By Drew Davies

 

 

From Russia With Love

 

I called a friend I haven’t spoken to in years the other day.

 

We arranged to meet up at the Lock Tavern pub in Camden.

 

I met her during my 3 month spell at the University of East Anglia and she was one of the few people I kept in contact with after, but as time goes on and life gets in the way contact inevitably dwindles.

 

I was amazed to find out she had been in Moscow for almost a year.

 

More amazing was that she was making a grand a week as a babysitter/English tutor for a rich Russian family.

 

That’s four grand a month.

 

Forty eight grand a year.

 

Now, I accept this isn’t a long term job but that’s just insane.

 

As a friend I want her to do well but I couldn’t help being annoyed thinking about how hard I’m going to have to work to make that money.

 

Working well past nine to five as well as weekends for many years on the run.

 

And then I remembered, that’s not why I’m here.

 

That’s not why I quit uni.

 

That’s not why I walked away from the PPE path that would have led me into the city dressed in suit, dropped off in a cab.

 

I chose advertising because I enjoy it, because I can make an impact and hopefully one day I can look back on my career with pride

 

If I can make enough money to; go out when I want to, buy a comfortable house, support a family, keep a collection shoes, have BT sports and Sky, roll round in German whip, eat what I want for lunch and get an Indian takeaway once a week – then I will be happy.

 

Or perhaps I could start my own business one day. Invent a product or introduce a new service.  

Well then I really could forget about money once and for all.