₦airaland Forum

Drenimarcus:
All this wahala on top house baba move to Minnesota. House boku plenty for yonder here and things are cheaper too. Only caveat na the winter

Na here this whole discussion take end!
With my kodo hairstyle, cold go finish me.

Jobs deh MN wey deh pay non-SWW engineer reach $150k??

Truly, the housing matket for Austin metro don cast!
We buy by the Texas Highway 29, check prices for Santa Rita ranch to Morning Star to Oaks at San Gabriel to Wolf Ranch SouthFork and Wolf Ranch Hilltop.
4beds/3baths selling for as high as $650k.

We luckily found another Community and got into contract (same day after indicating interest) for a 1 story, 4 bed/3 bath home on a corner lot (sweet).
Estimated completion is June 2022.

Na the running around I deh for the past two weeks...

Trench and underground plumbing done, slab pouring would be next.
Una go see how them deh take build yankee house from scratch.

What do you mean by ending the deal?? You are not buying the house again?

Pulled out of the deal... See my previous post below, like I knew what was in the offing:

In yankee reality, we just bought a house... In my head, this will be 50% done when we sign the actual contract and 100% done when we 'close' on the house and the keys handed over to us. It has been a stressful 4 weeks and glad this seems to be getting to a logical close.

We were sent an email for a "time sensitive offer" on Wednesday evening, without previous notice, these were totally different floor plans/designs from what we had discussed with the sales rep (lady C). We adapted, selected a new design and replied under 30minutes that we were very interested..

Thursday: No feedback from them, had to go in person to ask what was happening and why the silence. Paid the earnest money that afternoon.
Around the evening time, Lady C called "congratulations on your new home! You'll receive the contract in 15 minutes"...
15 mins later, no contract... 50 mins later, still no contract.

Friday: Went there in person, still no contract sent.

Saturday: No contract, multiple texts and calls from our Realtor... Story "We have the contract on the systems, we'll send it out when Lady C comes to the office". Day ends - no contract.

Sunday: Realtor went to their office in the evening, stilll... No contract!

Monday: More stories.... Still no contract..

Tuesday: No contract... We were done with that system of NO communication... How bad would this get if we had issues during construction that needed to be addressed?? 7 days was enough time to know this was a bad sign. We told them we were no longer interested.
They voided the Earnest check. Case closed.

Omo, oyinbo don go abeg, you mean they'd turn that second picture to the last picture in no time?

Shebi na this same thread all of us deh...
You go use your eyes see am.

There are already models built that look like picture 4 - with the driveway, grass/sod, bricks etc.
Going to see one tomorrow and might get some pictures. In 5 to 7 years, everywhere go don turn big man area.
We have HOAs so they make sure that happens.

Olumighty123, see pictures 1, 2 and 3 for what the progression would have looked like.

We ended the deal!

biolaowo:
Bro can i message you personally about the Mpower loan

Please ask the questions here so others can learn.

Dremca:
You are indirectly "illegal" because you lied to the VO during your visa interview that you would come back to Nigeria to work after your studies, [assumption 1, how are you so sure this discussion came up during my interview?] ***You are having a hard time distinguishing between an illegal and a legal immigrant*

…just for you to get your F1 visa but you rather married a citizen and adjusted your status [perfectly legal] and preconceived intention [assumption 2, meaning I had thought out and was sure I’d be adjusting status?] is "illegal". Please tell me, is telling lies [assumption 3, you are so sure I told a lie?] "legal" in America embassy. You would have told the VO that you would adjust your status after your studies [assumption 4, you are so sure this discussion came up] so you will completely "legal" by saying the truth.

Don't take it personal. Please try not to be too holy [I have always said I am not without blemish] while forgetting you have benefitted from such system you are against I stand by what I said – I am against ILLEGAL migration anywhere in the world.

I stated my thoughts and experiences (as the thread title says) and you moved to an analysis of my life.

Again, taking out your opinions and feelings will make you analyze laws (see pompeii reference the constitution above) with a clearer lens and in neutral light.
I didn't write the laws.

This is why I don’t discuss Religion and Politics – people can hardly set aside their emotions.
I have officially added Race and Immigration to the list. Thank you.

Limassol:
I think it all comes down to where a one lives and the people they deal with.

This is true as even in my entire stay in the US, I have never heard a gun fired.

Dremca:
It is so obviously you are Conservative by the way you advocate for open arm carrying and your stance against ILLEGAL immigrant policies in california and every other state in America. I won't be be surprised if you contest for a political position under the republican party. I believe you're aware that immigrants built America and that's why Democrats United States as a whole believe in giving every immigrants equal opportunity to thrive and succeed in America. Imagine when trump was championing "America first" and your employers only favour USC, you wouldn't have been where you are today. (If that was made law, then that'd be fine by me).

I'm only against immigrants that come into America to commit crimes (the law says otherwise, illegal immigration is a crime that's why I champion "Remaining in status" and that's why Obama gave executive order to ICE to only go after immigrants that commit crime. I still believe believe America is one of the least racist countries in the world when compared to most European countries that favour only their citizens and EU country citizens. You won't achieve what you have achieved in America if you were in those European countries where their policies champions "their citizens and EU citizens first." America is a land of opportunity where immigrants can achieve any level of success and Democrats champions that more than any political party and they work tirelessly to amend the gun laws to curb gun violence.

There is a hugeee difference between legal and illegal migration.
Every country has laws and these laws have to be followed otherwise there will be chaos.

I didn't write the laws that classify people without legitimate visas or grounds for stay as illegal immigrants, every country in the world should strike out laws pertaining to illegal migration, scrap the border officers (including those at airports), then open up their borders and make it a free for all!

Immigrants built America so everyone should be allowed to flood in?
If it is illegal for Nigerians to fly to South Africa without a visa, why then should it make sense to anybody that the US southern border be overrun by ILLEGALS!
It's a law and I didn't write it!

Remove sentiments and politics and think about this in neutral light.
If given the chance, I'd also like all my families and friends in Nigeria to come to the US tomorrow morning.

Limassol:
Great thread!... Op what's your take on gun violence in America? I would love to hear your views on this issue.

Too many posts and soooo busy doing personal matters but I must reply this post now!

After we move into our house, I go set up cctv system like say I be drug dealer...
Stayed up late last night checking this : 6x cameras and an nvr system, then add a camera doorbell + Mouton sensing flood lights..

Next na to buy pistol, do plenty shooting range training then by AR15 (looks sleeker than a kalash)

Na Texas we deh, I fit buy 10 guns if I want.
Then na me go deh perpetrate the gun violence when anybody mumu near my house.


I haven't witnessed any, when I went to inspect my Camry before registration in Texas, the inspector had a side arm... open carry pistol.. e sweet me to see...
This is Texas and they embrace the Right to Bear Arms.

sbot:
Wow, this is soul lifting.

Not sure you did any exams like GRE and the tests? Or there other packaging you did?

Sorry for the bother.

Scored 313 or close in GRE, Toefl na 102 or close...

Had work experience of about 5 years...

My SOP had a compelling story..


They knew that without any incentive, I wasn't coming there as I'd get other options.

Digbick:
What age did you enter yankee?

How does that reduce naira to dollar exchange rate to 180??

Around 30 years. We no be mate.

Don't know why you asked but 'baba' in my story came around age 38...
Another of my guy came around age 24, I remember because he had to get vaccinated.

The yankee move no get age barrier...

sbot:
Dear MackyNaija,

Thanks for all you do.

Please can you give a brief path you took to securing a part scholarship to study?

Appreciate your help.

I was considered for part tuition waiver without needing any additional application...

Just the admission application was what was used.

Even "eaty" deh get scholarship for yankee, make your application profile look sexy.

TEODIN:
Lol.. you can’t run away from it.. In the next 2 to 3 elections, Texas will turn Blue and same laws will be enacted..Socialism is the future of America.. So start preparing your mind for it

You think Americans are stupid
Na immigrants + people wey like freebies deh vote democrats.

The only saving grace for them be say them deh flood TX with illegals just like they have done in Cali.

I work hard for my money and I hate freeloaders.
Have they taken care of the American homeless population?
USA be WHO or Unicef? abeg wey like TX Red.

Nickshrapnel:
Kr0ger or B0ssman also complained about this sometimes ago, Africans like hoarding information that will make their peer progress. I don’t know the reason for this though.

It stems from a poverty mindset...
Same thing that drives corruption in the Nigerian government. Hoarding, even accumulate wetin you no fit finish in two lifetimes.

Na where their knowledge reach Sha but I always remind them that this life is not a straight line graph.

Short real story:
This was in 2018..
I have a friend (Baba) that asked DickHead if he had any headway with some assignments we were given...
Dickhead say Noooo, him never even open textbook to see the questions as at Sunday at church, due date was the coming week.

Na so Baba go Jeff place (Jeff was two semesters ahead) to get past assignments sample solutions and exam past questions too, he met dickhead at Jeff's place.

On asking Jeff, he said dickhead had previously come to collect it two or three days earlier, this was in front of dickhead...

Na so dickhead throwaway face like say him no hear wetin Jeff talk This same aHole lied minutes earlier.


Fortunately or Unfortunately dickhead works where I currently work, he's a Level 5 or 6 and I am a level 8, him go use 6 to 10years reach my level...

I specially sent him an intranet chat the day I started make him see say him wickedness no fetch am anything... **yea yea, I could be petty as you all know, no be me holy pass.

Make him deh remember me unto say, this life is not a straight line graph.

With all the hiding, coding and wickedness Baba is in a better position than dickhead is today. Baba go soon be USC, dickhead still deh do opt + optExtension.

Immigrants need to calm down and be humble, them no get level even after 10years for yankee.

Predstan:
Boss Blind is quite intimidating. Na 500k, 300k, $1m people day post for IT and mostly filled with the FAANG conversations.
Even entry level Computer science phd day post 450k TC.

pcbo:
@MackyNaija,i feel like blind is too toxic,people there are always complaining about DEI in tech but there are few blacks so I don’t know their anger.Also,Indians dominate and have hijack that app.

Depends on the angle from which you look at it.

Na for Blind I take learn say "employers will pay you what you choose to accept", if you no gree collect $95k, they'll up it!
Got the morale to bill HR during my current employers offer stage. as I see say employers hold bar.

I learned from there that there is money to be made in America... the salaries there are Maddd.

I don taste $mall blood, going for the kill n€xt.

Make I first settle, get a permanent base, complete the process for citizenship, see if I need an MBA, then aim for $180k minimum...
It's very very possible in hardware manufacturing, no be only software space deh pay $200k+ total comp.

neurosci:
I have a question, why do you consider Cali to be socialist?

I'll been to find my old phone and post some news articles here...

They are taxing us to death to fund their giveaway to illegals.
Our county sales tax was upped to 10.75% after we don pay state income tax of about 10%.
Toll $6, I don use Houston Tolls for less than $2.
High occupancy highway lanes, short distance upto $8 after using tax payers money to build the roads?

Where is all the money going to??

Abeg na useless socialist freeloading state, dissociated myself from that rubbish.

Wait make I see my old phone. Lodged homeless during covid in hotels and bought them booze and drugs likely on a regular.

Olumighty123:
Omo, oyinbo don go abeg, you mean they'd turn that second picture to the last picture in no time?

Shebi na this same thread all of us deh...
You go use your eyes see am.

There are already models built that look like picture 4 - with the driveway, grass/sod, bricks etc.
Going to see one tomorrow and might get some pictures. In 5 to 7 years, everywhere go don turn big man area.
We have HOAs so they make sure that happens.

MackyNaija:
Stay tuned for pictures ...
The home buying market is different from what it has ever been.. We should have a solid headway (models for viewing, construction for other buyers or actual lot availability/permit for this home plan) in the next 60 days. Can't wait!!!

Before end of June 2022, construction suppose don complete.

The time has come!

Out of the blues 2 nights ago, we received an email titled "Live Offering, Nov 3rd" from a Housing community we had looked at ... Oboy, my heart fly! Na so them deh take buy house these periods o...

Demand outstrips supply so it is a game os 'fastest fingers', all the homes released were different from what we had been looking at or discussed with the Sales rep.
Dang! We quickly had to look through the current options and indicate interest as soon as possible! and we did.

Thursday morning, drove down to verify the status and we actually did get one of the released homes.
Brought out the check I had on me and signed over 'earnest money'.

In yankee reality, we just bought a house... In my head, this will be 50% done when we sign the actual contract and 100% done when we 'close' on the house and the keys handed over to us. It has been a stressful 4 weeks and glad this seems to be getting to a logical close.

3 beds / 2 baths, 4th bedroom will be used as a home office.
Price = $400k+ (low side).... Houses here are selling for 400k to 650k for similar homes... 2x to 2.5x what they cost in 2019.
In the old Texas, this amount of money would have bought us a 4 bed / 5 bath MANSION but market don cast.


I'll find a sunny day to take those powerful High definition pictures. For now manage these ones:
1. Homes under construction in the community
2. Skeleton of our actual home [they don't go into contract with you until drywall stage]
3. What an earlier completed phase of the community looks like
4. Stock picture of what the house would look exactly like at completion.

Make we deh look as e deh go. The process has started after visiting over 10 different communities and homes...

MackyNaija:
I am working on escaping the $5,200 charge for ending our lease in California.

There must be several options I have thought to myself...
So I set out to discover new things.

Will send an update on lessons learned whether or not it works.

Update deh... Stayed tuned.

In Nnamd1 Kanu,s voice; By virtue of leaving zoo 1 (naija) and zoo 2 (socialist Cali), things are beginning to happen...

Like happening reallll fassst

Jist deh.

Should have posted this looong ago..


If nothing else is coming through,
Graduating students should try their luck with Amazon Area Manager positions, they hire alot for this at Level 4 for about $55k base.
Strictly entry level even with a Masters degree (I hate abbreviations)
E be like say na "hard work" as people don't last a year so there's constant hiring.

An MBA will fetch you level 5,
Level 6 if you join their 'leadership deve program' with your MBA,
with previous experiences as a Manager, you fit hustle level 6 for about $130k.


They Also have 'Safety Specialist' positions, easier to get.
They accept OPT work permit for both instances I believe.

The Area Manager positions can translate to something better in supply chain down the road.
Reddit has a lot of posts about this position.

You can also switch positions within the company after a year.
Join Blind and Reddit and read read read. Na knowledge gaining.
Leave Instagr4m, Facebo0k and t1ktok. Na time wasting.

TEODIN:
What MackyNaija is saying is that nobody will make you an Operations Manager or Project Manager because you did those masters degree.. For Project Management, you most likely will start with roles like Project Scheduler, Project Planner, Project Coordinator etc.. Manager is by experience and degree not only degree

Timmy..
Most managerial positions are gotten through many years of experience as an individual contributor (IC).

Ops Manager and ProJect manager I don't believe are entry roles, na Manager title be those ones and you don't necessarily need a degree to get those roles. Na experience you need.

That said...

There's ProGram Manager, can be gotten with an MBA degree..
The managers for these individual contributors are called Manager, Program Management.



Amazon has Area Manager 1 = Ops Mgr, Level 4 in their warehouses.
You'll be managing supply chain associates (think technicians in a manufacturing world) picking, packing and shipping goods.

This is a unique job title for this company as it is an entry level role though it says 'Manager'.

Area Manager 2 = Ops Mgr, Level 5
an actual Operations Manager title = Ops Mgr, Level 6, manages Area Managers.

Senior Ops Mgr = Level 7. At this point you don over blow.. $$$ everywhere.


It's confusing but I have tried to explain it. Mgr and IC na two different things.
Amazon example above is a unique example of manager Job title being bastardized in a sense; but in reality they manage people at Levels 4 and 5

Just like bank/finance VP different from manufacturing industry VP.
"Anybody" can be a vp in Finance
For manufacturing, you go sweat blood to even see Manager. Then there are Directors and General Managers before VP and CEO levels. [I compressed this]

Timmylehyn:
@MackyNaija and others, please which course do you think is better between Operations Management and Project Management?

Please, with reasons (job availability, growth, salary, etc).

Thanks

Part two of your question is best researched by you.

On Part one, Operations Mgt - which degree and experience you wan use become manager?
People usually 'grow' into these roles.

On Project Management, if you are not growing into or making a lateral move in your company, you need plenty PM experience.
Keep your options wide excepet where not possible.
Most FAANG ProgramMgt or ProjectMgt are easier gotten with an MBA (MBA is a discussion for another day - I am considering doing one in the near future). Still doing my research on online MBAs as this is the likely route I will take.

UnknownT:
Hello, is it possible to book/reserve a hotel(in Washington) with a Nigerian ATM(Visa)? I'm trying to book one but they keep declining my card.
Note the Naira equivalent in the card is not upto the price in dollars(about $2400), could that be the reason for the decline?

The problem might be restrictions from your Nigerian bank. Last I heard, $100 monthly or something ridiculous was the limit.

FEGEITOK:
I agree with the concept of packaging and presentation.

But how big is connection to getting things done versus your experience of/knowledge of connection in getting things done in Nigeria?

Any stories from yonder to breath life into your response?

Nigeria is big on connection for opening hitherto closed doors. What's the Yankee experience like?

On packaging and presentation...
I have been able to overcome the "impostor syndrome" after seeing Software engineering superstars on 'Blind' saying they feel like impostors If those great men and women earning over $250k still feel inadequate, who am I? I just embrace my newfound positions and try to live/act normal.

Don't understand your post on 'connection', in the US from my experience, co-workers respect one another and try to do their job. They do a job job at this, very very few slackers.
My current manager has told me to build "relationships" now I am just starting as this goes a long way in helping get things done when working with cross-functional departments across multiple timezones. It's a global team I work with.

To your last question, I have read so much from Redd1t and 'Bl1nd' especially to know that you just need to do your best and leave the rest.
Some people just talk more and do less and it works for them! Seem likeable/personable and people are more likely to pull down walls for you to get things done - in summary, don't be an A-hole no matter how good you know the job. You can know little but are personable and people will do your work for you.

Lastly, Americans respect Engineering degrees from 'good' schools - they tie your school's educational performance/strength to how they perform in the college NFL Board than on what USnewsDOTcom or topUniversitiesDOTcom says
So find schools that perform well in college football and go there!

Zendmann1:
My best thread so far on nairaland.com... Even when you are here you still need some info on this thread to navigate this America.... News update... I finally found my self in one of the FAANG
I go sit down here for sometime... Before I move begin find manager work for one small company....

Next info I need now is how to invest and diversify... I go soon tire for this 9-5.

Congrats Sir, I fit bet half of my nyansh say na Amzn you get! No ask me how I take know

E get how you go package yourself, you go see Director position. Why?
Depending on your current role, Leaving a 100,000+ employee company with worldwide impact to go work for a sub-1000 employee company having a single or two locations can fetch you a Director position.

As I usually say - once a manager, always a manager except you choose to demote yourself.

After I got this current role, I became fully sold on the idea that everything is about what you believe you are worth and how you package + present yourself.

FEGEITOK:
Why do you share so much? Asking in good faith.

The majority of Nigerians seem to be programmed by default hide information.

I don't have a direct answer to this question but let me drop some careless ramblings and maybe it will help with giving you an answer.

First, lets be clear, no be me holy pass...
Secondly, a juxtaposition of our Nigerian 'religiousity' and the state of the country shows something is seriously wrong with the populace...

Let me highlight a few things:
7 deadly sins: envy, gluttony, greed or avarice, lust, pride, sloth, and wrath..

7 Sikh values: honesty, compassion, generosity, humility, integrity, service, and spirituality..

Add the Christian 10 Commandments + the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...

From the morality and spirituality points of view, are these 'tenets' not enough to guide any sane human??


I am consciously living by these 'tenets' and
I ask Oluwa to use me to be the answer to someone's prayers...
I consciously try not to forget how I'd like to be treated if I was at the receiving end...

On the rig my lead once said : give a human power or wealth and you'll see who they truly are.
This holds true on the negative end for Most Nigerians I have encountered.


Now that you see what my brain is reasoning, I don't think I am sharing anything extraordinary, I believe all humans should share information the way I am sharing it...
It's the normal and right thing to do.

MackyNaija:
2. Get internships, learn data analysis on Excel (it's easy) and add SQL and/or tabl3au/p0werBI.

Short story...

Over the last two weeks, I was tasked with creating a dashboard on Jira for tracking quality issues - never done this before ..

But from experiences creating charts in Excel, I was able to crack this and create two beautiful tables and a sweet pie chart.

New problem - the data I was working with had excluded 'canceled issues' but was still showing 'closed issues'...
We needed to only see 'Open', 'In progress' and Under 'Verify' issues...

Due to my little programming knowledge, I was able to look at the filter to see "status != Cancelled" and tried excluding 'closed issues' with...

"status != Cancelled and Closed", didn't work, got an error message...

Then I tried
"status != Cancelled AND status != Closed"
It worked!
Na so I jejely leave am, wash my hand comot.

I got perfectly working Dashboards that were presented to the Quality Mgr, Engineering Mgr and Director of Engineering!


Morale of the story?
Everybody including non-science students and awon instagram, abeg learn basic programming. It can help your life!

Blessings001:
I suggest you look for schools with 22k -25k cost of Attendance

If you borrow 40k from prodigy/empower you will pay back like 84k in 10 years oo

This will be true if you stick to the original loan interest rate.

I 'consolidated' 2x mpower 10year loans I had from 10%, 13% or 17% (can't remember) to 5% for 7years (4.75% discounted with direct deposit set up)...

Paid that for 1+years and 'refinanced' this October to 3% for 5years (discounted to 2.75%)...

Means I'll only pay about $1,200 in total as interest for the remaining life of the loan. No need to rush repayment.

TEODIN:
Thanks a lot Boss
I told him of your advice... He said he got some kind of funding from those departments that admitted him, do you think transferring from those department to industrial engineering will not stop those funding, since he doesn’t have the resources to sponsor himself

Once he transfers, the agreement with the original dept is nullified.

Very important - check both courses on the bureau of lab0ur statistics (bls) website to see job prospects/outlook.
After all, coverting the degree to USD is the end goal.

If it was me and since money no deh + with what I know now:
1. Stick to either of the two options due to availability of funding, I have a stronger affinity for SC Mgt.

2. Get internships, learn data analysis on Excel (it's easy) and add SQL and/or tabl3au/p0werBI.


Third point is worth considering
3. Use funding for three semesters, switch at the fourth one to industrial engineering. (Might be unnecessary)
Why? It helps keep your options wideee not streamlined.

sbot:
Appreciate you as always.

Been having issues finding cheap schools, perhaps you’ve got some recommendations.

Any other person can also help with cheap schools.

Much gratitude!

Go to the GRE and student visa threads for current information on those.

FEGEITOK:
What's your advice to those Nigerians who want to Japa but studied sociology/political science or intent to study sociology/political science?

I know those courses are no good for the first world, but I'd appreciate if you can explain why they are no good from a first world point of view.

I need to show someone who is about to make that deadly mistake as I see it.

Thanks

List some of the economic importance of those courses like I listed for Industrial Engineering a while back and we'll discuss them.

Are they STEM courses?
Can they fetch you funding for studies?
Can you earn enough from jobs in those fields to pay back student loans?
What's the demand for the fields listed above?
Can you compete with US Citizens in those fields for jobs?
How much can you earn as base salary?
Can you self petition for residency?
Can you do ground breaking research in those fields?
If you graduate and leave for Nigeria with your degree, would it fetch you anything?

You need unique skills that would make you desirable on this journey. Science and Technology is the real deal.

nelem:
Delay as in what context...do you mind explaining

Nelem, I see you, welcome Sir.
Your boy is loyal.