₦airaland Forum

One of them offered to pour me a cup, out of curiosity I asked what it was they were drinking, it was some Hennessy. Good strong stuff. I declined the offer, citing the fact that I don’t drink. The guy, out of curiosity asked “bro, don’t you have any vice?” I smiled and sidestepped the question. One thing led to another, and coupled with the alcohol, we got into a conversation. A good conversation.

One thing I’ve been asking myself since I got here is why the blacks here don’t use the opportunities they have. Why they don’t see the prospects Africans see. Why Africans come here and excel tremendously whereas the black Americans don’t do the same. Aren’t we the same after all? We got talking.

He argued that the system in America is structured towards oppressing the black man. That no matter what a black man does in the USA, he won’t attain the heights a white man would by putting much less effort. That “the system is fvcked up”. He cited examples “Martin Luther King jr, Larry Hoover” etc

He pointed out that the system brought these people down. He used the countless cases of police violence towards black people. He even used himself as an example, citing the countless number of times he has been pulled over and searched thoroughly just for driving a flashy new model car.
I listened, trying to understand, trying to see life from his POV.

Then I countered, I started by asking him how many third world countries he has been to, he said none. I dived in, told him there are different levels of “fvcked up”. That for him, the system may look fvcked up relative to the white man, but for an African immigrant, the system is just perfect cos we look at life here relative to the mess our countries in Africa are. Hell, we don’t even have electricity. We have no semblance of government assistance anywhere in the whole of Africa. You want to go to school? You have student loans to help you study to any level you want to. You don’t earn enough money, social security steps in. I buttressed my point, telling him they have been spoon-fed so much, they are asking for a bigger spoon; that they have no excuse whatsoever.

In the heat of the moment, the conversation seemed confrontational because I was so direct. I just couldn’t see the reason why they can’t see the opportunities staring them in the face.

Work

Nursing care here in most places in the USA is a 24hr deal. The day is divided into 3 shifts consisting of 8 hours each. 11:00pm to 7:00 am; 7:00 am to 3:00pm and 3:00pm to 11:00pm.
The shift I normally work is the evening shift (3:00pm to 11:00pm shift). Sadly, this shift is filled with lots of young people who, from my observations so far, are more content with running their mouths about nonsense. For that sole reason, I’ve kept to myself for most of the time I’ve worked here.

Most times, I tend to stay over from my regular shift and encroach into the night shift so I can get more hours. More hours = more money.

Yesterday was one of those days, I stayed over for the night shift. We call it “doing a double”.

I had done my rounds (checking the rooms to see if everybody is okay) and decided to go downstairs to the break room to grab something to drink. I walked in to see two coworkers sitting there. I got my juice, sat down and was sipping my thing.

They were sipping something strong, I could tell by the smell.

See my outfit

The place I’m working at now is a nursing home that’s part psychiatric, part skilled facility, they offered a training program to handle violent psychiatric patients, I eagerly accepted. the course lasted 10hrs after which we were given a crisis prevention and intervention (CPI) certificate. We were also fed.

At the end of the day, I got paid 10hrs wages for sitting down and listening to a lecture, got a certificate that’s really relevant and also got fed all day.

lionlee216:
So a friend on vacation in chicago got robbed at gunpoint.

He went out arround 4am to do something and he was approached by this two guys with gun taking his money and phone right in his street

Pls if you are living in chicago, also know some parts are very dangerous to walk(assume chicago is dangerous to be safe) during odd hours. He was even asking me if they had toy guns or if they can shot him for real if he resisted.

Be cautious of your environment

Yeah bro, Chicago rough sha. The place I work is right in Chicago, we are always advised to take our breaks as early as possible ‘cos with the cover of darkness comes some miscreants. Each day I drive home from work, na so so police everywhere.

Hope your guy is okay

alfonso36:
Bros waiting dey happen dey your hand

We just dey manage

Hello guys, what’s happening?

See format

revontuli:
FrankNetter's immigrant life thread is a milllion times better than this. He shows everday life, his hard work and accomplishments with a really cool, funny and witty style. He is a good role model and promotes good values like hard work, ambitions to make a good career, understanding how America developed like this.

This guy here is promoting empty consumerism, creating nothing and just bragging about consuming empty material things.
A very bad role model for Nigerian youth and sending a bad message.

You people are better off following FrankNetter and reading his diary. Way better and more productive than this rich wannabe party boy business.

I'm humbled.

revontuli:
I used to do IT security and forensics, I can sniff out scam from a mile
Thanks for the warning tho. I talk to only highly educated people and feminist ladies.

Do I qualify?

In the end, I've gradually backed away from my nigerian social media accounts lest it begins to look like I'm a snub or I'm "carrying shoulder up"

adrenaline02:
Na past 4 for here, wetin be time there and wetin dey sup... best wishes o...

10:06 am bro

We all understood. We are grownups anyway, so we tried to understand. But then again, we can only do so much. Life in the USA is way different and some people can't quite grasp it.

Life here is non-stop (At least for me). I'm either working, or driving, or running some errands or resting.
There's little or no time to waste on idle talk. So we keep it moving.

There's another group of "friends", the group whose messages you dread, the group whose sole aim is to ask for stuff. Don't get me wrong, I know say naija hard, I'm a living witness. But I don't know where people get this idea that money is plucked in America. I've noticed a pattern and for this sole reason, I've stopped posting on Facebook, each time I make an update or post a photo, I'm bombarded with a barrage of messages, of which I know the real intent. The conversation cascade would begin with "how-are-yous" and end with them asking for something. But then, there's a limit to everything, there's a limit to how much people you can help.

This story would not be complete without me talking about how my relations with my "friends" and relatives from nigeria has evolved.

You see, the time difference between the USA and Nigeria is 6hrs (7hrs sometimes). When nigeria is waking up, USA is going to sleep, when you in Nigeria are done with your day, the person here in USA is still toiling it through the day. Initially, I and my close friends tried to keep in touch as often as we could, whatsapp groups, Instagram groups, FaceTime calls and all. The frequency of calls dropped, twice daily... once daily... thrice weekly... once weekly... and gradually it fizzled out. Even when we make out time to talk, it's the same old stuff, the same old "how-are-yous" and "fines"

lionlee216:
Franknetter i sent u pm regarding your mechanic

Okay bro.

Bishopp007:
Omo! No be small thing oooo........Man still dey look for 2nd job to augment, still some dude go wan job person all the way from Naija.

I dey tell you bro. It's funny. Like say the moment we enter jand, all our naija formats go disappear

Bishopp007:
A very big thanks to all follower of this thread, I really appreciate your all.

Please I will no longer be attending to any PM going forward. Thanks for your understanding

I'm facing this problem too bro.

Harzontorh:
Baba, Go to your class, your students are waiting for you

cam dan

Damarislopez:
Which one be south Holland again? Gist me more!

South holland is just a city like Chicago and matteson and the rest. It's located in the suburbs though

adrenaline02:
congrats franknetter...

Thanks sir

Originalsly:
..how you say this just crack me up! ... I hope you know she has to be trained and certified! "Crossing Guard". @ other post..all that snow and you don't have a metal shovel in your car boot?...may luck always be with you! Nice thread!

I need that kind of job o. Easy money

lionlee216:
Where is he located?

South holland

I've also opened a new Twitter account guys. Abeg follow me

@obinetter is the handle both for instagram and Twitter

lionlee216:
You are lucky. Bought mine $200 and fix it for 225$ at chicago.

Congrats on your admission. I live very close to chicago state university

I could hook you up with my mechanic, he's Liberian and understands the immigrant hustle so his prices are fair. He's a very nice guy, honestly.

This lady's job is just to hold up this "stop" sign so that cars go stop for people to cross road.

Thanks guys.

Some time ago, I was driving back home from an errand I went on for my mum. I saw this lady trying to shovel her driveway because it had snowed the night before. I looked for a spot, parked my car and came down. I approached the lady and offered to shovel her driveway for a price, she agreed. Her shovel wasn't strong enough for the job, so I quickly drove back home and got my own snow shovel which was stronger.

Did the job and got cool $50

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfUhPLmAS0l/

Marking attendance

Some days back, I started hearing some funny noises from my car bonnet, took it to the mechanic and found out my alternator was bad. It cost me $132 to get a new one and $60 to install it.

tuns486:
Awesome!. Congrats Bro

Thanks bro

BlowJobs:
Did you have to write any test? TEAS test?. I have a friend in Ohio trying to get into Nursing

Uh, no test whatsoever bro. I applied as a transfer student. I still have to contact the nursing body though to get the specifics, like requirements, the level I would start and if I'd take placement test etc. The $50 was to "secure my seat"

Mumsy bin dey vex major and said she wouldn't pay it.

We ended up giving them a call, when they found out the issue was from their end, they canceled all the fees. ALL!

At this point, I've worked at the new job for quit3 sometime now and I'm beginning to understand my co-workers, beginning to gravitate towards those who want to do something with their lives and stay away from those whose sole aim in life is to talk about other people.

The good thing about this place is nigerians full this facility, so they are always looking out for me

BlowJobs:
EZPASS?

Yeah?

Yeah bro.