Before leaving Italy I had started working as an interpreter. It was a good job which gave me a lot of satisfaction. I did a lot of intellectual work and I conducted myself like a professional. Then I arrived in the UK and I started working at fast food joints, supermarkets, and warehouses. They are jobs and people do them, but they were not the types of jobs I wanted to do.
I could have done much better jobs but without a degree or the equivalent years of experience, no company would hire me. To make matters worse, these jobs were never permanent. I got laid off in January/February and had to wait until April/May to find another one. Fortunately, I have always been excellent at managing my money, so I always had enough savings to take care of myself during the periods in which I was without a job.
Then in 2018, after being laid off yet again, I made the decision to go into interpreting full time. I was no longer making as much money as I did when I was working those menial jobs, but I felt more fulfilled. I dressed up nice, looked professional, and got to make use of my skills. It was a whole different game altogether.
Now in 2021, I am back in the UK, and once again, I have to rely on menial jobs to hold myself together for the next couple of months. However, this time, I do not feel like I felt about them back in the day. I am very much eager to start working, and that's because I know that whatever menial job I do, it won't be the only type of job that I will get to do. I am busy using my skills to earn money on the side. I write, I translate, and I create. I enjoy moments of pure intellectual bliss.
So long as I can cultivate my passion while lifting boxes and stocking up shelves, I will do it with a smile on my face.
I just won't make the mistake of shelving my passion in exchange of some coins ever again.
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