Friends,
The danger: if you intend to stay in the U.K, you have 200 years of missed evolution (Note the word "evolution" to catch up with, so be ready, if not go back to Nigeria before it's too late. You have up to 5 years to experience the U.K after that your body and mind begins to undergo a non-reversible change that will always make going to Nigeria a nervous experience for you.

If you must go back to Nigeria, acquire advance level computer skill in addition to what you’re studying and start applying for jobs while in the U.K
You may get a better deal that way than going back home and looking for job like a deportee!

I congratulate you for the opportunity to study in a civilization 200 years ahead of your home country
I sympathize with you also, because you are at a cross road like most of us studying in the U.K several years ago

First. Value the fact that you have seen what 95% of equally qualified Nigerians may not have the opportunity to see in their lifetime.
After arriving in the UK, I'm sure you were a little disappointed, but feel good all the same.
Your survival: The acid test of your ultimate survival can be measured by asking you few simple questions

1-How many Male friends/colleagues in your class come to your house or vice versa?
2-How many of them really feel comfortable hanging around you in class?
3-Do you feel lonely and wonder why it's a battle to find a group to work with in your class?
4- Do you always, I mean constantly feel that you don’t belong to the society?
5-Do you feel that they always go extra length to make you feel like an alien, an outsider, an intruder?


Your girlfriend: I congratulate you and your lady for having the opportunity to experience interracial friendship. You're one of the few and it's a big deal for the two of you

Question: Is your girlfriend a student in your school?
Is she educated (Polytechnic/University education). If yes, please keep her if your heart desires it
If she's not educated, there is nothing wrong with it, but you will have to work harder to keep the family

About you:

How would you define yourself?

1-9-5 type of guy? Finish college, get a job, start family
2-Business minded? Finish College, start thinking of buying and selling
3-Rebel? You have been questioning the rationale behind the western world development and why Africa is so behind
You know you can do something about it, but not sure your current environment will permit such.


If you're number 1. Know that you may finish your degree at LSE and be working as a security /low skilled job for the next 5 years in London.
Your chances of getting the same job as your colleague is probably 1% of the 100%
If you marry the lady and she's smart and educated, you will experience an emotional change and develop more confidence to penetrate the market for your skill

If you're number 2, I wish you good luck. But keep close ties with your Nigerian friends

If you're number 3, you should get the hell out of there and come to the land of brave (United states). You will rotten where you are and get frustrated pretty quickly


My response is based on personal experience and cumulative observations of migration since the 60s, those who returned back to Nigeria, came back again after pushing all their British born kids back to prepare ground for them in the 80's

If you stay up to 5 years in the U.K and assuming there is no significant change in the development of the Nigeria economy, you should wave good-bye to Nigeria. At that time, you are no longer the person the left Nigeria 5 years ago. and may never fit into the society

The danger: if you intend to stay in the U.K, you have 200 years of evolution to catch up with, if not go back to Nigeria before it's too late

@Constantin. My brother please stop wasting peoples time. It's people like u that make me want to stop using this beautiful forum.

I have read your post and was not convinced that u study in LSE or even live in the UK. You may be sitting somewhere and having a swell time while we think of sound/reasonable advice for you (we are not stupid so do not play on this thread).

LSE does not offer the course you just mentioned but please correct me if I am wrong and I will apologize. I will even put u on two way phone and we will call them together. Please respond and I will give u my phone number so we could try finding your phantom course. STOP THE BULLSHIT!!!

I hope Chuma is not right 'cause this will be very embarrassing. Lmao

chumas:

@Constantin. My brother please stop wasting peoples time. It's people like u that make me want to stop using this beautiful forum.

I have read your post and was not convinced that u study in LSE or even live in the UK. You may be sitting somewhere and having a swell time while we think of sound/reasonable advice for you (we are not stupid so do not play on this thread).

LSE does not offer the course you just mentioned but please correct me if I am wrong and I will apologize. I will even put u on two way phone and we will call them together. Please respond and I will give u my phone number so we could try finding your phantom course. STOP THE BULLSHIT!!!

oh my god! just when i was having fun! i hope @ chumas is wrong! erhm---------------- @ topic what says thou?

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?

I am quite surprised that I will read such posting ever on any Forum on the net. What a question !!! and what answers are you expecting to get as a source of advice. And please don't tell me that your next move will surely depend on a forum advice.

Do you know the respondents? Do you know there background? How many of the respondents have ever attended Uni b4?

Dangerous move boy.

I don't have any advise except to visit my dear country Nigeria (currently based in the UK), see things for yourself, speak to the right people, and anything is possible.

For those of you who think £30k is big dosh (oh yes I know, it is relative, ) you need to be here to know it is absolutely nothing. The only thing we are currently not taxed on is the air we breath and I am sure there are plans in the pipeline to tax this.

My dear brother, there is nothing better than home.

For latest UK based news check out

http://www.rockshocknews.com

and this will surely keep you abreast with the news on various methods Blair and his cohorts are bleeding everybody dry.

Wazobia:

I am quite surprised that I will read such posting ever on any Forum on the net. What a question !!! and what answers are you expecting to get as a source of advice. And please don't tell me that your next move will surely depend on a forum advice.

Do you know the respondents? Do you know there background?

Dangerous move boy.

I don't have any advise except to visit my dear country Nigeria (currently based in the UK), see things for yourself, speak to the right people, and anything is possible.

For those of you who think £30k is big dosh (oh yes I know, it is relative, ) you need to be here to know it is absolutely nothing. The only thing we are currently not taxed on is the air we breath and I am sure there are plans in the pipeline to tax this.

My dear brother, there is nothing better than home.
.

i agree with this parts of your post

Wazobia:

I am quite surprised that I will read such posting ever on any Forum on the net. What a question !!! and what answers are you expecting to get as a source of advice. And please don't tell me that your next move will surely depend on a forum advice.
Do you know the respondents? Do you know there background? How many of the respondents have ever attended Uni before?

I don't get you. What's the above supposed to mean

What's your contribution on this site? What have you done now? didn't you advice him yourself? What's all the crap about NLers? He doesn't have to buy what we say but he asked for our opinion.

What's wrong with you? You think everyone here is as useless as you? Abeg carry your shit outta here

@Wazobia
You that think you talk intelligently cos of what you think is your experience why are you still in the UK? Why are u not in Nigeria?
What do u mean by how many have a uni degree? Even IF we do not have a uni degree does it mean we are unintelligent and incapable of giving advice. She obviously is not going to take everyone's advice, least of all yours. This is an open forum and she is free to ask whatever she wants and everyone is free to reply irrespectivew of his education.
I guess you have a uni degree. Please flush it down the drain, your response indicates you did not deserve it.

@ Constantin, the problem ure facing is not uncommon with Nigerians living in the UK, its a confusing issue.

My advice is that you stay in London and get a job (if your status allows you to), with your alma mater and work experience, ull go far. 30k start is only typical of an LSE graduate, the rest of us will have to make do with 20+.

About your partner, you could take her on a trip to Nigeria and let her see things for herself, let her out-loud her feelings about you, your family and your country after the trip. That will determine how long u'll be staying in London.

And if you ever end up in Nigeria, u have nothing to worry about. Forget the rants of some lazy Nigerians, as a Londoner with ur experiences, u'll definitely find a great job. Cheers

[QUOTE author=Old Shame]
Nilla

Piece of $hit country with too many Arabs. The pounds is bleeped, life is hard, and the place is too small. The most overrated country in the world in my Opinion. Love me some Good Old USA!!! London is the most bleeped city in the world. I would rather be in Harare, yes i said Harare.[/QUOTE]

What's wrong with Arabs?

@Radiant/Ikamefa. My sisters I hope I am wrong o! As this might be very embarrassing not just for this guy but for all the others that just wake up and post stupid jokes on this forum. I am sure the management team on this site will take necessary action to stop people from making an ass of themselves. We should all read between the lines when we read peoples posts. I have seen quite a number of "ambitious" people but I have been ignoring them until now.

I will sincerely apologize to him if I am wrong. So let's watch this space for now.

The dreamer dreams of what could be. i am here laffin my head off. what a piece of crock. and to think that there are people here that are so gullible that they believe this load of horse manure.
I think one person got it right,  this guy must be an exceptional student and has charisma to boot,  to have landed a relatively decent job(without graduating) and have his WHITE damsel affixed to his arms ready to be paraded.PPPPLLLLLLLLLZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!

@acidmeter. you referred to the UK as being 200yrs more advanced in civilisation than nigeria. to me people like you are the problem in developing countries, especially in africa. You get a bit of education and suddenly you are sophisticated beings, totally intolerant of your underlings. the UK intelligensia BUILT their country, why cant you build yours. or is it that you are not SMART enough to accomplish that?

chumas:

@Radiant/Ikamefa. My sisters I hope I am wrong o! As this might be very embarrassing not just for this guy but for all the others that just wake up and post stupid jokes on this forum. I am sure the management team on this site will take necessary action to stop people from making an ass of themselves. We should all read between the lines when we read peoples posts. I have seen quite a number of "ambitious" people but I have been ignoring them until now.

I will sincerely apologize to him if I am wrong. So let's watch this space for now.

the list of courses at LSE can be found here http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/undergraduateProspectus2007/indexOfCourses.htm

i dont see economic psychology as well

Hi don't know if we've actually met or seen each other before because i study at LSE as well. My advise will e to leave the country and move to the states or another European country if you can work something out with Saatchi if you can be transfered over there. Come on, how long have you been at LSE for you not to know the resources available at your feet. why do you think ppl cry to get into the uni every year. Talk to the ACS{Arican Carribean society}. Go to careers advice in Tower 3.

Having not finished your major also means you'll be able to apply to other companies. I know other companies will be will and you don't have to go to just consulting, your course is good enough to get you a lot of jobs and with the uni you are in and if your results are satisfactory you've got to try it.

I need to stop babbling and really come up with my two cents. I can't stand the tax system in the country and since it is one of the things i deal with every day and i'm also a victim of the system, my advise is to leave and try another country. Even with a £30000 salary in a year, you only get about £1800 a month if you have student loan to pay, this reduces. If you've got bank loan, overdraft, credit cards like most students have to pay, this is even worse unless you have a rich parent or your girlfriend is rich.

As you know, this salary will not get you a mortgage unless you girl also earns about the same as you do and then you'll have to move out of london into zones 4, 5 or 6. So no chance to get on the property larder, the income is not enough to pay for everything in a month if you are the only earner, what are your options. WORK IN THE CITY LIKE OTHER LSE STUDENTS?, MOVE TO THE US OR ANOTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRY?, STAY HERE AND ROT? MOVE TO NIGERIA NOW AND ALSO ROT?,

Well now you have options i think it will be wise to think about all of them carefully. I'm also planning to move to Nigeria but first you need to have a back u plan here just in case it all doesn't go down as well as it is expected in Nigeria. So in essence what am i saying. Strike a deal with either Saatchi or another company, use the resources at your feet to guide you and talk to ppl. I'm a very timid guy myself so if you don't talk to a lot of ppl then do the research on the net. It's all in the LSE careers service page. Talk to your personal tutor and other professors. Do not let any of these guys fool you. As a consultant, you won't be doing anything for the first few years, so you will be at their beck and all for the first few years until you are well established probably take a few exams and then you'll also start getting promotions and the lot.

Promotions also aren't what they all say it is so many haven't risen in all the years they've been there. it's not coz they don't want to it is because there is no available position. the working hours are also longer than they all say it is plus i'm sure after a few years in london {5 if you only came to do ur ug and pg}, you are sick of smelling another guys armpit in the tube.

My Advise.

1.  Earn all you can in London

2.  Dont be too comfortable with your salary.

3.  Save as much as you can and have a target of how much you want to save for a specific period.

4.  Come back to Nigeria to establish your own Ad agency

5.  Remember the richest people in the world are enterpreneurs.

6.  Remember you cannot become rich working for others. There is a difference between
     making money and becoming wealthy

7.  Nigeria is your country, its the best place to live. Ask the rich people in Nigeria why they only go
     for holidays abroad and not living abroad. They will tell you.

     If you need more advise you can get in touch with me through my mail. I'm rich too

I'm hoping your arse is studying MSc in Economics and Philosophy because that's what i assumed to read. If it turns out this was all bullshit and that your arse has been wasting my time with the times of all the others, you just hope and pray to GOD i ever find your arse in LSE. GOD help you that i do not know any constantine but if i fin any Ofodille, i will make his arse so hot he'll wish he never stepped foot at LSE. i'm sure the Ofodile will be a relation to you.

By the way do you have a facebook address?

5. Remember the richest people in the world are enterpreneurs.

oh yea we are nigerians, wealth is a priority

silsane:

the list of courses at LSE can be found here http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/undergraduateProspectus2007/indexOfCourses.htm

i don't see economic psychology as well

hummmmmmmmmm! and this saga unfolds! where is @ topic? you need to clear the air!

@poster, how far now?

I'm laughing my head of. Some of the advises have been good though.

Constantin

You need to respond quickly, or else you would spoil your reputation.

@Oldshame. The guy no go respond. I have made personal inquiries myself. No be London wey I dey so? No mind the guy. Let me see his sorry self on this forum again. Seun should take note of him

@ Tinard

Even with a £30000 salary in a year, you only get about £1800 a month if you have student loan to pay, this reduces. If you've got bank loan, overdraft, credit cards like most students have to pay, this is even worse unless you have a rich parent or your girlfriend is rich.

tinard, I dont know if i get your right but hope you are not suggesting 1800/month for a new graduate is small

its small if you have lots of bills to pay. plus thats b4 taxes.

@ poster

u got urself a job at Saatchi & Saatchi that is good dude. i dont know about Nigeria so i wldnt be able to advice u on that. best of luck with whatever decisions u make.

trala

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO GAVE ME SOME VALUABLE ADVICE AND THANKS FOR YOUR HONESTY IN THAT MATTER !!!

Although I do love me country and my people, I sort of arrived at the conclusion that I will continue to stay in London after the completition of my studies and first gain some practical experience in my job for a couple of years before returning back home. That is what so many people advised me to do (and people on this forum principally follow that same line),
I have always wanted to enter the field of advertising/marketing (even back in school in Naija) and I have greatly enjoyed my studies in "economic psychology" at LSE so far! LSE is a name that will pay off one day and one of my professors with whom I am on friendly terms (if one can go as far as to say this) knows the right people in the ad industry. (he also gave me the internship I made at Saatchi and Saatchi).

As far as the salary is concerned, yes , the state literally fleeces you in the UK, toooooo much taxes, but I think with a good salary (should be the pre-condition) , you can still enjoy a decent life in London/UK. Moreover, I love London because it is very multicultural, you have a big Naija community (some of my relatives have settled here permanently many years ago, ), you have good - but at times shockingly expensive - shopping possibilities, nice bars and trendy clubs and a variety of other entertainment spots here, Moreover, I like the British people and their sometimes peculiar sense of humour, too, (maybe that´s is one of the reason I have fallen so desperately in love with a British /Irish girl)
Maybe that is also due to my education in Nigeria (went to a private British school there). My Dad and Mum have unswervingly adored England even more than myself. My Dad studied there in the early 70´s and my parents took me and my sister frequently to the UK when I was in Nigeria, so I began to be confronted with British life/culture/behaviour from my early boyhood years.
So, working in England won´t repell or expose me to many new facets of "Britishness" any more.

As far as my girlfriend is concerned: some of you said that I couldn´t take her back home. Yes, I think you are right. Although she is very nice and often a simple girl, one cannot brush aside the fact that she comes from an upper-middle class UK backround. (Her father is a well-established cosmetic surgeon and her mother is a talented interior designer) . Given their professional backround both are still very loving, simple and tolerant people. But at times my girlfriend´s attitudes and reactions can sometimes be slightly “classy” and sort of fussy in a way, if you know what I am alluding to! She can be aloof without knowing it. She simply wants to adhere to a certain standard of living and attaches great importance to art, design and aesthetics. So Nigeria will be a hard pill for her to swallow, I think!
My Dad´s invited her to come over with me to Nigeria during the Christmas period to show her Nigerian culture and way of life. I had told you that she never set foot on an African country so far and honestly said, she cultivated pretty weird and romantic notions about Africa (when I met her the first time). However, she seems to be fairly interested to accompany me back home but we will celebrate Christmas with her family first because she insists on staying with them. So I will hopefully fly with her to Nigeria for the first time after Christmas celebrations with her family. On the one hand, I can´t wait to show her my country and my parents and even my relatives in the village but I am also afraid on her reactions, the other hand, IT WOULD BREAK MY HEART IF I LOOSE HER after the trip! Well, let´s wait and see,


OK. I don´t want to get to personal but I felt like disburdening my mind a bit and thanks again for all your reactions and suggestions.

nilla:

its small if you have lots of bills to pay. plus thats before taxes.

i wonder how people in the U.K survive then it's not like they are building houses in their village

Are you planning on writing a book any time soon @ Constantin? 

LoverBwoy:

i wonder how people in the U.K survive then it's not like they are building houses in their village

i know life is tough. but thats why the system there works. but you gotta pay them taxes.