own desk. I can put my stuff there. And, I can read the paper or watch BBC on satellite (the TV is very close to my desk). But if I want to do work, I have to jump on a computer. I'm still trying to figure out the protocol for stealing computer time. I just wait until someone looks like they're not coming back for a long time. Then, I pounce.
The editorial departments for the smaller sections (entertainment, travel, perspective, etc) are all on the 3rd floor. The 2nd floor houses the library and the 2nd floor is the daily newsroom. There is a central space where I can look down 2 floors to the daily newsroom.
They have nicer computers at every desk down there.
Nicer phones too.
But we have free instant coffee and hot water. And a really clean bathroom.
Oh wait, they do too.
I'm really not complaining. It's just fun to observe and compare.
Going to try and write some blurbs now.
Next Post: Life amongst the embassy elite. Living on Th Ruam Rudi.