Every day, I see the same email with the same boring phrase in my inbox: ‘Thank you for your interest in this role, but we have decided not to take your application further.’
It always makes me stop and reflect: Was it worth spending £35,000 to leave my home in Albania for London? Has moving to the UK really changed my life for the better?
Studying in London was always my dream.
I grew up in a working-class family in one of the poorest regions in northern Albania, Kukës, and since I was a teenager, I have wanted to be a journalist. I wanted to tell the truth about society, and Albania didn’t offer me any options for a good career.
I believe media independence is key, and the latest index from Reporters Without Borders ranks my native country 99th out of 180 countries for press freedom.
I wanted to discover where …