Restless Films interviewing Kada Delic-Selimovic director of SO Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the Special Olympics World Games, Berlin, 2023 (Photo by AIPS)

BERLIN, June 24, 2023 - Sometimes wishes truly do come true, or perhaps there's a mysterious force that compels you to think about them because they're meant to happen. It's remarkable how often the things we talk about actually materialize, and it happened to me too.

As I prepared for the Young Reporters Program, my parents playfully teased me about meeting the BBC in Berlin and eventually working for them. I brushed it off, knowing how proud parents can be, even witnessing it at home. Secretly, though, I couldn't help but fantasize about it myself. I stored that thought away in the recesses of my mind, packed my suitcase, and headed to Berlin. 

RESTLESS FILMS Little did I know that on the second day after the official opening, I would meet Stuart Pollitt, a seasoned journalist with a decade of experience at the BBC, who was now here with his team from Restless Films. It wasn't the same as meeting the well-known media Chanel, but it was close enough.

A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT I couldn't resist revisiting that same thought, but I kept myself grounded. Simply being present with my colleagues during an interview at their office, listening to his experiences and observing how media content is created, made me think, "Wow, this dream actually came true." It truly felt like a significant moment.

But here's the remarkable thing about the universe, or whatever you choose to believe in: it works best when you think it's not working. The very next day, my Mentor asked me if I wanted to spend a day working with them. It was an offer that couldn't be declined, not that I even considered saying no. It was as if my parents' words echoed in my mind: "You could be there."

HUGE CURIOSITY I made the most of that day, bombarding them with questions like an eager four-year-old: What is this? What is it for? How does it work? What if...? Every other sentence started with "how" or "what" in some way. The exceptional team was ready to assist, taking me through the entire process—from preparing questions to content editing, broadcasting methods, and creating content for social media. I learned so much that day, satisfying my curiosity for things I had longed to know but never had the chance to ask.

UNFORGETTABLE Perhaps what I did that day has no significance in the business world today, but it is very important to me and will be even more important with time. I will mention this experience when I talk to younger colleagues about what it's like to be a good journalist — and now, I will tuck that thought away again, allowing it to manifest once more.