Cherubs crowd around Chicago Tribune editor Kerry Luft.

An explosion rippled through Liz Sly’s hotel room in Iraq and flung her out of bed. Instead of giving up and packing her bags, the Chicago Tribune foreign correspondent got right on the scene to report the bombing.

“What kind of journalism school can you go to to prepare for that?” Lily Altavena, of Scottsdale, Ariz., said. “That blew my mind. She dealt with it. She’s still there, and she’s there for a reason. That’s exactly where I want to be.”

Altavena and journalism cherubs at the National High School Institute heard about Sly’s story from the Chicago Tribune foreign news editor Kerry Luft. Luft talked about the life of a foreign correspondent, from getting bombed in Iraq to tracking down a source.

Cherubs say they thought that Luft’s stories were inspirational examples of how foreign correspondents handle challenges. Altavena said she wants to be a foreign correspondent in the Middle East. Caitlin Perrone, of Warsaw, Ind., said she is now considering a career in foreign correspondence.

“I knew I wanted to go to Africa,” Perrone said, “I just didn’t know foreign correspondence was a way to get there.”

Perrone said she realizes being a foreign correspondent wouldn't be easy. Luft said his reporters face danger and can be away from home for three consectuvie years. The Sudanese government jailed one of his reporters.

“It was a scary realization that it’s dangerous,” Perrone said. “But it’s worth it if it brings people to realize there are people outside of their own country who are just like them, but need help.”

The challenges didn’t bother cherub Shirley Gao. Gao still wants to work as a correspondent to report on humanitarian issues. She imagines writing articles like the Associated Press story she read about a Nigerian woman who ate dirt cakes to survive.

“I cried when I read that,” Gao, of Davis, Calif., said. “I feel an obligation to share what they’re going through with other people who don’t know what’s going on. One of the best ways to do that is to live through it.”

James Bourne, of Los Angeles, said the challenges Luft spoke about paled in comparison to the chance to tell exclusive, life-changing stories. He added that he’s willing to report in war zones to get stories about American troops.

“They make the ultimate sacrifice and they deserve to have their stories told,” Bourne said. “I want to tell a story people feel like they haven’t heard. Taking risks to get important stories is always worth it.”

Foreign correspondence does have its perks. Gao said she thinks the chance to explore the world cultures outweighs the obstacles.

“It might not pay well, but it’s really experience-rich,” Gao said. “You come back with a wider perspective and more empathy. It’d be amazing if I could use my words and paper to tap into that universal fundamental feeling every human has, and translate that across borders.”