There is a lot of talk these days about young which, given the lack of job opportunities in Italy, they make the decision to go to seek fortune abroad. Were you looking for one? Well it's your lucky day you found it.
My name is Luca and accompanied by Samsonite trolley, not even too full, I landed in England almost 5 years ago. Mine is a story common to hundreds and more people I have met during these years here in London, many of whom are Italians, others from various countries in Europe and beyond.
What happens is very simple, after university, a period of romantic sweet-doing-nothing, you have to knock on the door of the phantom world of work. Here in Italy often no one answers that knock knock, or the more modern ringing.
So nothing easier than taking the ball to come to London with the break-in sorry for learning english. In hindsight I don't think even my parents at the time seriously believed that it was a few summer months and then I would go back to Italy to look for work.
The fact is that they were right and I am still here almost 5 years after that flight Ryanair from 40 € taken on a sticky and anonymous early summer evening. As soon as I arrived in London one inevitably runs into logistical issues, first of all that of where to sleep. Often for the first few days you are hosted by a friend or acquaintance but, as you know, after three days the fish stinks.
What to do? Obviously, start looking for a house by browsing, electronically, the sites specialized in house sharing that is, renting rooms in houses or apartments shared with other people; among the most used sites gumtree.com and flatshare.com
Probably as happened to me too you will find yourself spending a few nights in one of the London hostels before being able to find decent accommodation at an acceptable price. Among all useful tips just moved to London that I can give, one of the most useful is to not necessarily try to live in zone 1. London is a huge city and trust me it's much better to find a nice, affordable room in zone 2 or 3 near the tube. spending unnecessary money to live in a tiny and super expensive room just to stay in zone 1.
Since we are talking about tubes and public transport another golden rule as soon as you arrive is to avoid calculations such as how many times you will take the bus la tube, make yours now Oyster card(a magnetic card for transport) and your weekly pass for zones 1 and 2. The weekly costs £ 25.80 But trust me, continuing to load money on the card will cost you more, it will waste time and you will find yourself walking hours to save a few pounds on the bus.
Once you've found a home and solved the transport problem, it's time to take a dip in traditional English culture. In short, you are ready to take a tour of your local pub, the pub next to your new home. At the pub over drink a couple of pints of beer local you can, indeed you will have to, taste the traditional pub food.
As for the beer, I leave the decision to you regarding the food, but I would like to recommend you a good one bangels and mash ie sausages with mashed potatoes drowned in gravy the traditional English sauce. Or you can eat vegetarian in some London restaurants.
From Italian I can tell you that bangers and mash has its why much more than fish 'n chips or the traditional burger with chips, of course it all goes to personal taste. Obviously a London you will find several types of ethnic restaurants and if you are willing to experiment, I recommend going to eat in one of the many Indian restaurants in Brick Lane (tube Algate East) or one of the Vietnamese restaurants in Shoreditch (tube Old Street): you will eat for no more than £ 10.
For the after dinner in short, for a night out there are several areas perfect for nightlife; if I had to give my advice I would tell you to put on the most eccentric clothes you are wearing and immerse yourself in the trendy atmosphere of the area Shoreditch-Old Street. Where exactly? Try it the Aquarium just outside the Old Street station, you will not struggle to find it, on Friday and Saturday nights you will recognize it from the lines of characters queuing outside.
The Aquarium has a passion for theme nights so you will happen to see dozens of people dressed in the 70s or even in pajamas or night gowns depending on the theme of the evening. in addition to working hard you have fun hard. When they ask me what you like best about London, I answer by putting together what I think are, at the same time, the positive and negative aspects of living here.
London is a city that during the week it squeezes you, work, public transport and lunches eaten at the desk but everything that takes you during the week pays back with interest during the weekend. Positive difference compared to Italy? Going out at night without meeting new people is impossible. There is more than one reason to come to London and if you are really undecided, think that after all it is only a few months in the summer to learn English.
