In 2008, I was living in London, living for new opportunities and adventures. Travelling when I could find the time. I lived for the weekend, and had a good life. It was a time when the global financial crisis was starting to take hold, and London, like the rest of the world, was feeling its effects. The city was still recovering from the 7/7 bombings in 2005, and security was tighter than ever. But despite these challenges, London remained a vibrant and bustling metropolis, with its famous red buses, the tube, black taxis, and busy high streets.
My previous job was in construction in Slough, a town west of London. The long and tiresome train rides to and from work, coupled with the unfulfilling job, made it a struggle to make ends meet. One day, I got lucky and heard about a construction job renovating a pub in South Kensington, and I jumped at the chance. The pay was good, and the best part was that we got a cold shell to sleep in, right above the pub. It beat sleeping on a friend’s couch, and it was a step up from my previous gig.