Thursday, May 24, 2007

Lindsay Toler, Associated Press

I start as an intern with the Associated Press London Bureau on Monday!
My interview was in two parts, first with a general supervisor and then with another woman who works more directly with the stories.
The first interview was amazing. Paisley, the supervisor, and I got along really well. I told her I loved politics and she caught me up on the Tony Blair resignation from the AP angle. Apparently, Cameron (one of the candidates for PM) hasn’t interviewed with the AP yet, so she said my job is to get him to talk.) She called me “switched on” and said I had spunk, which may be the best compliment I’ve ever gotten!!
I joked to her that, between Tony Blair and Harry Potter, this was going to be an amazing summer. Then her eyes lit up. “Are you interested in Harry Potter?” she asked. Apparently, no one in the bureau wants to cover the local HP events, like a party at a castle, spell work summer school, and the book/movie releases. So, well see if I get to cover the Harry Potter beat!!!
Then I went on the second interview, which was a nightmare! The lady took me to go get coffee. I don’t drink coffee, so when she asked me what she could get me, I said tea. STUPID! I’m in Great Britain! So naturally, I ordered the tea wrong and put the wrong stuff in it and got all flustered while trying to answer her questions about who I was as a person and reporter. When we were done with the interview, I think she walked away with this image of me as this too-young, flustered, nervous Southern girl who’d never lived outside of the Midwest. All I can think of is her looking at me pityingly saying, “Well get you a notebook so you don’t have to use this one. And well get you pens,” as she tried to write her number on my free UM notebook with the pen that cost 10 pence because it apparently doesn’t work. What a nightmare. I felt a lot better after coming back and complaining to my roommates. Plus, I think that once she sees my stories, she’ll feel better about the fact that I’m from Texas.
Oh well. I start Monday. I know Ill be really excited when I walk into the office, but right now I just keep thinking of when I almost put salt in my tea…

3 comments:

TDT said...

There was a 2 hour story on Blair on Ch 13 last evening and they seemed to point the finger at the Chancellor, (forgot his name). Hope you can remember how to break into your "Texan-ese" lingo on demand.

Lindsay Toler said...

Oh, of course!! I can break out the "y'alls" and "sugars" like nobody's business!
(And his name is Gordon Brown.)

Kim Coogan said...

L,
They are going to love you, just as everyone else does! Don't worry about it so much. Also, keep an eye out for Prince Harry, I think he and his girlfriend broke up, and he is perfect for you.
Love, Kim