I’ve Lived In The UK For 21 Years | I Traded My Time For Papers

Africans in UK can spend years building a life abroad while quietly feeling like the life they wanted is passing them by. Across the African diaspora, the abroad experience is often presented as success, but the reality of life abroad can involve sacrifice, uncertainty, difficult jobs, immigration struggles and time that cannot be recovered. Lulu has lived in the UK for 21 years, and this conversation is about what those 21 years actually cost her. She came to Britain at 21 with big ambitions, a degree in economics and plans to build a career. Instead, she found herself applying for hundreds of jobs, being told she lacked UK experience, taking jobs below her qualifications and spending years trying to secure the immigration status she thought would be straightforward. She also opens up about being homeless in the UK, struggling financially, walking away from jobs that were damaging her quality of life and eventually realising that staying in Britain at any cost was not necessarily the same as building a successful life. We talk about why Africans in the UK are often told to “be grateful” whenever they speak honestly about their struggles. Lulu explains why gratitude and frustration can exist at the same time, and why there is no prize for suffering quietly. The conversation also gets into career progression, integration, confidence, communication, qualifications versus experience and why some African migrants become comfortable with simply having a job instead of building the career they originally came for. After 21 years, Lulu believes the UK gave her resilience, patience and strength. But it also took something she cannot get back: her time. 👇 COMMENT BELOW: If you've lived abroad for years, what has life abroad given you, and what has it taken from you? ‪@LulusDiaries-b6i‬ Disclaimer: Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Untamed Section. This content is intended for discussion, education and entertainment purposes. Subscribe to our Podcast channel: YouTube:    / @theuntamedsection   Spotify/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...| | #AfricansInUK #LifeInUK #AfricanDiaspora #LivingInUK #TheUntamedSection