Day 62: Two Months in London

Sorry. It passed a long time since the last time I wrote a post: I'm sorry, but I was not able to constantly update this blog till now. Time is money as businessmen say: it's not my case, but here in my new life in London the time is short and there are always plenty of things to do. However, from now on I will try to be more consistent: it is one of my good intentions for the coming months and for this new year! 

Changes. Since the last time I wrote (3 Dec. 2012), much changed. Just few days after that date, I found a room in the beautiful area of Wood Green, just 6 minutes from the tube station and within walking distance to all major shops, groceries stores and shopping centre.

Beautiful job. My Zara job goes on well and every day I love and I'm passionate about more and more. Organization and precision have always been two of my main skills and being able to practice them at work makes me excited: it's always nice to receive compliments for your work! Indeed, it's really appreciable the British habit of thanking those who work at the end of their shift, as the manager will always say "thank you for your time"... it's preferable not to think to the Italian comparison!

The new year began under a lucky star. I decided that, as I was in London, my new year would have to be absolutely original. So, putting aside my shyness, I went to a meetup with other 250 people in a traditional British pub in St. James's Park. Funny and amazing night: I drank good wine, I watched the fireworks on the Thames from a great spot, and above all, I talked to many people and take ​​contacts of some of them to meet them again in the future. A great experience.

My English is going better every day: movies, books and conversations with different people are helping me a lot to improve my vocabulary and my pronunciation. But it can never be enough! Indeed, one of the goals in the coming months is definitely to attend more meet-ups and meet as many people who speak English as possible, to attend an advanced class in writing and conversation and to get the IELTS Certificate with a good score. More effort and commitment in 2013.

Among many good intentions, the first one is to be more punctual. Too many times in the two past months here I've been late and for the British punctuality does really matter. I'm not talking about work, except for once when I made a mistake calculating the travel time from my new home to job place, but especially in interpersonal relationships. I have to learn to better manage my time within the next two months: this is my goal!

Two more. Finally, in addition to the previously stated goal of learning to iron shirts, there are two more good intentions related to each other: sleep less and make special every new day. Seven hours each night will be enough because sleeping more is a luxury. I'm in London, so I wish I could take the best of every day, every hour, every minute, making it special for me, thanking to still be here every time the sun rises.

Lots of ideas for the coming months. Once again, time is short, so now I need to get dressed and go out to attend the next meet-up, before it's too late.

Stay tuned! (I stole this beautiful expression to a dear friend of mine!)

4 Days to London: My last movie

Wonderful experience. I went to watch the film without too many expectations. I hadn't seen the trailer of the film, nor had read his story. It worthily represented my last Italian film. Its title was: "Viva l'Italia".

I couldn't wish for more. A film denouncing all faults, vices and bad things of Italy. A country where rich people always prevail over poor ones and where money and corruption always win. A perfect picture that summarise all the reasons why I decided to left Italy. There isn't really much to save in this country, but many people seem not to notice.

Open your eyes. Go to the theatre and watch it, especially those who remain in Italy. You won't regret it and maybe you will understand you that anger which prompted me to take this decision. I just can not live any more in the Italy of today.

12 Days to London: 3 Reasons to Leave

The most tiring and stressful moment before departing is to gather all documents. A long work that includes the necessity to refer to bureaucracy. Long queues in various offices, like post office, registry office and other spaces always crowded of people.

I don't like to be in the queue: it's boring. And in Italy queues can take all day long. Fortunately, today wasn't my case. I've lost the pin-code of my prepaid credit card, so I needed to pay and subscribe a new card because shipping a new pin-code took over a week. Anyway, in a hour I did it. This was just the last stage of a long series of queues to prepare all papers.

Things in, things out. On the one hand I gathered all documents in my folder and on the other hand I got rid of some superfluous things, like unused electric cable, old cellphones and other broken computer stuff. I brought them to a communal recycling depot where they gather all same materials in a depository, trying to save and reuse as many parts as they can. It is a free service, but nobody in Italy seems to need it. People prefer to put all waste, whether recyclable or not, in the same bin. That's one of long list of unsolvable problems in this country. Unfortunately, there isn't hope something will happen in the next future: maybe Italy will never move to efficient systems to gather and recycle waste like in the rest of Europe.

Reasons to leave Italy are many and they concern especially job market, public transportation and mind-set.

a) Job: Italy has one of highest unemployment rate in Europe. Over 25% of young people doesn't have job (free stages or underpaid works are not included): a condition that is inconceivable in other European countries. This situation kill every wish of independence and bring people to drop the idea of living alone to remain at parents' house well over 30 years old.

b) Public Transport: at the end of 2012, Rome has still only two metro lines. That's the main difference with other European capitals. For example, Paris has fourteen lines, London thirteen and Berlin ten. A really great difference. Moving from a side to another of the city in Rome can take even half a day: no certainty about buses time transit, long waits even under the rain and stressful trips packed like sardines.

c) Mind-set: no respect for others, every-man-for-himself way of life, slyness against rules and institutions, non-existent meritocracy and favouritism logic, embarrassing politics class and bureaucracy. The list is still long but I prefer to stop. Do you really need other reasons?

I can't live in a country like this. There is no future. I deserve something better and I'll get it somewhere else.