The email I sent landed me in Canada

Careeredu’s Japa story

”Don’t worry Tife, your time is almost here, my friend Jude muttered to me as he prepared to onboard at the Muritala Muhammed international airport. Tears welled up on our faces and as he was about to leave, we hugged while crying profusely and, for a few minutes, we became the center of attraction at the airport. Many of the travelers and passers-by must have wondered why two grown-ups were crying that way”

………………………………………………………………………….

Welcome to this week’s edition of Japa stories

We were opportuned to have interviewed Mr. Tife who took us down memory lane on how he was able to chart his way to Canada and, a few years down the line, he is a citizen of Canada alongside his wife and their one-year-old.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Going down memory lane, I met Jude for the first time when I resumed my undergraduate program at the Obafemi Awolowo University, we were freshers and we had just been posted into the same room in Angola hostel. 

One thing which made Jude easily noticeable was the presence of his family members, you could tell how happy they were. ”Is he the first person to go to the university in this family? I kept asking myself because I on the other hand came to school alone, my parents and siblings were out of town and I had to find my way myself so, which made the whole scenery a big deal to me.

Hello roommate, I am Jude, Can I meet you? I was slightly asleep oblivious to the fact that it was evening time, and opened my eyes only to see my roommate smiling like someone who just won the lottery.

Hello, I am Tife, I said as I chipped in a smile. We instantly connected at that point and from that time onwards, you would think we had known ourselves forever.

We cooked together, ate together, read together, and went to the same church.

While we were in 400L, we became members of the executives in our departments, I was the president of my department while he was the General Secretary, we were so in sync and it got to a time, I could visit his parent’s house for my holidays.

We were that close.

After we left school, we were posted to the same state for our NYSC, and we could only say that our destinies were in sync, there was nothing anyone could say otherwise.

During our service days, the clamor to pursue a Postgraduate program abroad consumed us and we decided to give it a shot.

We planned to go through the United Kingdom and Canada routes.

At the time we did, the UK was stiff-necked about giving international students places in their institutions unlike what we have nowadays where the process is much easier.

We applied to 20 universities in total and in less than a month, Jude got several offers while I got none.

It felt like the whole world was against me but, in the midst of all this, I was genuinely happy for my friend. Jude got a scholarship in one of the institutions and it was time to start putting together his visa application.

The day he traveled, I felt so indifferent, I was genuinely happy for my friend whilst I felt like a total failure. Refusing to be distraught, I decided to send follow-up emails to the universities and it took me a whole day to do.

However, luck smiled on me five days after when I stumbled on a mail sitting pretty in my spam. I had been considered for an interview which meant that If I passed the interview, I would be granted a full scholarship at one of the prestigious universities in Canada to which I have applied to.

I called Jude, we cried, we laughed and we were grateful that our dreams were gradually coming through. I started preparations for the interview, I studied, read, and watched videos, and on the D day, I went for the interview(virtual). The panel was impressed and promised to get back to me with the results.

Exactly a week after the virtual interview, I got the mail I had waited for all my life, I had just been offered a place with the accompanying scholarship.

That was the day my life changed forever

It’s been 6 years in Canada, I am married, have a kid, we are citizens, we have more opportunities and life has been good. My sincere advice to everyone reading this is that good things take time, and even though it tarries, it will come to pass.

Don’t let failure define you but rather, let it be the stepping stone you need for your next milestone. Your follow-up emails are important, don’t take them with levity. When you send applications and it feels as though they’re not forthcoming, send a subtle follow-up.

Thank you for reading through.

Canada is one of the top welcoming countries for international students, One of the perks of being an international student in Canada is that after your studies, you can get your citizenship within 5 years and you’ll have access to mindblowing opportunities.

Needless to say more.

The fact speaks for itself.

Are you wondering about how to run along with your Canada student journey?

Wonder no more!

All you need do is send us a message to get started.