So, after two and half months serving as an intern in malaysiakini , what can I say about my experience? Good? Bad? Excellent?

After two and a half months of researching, typing, photocopying, reading, looking at monitor screen for hours, picking up the free copy of The Sun newspaper from 7-Eleven every day, what can and can't I say? Nobody is going to censor me right?

Joining malaysiakini right after years of school  allow me to wallow a little on what I have learnt instead. As the news company professes freedom of speech and expression, I am bombarded with views and opinions from every angle and perspective from everyone I meet. This is indeed good for me as I have become more exposed than ever to the issue.

The other end result of these 'free exchanges' is, not only have I learnt of the vulgarity of politics, but also the convoluted world of sex. Not that I'm complaining, but I note that I'm now culturally more prepared for — apart from politics — sex. Funny, but true. But then again, sex isn't the news of the day in malaysiakini ( We should think so! — Ed ).

With a multitude of personalities in the office, all from very diverse and different backgrounds, it creates this 'rojak' environment that truly reflects our Malaysian colours. Not only are we from different cultural value systems but from different age groups. Unlike school where everyone is in your age group, except for the teachers, of course, I had to learn to see that everyone is unique yet similar. Working with people is a skill that I have picked up and will definitely be useful later on in life. Although working with people has its ups and downs, if at the end of the day it turns out OK, everything should be fine.

It has been a great pleasure to work here. Malaysiakini has definitely given me a window to the world of journalism and politics, not to mention the debauchery of it all.

On that note, whatever malaysiakini has thrown at me, life will hopefully be a little bit easier to handle. While my life may be full of opportunities, the only way of utilising all of it is to free my mind. Fill it with choices. And as my sojourn in malaysiakini has come to an end, I would like to say a simple...

Thanks.

JULIAN LEE is an 18-year-old who does not aspire to be anyone but himself (much to the secret sorrow of malaysiakini 's resident sifu ). He will be studying in the National University of Singapore majoring in science, which has nothing to do with politics or journalism.