In April we announced the winner of our second SRA Selector initiative - Ross Buchanan. For those who may not know about SRA Selector, last year Folded Wing and our radio show The Selector for the British Council partnered with the SRA (Student Radio Association) to give 6 UK student radio stations the chance to produce their own version of The Selector for 6 months; we asked each station to send in their best programme, and Ross Buchanan of Smoke Radio at the University of Westminster was the winner! His amazing prize was a trip to The Selector's sister station in Mexico City, Ibero 90.9 FM, courtesy of the British Council, and after Ross got back last week we asked him to tell us all about it.
Read moreRoss: "Winning the SRA Selector was the craziest thing that has ever happened to me.
Spending six months recreating one of my favourite shows for Smoke Radio was a treat in itself. I learnt an incredible amount about my radio skills and managed to really hone in on my style as a broadcaster, in both production and presenting. Plus before I even began doing the show, all of the SRA Selector presenters were given an amazing 2 day radio training course at the Folded Wing studios, which was a massive help!
But the fact that I was slipping off to Mexico for 9 days didn't actually sink in until I stepped off the plane.
Disorientated by a long flight, I jumped straight into a car packed to the brim with lively Mexican students donning Ibero 90.9 jackets. They blasted their very own radio station proudly out of the sound system as I squeezed in. It was comforting to know that I'd be spending a week with such like-minded and passionate people.
Over the course of the week, I met a plethora of diverse and intellectual people with similar and different interests to me. I got the chance to visit some of Mexico's tourist hotspots and some of the slightly lesser travelled gems.
I also got to learn a shedload about their club culture, gig scenes and very eclectic musical tastes. And the food. Wow.
I travelled around the city with the amazing Uri from Ibero 90.9 as my escort. He shared his vast knowledge of the city with me over grasshopper guacamole and cucumber ice cream.
I also got to hang out with Mexican Selector presenter Vale Estrada, who introduced me to the station as if it were my own. The Ibero lot took me to some very cool places. Naively, Vale also let me invade her show!
As did this legend - Davo!
And I shocked them both on air by telling them that they had been chosen to come visit us in London! Here are the happy bunnies after the good news...
I'm currently piecing together a show detailing what I got up to on the trip, with some incredible music that I discovered when I was there!
Stay up to date on my twitter: @rossabuchanan or on the Folded Wing & British Council websites.
I had the experience of a lifetime and was hosted by some incredibly lovely people who couldn't have given me a warmer welcome to their gorgeous country. What an incredible way to end my time at University.
What's next for me? You can find me freelancing on stations, doing voiceovers and attempting to make a name for myself in this tough but rewarding industry.
If you're reading this as a budding radio presenter or producer, I implore you to get involved with this project next year. It's one of those projects that, if you put in your all, you'll get so much out of it.
A huge, huge, HUGE thank you to Uri and Vale from Ibero 90.9 and the wonderful Malfi for her guidance throughout my travels and to everyone for making me feel so welcome in their hometown. Also, a massive thank you to the stellar Mr. Phil Catchpole for accompanying me on this journey and sorting everything out so brilliantly.
Much love to everyone at the British Council, The Selector team and the Folded Wing team for making this happen for me.
P.S
RIP to my fish that died whilst I was away."
