“I’m never going back to that hell hole!” Those were my own words only two years ago at the prospect of moving back to Nigeria. It’s funny how things change. Let me give you the background story. I moved to England when I was 17 years old, all bright eyed and bushy-tailed ready for a new adventure. I started off at a boarding school and took to British life pretty quickly, I mean who wouldn’t? It was the first time I experienced social order and an almost corruption-free environment. Everything was a bus or train ride away and there were lots of things to do to while away the time.
As the years went by, I was certain that I would never live in Nigeria again...at least not in my youth. After graduation I got a job, which wasn't my dream job, but you have to work your way up, right? I figured I'd gain some work experience and keep pursuing what I really wanted. I had it all planned out and it looked like it would all work out my way. Boy was i wrong!
I enjoyed being a working gal, waking up early running to catch the bus, having a productive day at work (not to mention the free tea and coffee!) and having extra money to spend on clothes and concerts (my two favourite things). It was all hunky dory before the credit crunch knocked on my door and double-slapped me.
My contract with the company was up for renewal but they couldn't afford to have two temps so it was decided that the foreign chick had to go. It made more sense to keep the person who was British and didn't have any issues with work visas. My situation: I had the right to work in the UK for another year and a half on my post-study work visa and I would need a company to apply for a work visa on my behalf if i was to continue to work after that period.
I was upset but stayed optimistic. "Ah! This is my chance to find that dream job". I spent most of the summer applying and interviewing for jobs but the work permit issue seemed to be a hurdle I couldn't get over.
Recruiter: "I'm sorry we can't afford to employ you for just a year, we'd rather train someone who will stay with us for a long time"
Me: "Doh! Get me a work permit after a year then"
Recruiter: "Er..I'm afraid that's against our policy"
As the years went by, I was certain that I would never live in Nigeria again...at least not in my youth. After graduation I got a job, which wasn't my dream job, but you have to work your way up, right? I figured I'd gain some work experience and keep pursuing what I really wanted. I had it all planned out and it looked like it would all work out my way. Boy was i wrong!
I enjoyed being a working gal, waking up early running to catch the bus, having a productive day at work (not to mention the free tea and coffee!) and having extra money to spend on clothes and concerts (my two favourite things). It was all hunky dory before the credit crunch knocked on my door and double-slapped me.
My contract with the company was up for renewal but they couldn't afford to have two temps so it was decided that the foreign chick had to go. It made more sense to keep the person who was British and didn't have any issues with work visas. My situation: I had the right to work in the UK for another year and a half on my post-study work visa and I would need a company to apply for a work visa on my behalf if i was to continue to work after that period.
I was upset but stayed optimistic. "Ah! This is my chance to find that dream job". I spent most of the summer applying and interviewing for jobs but the work permit issue seemed to be a hurdle I couldn't get over.
Recruiter: "I'm sorry we can't afford to employ you for just a year, we'd rather train someone who will stay with us for a long time"
Me: "Doh! Get me a work permit after a year then"
Recruiter: "Er..I'm afraid that's against our policy"
This was the story for several months. I was beginning to lose confidence in myself with each application. It was so disappointing. I kept thinking 'Dammit! I have a degree and masters for God's sake'. My parents had spent over 70,000 pounds on just tuition alone in the past 7yrs and I had no job to show for it.
The days began to blend into each other. A typical day was like this.....
12.30pm - Literally drag myself out of bed and turn on my computer to see his i had any responses on the job front
1.00pm - Have lunch (or should i say Breakfast!) and then take a shower
1.30 - Send out some more CVs or go to an interview
3.00pm - Watch TV, eat, eat some more or fall asleep
6.00pm - Get the usual worried call from mum and pretend I'm alright
7.00pm - Chat with my best friend (SongSmith) in the US who knew exactly how it felt cos she was going through the same thing
8.00pm - Call my sis and gist for like an hour courtesy of Vodafone 'stop the clock'. Lol.
9.00pm - Look for more vacancies to apply for
12 in the morning - Eat some more
2am - Cry and call my friend again
3am - Go to bed, the bed i hardly got out of! I would toss and turn till about 7 or 8am
With all the eating and weird sleeping patterns, it doesn't take a genius to figure out i was deeply unhappy and turning into a hermit! I didn't have a lot of friends around after Uni ended because most of them were foreign and had the good sense to go back to their respective countries. The others lived too far away for me to hang out with them on a regular basis.
Eventually my parents told me "If you ever want to have a real career, you had better come back home to Lagos! What EXACTLY are you doing there? Even if you get a permit, there is only so much you can achieve in another man's country."
It was one of the hardest thing I've ever had to do and sometimes i still wonder if i made the right decision. I didn't want to leave my sister and the comforts of Jand but I had to trust that God was in control. It was like a bungee jump...I just shut my eyes and Jumped! And here I am in Lagos doing my NYSC. I've been here for almost eight months and its been....different! Lol! I can't think of a better word.
Having called somewhere else home for over seven years, it was like being in a foreign country again. It's different when you come to Nigeria for school holidays. You'll experience culture shock like you did when you first went away and re-adjusting takes time. I'm not going to lie. You'll probably hate the first few months and resent the fact that you are back (depending on the circumstances in which you came) . It's frustrating to go from an ordered society with 24hr electricity to NEPA, where you'll be lucky to get two hours per day if at all, heavy road traffic, armed robbery and corruption.
1.30 - Send out some more CVs or go to an interview
3.00pm - Watch TV, eat, eat some more or fall asleep
6.00pm - Get the usual worried call from mum and pretend I'm alright
7.00pm - Chat with my best friend (SongSmith) in the US who knew exactly how it felt cos she was going through the same thing
8.00pm - Call my sis and gist for like an hour courtesy of Vodafone 'stop the clock'. Lol.
9.00pm - Look for more vacancies to apply for
12 in the morning - Eat some more
2am - Cry and call my friend again
3am - Go to bed, the bed i hardly got out of! I would toss and turn till about 7 or 8am
With all the eating and weird sleeping patterns, it doesn't take a genius to figure out i was deeply unhappy and turning into a hermit! I didn't have a lot of friends around after Uni ended because most of them were foreign and had the good sense to go back to their respective countries. The others lived too far away for me to hang out with them on a regular basis.
Eventually my parents told me "If you ever want to have a real career, you had better come back home to Lagos! What EXACTLY are you doing there? Even if you get a permit, there is only so much you can achieve in another man's country."
It was one of the hardest thing I've ever had to do and sometimes i still wonder if i made the right decision. I didn't want to leave my sister and the comforts of Jand but I had to trust that God was in control. It was like a bungee jump...I just shut my eyes and Jumped! And here I am in Lagos doing my NYSC. I've been here for almost eight months and its been....different! Lol! I can't think of a better word.
Having called somewhere else home for over seven years, it was like being in a foreign country again. It's different when you come to Nigeria for school holidays. You'll experience culture shock like you did when you first went away and re-adjusting takes time. I'm not going to lie. You'll probably hate the first few months and resent the fact that you are back (depending on the circumstances in which you came) . It's frustrating to go from an ordered society with 24hr electricity to NEPA, where you'll be lucky to get two hours per day if at all, heavy road traffic, armed robbery and corruption.
You have to have your wits about you. You have to become a 'type A personality' because having any other personality will surely ensure that you always finish last. Nice means push-over here! It's a trait that should only be shown to close family and friends. Lol! I'm working on it.
Also, if you're female, you'll probably find it difficult living under your parents roof again because it's unsafe for a lady to live alone in Naija. It was a shock to go from practically answering to no one and then all of a sudden have some of that independence taken away from you.
At least for now I'm living a life and not existing in a land called LIMBO! It's better to move forward however challenging it may be.
6 response(s):
Lol @ Nice means push-over. So, true. I remember wondering why everyone had to be so aggresive to make it in Nigeria. I finally understood that it's a survival of the fittest.
Ah, this might explain why I feel so lazy compared to Nigerian who are born and raised in Nigeria, now living in Canada who seem more driven. It's a quality I wish I had (but perhaps I don't mind not having to be that way).
I look forward to reading more of your adventures.
GNG
Awwww! I can imagine what 'different' means exactly. You'll get accustomed to it eventually and I'm sure that things can only get better :)
Nice DOES EQUAL push-over! Lol! And like you said, whatever you thought is Type A personality, they will push the boundaries for you. You will become more patient that you ever thought possible. You will become 100 times more street-smart than you were when you won the prize for Most Street Smart in Obodo-Oyinbo. When you start driving around Lagos, you become 1 million times more street-smart (perks that come with the territory:D).
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