I can still remind myself of the feelings that I had the first night when I was accommodated. I was thinking, ‘wow’, I couldn’t believe that. And I was very surprised. I’ve got my bed. And I will say ‘my’ bed, because that was a place where I can go back and say, ‘I’m living here’. 

And if you’re coming from the street, that is the word that you’re forgetting –  ‘home’. The place where you are your own person. 

I think it’s important for everyone to have a home. Because if you don’t have a home then you – or any person – are actually not a person anymore. When you have a home, then you have something. 

For me, honestly, the first night I didn’t believe it. And I was crying and I’m thinking, ‘Wow’. I don’t have to think, or ask for help, or anything. 

I went to my place. I washed myself. I got in the bed and I was crying. 

And now – whatever happens – I will go back to the way that I should be, because no one deserves to end up that way. 

And when you are so thankful, just for the bed, I’m saying wow. Over my life I’d never been thinking that way – like how hard it is to say, ‘I have a home.’ And that’s why I’m kind of pissed off, because everyone should have a home. Everyone should be himself. And everyone should behave respectfully for others, because that’s what we deserve. But it doesn’t work that way. But maybe one day it will. I’m believing that.

When I got my own accommodation, it had been 6-7 months when I had been on the street. I was sleeping on friends’ couches, or neighbours, my friends. I was travelling from Manchester, to Blackpool, to Hull, to Wales. And I was spending three, four weeks in every town, on the street. 

When you don’t have money when you are on the street, how will you feed yourself?

That’s why I have a criminal record, because I was shoplifting. I was hungry. Yes, I did the crime. Because I was hungry. I’m not this kind of person. But these are the things that will always remind me I was on the street. I like to pay and I like to make money for life.

In the past, I was rich and stupid. I’m not saying I was snobby, but I was rich and I didn’t care about things. But this experience from the street, homelessness, has given me a different view for the whole population and for myself, and my life targets.

Everyone should have a dream of something.  Everyone should have at least, over their life, one wish to come true. And okay, not any of my wishes have come true.  But this is what I want – I want to see my name, with a smile, and with happiness.

That’s what I want.