Day 140: 20 weeks later...

Time flies. Today is exactly 20 weeks of London: 3360 hours, 201.600 minutes and 12.096.000 seconds. Now it really seems that I left Rome quite time ago. And I hardly realised it. Last time I wrote a post for this blog it was the end of January and now I've been thrown to the beginning of April. Lots of adventures, experiences, happy moments and even fearful instants.

February misadventure. Someone tried to mug me with a gun during one of my night walking around London. And he didn't except that I could react as I did, thanks to my Krav Maga skills learned in Italy. I sent him to the hospital: by now he should have learned that lesson.  All's well that ends well!

Second job. As I don't believe in God, I don't believe in coincidences, but sometimes opportunities are hidden where you least expect them. Thanks to English lessons through Meetup website, I got in touch with several people and I took the chance to start writing articles for a budding commercial website. Extra money is a good reason, brave new projects have always attracted me and last but not least in this way I won't lose my Italian writing skills. That's the way.

Rome break. At the end of February I went to Italy for a few days. It was great to see again my family and all my friends, but my impression was really negative. After more than three months away, Rome wasn't changed at all, in fact it was even worse. Same life, same shops, same people, same complaints: it was a distressing view. I was truly happy to leave again: that broad mood can drag everyone down and I was lucky to have the possibility to change. 

Cold spring. March went away very fast among long nights of work, great nights of fun and a really cold weather. It was sunny most of the days, but I didn't except this freezing cold in late March, so even during spring. Anyway, the weather is not a problem: after the first cocktail it's already gone! 

April is gonna be a tough month (and I even need to find a new room!)... 

Day 15: I've got a job..

Second job interview. Today, at 11.30 am I went to the store in 333 Oxford street (close to Bond Street Tube Station) for the second job interview, in the same store where I'll work if I'm hired. Great preparation and great anxiety. The song "Hall of Fame" and the Al Pacino's motivational speech of the film "Any Given Sunday" gave me the power I needed.

Italians everywhere. I arrived early at the store, trying to find out information about that place: almost all people I asked where Italians, included the recruiter for the interview. But, as usual, we had to speak English. The interview was quick: after brief introduction of myself and of my CV, she started asking questions and explaining me the position I'll take if I'm successful. It was pretty easy, except for a question: "what's your weakness?". But I tried to give a positive idea of it, and it worked.. Anyway, if I was successful I would receive a call directly from the Zara Recruitment Centre in 120 Regent Street.

And it happened. On the way back to the hostel, I avoided taking the tube and I preferred the bus to be always reachable. At 4.30 pm the call came. I'm hired as a stockroom assistant: I will work 16 hours a week with two shifts of 8 hours on Wednesday and Saturday from midnight to 8 am. And due I will be working at night, Zara will pay me double. It means: working for 16 hours and being paid for 32! Perfect! On Monday I will sign the contract! I can't wait!

3 Days to London: Carpe Diem

Life is so beautiful. There can be changes, surprises and a lot of last-minute unexpected things. That's why I always focus on the present. Thinking and planning the future is quite important, but everyone shouldn't forget that life is now. 

My motto is: carpe (that fucking) diem. We are the creators of our own destiny and we decide our lives through our choices. Situations can not be repeated, trains do not return and instants go by very fast. It is very important to take risks to get rewards.

The today's key-word is timing. Unfortunately, things do not always happen when you want, some days they arrive too early and burn, some others they arrive too late and you can not enjoy it fully. I have learned to take life as it comes: there is always a part of it that we can not decide and I call it destiny. It is not an excuse, but the simple consideration that there are coincidences that do not depend on our will. Anyway, I think we must always live our lives, every second, without remorse or regret.

9 Days to London: I've got a job... maybe!

Maybe today was my lucky day! I got up again late, but now I stop focusing on this problem and I tried to find a proper solution: maybe tomorrow I’ll have the first results. After spent night before watching movies online, I decided I wanted to watch some episodes of my favourite TV series, but it was difficult to find them available online. So, this morning I spent more than hour downloading TV series episodes from eMule: now I can choose among episodes of CSI New York and Miami, and Criminal Minds. I think the latter will be on my way tonight, after writing this post. I’m not afraid of going bed just after watching movie like this. Not yet.

Later in the morning I went to my bank to fix last issues about my account. After all operations done, I started chatting with the other bank workers of the room, obviously free of work. Everyone asked me to tell my story and then they gave me all suggests that people don’t like to travel usually give to fearless travellers. But one of them, suddenly, said something different. I finally found a person that had already been in London and that above all love travelling. “If you want to work there I have a solution for you” he said to me. And in few minutes he contacted two friends of him. 

No surprise: he was a pioneer. He spent over five years in London working and studying at the university about ten years ago. And now, he sent her 15-year-old daughter attending High School in London. He gave me two chances of work: night porter hotel or bar-waiter in a place in Oxford Street. Now I have to go there and check what’s the best suitable solution for me, for what I want to do and for where I live. I’ll  always be grateful to him and.. to destiny that allows me to have this meeting.

Wish me good luck, please!