Reporters on the Job

from the November 5, 2008 edition

• Convenient Location: Being a reporter often takes you to some of the world's tougher places, says staff writer Sara Miller Llana. In her time as a journalist she's visited dangerous neighborhoods and impoverished villages without running water, among other places.

Preparing to report today's story about Cubans using Mexico as a springboard into the US, Sara braced herself for visiting another tough place. Fortunately for her, the tiny Isla Mujeres off the coast of Cancún was the best place to investigate this trend.

"It's times like this when my job is the envy of my family and friends," says Sara. "Isla Mujeres has snow-white beaches and crystal-clear waters. I went out with the Mexican Navy to see how they patrol the area and our interceptor boat had to cruise among yachts and boatloads of tourists on scuba excursions. It's not a bad reporting trip when you can say you actually feel as if you were on vacation!"

• To Lunch or To Protest? After attending a couple pro-independence rallies in Taipei for today's story on the economic deal between Taiwan and China, correspondent Jonathan Adams says he was impressed by the carnival-like spirit of the events.

"The pro-independence party really knows how to throw a protest," says Jonathan.

In addition to elaborate displays, "no respectable Taiwanese rally is complete without plenty of sausages and other snacks," he says. "Scores of cart vendors descend on such events to sell their wares."

At one sausage stand Jonathan watched a group of rallygoers get into a vigorous debate about the best way to cook their hot dogs.

"Sometimes it's hard to tell if protesters came for the politics or the food," says Jonathan.

– Tom A. Peter

Staff

Cultural snapshot

Ivan Sekretarev

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