I ATTENDED the Chengchi University, one of the top universities in Taiwan. Located in suburban Taipei, it is famous for its curriculum in Liberal Arts and Political Science. I majored in Diplomacy and Government, but I was also very much interested in Journalism.

    The summer after my first year in college, I was given the opportunity to get an internship job at the Broadcasting Corporation of China (bcc), the largest radio station owned by the government. I was assigned to the overseas division.

    On the first day of my internship, my assignment was to carry the tape recorder of a reporter. During those days, tape recorders were huge and heavy. It was a physical job.

    As an intern, I remember one memorable event that was held at the Taipei Grand Hotel, one of the most beautiful hotels in the world. The Japanese prime minister was visiting Taipei, and I was asked to help my reporter record the news conference. I did everything that the reporter told me to do—fastidiously and quickly. He liked me so much that at the end of the day he told me that I was the most dependable helper he ever had.

    I became very interested about my internship training. On many occasions senior reporters would let me write the news. They liked my style, which uses the classic Chinese language that I’ve learned at an early age. I wrote fast and I wrote very good news scripts, to the surprise and envy of my colleagues in college.

    The radio station’s senior editor commended me for my outstanding news writing, and the news department’s director, Mr. Chang, gave me very high grades for my performance.

    My summer job became very interesting. I went to the office early in the morning and went back to school very late at night. I did whatever I was told to do. I tried to help all the reporters in whatever way I could do, especially with writing their news scripts.

    In those days, the radio station used teletype machines to get news wires from Associated Press, United Press International and other wire services. The editorial room was full of machines, which never stopped printing out news wires in English. Aside from going out with reporters to cover news events in the field, I also helped in the translation of news wires in the editorial room. The news editor liked my translation a lot. He even thought I was doing better than many of the senior translators.

    I was very happy and excited about my summer job. I learned a lot from field assignments with the reporters. I learned as much with the news desk in the editorial room.

    Three months passed, and summer was almost over. All interns must go back to regular classes. I was sad that I had to give up something that I really loved to do.

    A week before the end of my internship, some job opportunity opened at the radio station. The overseas department was expanding. The company was adding an FM radio news station. The company needed more staff in the news department.

    In those days, bcc was considered the “Golden Bowl” for a lot of young people. It offered good career opportunities for journalism graduates. But getting in was difficult. One had to pass rigid examinations to become part of the “elite” force.

    One of the senior editors encouraged me to apply for the position. “Young man, why don’t you try it,” he egged me on.

    I was hesitant. I knew that the company accepted only college graduates. And they should major in Liberal Arts. I said I did not meet the qualifications.

    But two days before the end of my internship, I decided to give it a try. It was one of the boldest decisions I made in my life. After all, I had nothing to lose.

    I went to the office of the bcc president, Mr. Ley, a short guy with a very short face. I knocked at his door, and told his secretary I wanted to see Mr. Ley. The secretary rejected me outright, saying I couldn’t see the president because I did not have an appointment. She said Mr. Ley was a very person, and I had to call early the next day to make an appointment. She even thought I was rude and impolite for just walking into the president’s door.

    I knew it was almost impossible for a “small” person like me to get an appointment with a “big” guy like Mr. Ley, so I insisted I’d stay and wait a while. She was upset and she wanted me to leave. I insisted, and then we were having an argument.

    Suddenly Mr. Ley arrived. He saw the “unfriendly” situation and asked, “What is going on?”

    “Sir, it is important that I talk to you,” I replied. “Can you give just ten minutes of our time?”

    “No problem. Come in, young man,” he said. I felt a sigh of relief.

    I followed him to his huge office and at in front of him. I told him that I wanted to be part of the news department.

    “I just finished my three-month internship with the company. I like journalism, and I want to be a reporter with bcc, if given the opportunity to do so,” I told Mr. Ley.

    I also told him that I was sophomore at Chengchi University studying Diplomacy, and I was willing to work part-time at any time, including the night hours.

    Mr. Ley said, “Young man, you are still going to school. How can you have time to work here? Besides, we only hire college graduates.”

    I was persistent. I should him all the news that I had written during my internship. As he quickly read my scripts, I saw him become interested in what he saw.

    “Let me consult with my news department director,” he told me.

    Two days passed. It was time to say farewell to the employees. The company gave the interns a small party. Then the interns from the different universities went back to their schools.

    Two weeks later, I received a phone call from bcc’s personnel department. I was told to go to the office to take a test. I wasted no time. I rushed to the radios station, very excited and optimistic about getting the job.

    When I arrived at the human resource department, an employee told me that Mr. Ley, the president, instructed the department to give me an exam.

    The exam consisted of translating news from English to Chinese and writing a news summary. I found the exam rather easy. My summer training and my knowledge of international politics gave me what I needed to finish the test within an hour. I was totally confident I would pass the exam way above the required standard.

    I waited anxiously. After a week or so, I got a call from the bcc that I was accepted. I was to start working as assistant copy editor and work the night shift from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

    I was so happy and excited to become the youngest copy editor of bcc.

    (To be continued)