“I Sent Over Two Hundred Applications Every Week, and Got Lots of Rejections”
Every morning, Gail Ncube wakes up and asks her mother the same question: “Where am I going in November?” And every morning her mother answers, “Japan.”
Migrant Stories
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“The biggest shock for me has been the cost of living in Canada”
Every Nigerian who has ever “japa-ed” knows the drill. You pick your dream country, you apply, you pray about it, you tell your family, friends, and your church small group to keep it in their prayers too, and then you wait for that one email that decides the next few years of your life.
8 Nigerians Share What They Wish They Knew Before Relocating Abroad
For many Nigerians, relocating abroad starts with excitement. There is the promise of better opportunities, a good job, a stronger currency, and the chance to build a new life. But after the suitcases are unpacked and the excitement settles, many newcomers discover that life abroad comes with its own challenges.
“My first five jobs in the UK taught me more than I expected”
Before moving abroad, it is easy to imagine the life waiting for you on the other side. You picture the better salary, the independence, the new experiences and, perhaps most importantly, the relief of finally saying, “I have japa-ed.”
“Immigration is very weird; I’ve watched people get deported”
In this conversation with FunTimes, Joseph pushes you to confront a deeper question: Can you ever feel truly free or at home in a country that isn’t yours, and what emotional cost are immigrants willing to pay for stability and opportunity?
“I love Nigeria, but there’s nothing to come back to”
For Ejiro, who moved to the UK with his family in 2022, relocation was partly about hope for a better future. He spoke to FunTimes about why he left Nigeria, what surprised him about the UK and the mistakes he believes many Nigerians make when they first arrive.
He Left the Land Cruiser and Lexus Behind
Mohamed Fofanah began his American life delivering parcels by bicycle in Manhattan. Years later, his gig work gives him the freedom to build on both sides of the Atlantic and help other African immigrants find their footing.
“We are paying with time, with distance, with moments we will never get back”
Dabota left Nigeria for Canada on a study route in 2022, while her husband stayed behind with her children. She talks to FunTimes about her journey so far. Her story highlights a side of japa that social media rarely shows: the emotional and family costs of starting over.
“I slept on the floor, and some nights I asked myself, ‘So this is abroad?”
Most Nigerians have imaginations of what life abroad looks like: fine houses, 24/7 electricity, clean streets, and a life…
“I paid for a skilled worker visa and met a huge shock when I arrived in the UK”
What do you do when you lose your job? The bills would not stop coming, your savings begin to decline, and before you know it, you are in the red. You want to work, but every day it is one “unfortunately” email after another, and it seems like getting a new job requires connections.