The subject of today’s #AbroadLife is a 22-year-old man who left Nigeria immediately after secondary school. He talks about being lonely in Canada and why he wants to come back home but can’t just yet.

When did you decide that you wanted to leave Nigeria?
I didn’t make the decision. My parents made the decision for me right after I left secondary school. I didn’t want to leave, but when your parents make that type of decision for you at 17, there’s really nothing else you can do.

Why didn’t you want to leave?
I liked it in Nigeria. All my life, I’d heard people complain about Nigeria. They’d say, seriously and jokingly, they wanted to leave. Most of those jokes had Canada as the dream destination for Nigerians, I liked it at home.

In retrospect, I realise that I just hadn’t seen enough of life. I was shielded. My parents are super comfortable, so there was no need for me to complain. Everything I needed, I got.

You felt safe.
Yes. I’ve always been the person that takes family as the most important thing there is, so because I was with my family, I was okay.

How did it feel moving away?
I knew that I was going somewhere better, but I wish I stayed. The quality of the education I came here to get is definitely better than what I would have gotten in Nigeria. One thing I knew I would always miss being a part of was watching my two little sisters grow. I’m the first born and the only guy. I mean, yes, it was 2016, there was video calling technology, but it’ll never be as good as being there with them.

I consoled myself with the thought that I’d probably be home from time to time, and they’d also visit me often.

How has that worked out?
It’s been five years and I’ve not seen them since I left. I’ve seen my parents, but my sisters have not been able to travel.

Damn.
All of that has added to the extreme loneliness I suffer over here. I miss home so much. It gets really bad sometimes. Soon, all those long video calls won’t cut it anymore.

How do you deal with loneliness?
COVID has changed the way people interact. For example, when I was lonely before, I’d go out with my friends or we’d play sports together. But since last year, I’ve just sat indoors, in front of my computer, doing whatever. It doesn’t help that when I have a new close friend, they have to leave Canada shortly, sometimes for work, and sometimes to move back home.

I have a job now though. It started as a school internship, but they decided to keep me. Now they’re paying me more, and I have a sense of security. I also went into photography full time last year, and I recently got my first bookings to shoot at two different events. Things are looking up financially.

That’s nice. How far gone are you with your education?
I’ll be done next year. I can’t wait.

Is that when you’re planning to come back home?
I think I’ll eventually have to wait until then. I try to go home every year, but every time, something happens. This was the year I already promised myself and my friends that I would come. I already had a prospective date in mind and we’d made plans to Bleep shit up when I got back, but I don’t think I’ll be able to travel. I can’t even break the news to them yet. They’ll be heartbroken.

Why can’t you travel?
It’s a lot of reasons: first of all, I’ve not taken the COVID vaccine, and I don’t want a case where I’m not allowed back into the country for something as simple as that. Flights are expensive, I have some visa and passport issues, and all that. I thought I’d be able to sort all of that out before next month, but it looks like I’ll be spending my hot boy summer in Canada.

Continue reading: https://www.zikoko.com/citizen/im-terribly-lonely-in-canada-abroad-life/

Na mumu dey worry dis one

Don't come back

Blogger blogger

It's impossible for me to be lonely, no matter where I find myself... We Igbos are everywhere, and knows how to blend in...

fuckingAyaya:
Don't come back

e get why lolzz

Blogs and their stories

This one is not just stories o... Canada can be fucking lonely

People do experience loneliness and culture shock abroad, but this story is fake.

Except you're in parts of Quebec, ottawa and Ontario if you're looking for liveliness in Canada, sorry is your case. Canada is a very big country compared to it's population. It doesn't have the buzz, noise, fun and boisterity associated with most USA cities. People are often indoors minding their own business. Canada is fun but truth be told, it can be so boring you'll begin to miss Lagos.

Dailymice:
This one is not just stories o... Canada can be fucking lonely

Cousin9999:
People do experience loneliness and culture shock abroad, but this story is fake.

HitlerGaddafi:
Except you're in parts of Quebec, ottawa and Ontario if you're looking for liveliness in Canada, sorry is your case. Canada is a very big country compared to it's population. It doesn't have the buzz, noise, fun and boisterity associated with most USA cities. People are often indoors minding their own business. Canada is fun but truth be told, it can be so boring you'll begin to miss Lagos.

There's still options. Apps mean it's fairly easy to connect. I prefer cities and don't care for suburban/rural areas, but there's still ways to socialize. You're just fairly limited with who and how often.

A young male with a good job could easily pack his house with single women and male friends, even in a pandemic. Just get food, liquor, and music. Oyinbo women are thots and thirsty. A guy can have them following him around.

He should move to the US then, or better he can think of hobbies he can do remotely and connect with people like gaming. I don't know what part of the country he comes from but if he decides to go back, he would still find his way back to North America within a short while, unless his family wants to arrange a government job for him at NNPC or other agencies if they can afford it. It's not like he left Nigeria as an adult

Be like this one dey ment

You have been in Canada for 5 yos and u are still lamenting that you are lonely, how

Get good homely friends, do sports, go on a hike etc they might never be enough compared to when you are around your family,but it's better than being here with all the bad news flying all around 360°


Are you not sociable at alll, some people definitely don't know what they have(living in Canada) is worth more than raw gold, until they lost it(come back to naija)

I will say it again;

Any foreign living Nigerian who is trying to come back to Nigeria has not lived in Nigeria within the last 5 years.

No description can properly describe how bad the situation is. For Nigeria to be at the bottom of safe countries lists along with Syria and Afghanistan speaks volumes.

It's when he comes back and can't return to Canada that his eyes will shine. "Loneliness" fire ur yansh there... Ode
.Nonsense.

Let's exchange location

Anyone who wants a Nigerian feeling whilst living in a western country should come to the UK. Trust me you won’t miss Naija 1 bit especially if you’re Yoruba. London is basically an extension of Lagos these days especially SouthEast London.

Come back home if you're lonely. Loneliness is not good. It can lead to depression, then suicide.

You can always travel back when you've had your fill of naija.

If Canada is lonely

Then get a visa to the US...

BigDawsNet:


If Canada is lonely

Then get a visa to the US...

Canada isn't as lonely as Nigerians online paint it to seem. It's just that they don't always like the spec they get to meet in others.

Who would drop Canada for 9ja because of a self-inflicted loneliness

Londonboyrep:
Anyone who wants a Nigerian feeling whilst living in a western country should come to the UK. Trust me you won’t miss Naija 1 bit especially if you’re Yoruba. London is basically an extension of Lagos these days especially SouthEast London.

SE London with all those gangs stabbing people up and down. No thanks but I’d rather stay in Naija

If you get bar, Naija sweet die. If you no get bar and no get hope to get bar, then you must relocate out of Naija because Naija will be hell on earth.

In short, if that guy get bar make he come Naija jor. Enough fun to catch as a 22 year old boy wey hold bar

Labadi69:


SE London with all those gangs stabbing people up and down. No thanks but I’d rather stay in Naija

which gangs stabbing people? Gangs stabbing other gangsters and you think its an issue because EVERY single murder gets reported in the media. Weird if you think the murder rate in SE London is even anywhere close to the anywhere in Nigeria. Yeah stay in Nigeria please.

Londonboyrep:
which gangs stabbing people? Gangs stabbing other gangsters and you think its an issue because EVERY single murder gets reported in the media. Weird if you think the murder rate in SE London is even anywhere close to the anywhere in Nigeria. Yeah stay in Nigeria please.

It ain’t safe out there. Especially the poorer neighborhoods where many Nigerians can afford to live in. I don’t ever go near SE when in Jand. It’s a big No No fam. One can just be passing and minding their own business and get attacked if you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. God help you if you chyke babe wey gang boy get eyes for. Yeah bro I will stay in Naija

Wait o, I go to 805 in Peckham. That’s SE. Right? Oh well

Labadi69:


It ain’t safe out there. Especially the poorer neighborhoods where many Nigerians can afford to live in. I don’t ever go near SE when in Jand. It’s a big No No fam. One can just be passing and minding their own business and get attacked if you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. God help you if you chyke babe wey gang boy get eyes for. Yeah bro I will stay in Naija

Wait o, I go to 805 in Peckham. That’s SE. Right? I Oh well

Don’t know when last you been here but Peckham, Hackney all those core SE places have changed. You think rent or Mortgage is cheap there right? Think again. So your talk about Nigerians being able to afford to live there is totally wrong. Nigerians now mostly live in Kent and Essex. Plus Nigerians in this country are not poor. Far from it. Anyway my point is its still much much safer than Nigeria. Serious crimes are mostly always solved with a success rate of 90% or more. How can you even compare?

Anywhere you find yourself without your love once will be very boring....

Even though you dey for Nigeria

Dailymice:
This one is not just stories o... Canada can be fucking lonely

I think it's rather common with immigrants everywhere.

I know a friend who plans to move to the UK after her graduation. She hates the winter and doesn't see herself living in Canada for a long time. Like you I also advised, she gets a PR before moving, but in her words "what is the point".

He has a choice. Please come back home

Canada is lonely.

Childofthelord:
I know a friend who plans to move to the UK after her graduation. She hates the winter and doesn't see herself living in Canada for a long time. Like you I also advised, she gets a PR before moving, but in her words "what is the point".

What's the use of the PR. It will be renounced plus you have to pay taxes.

Na small boy him be
He probably don't know nothing about life
All na fun him dey look for
Make una leave am make him come back
Owu dey naija wey go blow him head straight for am