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What was your first job abroad? Feature Thursday, February 12, 2009 Most Nigerians relocating abroad usually do with a high sense of expectation. “The atmosphere in the country is not conducive for wealth and good living,” some would think. But leaving the country exposes them to even greater risks. What will they do to earn a living? How will they be able to meet their needs? Which job will they get to make life easier for them than in Nigeria? These and many more are usually some of the thoughts going on in their minds. Expectations are sometimes dashed, as their supposed green pasture looks like a desert – Sahara – at times. It is often times difficult to get a befitting job, even as a professional. Some Nigerians abroad share their ordeals with Laolu Afolabi online. advertisement I left Nigeria a while ago for the United States of America. My very first job outside Nigeria was washing dishes in an Indian restaurant in London before I ended up in the US. I lasted five days at the job. Came home smelling of chicken pakora.– Babyosisi (f) My first job was at my school. Most international students work in the cafe. The manager took a look at me and then asked that I should go to the Sandwich dept, saying that I will be making Reuben, I was like “What?” Reuben is a name of a person, he said no, this Reuben is a sandwich, I was so embarrassed. He then took me to the dept where they made it. They showed me how to make Reuben, a few days after, I was good at it. One week later, they moved me to Pizza. Oh! That was terrible! Work from 8.00 - 11:45, class from 12noon - 2 p.m, that wasn't funny. I had to dress because no time to come back to prep for class. Even the apron couldn't protect me from the flour that messed up my jeans and sweater. In class, they all knew I worked the pizza. By the end of the quarter, I was asked to move to salad dept for evenings. There I cut fruits, prepare salad and cut dessert. Later I will go to the bar and serve. At the end of the day, my feet all hurt for standing. No sitting at all throughout your shift, na wah oh. – Monalisa (f) My first job was woking with an NGO, did that for five summers straight and now work with one of govt agencies – Ezinwannem (m) I have never had a job in my life until last summer because I was bored and needed something to do so that I won't get fat. I got a job at the international airport, oh Lord, I quit after one week since I couldn't take the pain from standing on my feet all day and also I couldn't chill with my friends or party like I do. That job took away my freedom. Since then, I haven't had another job. – Busygirl (f) I’m tired oh! I’ve not found a suitable job all the while. I even thought I was the only person looking for job. All those agencies don’t give me work. If you know how many vacancy I’ve applied for, you’ll pity me. – Egbon (m) I got an early morning cleaning work with Sony Records in London. Have to wake up by 4.00 a.m and get to work by 5.00 a.m. Lost the job after a few days because I was not fast enough to clean the office within the alloted times lot. – Babyosisi (f) It was so easy back in the day to get cleaning jobs in London even for vacationers. But now, things have changed. Even here in the USA, you need green cards even to flip common hamburgers. –Annusule (m) First job was at Macdonalds. It was depressing. –Babyface Here is not the most desirable place to work. As an immigrant, any job was worth doing, at least for survival sake. Life is not a bed of roses, and for us immigrants, it is a double challenge. It was an eye opener that yankee is not an easy country. Chima (m) US Mine was a recruitment agency here in Philippines owned by a Nigerian who’s also married to a Filipina with three kids. – Westsidema (f) i did my first job in a hotel laundry – Romeo (m) Me, most times I end up pushing luggage trolley from Argyle Street into the Central Station on Gordon Street. Come, see me see trouble, I always turn out to be a superstar ( a black man in kilt) using one hand to hold kilt down and the other to push trolley. Not like now that we have a good number of blacks here, then there were very few blacks in Scotland. – Richylaw (m) My first job was working in the bakery department of a supermarket, wasn't too bad for a college student, it’s even the reason I added weight, it was fun while it lasted, a bit stressful cos I had a manager from hell. That was some time ago though, I've moved on to do much better things and more will come by the grace of God. –Anon101 (f) My first Job was in the UK. I worked for a pastor in his Christian Bookshop. I saw it as a previlege because I got to read a lot of Christian books that seriously rescued my Christian life that up till now. – Sonye (f) My first job was voluntary. I got to weigh babies and measure their heights. Quite easy, but yeah I wasn’t getting paid. I did that for about two months. –Temmyabby (f) After 4 weeks of working as a security guard standing 12 hours on a daily basis, I fainted on one ocassion midway through a shift. Na for hospital dem tell me say I faint. I just follow doctor advice, so I no dey do the job anymore, otherwise power fit finish for man body suddenly. Till today, the sole of my feet still dey pain me. Na wah for this una abroad o. Una for tell me wetin dey on ground on time. Anyway this December no go catch me for this una town, me I no know for una o. – BruceLee Most students, international or not, do these sorts of jobs to help pay the bills while they go to school. It's hard to find a good job that fits in with study hours. People here don't see anything shameful or wrong in doing this sort of thing. Most professionals I know have done a stint in a grotty job or two! – Achinu (m) I landed a security job at a leather store in SOHO, Broadway and Spring, NYC. By lunch time, my legs were shaking from continuous standing. I prayed that God should get me through the day because I wasn't going to subject myself to such punishment no matter the pay. I'm lazy like that. Thank God I had family to lean on for a week before a Naija guy helped me secure a store job that I had a chair to seat for 12hrs, 7 days a week. Pay was good and control was relaxed. I later enrolled in a college and passed the bar exam. Now things are looking rosy. – Doubletree (m) This place was too hard then. Our brethren in Naija, who think it’s all rosy, are making mistake. It can be very challenging in the beginning when you’re willing to do anything to survive, even to wash corpses and put make up on them. When I left my dishwashing job in London, I applied to be a chamber maid, that is making beds and cleaning up hotel rooms, but I was turned down. That was heartbreaking, how can one be denied that sort of job? Thank God, those days now seem so far away. –Junegirl (f) My first job was a kitchen job, washing pots and pans. I did that every morning between 5.00 a.m and 8.00 a.m, went to college and came back for the evening shift! Did that for two years straight to put myself through college. I remember not having an alarm clock in those days, but as I lived in Wembley (UK), I was lucky enough to rent a room opposite the Hilton Hotel so I would look out the window at around 3.00 a.m to check the time! I laugh now but those days were tough!!! If I could face all the labour and school grass cutting, I am sure I can survive anything! – Thesilent1 (m)