(Hanna Gillissen, 30, alumna ESHCC)
“As a little girl, I used to write poems and stories. It was inevitable that writing would become my work in one way or another.
After my master in Media and Journalism, I did the Postacademic Part-time Programme in Journalism. Here I really learned the profession. After my internship, I worked for a while as a freelancer, until I was offered a job with newspaper page Vrouw. I’m still there, having a great time, and I’m now working for the magazine Vrouw.
I recently interviewed a woman who had survived a boat disaster in Indonesia. She had been at sea for days. Her story moved me. But even an apparently less exciting subject can be very inspiring. I love getting the opportunity to tell these stories. If the people I interview are happy with my text, and really recognise themselves in it, then I’m happy too.
Make it happen means taking a chance. When I had just graduated, I sometimes doubted – like any journalist? – my own talent, but it’s mainly a question of getting on with it. In the future, I would like to write about subjects that I really like to inform people about, something that will allow me to delve into something. Perhaps with my boyfriend, who’s a photographer. As soon as we know what that production will be about, we’ll start to work on it!”
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