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I sit at the desk where I wrote many articles over the past five weeks. The desk allowed comfort and curiosity to grow. The desk that’s surrounded by a real estate office and law firm (to my best knowledge). The desk where I look at the window and forget that this location was once foreign to me. A pensive feeling overwhelms the air as I sit at the desk on my final day.
I think Michele Cinque, my boss, would disagree with this type of feeling. Instead, he would tell us to grasp the skills we learned and never let them go.
I always thought I needed my journalism degree before I was treated as a real journalist. This wasn’t close to reality. From the moment I stepped into the Positano News office, I felt seen, heard, appreciated and respected as a communicator. I conveyed the same values to the individuals on the Sorrento Peninsula. Here, leaders act with humility, which contributes to the differences in communication. Working and living in a new place is automatically a strange adjustment, but adaption is key, especially when different press freedoms differ too.
My last day ended with as much adventure as my first day started. I found myself on a small boat, entering a cave filled with historic boats, near the Marina di Cassano, which is closed off to tourists. In that moment, I felt as though all my work was actual meaningful work and not rushed tourist exploration. The chances I had to investigate in Italy was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
My experience at Positano News taught me how to be adaptable, how to be bold, and how to listen carefully and correctly. I will reflect on the few times I spent at the desk, and the many times I was out investigating forever, and I will be reminded of every astounding moment.
“Ask, ask, ask. This is journalism. You ask and take pictures. You are journalists,” Cinque said, more than once.
I will practice and cherish everything I learned during the rest of my career.
Thank you, Positano News for giving me far more than just a desk.