Back in 2016, I had the opportunity to come here for six months through the Erasmus program, which allows students to spend a semester abroad. Initially, I had planned to go to Spain with some friends, but as fate would have it, circumstances changed, and I made a last-minute decision to embark on this journey to London by myself. Fortunately, my sister was already living here at the time, which made the whole experience even more gratifying. As I often say, she opened the doors of this country for me.

Months passed, and I returned to Portugal, where things were going quite well. I completed my bachelor's degree, got accepted at ESAD to pursue a master's degree in interior design, and even landed my first job as an interior designer in a dream studio by the Douro River in Porto. However, there came a moment in my life that forced me to question everything about myself and the direction I was heading. It was during this introspective phase that my sister asked a crucial question: "Why don't you come to London? What's stopping you now?" Those words ignited a fire within me, reaffirming what I had always known deep down. Without a moment of hesitation, I left everything behind—my job, my friends, my family, and my country—to pursue my dream career abroad and make London my new home. Looking back now, I realise that this was the best decision I could have made.