After the RCA Graduate Fashion Show, Kate, Natasha, Monique and I headed to Yashin Sushi for lunch. Once we’d decided on some omakase, the girls asked how my moving* plans were going.
‘Hot Danish has put me in touch with his friend who forwarded my CV so I have one meeting lined up. My main concern is that I won’t be able to get a job or, worse, I’ll be rubbish at it which would be totally embarrassing.’
‘He’ll be too busy to notice. My high-achieving ex only discovered I don’t have a degree when I forwarded him my CV to print off at work,’ Natasha said, adding, ‘He made it clear he wasn’t impressed, though.’
‘I never forget the sight of the vein bulging out of my boss’ forehead when he discovered I’d mis-read my own shorthand and wrote “economic showdown” instead of “economic slowdown” – the article had already been signed off by him,’ Monique said.
‘Remember when I phoned you up from my first office job, asking you how to use a fax machine,’ Kate interjected.
‘How could I forget,’ Natasha replied, smiling. ‘When I asked why you were whispering you admitted you were calling from the loo.’
My most cringey moment was probably forwarding a chain of emails in which I’d slated the recipient. When I phoned her up to apologise, she started crying,’ I said.
‘I remember that, too,’ Natasha said, laughing.
‘I only use simple stuff such as WordPress and everything I used to use (which I’m sure I have forgotten how to use anyhow) is out of date by now,’ I continued. Kate ordered some sake.
‘Just say you use different systems in the UK,’ Natasha suggested. ‘People often ask me for Excel formula help at work. I walk over, nod while looking deep in thought, say I’ll come back to them and wait until they’ve figured it out for themselves,’ she said. At least I know in advance that it probably won’t be worth the price of an international call to phone Natasha from my future office bathroom.
*I often change names, locations and descriptions in an attempt to hang on to my friends when writing this candid blog and I had planned to stop writing when I leave west London. However, Natasha argued that people are interested in knowing how people get on when they move abroad, so I will continue and it’s time to confess: I’m moving to Amsterdam (rather than Copenhagen) – Hot Danish is rather disappointed about this news.
