Female reporter, a minute of sharing…

Go and write

I have been involved in journalism for 18 years now. Of which, nearly 6 years were spent as an Editorial Secretary, the rest was spent as a reporter, traveling and writing. In the beginning, when I was still single, and at that time, there was not much pressure from information competition, journalism at that time was really "rosy" for me. I went to many places, knew many things, experienced many things in life and from there vividly expressed them in my articles. Friends and relatives who "looked at" all said "being a reporter is really great".

However, happiness is only the “top of the list”, behind the articles and trips are hardships, the “underground part” with sweat and tears that not everyone realizes. That is the “long journey” of a woman, crossing hundreds of kilometers of winding roads, high passes, deep mountains to reach remote villages, where phone signals are still weak, electricity is not yet available. Those are the times of leaving motorbikes on the main road, changing high heels for army sandals, walking dozens of kilometers into C5 area - the production and livestock area of ​​the people in the freezing winter with sweat soaked clothes, legs like to collapse and feeling like air is coming out of the ears.

CoughOr that is when, from the distant village, it is dark along the deserted road, only the sound of insects from the cajuput forest can be heard, suddenly the car has a flat tire, broken brakes, burnt lights... in a moment of losing composure, covering his face and sobbing. But, quickly regaining his composure, finding a solution. Or that is when, sitting behind the car of a grassroots cadre, going uphill, downhill, holding the side of the car tightly, not daring to open his eyes because the road is small, slippery, right next to the abyss, and just one minute of carelessness, both the person and the car will surely plunge into that deep abyss...

When you have a family and raise a child, being a reporter becomes a difficult job. To have a business trip of a few days, you have to arrange it a week in advance. First of all, you have to contact both your parents' and your partner's families to ask for someone to pick you up and take care of your children while you are away; you have to go to the market to buy vegetables, fish, and meat, clean them, put them in a freezer, and clearly mark which day this dish is for...

The most difficult times are when the publication outline has been set, the topic has been framed, and the child is sick, so I have to leave him with his grandmother to go to the base. The night before leaving, I sit down and meticulously take notes on every little thing, what the child eats, what time to apply the medicine, what medicine to take before or after meals... Carrying my backpack to the car, I can't help but feel anxious and worried! Or the long days, holding my child in the hospital, taking the time during the day to get information, and at night when the child is sleeping, taking the computer out to the hallway to type away. Hot, mosquito bites, and interrupted by the child's cries...

Men working as journalists have it one hard time, women working as journalists have it ten hard times. Families with wives and mothers who are reporters, if it is not an exaggeration to say, still have to suffer certain disadvantages. Because the time of reporters is not calculated according to office hours, whenever there is work or an event, no matter how early or late, reporters have to be there to work. On holidays, especially holidays and Tet when families gather and plan to go here and there, reporters are even busier these days. There are many times when they have to miss appointments to go to the ball pit with their children, go to the movies with their husbands, sit in a coffee shop and chat with friends, or simply go to the market and cook a warm meal for the whole family.

A colleague at the office once said that women who work in journalism should forget the title of “good at public affairs, good at housework”, that is just the union’s “encouragement and consolation”! But if you are a reporter, and a good reporter at that, then the only thing left to the “party” is housework. Because the nature of the job does not allow them to “fulfill their roles” as a mother, a good wife, or a good daughter-in-law. With nearly 30 years of experience in the profession, and being assigned to the current affairs and politics section, she said that “she attends about 1/3 of domestic and foreign events. The rest is “entrusted” to her husband.

Motivation from recognition

Despite many hardships and difficulties, the more I travel and write, the more I love my job. Because after each article I write, there is recognition from my colleagues, understanding of the hardships of people in remote areas, and encouragement for farmers who work hard in the fields. And especially, the maturity of my writing over the years, through my trips; both professional and life experience... to always keep my "mind bright and my pen sharp".

In particular, during the process of working, it is inevitable that there will be mistakes, occupational accidents and even grievances. There are times when I feel discouraged, but behind that is a collective of editors, editorial secretaries, department heads and all colleagues - They are like a family to me, understanding, encouraging, sharing with affection. And more than that, the ideal is to use the pen to spread examples of good people, good deeds, humane actions in the community, multiply good models, creative ways of doing things; encourage workers to strive... making the professional flame in each person always burn forever.

These are provincial press awards, ministerial and sector press awards, and even national press awards, which are recognitions of the hard work in the profession, the work in journalism, and the self-respect and dignity of the profession. This encourages, urges, and motivates me and my colleagues to overcome all challenges and difficulties of the profession, to always keep the “trust and love”…

And I still remember clearly, the day I brought my future husband home to meet the agency, Aunt Ho Ngan - Deputy Editor-in-Chief at that time told the "guy's family" that: "A soldier marries a journalist. A soldier needs a strong supporter which is his wife, but a journalist needs a strong supporter which is sympathy, sharing, and understanding from her husband, her husband's family, and both sides of her family"... Luckily, up to now, I still have that strong supporter so that I can fully devote myself to my career.

For a female journalist, sometimes “tears must be hidden inside”, one must be truly devoted to the profession to be able to overcome all barriers, breathe life into the pages of writing to fulfill the responsibility to the agency, to society, to fulfill the mission of the profession. Journalism, especially for women, is hard and arduous, but if I had to choose again, I would still choose to follow the profession. Because it is my passion.

“Having taken on this career”, I always try to improve myself every day, always training myself to have “a sharp pen, a pure heart, and a bright mind”, worthy of the glory and pride of journalism and journalists.