My Adventure in Relocating to Another Country
My trip to the UK Home Office in Lagos precisely July 2008 was nerve-wracking. My usual optimistic self suddenly felt so pessimistic, wondering what I’d do if I wasn’t granted a student visa. I remember picking up the envelope and walking to a corner of the building to reveal the truth inside the brown envelope I had just picked up. “THEY GRANTED ME A STUDENT VISA”🕺🕺🕺 the exact words I screamed on the phone call to my parents that afternoon. Finally, I would travel to the United Kingdom🇬🇧 to embark on my Masters’ degree🎓.
But you know what, as I write this article, I am reminded of the numerous emotional highs and lows leading to this moment. Even after 14+ years, there’s always something new on this incredible journey. It’s exactly why I’ve written this article, to share some of my biggest lessons, hoping it’s worth your read.
1 – Never forget your Enablers 🙏
My first student visa application was actually denied for financial reasons. To my surprise, the 50% tuition paid to Loughborough University was not enough proof to the UK Home Office, for financial sustenance. Following the advice of a Loughborough University admissions officer, my parents paid the rest of the fees. Yup! My school fees were paid in full. I am just too super-thankful and forever indebted to my parents for this opportunity. My dad paid a huge part of my fees despite losing so much money in the 2008 stock market crash, and my mum sold her shares to complete my fees. Like me, everyone has a story, and we all have enablers that made it possible for us to achieve our dreams. The professor who gave you a solid reference letter, the parents who paid your fees, family who encouraged you, the uncle who gave you a £100 note to add to your funds, and the friend who gave you a loan to pay up your fees. No matter how far you go, never forget who enabled you. Remain thankful and don’t forget to thank them for their contribution to your journey.
2 – Don’t be entitled. Don’t be! ❌
I landed at the London Heathrow Airport in 2008, and for the first time, no one came to pick me up from the airport. It was right in the middle of a working day, so no uncle, no aunty, no friends showed up at the airport. I got phone calls instead, but they were very welcoming and supportive. It was a new adventure for me and I quickly had to find the right train travelling to the UK East Midlands. Intro to Kings Cross St. Pancrass Railway Station 101! Loughborough, here I come! Why am I sharing this? A lot of people expect the world when they arrive – someone to pick them up from the airport, a free room in a friend’s flat, etc. Always remember that those you’re looking to rely on are probably navigating their own unique circumstances. So before you travel anywhere, take responsibility for your travel and avoid placing surprise demands on anyone. You may end up being your own surprise. Don’t get me wrong, there’s really nothing wrong in asking for help to be honest (you should ask for help), but don’t be entitled, and understand if help isn’t forthcoming. Move on!
3 – Make friends fast 🤝
The best time to make friends in a new environment is immediately. Making friends doesn’t have to be forced. It’s more about being friendly and allowing friendships to take place so you can start to build genuine connections, allies and a support network around you. Why is this important? A huge part of your experience in a new environment depends on information. Information is so powerful. Where to go, how to get a job, how not to get a job, how to get specific things done, how things work around here, how tax works etc, may not be very clear to you. Some connections have landed others jobs! When you’re surrounded by supportive friends, they look out for you and share information that can help you on your journey. Not only that, it can unlock opportunities for you as well, even right there as a student, or in a workplace. I am forever thankful to my classmates and faculty who honoured me to serve them as Student-Staff Representative for the Computer Science postgraduate class. Are you one of those people that like to isolate themselves in a new environment? I understand you’re not a social butterfly but don’t hide yourself away. You need people around you to support you. Making friends, makes it possible! Not just in class, but also your halls of residence, church, clubs and everywhere you find yourself.
4 – Get it while you can ⚡
One of my friends Akin Odedina mentioned something that resonates a lot with me. If you’re eligible for anything, get it immediately. Let me break this down. When you relocate to the UK, there a number of things that are optional. Examples include a National Insurance number (only needed if you’re planning to work), a Provisional Drivers’ license (only needed if you’re planning to drive, or learn how to drive) etc. When you apply for things like these late, rules, processing timelines and costs may have changed against your favour. You may end up waiting longer, or paying much more. The worst example happened in 2012 when the UK Post-Study Work (PSW) permit which was abolished. Until then, you were eligible to the 2-year visa after completing your degree in the UK. Unfortunately, many students (including a few I know) didn’t apply for the PSW visa while they were eligible. They found themselves without a work permit and had to leave the UK unplanned. That’s what happens when you act late. You put your circumstances at risk.
5 – Maintain good history ✅
You’ll be surprised how much data is accumulated from your activity alone. Travel history, visa applications, tax payments, credit applications, house moves are just a few. And it doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, it’s recorded. Unfortunately, a lot of people only realise when bad history creeps up into the future, and creates a barrier to a very serious application such as Mortgage or even employment. A common example is applying for a mortgage and realising you have a bad credit history. If you’re lucky to get a mortgage at all, you’ll end up paying higher rates. For many, they have to wait longer to build better credit ratings. Thanks to a lot of friends in my network, I learnt early the importance of a good credit history. So as you journey through life (and it doesn’t matter where in the world you’re based), avoid writing bad history. Don’t break the law, don’t be found breaking the law, and keep your actions within sensible boundaries. Don’t do anything you will regret later. You could end up spending many years or a lifetime dealing with it.
The Summary
This is by no way an exhaustive by the way. I am sure everyone’s unique stories have lots of nuggets we can all learn from especially if you’ve recently relocated to a new environment or looking to relocate. And if you know someone who just relocated, feel free to share this with them. Thanks for reading!
