₦airaland Forum

prettysolid:
Hi Landers would like to have a chat with anyone staying in Boston,Darthmouth or Lowell, MA or any part of Florida .

Hey!

nellaluv:
@ jwillng, I sent you a mail please reply thanks.

Replied.

falopey:
Now in Baltimore. When you get to Miami, endeavor to visit Miami Beach. That's the name. It's a beach city. Its a memorable experience spending time there. I enjoyed it.

Baltimore-thats Maryland?

I will remember your recommendation-thanks!

CFCman:
Received my sample ballot info

Who are you voting for?

oneniceguy:
Bro, please I sent you a PM. kindly reply.

I replied.

kingsilly:
I also sent you an email, do reply

Will check now!

Originalsly:
Ha!...and I thought all those ones returning home had executive positions!...at least so they act... forming upon forming! No pics of them?! Is all good posting this... for ones whose pride and ego would prevent them from doing low level jobs.... the level where most start from despite their academic qualifications.

Its not like that sir. There is dignity in labor. Work here is far different from work at home. Here you work for every hour you are paid and you are paid for every hour you work. There is no-Oga cannot pay salary-governor is paying half salary or you sneak away from work or do something else while you work-nor is there Oga has not gone home-we have to wait for him. Any extra minute you work you get paid.
Nothing bad in working at walmart -when your pay in naira time is close to N500k per month. If you have worked for several months or several years and decided to visit Naija-on a salary of 500k per month with all the attended benefits of living in America-yes you can act like an executive!
Moreseo-most Nigerians only use these jobs as starting positions. I am not aware of any Nigerian who has been here for many years and is still doing a $9 per hour job (anyway I hear minimum wage will soon be $15 and it is already $15 in some States), $15 per hour for wage earners is fast approaching N1 million per month salary.
When you factor in these kind of wages in naira terms combined with quality of living-access to credit-you cant blame those who act like executives. With my degree and years of work-how much am I earning in Nigeria? What is the neighbourhood where I live in Lagos like-no water flowing ( we have our own borehole), no 24/7 light (we have our own generator), no police to respond in 2 minutes (in fact they will only come hours after the robbers or kidnappers have left) and its been years since my street has been repaired.
Most Nigerians usually add to the degrees when they get here and earn even more.

Job Opportunities for Nigerians.

I have met Nigerians who are making good headway in many areas-some as salary earners-others as wage earners.

1) Airline employees: Not necessarily as a pilot or air hostess-but jobs at the airport. I met a guy who works with Delta airline as luggage handler or something.Part of the benefits is free/discounted plane tickets.

2) Nurses/Nursing Assistants/Registered Nurses

3) Taxi Drivers. Many Nigerians in this area-say they like it-as they can make money and daily. Though its tough in some areas. Uber is seriously changing the business though.

4) Landscapping Business: A guy I met earns close to $4000 as his salary a month handling various properties. Lawn care during summer-snow removal in winter. He started part time handling his neighbours lawns. He turned it into business -getting dozens of contracts-some long term. He now has employees

5) Contractors: Most contractors I have seen around seem to be white. But I met a Nigerian -who has his own contract business and builds houses for people. The average house he builds is about $300,000. Im not sure-what his profit ratio is-but he is living very very well. His own house is a wonder to behold in the midst of most American houses that look alike.

6) I have also meet a several educators-teachers and University Professor. Was suprised-as I thought their accent would prevent such jobs-but no-they are thriving as teachers. Some of them are even tenured (meaning they can never be sacked).

7) A lot of Nigerians start as workers in nursing homes caring for the old and invalid. The pay is good-though the work is hard. I met a Nigerian who has his own nursing home. He has over 20 workers (mostly Africans) and even employs RNs. The USA medicad and health system ensures that such businesses can make millions of dollars as government and the insurance take care of many elderly and sick people.

Many Nigerians start with entry level jobs. Many work at stores like Walmart and some at production companies. The pay starts from like $9 to $12 per hour. Also saw many at Mcdonalds and fast food joints. Pay here is very low-but for most its a starting point. Was talking to a Mexican manager of a Mcdonalds and discovered that his a boss is a Nigerian. The Nigerian started as a worker and after his degree-the owner (who also owns several Mcdonalds) -made him is overall Manager.

9) IT and Computer. Meet a Nigerian who came here on student visa. He is now an IT Manager -with a Fortune 500 company.

A library I visited. Built about 40 years ago-at a cost of of $800k-an expansion is built close by for about 23 Million dollars. This got me thinking $23 Million for a library-after building one 40 years before for $800k-definitely means the community and government has seen the benefits of having a library. I also learnt that community meetings were called before the County embarked on the new expansion. If Nigeria is to get to where we need to be, we must rapidly acquire knowledge. In my entire life in Nigeria, aside from University and secondary school-I only went to a public library twice. These libraries I have visited here in the USA are filled with old and young.

If Police stops you. Put your hands on the steering, respect them and 99.9% of the time...no wahala!

falopey:
Oh boy. No be lie o. America is a place to be. Let me share my own pictures of Miami that I visited.

Are you still in Miami? I must visit there one day!

Safe Landing!

In the air, crossing Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

Denver International Airport. No touts. No hustling. No robbers.

Multi level and underground parking is common all over the USA. We need more of this in Nigeria-especially in Lagos.

fareedah86:
Hi jwilling. So happy for you. Please i want u to enlighten me. I applied for a ministry seminar in october and have already started the process., an agent is helping me. The seminar wld be in north dakota. Try to google the place only cldnt get anything. Aldoe my plan is go for the seminar then come back to nigeria, plan well den relocate finally., am still single. Please i need your advice, how do u think i wld. Need all in all. And will i be able to travel out of that place ? At least to visit other places. U can reply me here . tanxas for the report i dnt mind tooo.....

What part of North Dakota? Its a quite and nice place. So much empty land -outside the cities.
Yes you can travel anywhere in the USA when you are there.
Whats the advise you need?

mrego:
i will go straight to the point and not bore you guys with unnecessary details. i had to open a new account so not to draw unnecessary attention from those that know me with my username either from the office or otherwise

i work in a federal establishment earning about 100k per month. my establishment is about to send some people to the US for a convention though they wont be footing the bills. All they will do is make you get your papers easily by presenting you as their own. fortunately, i am among the few selected interested ones.

now my dilemma is that i think it is not wise to use my years savings in footing a trip which i wont benefit from economically considering my financial status. using all my savings in going to the State just to stay for about a month and come back to the country broke. i am actually interested in going and disappearing and try to make a life there. but my parents have advised me that it is not wise to leave my job to an uncertain future. To make matters worse i don't know anyone there who can accommodate me and put me through. No contact whatsoever to take shelter with.

i am torn between taking the risk and staying back entirely and hustling it out in Nigeria as a civil servant but i don't see myself making it big in civil service except i get the opportunity to dasukigate some funds from our government. lol

please i need the best advice i can get and i trust my nairaland family.
lalasticlala and the mod here abeg help my ministry

Bros seize the opportunity. Nothing good in life comes easy. Everything that you want in life and is good is outside your comfort zone. If you visa is guaranteed because the Federal Government is guaranteeing it-take it as an opportunity. It will be on your record.

But I dont advise you abscond. For what purpose? Keep your job.

Calculate how much money you need for the trip? And do your Maths. If for example-total is N500,000-try and figure out how to make that back. It will take a lot of brain work and focus-but you can come up with a good idea. Maybe one of the Oga's in your Ministry needs a new macbook laptop or iphone-that can be almost 100k profit for you.

As for accommodation-consider the following:

1) Combine with 2 other people and share an Hotel room. At $50 a night paid weekly-thats roughly $17 per person. $17 is about 5k a night.
2) Check Craigslist for vacation apartments or people looking to sub let. You may be lucky to get something for $100 a week
3) As around -there's always someone who knows someone who knows someone who has a relative in the USA that can house for a 3 weeks or so. Just be neat, polite and bring some gratitude.

Use the trip to build bridges, make contacts, form relationships, be in good standing with the Embassy.

And please dont do dasukigate-they are the people that have ruined Nigeria and there are curses on all of them already.

Land of the Super Bowl Champions Denver Broncos.
See those buildings like Abuja!

All these American airports are like entire cities. So massive and big. You cant even walk the length-you have to have take trains.

Landed in Denver, Colorado today. Largest airport in America and 2nd largest in the world.

Nice city .

Ajusshi:
Pls help me.

I have a first cousin in the US (we bear the same surname).

Will he be able to sponsor me as a family member?
How much will it cost me? (i would bear all the expenses myself)

NB, i would be going with my wife and our kid
have a Law degree, and wify is a nurse.

Thanks in advance.
Jwillng u too can epp.

@ TWoods seems to have more facts than me.

But is it that you want them to invite you for a visit or file for you to immigrate?
If immigration-I think thats more of direct family like spouses, kids and parents.

omoteamac:
Jwillng

We are still waiting for the detailed report

I sent it already to all those who emailed. Send me a Nairaland PM!

We need to upgrade our airports. Muritala Muhammed was built almost 40 years ago-at that time, one of the best in the world. Today-that place cannot even be compared to a local airport in America. Its not that the white man has 2 heads. We just need order here.
Please dont beg Oyibo man o! Spirit Airline says clearly that its flights are cheap because it does away with many overhead and costs. You are only allowed to carry one small bag into the plane-like a backpack or ladies bag; anything more-you pay. $45 if online-$65 at the airport-$100 if at the point of boarding. Despite all warnings-come and see my country people-begging Oyinbo- "I did not know-sorry please" No sorry here o.
Dont beg anyone-whether police or visa officer at embassy or Obama himself. Everybody maintains his digits here. No"oga I beg"

Originalsly:
Op.....pictures!

Loading more this weekend.

10 Things Nigeria Can Copy From America

Not that this is all-but some things I have observed. Please don’t assume that I am saying that as a people Americans are better than Nigerians-but the reality is that America is a way ahead of Nigeria –and if we copied their Presidential system of government-there is more we can copy.

1) Libraries Everywhere: Someone once said –if you want to hide something from a black man-put it in a book. So far –it seems there is a library in every town and city in America-in fact some cities have more than one. And these are all loaded with books and free fast internet access. Readers are leaders.

2) Americans Care For The Dead: Not long ago-I went to funeral in Yaba/Ebute Metta (cant remember which now). Come and see bush everywhere-infact you can see skeletons of people buried long ago. In that same burial ground where Nigerians had forgotten their dead-there was a separate place-dead soldiers from World War 2-that section was immaculate-neat and orderly with flags and flowers-as if it was the garden of a rich man. I asked and discovered that –the British Government had been maintaining that place since 1945. Wow! Oyinbo people caring for the dead remains of black soldiers who fought for them-yet few meters away-people who had died few years before had been forgotten by their families. In America-without any fear of contradiction-I can tell you that burial grounds are better kept than the grounds of Aso Rock. Come and see people bringing flowers to the grave of their relatives who died decades ago. Why is this important? Human life is important to Americans.

3) Children are protected to a fault. Children are given the right to speak up and query their parents-while I don’t condole rudeness-as Sheila Solarin (wife of the late Dr Tai Solarin) once told us at a seminar-one reason why democracy hasn’t worked in Nigeria is that we don’t understand that democracy starts from the home. If a child cant speak up at home-how will a nation develop democratic traits. Despite this- spanking (beating of kids) is still allowed in many states in America.

4) Credit System levels the playing ground. With the credit system-owing a car or house is no big deal-as long as you are responsible –you can get access to cheap money. I don’t see why its bad to buy a car and pay over 3 to 5 years especially when having a car makes it easy to go to work.

5) Used Cars Everywhere: Surprise surprise-many Americans-if not most-buy used cars. In fact one millionaire on TV was explaining why he had never bought new car and would never buy one. He always buys used as he said-it makes no since to buy a brand new car that looses 15% of its value the moment it leaves the dealer!

6) No mans land. I met a white American while doing some business and he said something surprising. His words: “ Don’t let anyone intimidate you-everyone here was once an immigrant or the child of immigrants-except the native American Indians. You have as much right as anyone else here” In America-you can be born in Texas and become Governor of California. In fact Hillary Clinton from Arkansas became Senator of New York. Bernie Sanders (contesting for President now) was born in New York and is now a Senator of the state of Vermont. George and Jeb Bush-two brothers became governors of two different states. Why cant an Ibo man become governor of Lagos or Borno? a Yoruba man governor of Anambra or Kano? Or Hausa man governor of Ogun or Delta? Ijaw man Governor of Osun? Fulani Governor of Edo? Residency and roots is all one needs to establish.

7) Soldiers respect themselves. You can hardly see soldiers in uniform on the streets here. It is rare. Anywhere soldiers go-people love them and always say” thank you for your service” offering to pay for their food or things. Soldiers don’t bully or harras people or help to collect debt. Yet on the field –they are the toughest army in the world. I saw a convey of army trucks pass on the highway-come and see kids and grown ups waving to them-they even waved to me!

Security is everybody’s business. One man I went to see-lived in a very isolated area-no houses near him-over 30 miles from the city-yet no fence and he was rest assured in his security. With phones everywhere that work all the time,efficient police and people allowed to bear arms-everybody takes security seriously.

9) Criminals respect themselves and know the law. Burglars know that –if caught they will get 1 year or so in jail-but if they rape someone or kill someone-they may get up to 20 years to life or death sentence-so they avoid killing or raping people. No random killing. In fact most killing is by people who know themselves: gang members, business partners, husband and wife, family members. Even armed robbers avoid killing. In fact when armed robbers kill in the process of robbing-its described as “robbery gone wrong”. Why risk the death penalty-when all you risk robbing is a few years in jail.

10) There is justice in America. Real justice. They will purse you to the last. Just 2 weeks ago-I watched on TV the story of a 85 year old man arrested for the murder of someone almost 60 years before. In America –no case is closed until it is solved. It can remain a “Cold Case” for years-but someone somewhere will always come back and look into it. There is punishment for crime here. Not the mad cow men –who kill with impunity or rioters who kill-knowing that there will never be an investigation –talk less justice.

Spirit Airlines. The 'poor man's airline" . With just $75 at times-you can get a return ticket within America. But many restrictions-no food, bags (you pay if you have)!

All Cities seem to have Water Towers with the name of the city written on it. This is the source of the cities water. When you are flying -you always see these towers from the air-especially on approach to land or take off.

Traffice dey for America too o! Avoid rush hour!

mikkyangel:
Yes ohhh,I live in Los Angeles California. ...d sunshine state...
From Inglewood to Hollywood
-Santa Barbara to Santa Monica
-sanbernadino to santaclarita......

The hustle never stops! God bless America!!!

Op,I agree wit ur points....but dis yanky,hmmnnn one has to be careful ohh...

Na vex I use vex go pay off my credit debt of $8k (2.5m) , last week after 3months of non stop hustling back to back doing day and night jobs. .

D monthly intrest rate was getting too much (na him I vex go give dem dem money and card back)..

OP,me wants to visit canada by summer (Toronto and Vancouver British Columbia ), and I will be going from BALTIMORE or new jersey...I just wanna know, na Greyhound bus u use travel? Cos I wanna go buy road..

MikkyAngel-The King of California himself! You are the one making all the money!

We drove to Canada. I went with a family friend and his family. They are citizens/green card holders. Journey was long through Minnesota and North Dakota. We entered through North Portal (dont know if thats the name of the town or just the name of the border crossing). It was a 24 hour crossing-so we were allowed to enter late at night.
We drove over a day-but it was interesting seeing all the oil fields of North Dakota and many interesting sights.

I have heard of Greyhound -but have not had the opportunity to ride in it. But I may be taking the Mega Bus to Chicago in a few weeks.

Originalsly:
@Op......no more pictures?...keep them coming before the topic becomes how can I enter the US!

I will. Very busy weekend here.

One thing I must say...this land is very clean and neat. I am really hoping we can build rest areas like this in Nigeria along the expressway. It will make life so much easier for travellers.