I Don't Even Know What to Name This

The British workplace – where you drink on the job, swear whenever you please, and play the unedited version of Anaconda by Nicki Minaj on the speakers early in the afternoon. I’m not in America anymore and I can tell you right off the bat: I love it.  The atmosphere of the American workplace is stiff. It feels stuffy. Especially after experiencing both cultures it’s evident that us Americans are doing it all wrong.

As a matter of fact, I’m at my internship as I type this. It’s on the second floor of an old banana warehouse in Covent Garden, London. Cobblestone roads and brick walls surround it. Family Traveller Magazine shares its office with Captify, an up and coming ad Tech Company. As I said earlier, music plays throughout the whole room. About 10 of the guys just unexpectedly all sang lyrics in unison and, naturally, everyone started laughing. It’s just so laid back here. They’re all friends. Like actual friends. Not just office friends.

It’s 4pm and many beers are already cracked open. But the thing is, it’s such a norm for them that it doesn’t affect their work. Just like how talking, laughing, and taking breaks doesn’t either. They still get the job done (from what I assume I mean I’m looking at them in awe because I can’t get over all of the leniency in the work place so who really knows).

I love my internship so far. Everyone is very sweet and Family Traveller is a lot different than from what I thought it would be. Andrew just sat down a bottle of white wine on the table and said to Lisa, “Here is one for you and Swifty to split.” That’s what he called me. Swifty. You know, like Taylor Swift, but I’m not complaining.

Then my boss goes, “Would you like to top off?” I respond with “Sure!” And while filling my glass up she goes, “I like you.” Now some people are playing Ping-Pong (the table is in the middle of the office) and it’s just fun ya know? I never want to work in an American office ever again. Maybe I’ll start my own company and we will just go by my rules. I like the sound of that.

For some odd reason every time I leave on Friday (or any day) I put ‘From Eden’ by Hozier on repeat and literally smile the WHOLE way home. It’s not even because I’m done for the week. I’m just happy. I’m listening to my favorite song, people watching, walking home from my internship in LONDON. Unreal.

I even walked all the way to the bus (the tube is right in front of the building I intern in) and realized it wasn’t running to that stop at the time. So I had to walk all the way back to the tube and I WAS HAPPY ABOUT IT BECAUSE I COULD JUST WALK MORE IN THE COLD AND LISTEN TO MUSIC. I got on the tube and caught myself smiling at this couple. The guy reminded me of Ryan Bertrando (hi Ry Guy) and this couple literally could not be more lovey. Their faces were touching the whole time. They couldn’t get enough of each other. And I couldn’t get enough of them. How creepy am I? But seeing two other people feel that way made me ecstatic. Like I was happy that they were happy. And they were complete strangers. Does that make sense? Maybe I should just stop talking. I'm done.