Chilean medical journalist
Paloma Baytelman Pilowsky won't be quitting her day job, but she's found a new hobby in serving as a "citizen journalist." And it even pays -- a little bit.
Recently, Pilowsky started writing -- in English -- for the international edition of
OhMyNews, the well known South Korean citizen-journalism website.
Here's her first travel article for OhMyNews; she's preparing additional stories on Chilean wine, Chilean roads, and Chile's Visual Arts Day.
Why would a professional journalist write for a citizen-journalism site: "I decided to participate because I'm crossing a very enthusiastic moment in my career," she says, "collaborating for different innovative initiatives, and I thought this is a very good opportunity for improving my English skills, obligating me to write and think in another language. Very few people talk English in Chile, and it is very difficult to have practice opportunities."
Without expectations that this writing would earn her anything, Pilowsky was surprised when she learned that her articles will bring in some money. "It is a very low payment, almost symbolic," she says, "but I felt really happy for that. I will not tell you how much, but I can tell you that for one article, the money is enough to buy 10 'Big Mac Combos' in my country."
OhMyNews staffers also edit her work, "but in my case they made very few changes to my article. ... I'm very, very interested in continuing (this kind of writing). ... I have my full day job, and I don't consider this opportunity as a second job yet."
Thanks a lot dear Steve, I will tell you when...
