We ended up stranded at the airport because ...
the flight had been cancelled. / it had been snowing hard and we couldn't take off.
It was a huge relief when I was finally offered an apprenticeship as...
I had applied to so many companies without any success./ I had been looking for an opportunity for years.
He was sleeping rough. He told me that...
he had lost his job and home. / he had been struggling to find a place to stay for weeks.