Immigration and moving abroad have gained a certain twisted allure, in Africa especially. I live in Nigeria and it often feels like everyone is moving towards leaving the country or, as we would say, “japa”. In Nigeria, getting to move abroad or school abroad is the most desired thing because the alternative is not considered an option, especially if going abroad is in your purview.
Moving to a “first world” country is always advertised as being the best decision. In 2020, nearly 41 million people emigrated from Africa. The number increased significantly compared to 2000 when it amounted to around 22 million. It’s become a goal that most people inadvertently move towards. But I wanted to see the situation without rose-tinted glasses.
I spoke to two twenty-year old black women who moved abroad to explore what they did not like, why they regretted their decisions and how they navigated this.