The year started with a lot of uncertainty for me, I’d moved back in with my folks in 2021 and was living with them for over a year, stuck at cross-roads, having no control of the situation.
Q1 started out easy for me, I had already settled into my role at my company then, struggled to pick up the slack to become a significant contributor in my team’s function. The thought that I was going to be leaving soon haunted me.
At the end Q2, I started life in a new country, to be honest I’d already given up on this dream because I should’ve moved since Q4 2021.
I was ecstatic when I got my visa, it sucked having to leave everyone I loved behind but this was a major win for me, some luck finally came my way after all that hard work. I still remember my mom yelling from excitement over the phone when I told her the good news.
I had no idea the most challenging part of my year had just begun. I don’t think the problems you face as a foreigner are highlighted enough, frankly speaking. Deutschland was about stick her head out the window and throw some eggs on my windscreen as i navigate the highway of life.
I know I shouldn’t be complaining, everything was going as planned was it not? I had a new job, new country, new life, you name it! But that’s the thing, problems exist no matter where we find ourselves.
The economic collapse of 2022 was unlike any I’d ever experienced, I lost my job barely 4 months into it and this would send me down a path of despair. I still don’t have a concrete reason as to why I was let go, because there weren’t any financial problems in the company. Looking back today, I’m actually glad I was fired because there were some bullshit that would’ve made me quit earlier than anticipated.
Oh but I was distraught, questioning my choices, I had the best job in Nigeria, with clear cut opportunities for advancements, how could I have been so dumb? I kept thinking to myself every day.
Eventually, I accepted my fate, I was determined to find a better role, but was also ready to start over in Nigeria (if it came to that), money wasn’t going to be a problem for me, but I couldn’t leave a land of opportunities just like that.
I went into focus mode, sharpening my skills, applying to companies like crazy, I made over 90 applications in the space of 2 months. At this point I was desperate for anything, I was even willing to write Angular again.
Around mid November I finally got an offer and I accepted it without a second thought, the role was a good one but I really couldn’t interview anymore. This meant a big deal to me because I didn’t have to go back to where I came from.
https://tenor.com/en-GB/view/wolf-of-wall-street-not-leaving-not-fucking-leaving-staying-gif-20904116
Enough of the sad B.S, allow me share my wins for the year, I’m honestly shocked at how much I accomplished this year. I set goals for myself earlier this year and I still don’t know how I was able to accomplish them, but there was a will, and when there’s a will…
Here are some of my highlights for 2022