Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways To Japa will speak to real people and explore the infinite number of reasons and paths they use to get to Japa
When Boye had to pick between finishing the degree he had studied for four years to get in Nigeria and moving to the U.S as a permanent resident, he chose the most sustainable option. In this story, he shares how he got his visa and is now trying to figure out life as a videographer in the States.
Where do you currently live, and when did you move out of Nigeria?
I live in Chicago, United States of America, and I moved here in October 2024.
Congratulations! How exactly did you move?
My mom has family in the U.S. who have become citizens. They were the ones who filed for us to move here as permanent residents ten years ago.
Ten years?
Yes, I was still in secondary school when the process started. We waited ten years for an interview date and finally got one last year. Then, we got the visa and were given six months to prepare and leave Nigeria.
Why did the process take that long?
I can’t say why for sure, but I’m guessing that’s because many people were in the queue and it was a “first come, first served” arrangement. My knowledge of the immigration process isn’t the best because I was still a kid when it started. But I remember we used to get updates telling us they were still working on it as the years passed. We had already given up when we finally got the interview date last year.
How did you feel after getting the visa?
It was very interesting because I didn’t plan for it. I was in my fourth year at UNILAG, and the academic session hadn’t even ended.
Also, my videography career had just started picking up in a new way, so there were so many things to look forward to in Nigeria. But when the opportunity to leave came, I couldn’t resist it. I saw it as a chance to chase bigger dreams. But my dad was against it at first. It took lots of conversations, but he finally gave his approval.
Did you finish your degree before you left?
Oh, no. I just requested my transcript. I have the opportunity to resume my education in the U.S, and I’m working towards doing that next year. Right now, I’m focusing on building my videography career here in the U.S. I could have attempted to finish my degree at UNILAG. However, it would have been impossible because I still had two academic years left, and as I mentioned earlier, we were asked to leave the country in six months. I also couldn’t predict how long it would take me to finish the course because of potential academic strikes.
What’s life in the U.S looking like?
It looks promising. As a creative individual, I feel I’ll thrive here. I’ve met many people in the creative space here and seen enough to know I was being cheated in the Nigerian creative industry. I currently work as a videographer with a real estate company, and the few months I’ve spent doing this job have made me feel like God gave me a second chance. I’m making more money than I’ve ever made in my entire life, and I can’t help but wonder what my life would look like if I had spent the last four years being a videographer here instead of in Nigeria.
So, you have no regrets leaving Nigeria?
I have no regrets. I wasn’t really an academic person, so it didn’t hurt that much to ditch UNILAG. I’ve always believed there’s more to life than a university degree. I miss the values the school instilled in me and the people I met there, but I have no regrets.
Are you going to resume at the same academic level in the U.S with your transcript?
I’m not sure. I know they’ll check the number of credits I’ve done in UNILAG and compare it to those I haven’t taken. When they have their final calculation, they’ll determine the number of years I’m supposed to spend in college.
Besides school, what was your life in Nigeria like?
While I was at UNILAG, I worked with a media agency. It is one of the leading agencies in Lagos, so I got to network with influential people. On a typical day, you’ll find me shooting videos when I should be in class, but it was worth it. The financial aspect wasn’t very rewarding, but it paid off in terms of exposure. Now, I have a solid portfolio to present in any part of the world.
Love that for you. Have you experienced any culture shock in the US?
So many culture shocks. Everyone here tells me that I have an accent, which is funny because don’t we all? But they always struggle to hear me. I constantly have to repeat my words before my colleagues hear me. The funny thing is, I can hear them clearly, as I think they should hear me too. But I’ve started using faking an American accent just so they can understand me without having to repeat myself constantly. Another culture shock is probably how much people love afrobeats here.
In what significant ways has moving abroad changed your life?
Honestly, I feel more relaxed than I’ve ever felt. I’m not being hard on myself like I used to in Nigeria because there is a system that makes life easier here. When you work, you get a reward for it. And not just any form of mediocre reward, you actually earn your worth. Anytime I convert my monthly pay to naira, I still can’t believe it.
Do you still see a future in Nigeria?
I’d probably like to retire in Nigeria, but I won’t like to go back there anytime soon.
On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you in the US?
9.5 is a fair number. It could be higher, but I miss my friends in Nigeria.
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