It was difficult for lots of folks during this period really. For those who don't know: an earthquake shook Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia while students and teachers of Tanjong Katong Primary School were on an overseas school trip.
Lots of kids lost their lives that day.
And it was happening during the SEA Games too. So reporters had to go down to the site, to the school and everything, to talk to whoever we could.
I was actually on the bus to work when my friend was talking to me about being sent there to get quotes. And she wasn't doing so well. Honestly unless you've been a journalist for years, as a normal person, you'd feel something you never hope to experience. As cruel as it sounds, I felt - yeah, felt - like a vulture, something my friend agreed with. Though she was meant to wait for the soccer team, we still had to circle around the school to see who we could talk to, so we could get more quotes from other people. Everyone was paying tribute, which we thought we should do too. The kids were amazing, they really held it together. I got to talk to the kid who was with the group about to go on the hike; a kid who knew the teacher; (everything we had was unfortunately not used because so much was covered the days before, which is THEIR reason and to get the soccer players) and I went crazy taking pictures for my friend's article - which was my main purpose being there.
The photographers though were scary as heck, every time I went to get a shot they would swarm me.
I got surprisingly good shots of the team and the coach and player. I had zero clue who anyone was, they just looked sincere at that point in time.
So yes, it's these things I'll never forget.
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