CNN senior producer, Traci Tamura and CNN correspondent, Kaj Larsen are traveling to Pakistan they will be blogging about the experience. Catch all his stories here and on CNN's American Morning.
By Traci Tamura, Senior Producer
A couple of weeks ago I was on a stay-cation with my family touring places like Universal Studios, Soak City and lounging on California beaches. The day I got back to work I was asked the question: "Do you want to go to Pakistan?" After I got over the initial surprise, I had to ask myself the question: "As a mom of three school age kids, was I comfortable traveling to Pakistan?"
I knew in my heart as a journalist the floods were a huge international story that I could not turn down. But it wasn't just about me. I immediately called my husband to check his comfort level and he asked his question: "Is it safe?"
There are certainly health risks. I had to get 4 shots including Typhoid and I am still popping Malaria pills. There are security issues. Toss in the recent occurrence of suicide bombings and you begin to get the picture.
As a journalist, you are in the news business not because it's a 9 to 5 job and safe. But because you are passionate about covering the story and getting answers to the questions.
If that means traveling into the heart of disasters in dangerous countries that's where you go. So, armed with my families blessings and the understanding that "Mommy's CNN job" involves travel, I was on my way to Pakistan.
It took a day and a half to get to Islamabad but it has been worth it. So, as I head out on another 7 hour drive to cover the Pakistan floods victims I know the answer to the question: "Why did this producer and mother of three decide to come on this trip to Pakistan?" You can find out the answer this week on American Morning. Stay tuned...