After over 5 years alone in Canada I went back home to Nigeria for the holidays. Nigeria – My root and place I called home for over 18 years. Words cannot express how I felt – grateful, anxious, excited, fulfilled etc. Many people may wonder why anxiety. I feared that while sometimes I feel lost and far from home in Canada, when I get to Nigeria it will no longer feel like home. Which means that I may never truly feel at home whether I am in Nigeria or Canada. But I was wrong. Nigeria felt like home and I enjoyed every bit of the chaos and love from my family. I was lucky to have been sponsored to Canada over 5 years ago by my extended family. My family took a chance on me having graduated top of my class at the age of 19 while demonstrating my interest in leadership by holding various positions in the university. I arrived Canada with dreams and aspirations, hoping to make my family back home proud. I wasn’t worried about living in a strange country all by myself. And so in August 2014, I arrived Canada with no family or close support. I was so determined like I am with everything I set my mind on. The most difficult transition for me was in the classroom. I was completely lost. How do I go from being the smartest in the group to being completely lost in the classroom. How do I explain this to my family who had just spent over $30, 000 CAD. I soon stumbled into a meeting for international students where the conversation was about “imposter syndrome”. I had never heard of this concept but it seemed like the meeting was set up for me. I left that meeting feeling empowered and in 1 month I had caught up a bit. Honestly I still feel lost 60% of the time but I am comfortable knowing that growth only happens at a place of discomfort. Alot of Canadians ask me if I miss home and hate the winter and to be honest I need to share a little secret with my readers…..I LOVEEEEE THE WINTER. It may sound crazy but Canada felt too perfect when I first arrived. I marvelled at what we all trivialize; I go to the clinic and receive first class service at no cost I enjoy 24 hrs of electricity I could eat chicken everyday because it is so cheap. For me chicken was only for festive season I could comfortably eat apples without worrying about the cost I enjoy good roads and feelings of safety I had professors that cared about my progress with an effective system in place to facilitate it I enjoy unlimited internet There is public transportation system that works I could go on but in those days I kept pinching myself cause Canada was too good to be true and then came the winter and I felt a little relieve because then I realized that there was something that was in-fact undesirable. Something I preferred to the scorching heat and failed government of Nigeria. I am blessed to have graduated 3 years ago and immediately secured employment doing work I love, living that dream daily while thinking of those I left at home. I am grateful to my family who believed in me and sacrificed alot to get me to Canada, all the mentors I have come across and those I am yet to come across. I am grateful to have gotten world class education from Carleton University. I am grateful for LinkedIn as a learning and connection platform. I am grateful to my current employer KPMG for creating an environment I call home with all the support I need to excel. I look forward to continue building my home in Canada and enjoying the many blessings this country has to offer.
