🌻Reality Check For those who “Japas”

You have not ‘Japa-ed’, you traveled for Further Studies..

This is the Japa Season and the easiest route is the Education Route where people travel for Masters, PhD, etc.

This post is not to discourage people, but to highlight challenges ahead and how to navigate them.

Do not get sucked into badmouthing Nigeria once you travel. If you know you don’t want to return, this is the time to work towards it. Time flies by quickly, else, you may likely return.

I am writing from experience. I did my MBA in the UK. There’s a big difference between traveling abroad on holidays and living there ~ You’ll pay rent, gas, electricity, feeding, etc.

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Imagine you who used to drive cars in Nigeria suddenly start trekking all over the UK, jumping buses, etc. What about the mood swings that come from a lack of Vitamin D? The sun we take for granted here, you’ll start buying Vitamin D else you’ll struggle with sleeplessness, illness, hair loss, fatigue, and depression.

Back to obtaining your Stay or Permanent Residence (PR). On Program completion, you need to get a job, get paid a minimum salary to qualify, and the company has to apply for you. Not every company has the right to apply for you. Most companies prefer someone who has a PR already or who’s a citizen. You have to target big companies like Shell, BP, etc.

If you cannot get a job that meets those conditions, you’ll have to return home on expiration of your visa. Hence, you must have a Plan B..

Target to emigrate to Canada, US, or Australia from the UK ~ Apply for and take your IELTS, put in the application from there.

For the married ones, Oga can start the Program first and if no job and visa is about to expire, madam should then apply for her Masters to give you guys another 3 years to keep hustling for PR. Once madam’s time is coming to an end, consider PhD. Hopefully, you guys would have qualified for PR by then. It will involve a lot of sacrifice, money and planning.

Time flies by so fast and you have to stay on your plan, else, in 3-4 years’ time, there may be a mass return of broke, broken, depressed, and unfulfilled Nigerians after their Study.

Read also: This is how to increase your value at work

Some things to put in mind:

1. Some things are skewed against you. You have to swim against the tide. It will be difficult to get a 9-5 because you’re only allowed 20hrs/week to work while studying.
2. You’ll be unnecessarily emotional. Things will easily get to you, you’ll miss home, you’ll have mood swings, etc.
3. Stay within the law. Some of the things we take for granted here can get you into jail.
4. NO means NO. Here, NO doesn’t mean try harder or keep pushing. Once you hear, NO, please stop, whether it is a relationship, friendship, etc. If not, you might get into jail.
5. Above all, pray to God for guidance and direction.

Good luck !!!

I share real-life stories to motivate, inspire and encourage you. Share my posts and follow me for more relatable content.

CONTRIBUTED BY Dr Tobore Gbemre

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