From our own correspondent: I am in London!

I know that you might have already visited the UK and hundreds of words for this country may come into your mind. But just let me describe my very first time to be exposed to a totally new country after living in Chinese way for twenty years.



I study in the University of Westminster, located a little bit far from central London. The falling leaves are seen everywhere on the campus. Such scenic pictures are astonishing for me because I live in many cities in China for twenty years. We do not have such colourful scene in the cities partly because Chinese people believe this piece of land could be better used if it is cultivated for agricultural purpose. Maybe it is this peaceful view everywhere that makes Londoners have a relatively gentle temper.



After the first busy week of study, I went to the central London. I then gained my first impression on London’s tube.



The first shock was the metropolitan line closed on the weekend. How come? The tube, a public vehicle, is supposed to service people especially on weekends. Unlike the working people, we students do not have a private car and the only time for us to visit London is the weekends. So far I do not understand why they choose to close the public tube on certain days rather than mend it during the night.



It took me half an hour extra to get the destination. When I came out the station, the second shock came. My new oyster card balance showed that I used two pounds and twenty pence for my single journey- ten times as much as in China. I understand that the cost of living will be higher than in my country but it should not be that expensive. Personally speaking, the public transport is supposed to be cheap thus encouraging common people to use it instead of private cars.



When in Rome do as Romans do. I bear this saying in mind and chose a very British food, fish and chips. Back to my middle school age, I red a passage talking about the traditional food in the UK, fish and chips. They failed to mention this is un-healthy food- comparing with Chinese food, and the boring taste- not fresh fish and to many blanking potatoes, but only said it was a popular take-away food- it seems untrue because more Londoners choose other take-away food. What’s interesting is that many more Chinese restaurants here offer this British dish than the British ones.



Also many articles about the UK keep mentioning the Londoners are cold. I did not feel that because every time I get lost on the street, there is always some one who would like to stop and help me. Although it seems that not everybody has a good sense of direction, I do feel quite well because I am treated in a friendly way here.

A good beginning of being a journalist

A good beginning of being a journalist

Ady has been a journalist in Indonesia, his motherland, for four years. We spent a good time talking about the journalist life for the whole noon. Ady gave me his embarrassing moment of doing interviews when he was a journalist for just one month and both of us agreed that: it is really a good start to the journalism career, seriously.

He sat in front of me, holding a mark, began his story:” I became a journalist in July 2005 and was assigned the first interview in August 2005. You will never imagine what happened during my first interview.”

“My interviewee slapped me on my check in front of ten journalists and some guests.  That is how I began my journalism career.” He told me this breaking story but with a gentle smile. He did not get rage when saying this.

His first interviewee was the army governor of Indonesia named Jakarta, a tough man with bad temper because of sickness. Ady stopped Jakarta when he came out from a ceremony event. Following exactly what his senior editor told him, Ady asked Jakarta:” what if people think you are a pro-status quo?” At the very moment, Jakarta replied no words but a slap in front of all journalists and guests- Ady did not tell me whether it was painful or not because obviously that was not the point. Embarrassment was. Almost at the same time, all the other journalists and guests there stepped back with great astonishment. The body guard of Jakarta soon came to Ady, said:” Please don’t mind. He is sick. Please don’t mind.”

“I am not angery.”Ady said,” it is understandable that he is sick.”

The embarrassing thing did not finish then. The whole procedure was captured by a television station’s camera and presented on the screen in the evening. When saying these, he neatened his scarf and shook his head slightly.  

“Wow, that is really a special start of your journalism career.” I laughed, “I am sorry to hear that story. Such awful thing is not supposed to be your first interview experience.”

“No, no, actually I learnt from this very interview.” Ady interrupted me with his arms. Then he drank some water and explained to me,” you know, I should have done some research myself rather than stuck to every question that my editor gave me. If I have done that, I would have known his political stand and his personality. Maybe the interview would turn to be a different end.”

What a lovely and fast-learning new journalist he is, in my opinion. With this beginning, Ady easily tackled quite a lot of un-expecting moment of his later interviews. He found a way to grow up: learn by failures. So in this way, this slap is worthwhile in terms of Ady’s journalism career. 

News story from London-gain one hour when winter comes!

Clock changing is not a new thing for people in the UK. People have to change their clock one hour backward when the winter drops and one hour forward when the summer comes. But will the clock changing affect people’s daily life?


“Why we (referring she and her husband) hate the clock change. We have to get back in the dark.” Complained by Barbara, who has been living in the UK for more than sixty years, “only people in the countryside may appreciate the clock changing because they work in the nature and that change will save energy. But for us in the city, it gets harder to adjust to it as you get older. My husband found it difficult to fall asleep at the beginning days. ”

On the contrary, local youngsters seem to love this. “We gain one hour, why not more changes come?” A British young girl said. But what if next year when the summer comes, we will lose one hour.


The possible inconvenient thing for all overseas students who currently study in the UK is to check the clock all the time when they call back. If they are not good at maths, it might be an annoying disturbance for their family or friends in their sweet dreams.


The counsellor in the University of Westminster Daisy said, “the clock change does not really influence people but the season changing does. Maybe you suddenly feel the darkness seems early and that is really disturbing, I think. ”


The mobile phone company did not mention how they calculate the length of the lost time. “We do not have that detailed contract actually. ” a staff in three store company who did not want to be named.

The travel agency said the one extra hour did not bring the differences as most professors thought. A clothes shop owner in St. Ann Square also mentioned that the study of this did not necessarily come true or bring that much improvement for selling.


Why do the British people want to change the clock which may cause the problem anyway? The answer is obvious. “We want to appreciate more sunlight when the summer comes.”

Before the time-changing day, radios, televisions, Internet and newspapers publish reminders for several times. There is no problem for local people to get the information from different media platforms. And the computer system is smart enough to change the clock automatically for its users so let us just enjoy the convenience of the modern world.