From the story of a Nigerian woman who almost committed suicide because of the UK’s slow healthcare system to that of another man who got served breakfast in the freezing cold of winter, Abroad Life has always given you the best stories from Nigerians living abroad.
Just in case you missed them, here are some of the most interesting Abroad Life Stories for the year.
1. “You Don’t Know How Black You Are Until You’re on a Train With Only White People” — Abroad Life
A career opportunity helped him move to Germany, but he’d made the decision much earlier when his friend got stabbed in the neck and died because the hospital wouldn’t treat her without a police report. He decided he’d had enough and started looking to leave Nigeria.
What you’d find most interesting in this story is the tax. . I can’t imagine the Nigerian government asking me to surrender that much of my income every month. I will fight.
2. “England’s Slow Healthcare System Almost Led Me to Suicide” – Abroad Life
The UK’s healthcare system might be free, but it apparently can be ridiculously slow, according to this woman’s story. The subject of this story felt this the hardest when she couldn’t get urgent medical care for a condition that made her suicidal.
The wildest part of the story for me is the fact that medical appointments often have to be made months in advance.
3. “Sorry, Not Everyone in Jamaica Smokes Weed” — Abroad Life
This story flies in the face of many stereotypes that exist about Jamaica, but the highlight of the story for me was the fact that Jamaicans actually love Nollywood. This is definitely a must-read for anyone who wants to know what it’s like to live in Jamaica.
4. “I Tried to Leave Nigeria Three Times, and I Saw Pepper” – Abroad Life
Many parts of this story felt like a movie. From moving to Italy all alone as a teenager to being deported from another African country as an African, this country had me saying “Omo” so many times.
5. “The French Have Beef With People Who Speak English” – Abroad Life
Most of us agree that French is a sexier language than English, but who would have thought that the French people would be snobbish about it? The key takeaway from this story is — Speak English to a French person and you’ll get aired.
6. “I Was Denied a Job in South Africa Because of My Nigerian Surname” — Abroad Life
He moved to Johannesburg when he was five years old and has spent over seventeen years there. By many measures, he’s South African. But in real life, he’s still denied a lot of opportunities because his parents are Nigerian.
7. “North Cyprus Can Be Scary for Nigerians” — Abroad Life
We once said that you should remove North Cyprus from your Japa plans, and this story tells us exactly why. From unwarranted arrests of new entrants to discriminatory work conditions for immigrants, Cyprus doesn’t really like Nigerians like that.
8. “I Turn Off My Lights at Night to Pretend I’m in Nigeria” — Abroad Life
As a Nigerian who’s frequently affected by Nigeria’s electricity issues, I felt this one in my chest. But it’s nice to see how the subject adapts to having access to things that’ll normally stress you here in Nigeria.
9. “Travelling Made Me Feel Like a Bird Set Free” — Abroad Life
The subject of this story didn’t like that he couldn’t move around freely in Nigeria. He decided to take matters into his own hands and move to Poland. Since then, he’s been touring all of Europe.
10. “The Dating Scene in the UK Is Scary”- Abroad Life
The subject of this story may avoid dating in the UK because of his experience. He fell into a talking stage with a Nigerian woman and travelled for two hours in the freezing cold to go see her. He got there for the dinner they’d planned, and she said she wasn’t feeling like going anymore. More than the weather, he’s still shaken by her coldness and will be sticking to the streets.
