We are two best friends who were united by a common admiration, which
became so much more later on. Please support our dream to see each other
again, since we are more than 7000 miles apart.
Sometimes, you think you know the people closest to you. How could you
possibly not, since they’ve been with you for years and years. But in
reality, it’s not the time spent that makes the transition from an
acquaintance to a friend, but the intensity of the moments you share.
I'm Alexandra and my story of friendship with Samantha started two years
ago. Just two years and approximately a month in each other’s company
was enough to know that we will be friends forever. We are more than
7000 miles apart, yet she is one of the few who saw me both at my
happiest and most vulnerable moment. She saw me laughing, she saw me
crying, she saw me being frustrated, ecstatic and she even saw me at my
worst – which is when I’m deprived of sleep. Seriously, interacting with
me after 24 sleepless hours is like talking to a drunk. I don’t know
what I am saying and I can’t remember what I said.
So how did it
all start? With a complex dream and a Facebook group. We are huge Johnny
Depp admirers for as long as we can remember and we both had the
burning desire of seeing the man at a premiere and tell him how
positively he influenced our lives. We grew up watching his movies and
we always had that feeling that we knew him, because we could identify
ourselves with his flaws. His way of dealing with bullying (“Don’t take
crap from anyone”) was my motto in life. There was this warmth about him
that made me feel like I was listening to a friend.
In 2012, we
spent months saving money just to live this dream of meeting him. The
worst thing that can happen to me is to have an idea stuck in my brain –
once it gets there, it will only come out when it will be accomplished.
I am ambitious – sometimes too ambitious for my own sake. I fought hard
to make the money, since I was still in college. I wrote articles,
reviews, blog posts – anything that was available. Samantha was
depriving herself from exquisite food or any other kind spoiling, like
buying a new dress or a new pair of shoes. We finally had the money –
all what was left was a European premiere date. Here comes the tricky
part – Samantha is from Argentina and I’m from Romania. She couldn’t go
to the US one because of Visa constraints and for me, obviously the UK
was a lot closer. We couldn’t be farther away, yet distance doesn’t
matter when there is a dream connecting us.
We joined a
Facebook group responsible for posting premiere dates and that’s where
her comments caught my eye, because she was saying she was from
Argentina and that seeing him was her longtime dream. Also, her family
name was a Romanian word, so I thought – hey, there might be a
connection there (It wasn’t though!). I was deeply impressed with her
devotion and because I speak Spanish, I thought I might just give it a
try and bond with her, since I was seeing myself in her ambition. She
seemed nice and I thought she would be a great company in London, since I
was entirely on my own. We agreed to meet up in London and the moment I
saw her, I felt so much at ease, that I thought I was talking to an old
friend. We instantly clicked. We said our hellos, we hugged and then we
went to take pictures in front of the cinema. I just knew she will be
my best friend – she got me all figured out right from the start. I am a
person who opens up with difficulty, but with her, it was like all my
shyness barriers crumbled. Two days in and I was already proclaiming
myself as her big sis.
The premiere couldn’t have been better. As a matter of fact, I’ve written all about it here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7xprr3b9ssc5rha/Dark%20Shadows.docOur
ambition and hardship made us reunite for a second premiere, the next
year, with countless online chats in between. This time, we were sharing
the same studio flat and both her parents joined the party. I wrote a
second premiere diary of sorts that you can read here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2z5nuzogb1gcalp/The%20Lone%20Ranger%20Premiere.docNow,
we are trying for a lucky number three, aiming for a slightly different
dream which might or might not include Johnny. While Johnny always
plays an important part, there is nothing that goes above our
friendship. I know that I wouldn’t have enjoyed any of the premieres if
it wasn’t for the company. Samantha is the sister I never had and the
only person who understands my quirkiness, my way of being and feeling.
We want to spend New Year’s Eve in Paris, while also possibly making
stops at Rome and London, of course. There is a big possibility that a
premiere will take place (Into the Woods), but for us, the most
important thing is that we spend the passing of the year together. Her
family will join in and it might be the last time I will see them, since
it’s getting harder and harder for them to travel and they are both
sweethearts.
She already has the plane tickets, but she can’t be
happy about the trip until I confirm. And I can’t – not yet. I am at a
point in my life when I’m absolutely broke and no matter how hard I try
to earn money from my freelance stuff until I manage to get a steady
job, I know I won’t make it there without help. When it rains, it pours.
I’ve always struggled for my dreams, but this battle is proving to be a
hard one.
Our vacation would last 4 weeks and tons of money is
needed for plane and train tickets, accommodations and daily expenses.
It’s money I don’t have and it would break my heart not to see my lil
sis, despite sharing the same continent for a couple of weeks.
To all those stopping by to read our story - thank you for the bottom of my heart!
Alexandra