Some of them looked a bit sleepy and there was the occasional yawn, but there was definitely enthusiasm among the 40 UNTL Social Communications students gathered in the ICFJ compound this Friday morning at 7am. It was their first field assignment in their Writing 101 class.

Instructor Joana Saraiva and nine other trainers – including many TOTs – divided the students into ten groups of four students each and then hit the streets of Dili – armed with new tape recorders and digital cameras.

The assignment: do stories on the government-required clean-up campaign. Each Friday, government workers and others are required to clean up around their neighborhoods.

Some of the students went to the waterfront, some went to the shopping district and still others went to the markets to conduct their interviews. Among those interviewed this Friday morning – the vice minister of Finance – armed with bright orange gloves.

Over the next few days, the students will write up their stories and then present them in class – with Joana providing constructive criticism.

Next Friday morning, the other 40 students in the other Writing 100 class will do a similar field assignment.

Practical training is essential in journalism.

One group of students – just back from their assignment this morning – gave me a big thumbs up – as they returned to the compound.