Week Four: Search and Seizure.

CNN. The United Nations. Huffington Post. Global Vision. I ventured all these channels, hoping against all odds that someone would have an opening for me that someone would take me in off the streets. The days went by in pursuit and wait, speculation and desire. Oh what it would be like to research foreign news for CNN International. My, how my time would be spent in the foreign policy department of the United Nations, watching important delegates negotiate and compromise. The daydreams became more intricate and the time slowed down. The hustle and bustle of the last few weeks had almost come to a standstill.

Then it happened. My interview results were in. Global Vision welcomed me on board. CNN called me to come in for a face-to-face meeting. Of course I went. The excitement of the day barely let me sleep the night before. I was up and ready to go an hour before I actually had to leave. I arrived at the Time Warner building 20 minutes early with a huge smile plastered to my face. I checked my bag, got my guest pass and took the elevator up to the fifth floor.

“I’m here for Mr. Saddique.”

“Ok, make yourself comfortable, I’ll let him know you’re here.”

I sat down in front of the five networks delivering news to me from various angles, waiting.

“Ms. Samreen, hello.” Mr. Saddique’s voice came from behind me. I stood up, we shook hands and I followed him to the conference room. A round of question-answer was played with my resume in his hands. After a nervous 20 minutes of conversation, he said, “Well, I really think you would fit right in here.” My heart started thumping, alas too soon. “But I don’t know how much room we still have for interns.” I waited apprehensively, too afraid to breathe.

“Let me call our Intern coordinator.” After hearing a series of uh huh…hmm…umhmm’s, the call was over. “Well we may have an opening at the Cambell Brown show.” Ok. I thought. Not the ideal, but it was an opening. I’ll take it. I’ll take anything with CNN.

“Would you like a tour of the facility?”

“Yes, of course,” I smiled like a tourist on her first celebrity encounter. We walked the studio. “And here is where all the shows are taped, Anderson Cooper 360, Wolf Blitzer and CNN International’s Amanpour…” I gasped.

“Here? You mean this is where Ms. Amanpour records?”

“Yes of course. She’s here everyday for her show.”

My mouth hung open. What if she was here now? On that day luck was on my side. It was as if I had drunk the Felix Felicis. We walked out of the studio and she passed right in front of me, not seeing us. I gasped. She heard. She turned around to find me staring at her, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Before I knew it she stood in front of me with an outstretched hand saying “hello,” in her mingled British yet Middle Eastern accent. I was completely taken aback. Somehow I managed to say, “Wow. Hello. I think you’re brilliant.” She smiled, thanking me and returning to her previous course.

“I would love to work on her team,” I told Mr. Saddique. And once again the Felix worked its magic. Her senior producer walked by, Samuel Burke.

“Well, that’s her senior producer. Why don’t I introduce you,” Mr. Saddique said. I have not yet found the words to describe how far beyond ecstatic I was. He spoke with me, saying they had most of their interns but he would look at my resume anyway. I prayed and hoped and wished and pleaded with every power that may be that somehow this would work out. The next day it seemed the elixir had not yet rubbed off. I had a missed call and a voicemail….it was Mr. Samuel Burke! I called him back precisely at the time he asked and we entered an interview type dialogue. I couldn’t believe my ears at how it ended.

“I think you’d be a great match with our team. I’d like to bring this conversation up at our meeting tomorrow. Why don’t you email me Thursday and we can set your schedule?”

“Yes sir, sure sir!” I splurged quickly, hanging up the phone with a cheesy grin on my face and thumping heart.

The search was over. I had gotten what I was after. I learned quite a few lessons this week:

1. Never, ever give up on your dream, even when it seems it may be too late.
2. At the same time, don’t ever trample on or utilize another’s dream to achieve your own.

I’d like to end this blog with the wise words of my favorite author: “When you really want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

–Paulo Coelho