Confessions of a female journalist

Having just graduated from university with a degree in literature, I was fortunate enough to become a reporter in the News Department of Ninh Thuan Radio and Television Station. For me, journalism is a profession I've dreamed of pursuing since I was a high school student. Every time I saw reporters and editors on television or working in the field, I secretly wished I could one day be like them.

I remember those early days, I was incredibly bewildered and somewhat self-conscious about my rather "difficult to understand" accent, typical of people from my hometown in North Central Vietnam. My shyness in communicating, coupled with the lack of family and support, sometimes made me hesitant. However, I was fortunate to work in the News Department, with a team of professional and enthusiastic reporters who helped me a great deal in my work and life, giving me the motivation to stay committed to this profession.

Having been involved in this profession for over 12 years, traveling to many places and meeting many people has helped me understand more about life and created very special memories. These are valuable assets that I consider myself fortunate to have acquired. Although I am a woman, I am very willing to travel, not afraid of hardship or difficulties. I frequently travel to remote mountainous areas, to the most isolated villages and hamlets, to experience and report on the lives of ethnic minority people in the mountainous regions.

Reporter Le Na at work at an event.

Talking about my work trips to the highlands brings back memories of hiking through forests, climbing mountains, and wading through streams... Despite the difficulties, the people in the mountainous regions are still striving to overcome poverty; their unique traditional culture inspires me to visit these places. One of my most memorable experiences was eight years ago, when Ta Noi village, Ma Noi commune (Ninh Son district), didn't have a concrete road connecting it to the commune center. To get there, you had to traverse more than 10km of forest roads and cross seven large and small streams; some sections of the road were only wide enough for one motorbike, with a cliff on one side and a deep ravine on the other. Despite these hardships, my team and I made at least ten trips to document the lives, culture, production, and poverty-stricken efforts of the people there.

As a news reporter, I understand that I must always be ready to carry out my assigned tasks, in any situation. I remember during storms and floods, as soon as we received assignments from our department leaders, we female reporters would not hesitate to go to the affected areas to promptly report on flood and storm prevention efforts in the localities, and to share stories of human kindness during the floods.

Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, my husband was attending a training course in Hanoi, and our daughter was still young. Yet, not a day went by that my colleagues and I weren't present at medical facilities, checkpoints, or even centralized quarantine areas to report on the pandemic prevention and control efforts of local authorities. We knew it was dangerous and arduous, but the responsibility of a journalist wouldn't allow us to be afraid or falter…

Many people have asked me, "As a woman, why didn't you choose a less strenuous profession instead of journalism?"... It's true, journalism is very hard work, and there's a lot of pressure because journalists don't follow standard office hours, especially during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), which is even more demanding. In particular, female journalists not only have to excel in their professional work but also fulfill their roles as women in the family; especially when my husband is a soldier, taking care of the small family is even more challenging for me. Often, I have to work on Saturdays and Sundays, so the longing to spend the weekend at home with my children is often put on hold. This is not just my experience; many female journalists have gone through it.

There have been many times when the hardships and pressures of juggling work deadlines with caring for my family have left me exhausted. However, these were just fleeting thoughts, because I have my family, my supportive and understanding colleagues, and above all, the burning passion for my profession. I know there are still many challenges ahead, but every time a piece of journalism is highly praised by superiors or well-received by the public, it gives me and my colleagues renewed strength and energy to continue our work, with greater determination, more effort, and dedication to the profession we have chosen.

Le Na

Source: https://baoninhthuan.com.vn/news/153636p1c30/tam-su-nha-bao-nu.htm