₦airaland Forum

Hello Everyone! My name is etrange

I'd like to share my landing gist even though it is coming way too late. I came under the weather after my arrival but I'm perfectly fine now!

So I left Nigeria on the 5th of February. I had booked my flight on EgyptAir mobile app. It was very seamless. Perhaps too seamless because I began to wonder if that was all. I had to call a friend to ask if there was any other thing I was expected to do, lol. A day before my departure date, I got a mail from the airline instructing me to check in and change my sitting arrangement if required. Of course, I changed to window seats. Fast-forward to my departure date, I got to the airport 4 hours earlier. I was told my friend that came to see me off couldn't enter the airport building; only travelers were allowed to pass. Well, when we got to the entrance, I gave him my hand luggage to hold and he simply walked as if he was the one traveling. When it was my turn to enter, an officer stopped me and told me that only travelers were allowed in - to him, my friend was the actual traveler, lol. I told him I was traveling too and he asked to see my papers but stopped me halfway when he noticed I was boldly bringing them out. My luggage went through the scanning machine and my egusi container caught the attention of the officer on duty. She asked me to bring it out, I did and everyone laughed about it. This was the only time my luggage was opened.

Already inside the airport, I proceeded to weigh my luggage and just like I anticipated, I had excess kg. Funny thing is that the stuff I was taking to my sister who stays in the US primarily accounted for the excess kg. After a long drama with the young man in charge, we decided to settle out of court and I moved on to check in the luggage. It was both funny and annoying when the lady at the check-in counter said to me, "bro, I chose windows seats for you on both flights". What!? Seats that I chose myself? Anyway, she didn't get more than a cold "thank you".

The flight from Lagos to Cairo was smooth and uneventful. When we got to Cairo, I realized most of the people on-board with me were actually not going to Canada. I was on my own, I didn't know where next to go. The janitor I tried asking for direction simply said "no English!". While walking around thinking of how I'd write the story of a young man who got lost in Egypt, I saw an elderly lady from Middle East who was also looking for the waiting place for those taking the connecting flight to Canada. Actually, she was the one that called my attention and suggested we stay together since we had the same quest. Like a strict mother, she said "follow me! We must stay together, it's better that way!". I found that funny; I should be guiding her and not the other way round. Anyway, I'm glad I followed her cause she had a lot of stories to tell; a good way to pass time.

It was another smooth flight from Egypt to Canada. On arrival, I queued with Non-Canadians. When it got to my turn, the officer asked how much I had with me, did the stamping and said congratulations. I was going to thank her when I noticed she stamped wrong arrival dates on both papers - 5th instead of 6th. I called her attention to it, she apologized and corrected them with a pen (I still don't know the implication of this error). I went ahead to do my SIN and afterwards, went to pick up my luggage and this was where I got the shocker of my life! I couldn't find one of my bags! I quickly reported this to an airport official who took me around the premises looking for the missing bag. We eventually found it on the floor isolated from the rest of the bags. I took a closer look and saw that it was torn at both ends; apparently, it was dropped on the floor. My beans container was also smashed. I gathered everything like that and moved on. There was no way I'd let these events spoil my Canadian excitement! I went ahead to change a few dollar notes, changed into my useless winter attire, ordered Uber and went straight to my Airbnb apartment. I don't need to mention that I littered the entire airport waiting hall with beans as I was walking.

I opened a bank account and got my SIM card the same day - I did both in a mall a walking distance away from my Airbnb location. I could not get a phone cause the shops there don't take down payment; I had to got to Yorkdale the next day to buy one. I might still leave the province so I left drivers' license and health insurance card for now. As they say, it's really not difficult to settle in a developed city.

Thank you guys for everything!

Hello Everyone! My name is etrange

I'd like to share my landing gist even though it is coming way too late. I came under the weather after my arrival but I'm perfectly fine now!

So I left Nigeria on the 5th of February. I had booked my flight on EgyptAir mobile app. It was very seamless. Perhaps too seamless because I began to wonder if that was all. I had to call the logistics lady at my former place of work to ask if there was any other thing I was expected to do, lol. A day before my departure date, I got a mail from the airline instructing me to check in and change my sitting arrangement if required. Of course, I changed to window seats. Fast-forward to my departure date, I got to the airport 4 hours earlier. I was told my friend that came to see me off couldn't enter the airport building; only travelers were allowed to pass. Well, when we got to the entrance, I gave him my hand luggage to hold and he simply walked as if he was the one traveling. When it was my turn to enter, an officer stopped me and told me that only travelers were allowed in - to him, my friend was the actual traveler, lol. I told him I was traveling too and he asked to see my papers but stopped me halfway when he noticed I was boldly bringing them out. My luggage went through the scanning machine and my egusi container caught the attention of the officer on duty. She asked me to bring it out, I did and everyone laughed about it. This was the only time my luggage was opened.

Already inside the airport, I proceeded to weigh my luggage and just like I anticipated, I had excess kg. Funny thing is that the stuff I was taking to my sister who stays in the US primarily accounted for the excess kg. After a long drama with the young man in charge, we decided to settle out of court and I moved on to check in the luggage. It was both funny and annoying when the lady at the check-in counter said to me, "bro, I chose windows seats for you on both flights". What!? Seats that I chose myself? Anyway, she didn't get more than a cold "thank you".

The flight from Lagos to Cairo was smooth and uneventful. When we got to Cairo, I realized most of the people on-board with me were actually not going to Canada. I was on my own, I didn't know where next to go. The janitor I tried asking for direction simply said "no English!". While walking around thinking of how I'd write the story of a young man who got lost in Egypt, I saw an elderly lady from the Middle East who was also looking for the waiting place for those taking the connecting flight to Canada. Actually, she was the one that called my attention and suggested we stay together since we had the same quest. Like a strict mother, she said "follow me! We must stay together, it's better that way!". I found that funny; I should be guiding her and not the other way round. Anyway, I'm glad I followed her cause she had a lot of stories to tell; a good way to pass time.

It was another smooth flight from Egypt to Canada. On arrival, I queued with Non-Canadians. When it got to my turn, the officer asked how much I had with me, did the stamping and said congratulations. I was going to thank her when I noticed she stamped wrong arrival dates on both papers - 5th instead of 6th. I called her attention to it, she apologized and corrected them with a pen (I still don't know the implication of this error). I went ahead to do my SIN and afterwards, went to pick up my luggage and this was where I got the shocker of my life! I couldn't find one of my bags! I quickly reported this to an airport official who took me around the premises looking for the missing bag. We eventually found it on the floor isolated from the rest of the bags. I took a closer look and saw that it was torn at both ends; apparently, it was dropped on the floor. My beans container was also smashed. I gathered everything like that and moved on. There was no way I'd let these events spoil my Canadian excitement! I went ahead to change a few dollar notes, changed into my useless winter attire, ordered Uber and went straight to my Airbnb apartment. I don't need to mention that I littered the entire airport waiting hall with beans as I was walking.

I opened a bank account and got my SIM card the same day - I did both in a mall a walking distance away from my Airbnb location. I could not get a phone cause the shops there don't take down payment; I had to got to Yorkdale the next day to buy one. I might still leave the province so I left drivers' license and health insurance card for now. As they say, it's really not difficult to settle in a developed city.

Thank you guys for everything!

Y'all like to 'ritualize' everything!

That's exactly the style I did this morning! Wow!

rheether:
That man is feet lucky.

Next time, don't go about making videos of random people.

I wonder how you guys think. Random people as if the man went to the market square and started snapping them. These are not random people and you know it. They are the people who came into his farm and destroyed his crops. How random could that be? Why you'd see such an act and close your eyes to it baffles me. That man has children and other dependents waiting for him at home to bring back food and here are your "random" people destroying the farm. If this wasn't captured on video, you'd still be the one to say it never happened. Let's be fair nah...

Hhmm... I like this pic.

Nice one.

Hhmmm... the rate of perversion here is alarming. Regardless of the topic, ya'll must reduce it to se.x. Just look at the first page of this thread; fv.ck fv.ck, di.ck di.ck, etc.

Oh lawd! What's all this?

Not even 'do you feel sad, angry or indifferent?'.

Nawa o.

Face cap is different from fez cap. Please, don't confuse people, oga OP.

The fact that you've not always been like this simply means you'll not always be like this. It's a phase. You'll come out of it brand new with a better knowledge of self.

Dude just paid them a visit and went back home disappointed by their reaction.

Dog: Hi, officer. I came to see how y'all are doing today.

Officer: A missing dog!!! . **calls AnimalCare**

Dog: Dumb human. Smh **leaves through the backdoor to avoid any further embarrassment**

What can I say... the girl should be grateful to her maker for helping her avert this calamity.

This stainless plate again!

Snakes should learn to stay away from any household that has this plate!

tegrianonigltd:
Go back Nigeria to be a software engineer, don’t live in Toronto and be giving them false hope, even cleaner for here dey feed well even if not rich.. you know in your heart it is a scam. Big scam, you know you can’t use Nigeria degree to work in America, except you are a skilled person and even at that, you need to get a degree to work, except you want to be freelancer

I'm tired. It's obvious you want to keep running in circles. I've told you my point a hundred times, you keep ignoring. Why should I go back to Nigeria when I'm in a better place? Why do you keep saying "go back to Nigeria" as if I ever compared Nigeria to the Americas? You don't want me to give them hope, I should tell all of them to drop out and school cause it's a scam, right? Is that what you tell your relatives at home? Just because I've seen a better society, I should discourage those at home from going to school, right? The same school my father went through and found the resource to raise me. You keep saying then can't work in America with their degrees, so they shouldn't get any degree at all cause your America will not recognise it? How many of them will eventually come to America to work? I've said I'm working with mine and I even got the job before moving so I honestly don't get you.

Dude, unless you want to take everyone you know to America or change the Nigerian education system overnight, telling our youngsters education is a waste of time does not in any way make things better.

Enjoy.

tegrianonigltd:
Advance Diploma Software Engineering
Bsc information technology
Msc Business information system management

How technical can it be to be in a country that pushes you to your goal.. that make you want to be great, highest educated youths in America, Nigerians, I left in 500 final year, I no finish exam, my friend left 400 final year.. na waste of time guy.. big waste, 4 years down the line.. July I would be getting my Msc, working and getting paid well.. my brother.. their children Dey here dey school Dey ball. And you still want to believe in that nation Lol. If you have any means japa, best doctors in South Africa are Nigerians

You said Nigerian degrees aren't recognised where you are and I said you if were technical enough when you moved, your competence would come even before your degree. From what you just typed, you didn't even get a degree before moving. So on what grounds are you then saying it's not recognized? You think an American firm won't employ you if you're a good programmer just because your degrees is from Nigeria?

I live in Toronto, I'm a software Engineer. The school I finished from only comes into the discussion after the prospective employer has ascertained my competence and it has never been an issue for me.

Let's not deviate, my point remains that education is not a waste of time in Nigeria. It is not the best but not everyone has the resources of moving abroad so it's important that they make the best use of whatever Nigerian institutions have to offer instead of hiding under "education is a scam" and wasting away thier lives.

tegrianonigltd:
Na waste of time, I don Dey the abroad, them no even recognize our certificate for here

That's your story. You're probably not in the technical field and your cert is the only way you have to prove your competence. I stay abroad myself and without an extra degree yet, I'm a white-collar worker. And I encourage younger ones to take their education seriously regardless of how bad the system might be. Thanks.

tegrianonigltd:
Cleaner for abroad Dey earn more than your bank manager, what makes you think Nigeria is not a scam.. a nation that line up to vote in an economically, technologically weak man as a leader in a technology driven world. Google the new Pakistan leader, see what is he doing, google Paul kagame, see what he is doing to Rwanda after 22 years war. Jaappaaaa if you can no be fight, even their kids are out here enjoying life, you talking about Nigeria, if Nigeria better their kids for Dey there with una na

You keep saying "if Nigeria is better...." as it anyone is saying Nigeria is better. Did you even read the message you quoted?

Are you living abroad yet? If not, will you deny yourself and your household education cause, like that guy said, it's a waste of time in Nigeria? Or will you send them to school and hope they make the best out of whatever the school has to offer?

Dande55:
You think there are no women who give their man money to pay for her bride price? There's this girl that sponsored her wedding from beginning to end. The husband is just lazy and jobless. She cartered for everything!!

I know. We may not want to acknowledge these things but I know they happen. However, what I'm saying is the the whole bride price system doesn't really fit into the modern day reality.

kazyhm:
You didn't address the issue probably because you don't know.......and stop insinuating that some specie of women in Nigeria fall from the sky....so are different from all we experience.....


Women enjoys being taking care of like a toddler..

Women won't go to war......
In athletic women Won't race with men
In the boxing ring women won't fight men
In the football field women won't play men....women won't even keep at the goal post of men
In a case of emergency...women want to be safe first even before kids
In the house, a good number of women won't pay the bill even if she has billions.......ask rich family if you're doubting
Women get far less sentence compare to men for the same offence
At work place, women get more leaves than men
Just to mention but few

Ha!

I don't even know what you're off about. These things you typed, did I argue against any of them? Is the OP not specific about the points he wants to discuss? Or you just want to use the thread to express your own views? If so, don't make it a response to my comment.

I said some women contribute to bills, is it not true?
I said some women fend for the family, is it not true?
I said some women don't contribute at all cause they don't work, is it not true?
I said some women have the money but would still let the man do all the payments, is it not true?

I basically mentioned all the scenarios and said the last set of women can never be true feminists.

So who are you arguing with or what are you arguing about? Is the thread about women and men who's more taken care of?

I see.

Well, a lot of women contribute to bills especially in more modern families. Some don't pay cause they can't afford it while some pay all the bills cause their loving husbands can't afford it. You may not know this cause some women find very embarrassing to acknowledge that thier men can't fend for the family. Again, there are a lot of woman who've got the money but still want the man to pay for everything. These are the more "traditional" women and regardless of what they say, such women cannot be classified as feminists in the true sense of it cause that undermines the fundamental principle of feminism.

Women woo men already. They do it in secret or implicitly cause the society has made it seem as if such act is immoral. I'm certain they'd do more if we create room for it.

It's actually the bride price part that made me comment. Must there be a pride price? Why commercialise marriage? The families of the couple could give them gift items to show support and everybody would be happy.

I know it our tradition but c'mon, this thread is about alternative tradition already.

Not to marry another wife in public?

Lol.. ok.

PatriotTemidayo:
What men go through in the hands of Promiscuous, lose women ehnnnnn.

The man said he's TIRED, that speaks volume.


Congratulations �

You guys jump at every opportunity to call out women as if it makes ya'll any more masculine. This is obviously a social media banter and it's not cool if that baby is real and someone's child. A man who's facing such a problem in reality wouldn't rush to social media as a first instinct. Even if the story was real, a child being too ugly is a weak reason to deny paternity. A lot of babies come with naturally frowned faces which brighten up in months.

Men have much higher tendency to cheat than women in our society and we all know this but we would always be quick to call out women at the slightest suspicion. If it were a men being accused here, would you call out men in general or just criticize the man in question?

We should learn to criticize people and leave gender out of it. No one has the monopoly of promiscuity.

Nice

lexy2014:
D issue is very straightforward and I haven't ignored ur point. I have taken it and put it side by side d decision u made to seek "better opportunities" abroad and they are parallel lines. What d gentleman offered was a critique of d Nigerian educational system. What he said are truths that are well known to each& everyone of us. Funny enough, u haven't been able to debunk d things he said. U are saying because what he said is unpalatable, it will discourage others. D question is, are we not all already aware of these things?

U left Nigeria to seek for "better opportunities". Why? U have been diplomatic with ur response compared to how u attacked d guy. D fact is u were discouraged. Was it d guy who made discouraging statements that discouraged u? No it wasn't him. It's d reality of what he said which we are all aware of that made u take d decision to seek for greener pastures. If d educational system of Canada was similar to that of Nigeria, would there be a Canada for u to flee to?

U can't be in Canada and from there telling people in Nigeria not to speak d reality about d environment were u fled from. D fact is that u lack d moral authority to call someone a "failed tout" because he criticised d educational system which has created d environment which u ran away from. If u were here in Nigeria, it's a different case. D fact that fled to Canada only lends credence to d sentiments d guy shared.

U even had this to say: "His mates in computing are doing wonders across the nation". Nigeria is more than 192,000 square kilometers with 37 federating units and u are nowhere to be found within d borders of Nigeria and u are criticising others. U are saying u have "legacy and active systems". Why did u leave them and run away to look for "better opportunities"? If Canadians all left their "legacy and active systems" and travelled abroad seeking for "better opportunities", would u see Canada to go to? In my opinion u are being hypocritical in ur criticism because u haven't shown that u believe in d country and its systems that u don't want criticised. It's like buhari saying don't eat foreign rice and purchase made in Nigeria goods, yet ordinary ear infection, he will run to London.

If you keep asking why I left, then you're just trying to mislead any reader into believing I have anything against leaving Nigeria for better countries and I really don't know where you got that notion from. I left Nigeria years after graduation for better working opportunities. These opportunities came to me cause of my education and work experience in Nigeria. I wouldn't be here if I had bought into the "Computer Science is a waste of time" or "education is a scam" mantra. They're people from the UK here, there are people from France here, there people from the US here, etc. People will always move. Even people from Ghana you mentioned are moving. Moving on it's own doesn't guarantee success so if you get the chance to move, weigh your options and make your decision. I had the chance and I knew I could still support my Nigerian clients from here. Saying I'm not anywhere to be found in Nigeria is outrightly ridiculous cause programming does not require you to be within the client's location. I had done many remote jobs for clients in other countries before I left Nigeria. I used my story as an example cause you asked but this is not about me, it's about a misconception; it's about Nigerian youths "lazying" around and comfortably blaming it on the government cause 'that's what everybody does' and it's the most acceptable cause of failure.

Let me reiterate my point for clarity sake and so we do not deviate much: studying Computer Science in Nigeria is not a waste of time. If you can study it somewhere better, fine. If you can't, please go ahead and do yourself the good of getting a computing degree, it's worthwhile. There are many people who did and made something out of it, focus on them and not on those who only noticed the weakness of Nigeria's education system. This has always been my point.

_{NB: I'm 'diplomatic' cause you've been tactful with your responses as well.}

lexy2014:
First of, u sounded so high and mighty and I actually thought u were here in Nigeria grinding it out until u said u were abroad. U keep saying u got an offer as if u didn't seek 4d offer. D offer didn't fall from heaven. U sought for it despite u having "a legacy and active systems" here in Nigeria. In much of ur defence, u have talked about ur personal effort that has moulded u which seems more than what u received from school. U can run away to Canada for better opportunities and Canadians cant leave their country for nigeria because their educational system has produced many professionals who have technical abilities that solve problems in their society. Our educational system doesn't. U recognized that fact& u chose to leave ur "legacy and active systems" behind and go were things work. Now someone criticises d system which produced d society which u ran away from and u say d person is a "failed tout". Am finding it difficult drawing a correlation with ur harsh words for d guy and ur personal decision to better ur life in Canada. Cos if u feel that what we have here is so precious, u have no business being abroad

You have deliberately ignored my point. I have maintained that Canada is better. I never stated otherwise. Nigeria is also better than some countries in terms of education. And one will always seek better opportunities be it in his home country or out there. Criticism is great as it paves way for improvement. These are facts, we don't need to reiterate them as if those are crux of the discussion.

The guy I quoted said Computer Science is a waste of time in Nigeria and that it's better to study... (can't remember what) there and that education is a scam (a popular saying that that discourages the desire to go to school in the minds of our lads). And I totally disagree. Saying the teaching techniques is substandard and can't stand shoulder to shoulder with what we have here in Canada is true but it's still worthwhile cause when the desired is not available, the available becomes desired. I studied Computer Science and I have many friends who did. It is what pays my bills today. I might have been better if I had studied it outside the country but I didn't have the resources then. I made the best use of what I had pending when I get something better. I knew some people made it before me with our poor education and they didn't have two heads so I tried to do same.

Even if I didn't succeed well enough, it added value to me. Some people out there did a million times better than myself with the same substandard education. I'll always criticize the substandard education but I will not directly or indirectly discourage our youngsters from going to school and studying Computer Science cause that's all they have for now and that guy's statement does just that. You're telling the young ones reading the forum that Computer Science is a waste of time in Nigeria (probably cause it didn't make any tangible addition to you), what alternative do you leave them with?

Sorry bro, I needed to set things straight for anyone reading. They can still make it in Computing even with our poor education.

lexy2014:
So how many Canadian IT professionals leave Canada and come to Nigeria for "better opportunities"? U have a "legacy and active system" in Nigeria yet u ran away from Nigeria. Y do Chinese and Americans not come to Nigeria for better opportunities in IT?

"They are doing well in different areas of computing". How much practical is this "different areas"? Much of d practical that u no did u learn it in d classroom?

So seeing that everyone can't go to the West and Middle East, what should we now do? Discard the one we have and call it a scam like that guy did? You still make it seem as if I ever said Nigeria is better. Canadians and others don't go there cause Canada and others are better. This is not the bone of contention cause I never disputed that. I'm advocating for people to make the best use what is available instead of whining online shouting "education is a scam". It doesn't help anybody.

I got the basics of programming from Basic Computer Studies in my JSS3 back in Nigeria (I used to write codes on paper after school till I was able to convince my dad to get me an old desktop pc). I was able to write QBASIC and GW BASIC to compute the areas of different shapes then. I was disappointed when I got into the uni and saw QBASIC as CSS101 (it has been changed now by NUC) but that didn't just make me to shine as the programmer of the class but also mounted pressure on me to learn more so as to sustain this title. I made use of the Internet anytime I had the money and asked my senior course mates who were into programming a lot of questions, and was excited by any program related course like Object Oriented Programming, Software Analysis and Design, Algorithm Development, Web Design and Development, Data Structures, Database Management Systems, etc. We had few practicals but I'd always take it beyond that when I get back to my lodge (all I needed was a PC and an IDE), I'd always go to my trusted lecturers after class to ask more questions and when it was time for IT, I got a position somewhere where I was not paid but got a lot of experience. The same coy was my first employer after I graduated. The theories I learned in school like the SOLID design principles, OOP, etc. are what differentiates me from a roadside programmer today and that prompted me to go back for MSc. I got an offer from Canada because I was able to prove my competence both theoretically and practically.

Education is not the best in Nigeria but we should always ask ourselves if we, as individuals, have maximised the best it has to offer. Even when it just doesn't work out for us, let's desist from discouraging others.

I get your point, bro.

But you sound like you're trying to convince yourself of something you're about to do.

Just saying...

Rossippi:
The problem is not about traffic.

It is about safety and aesthetics.

Those keke things have no business in a modern 21st century city.

It's not about traffic but aesthetics? Are you being serious here? Do you stay in Lagos?

Dude, traffic is Lagos' major challenge and only a layman would sacrifice that on the alter of aesthetics.

The advantage I see with these new vehicles is that they'll be much easier to control since they'll share the road with other vehicles unlike tricycles that drive by the sides, violating every road sign and scratching people's cars every now and then.

Ligxy:
BA BA
My baby boy arrived yesterday 19th Feb weighing 3.3kg.
Awesomemama, ayaff leave you and born o.
Cappo, Beyedew, biko take note.

Congratulations, ma'am!

lexy2014:
According to d gentleman:

"computer science has NOTHING TO OFFER in most federal universities..."

Is this true or false? In response to what he said, u said d following:

"The person above has failed himself and he's running around looking for whom to blame. Believe me, he wouldn't end up any differently even he was sent to Oxford University. He thought the school would open his head and insert programming. His mates in computing are doing wonders across the nation, he's here projecting his failures. I had friends like him back in school, they hardly attend classes. Lol"

All u said doesn't in anyway negate what he said about d Nigerian school system. Which leads me to d fact that u didn't answer d question I asked. U said u have a "legacy and active system" here in Nigeria, but yet u applied for a job in Canada. Why did u do that?

I studied in a federal institution and I know a lot of who did and they are doing well in different areas of computing. He said education is scam, only failed touts say that.

I left for Canada cause I found better opportunities. That Canadian system is better does not mean there are no persons who make it here with the little our schools has to offer. Those people do not have two heads.