I have always been a writer - ever since working diligently on my curlycue "letters" as a child - but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I realized that journalism was the field that I wanted to pursue as my career.
My inspiration to take on journalism as a major came after a couple of semesters in the culinary program at San Diego Mesa College when I decided that I didn't want to spend the next 30 to 40 years stuck in a kitchen for 10 hours a day. I want to travel to foreign countries, eat foods I could never dream existed and see all the amazing places that are featured on the Travel Channel and in National Geographic.
Luckily for me, I figured out a way to con someone else into paying for my travel and food expenses: my new goal is to become a professional food and travel writer. I dream of one day writing for Gourmet Magazine, Bon Appetit or the dining section of The New York Times.
I will need to spend a completely different article teaching the ins and outs of restaurant reviews and food writing, so for now, I will simply discuss some helpful tools for "journalism-on-the-go."
1. Get a tablet.
I used to think tablets were silly - they're much bigger than a cell phone, much smaller than a laptop, and since you need both in addition the tablet itself, it just weighs you down even more than before. But this all changed when my dad gave me an iPad for Christmas at the end of last year.
While in South America in January, my main sources of technology were my mom's Nikon DSLR camera and my iPad. I couldn't have been better equipped without being totally weighed down. Most tablets can capture video, photos and sound clips (with the right applications), reducing the amount of equipment that you need for travel.
The best part about having a tablet is that you can download the AP Stylebook, so you have one less thing to carry (especially if you're essentially backpacking through Peru, Bolivia and Argentina).
2. Bring comfortable clothes.
I mentioned this in my blog post about covering a parade, but this is an important factor when traveling on assignment as well. When traveling abroad on assignment, it is easy to slip into "vacation mode," wanting to wear a cute summer dress and the heels that you never get to wear, but depending on the event that you're covering, you may need to dress more sensibly. That's why I always pack Converse.
3. Download useful apps.
There is a great variety of applications that I find useful on both my iPad and iPhone. The Blogger app is a great way to easily edit, save drafts and publish new blog posts; QuickVoice allows you to record sound straight to your device; social media apps for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram simplify posting upadates; and as seen in the following slideshow, Adobe Photoshop Express can help you to do simple edits.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
4. Pack smart.
Bring all the equipment that you absolutely need. No more. No less. This will depend on the type of assignment, the travel and the position (among other factors), but in the field of journalism we have what are called "gearheads" and "light packers.
The former group brings everything under the sun: video camera, digital photo camera/equipment, recorder, headphones, microphone, a laptop, extra batteries, smart phone, Wifi mobile hot spot, etc. The latter group (the one who may avoid major back problems later in life) may only carry a smart phone. Both groups should have pens, pencils and paper on hand at all times in order to take notes and have a backup in case you have issues with your recording.
How much equipment and the type that you carry with you really depends on what you want for the quality of your end product and the purpose is of your reporting.
SDRedSoxGirl's photostream on Flickr.
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