The Non-Immigrant Student
The Non-Immigrant Student podcast is an audio journal of my grad-school (and now corporate) journey in the United States of America.
It is an inspirational podcast that seeks to encourage and provide guidance to other non-immigrant students across the globe on how to live their best lives while fulfilling their Study/Work Abroad dreams or living far away home!
My stories reveal all the lessons I'm learning on this journey, and I honestly believe that ''If I can do it, you can do it too!''
So excited to have you with me on this journey, Welcome!
The Non-Immigrant Student
S4 E4 - Losing our USA Work Authorization ft. Excel Chukwurah, T/PgM at Google
Hi guys,
I'm back with yet another episode featuring one of my best guys, Excel Chukwurah! "A friend, a colleague and a brother", we've spent the last two years making the best of our work & personal lives in New York City since we both moved here from Chicago and Ithaca, NY. Sadly, Excel & I will be temporarily saying goodbye to the US as we will be moving abroad to keep our jobs and maintain legal status of our US immigration. In this episode, we reminisce about our individual journey(s) to the US, dealing with shitty work situations, and all the fun memories we made while living in New York City. We also "schpiel" the tea of our new work locations/countries and options to consider when at a risk of losing your work authorization as a US non-immigrant. Fun-fact: One of us will be moving to another country in the Americas while the other will be moving to a country in Europe. Can you guess who?! It's definitely an episode of mixed feelings, bitter-sweet emotions and happy nostalgia of our time in the US so far. We had so much fun recording this and we hope you have as much fun listening. Lastly, if you have any well-wishes, advice or tips to share for moving to a new country, please send them via the 'Fan note' link and be rest assured that it is received with gratitude.
Tasty Bagels & Crusty Pizzas, from NYC,
Tolu & Excel
Please rate the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen; it helps me reach other people like you. Also, follow here for more :) Thank you!
You've started, we've started, guys who are you for? Me Guest. This is going to be this is not going to be your ordinary podcast.
Speaker 2:Oosh, Okay what's it going to be?
Speaker 1:This is also going to be a therapy session.
Speaker 2:Okay, sure.
Speaker 1:With your boy XL.
Speaker 2:He says your boy love. Look at his face.
Speaker 1:He's going to be my podcast voice.
Speaker 2:No Allah.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, let's jump right into it. Relax now, let's catch up. How was the day? It was fine, it's not the beginning of the podcast. No, no, we'll jump right into it.
Speaker 2:See you guys later. Bye, ask about me on the streets of Ithaca. They will tell you I'm popular everywhere. I mean, I'm that new Nainera girl who just came here and has friends in all sects and factions of this university mba graduate students, undergraduate students, phd students. Like girl, I'm popular. But yeah, welcome to the non-immigrant student podcast. This is the podcast where, if I can do it, you can do it too. Hi guys, welcome back to the podcast. Why are you? Why are you decomposed?
Speaker 1:let me know I got meant in my feet sorry you didn't like.
Speaker 2:This pigeon is so rad guys you can address with pigeon on this episode, this podcast. But anyway, welcome back to the podcast. Um well, I would. I would have said it's been a long time, but we're just here with pearl. But now I bring you yet again another spectacular guest your boy excel please can you introduce yourself briefly? Hi everyone oh okay, why are you for me buzz?
Speaker 1:this is my podcast voice it is your.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, okay.
Speaker 1:I have to take it a little bit slow yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Alright, my name is Excel, like Microsoft Excel you just had to, I had to, oh my god, and I am a friend, a colleague and I don't know what am I again, my brother? You know there's also professional zone. Do you know all these linkedin people? Are we? No, we're not professional. We're not professionals, although our first, actually our first- LinkedIn Was professionals, though We've come a long way, guys.
Speaker 1:If you see to lose LinkedIn, or if you saw to lose LinkedIn, then oh my god.
Speaker 2:What was your first impression?
Speaker 1:Ah, which is? I thought you were the most Stuck up. Serious, I mean Honestly, I didn. Serious, I mean honestly, I didn't want to talk to you.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, you didn't say I never wanted to talk to you I didn't, oh my god.
Speaker 1:I was like. I was like, oh god, this girl just looks like a christian sister that is going to preach to me, even with my blonde wig.
Speaker 2:It was the look I was in that era where I wanted to perform in bible living body.
Speaker 1:But you see, bible believing body where he's to perform in Bible. Believe in body, bible believe in body.
Speaker 2:Bible believe in body when it's like I want to look like a body.
Speaker 1:But I mean I, but you saw through it, I can see.
Speaker 2:I guess I can see that now that you say it, but it just it was just like if you talk to me, I will pray you out of my life oh my God, okay changed when you met me, and I still remember what I've learned first day I met you do you know, what you were wearing was not when we came to your house.
Speaker 1:Yes, actually that was first day I met you, but wait, we're jumping, we're jumping.
Speaker 2:Your name is excel, like microsoft excel, and we first met. But, guys, I'm not stuck up she's not. She's not no, I'm not. I'm not, but I feel like I get that feedback when you are, to an extent, yeah, it's okay.
Speaker 1:Now we are beginning to do therapy.
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, it's okay, it's okay, your name is excel oh my god and yes, to introduce you guys, excel is a good friend of mine, has now become a good friend of mine over the years.
Speaker 1:Um tolu is one of my closest friends, especially since I started working at google. The way I knew tolu was in stock up was when we spoke and said you had broken your leg when I was looking for an apartment. Oh yeah, I was like, okay, maybe she's not. Maybe she's not that bad so why?
Speaker 2:why did you need to hear bad news for you?
Speaker 1:it wasn't, it, wasn't it wasn't the bad news, it was the communication. Pretty bad news that I've been looking for apartment. I'm going to check on a book like it sounded very open.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was like okay are you serious? This is crazy.
Speaker 1:Oh, this is crazy but I've told you before something like this. Yeah, you told me somehow okay?
Speaker 2:wow, that's interesting to know. Yes, you don't judge your book by its cover. Sometimes you have to no that picture that I use is underdressed. Konya made us take linkedin picture and I don't have and I was looking for job, so I said I'm going to dress up and go. I want my best white shirt, and then I packed my hair in a very weird way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a suit that came to my head.
Speaker 2:Yes, I looked actually okay, you know what it's okay, it doesn't matter. We've spent almost five minutes not talking about it sorry let's jump right into it.
Speaker 2:So you guys, please don't forget to listen. This, this season is season four, a season of embracing change, and, as you can see already by the title, the title is losing our US work authorization. That's already another big change that we're kind of preparing for but did not necessarily know how to go. So just to give context, in the US how it works is after you've studied for one or two years your master's, your PhD, if you're a STEM student study science, technology, engineering or math you have the opportunity to stay back for one year. One to three years, right, and now those three years for us are up.
Speaker 2:But while you're in your three years, whatever company you're working at can file for a work visa for you. But the only caveat is that that work visa is a lottery visa, so it's a 50-50. In fact, lawyers tell you that it's a less than 30 chance, so not necessarily 50. So sadly, we did not make that lottery, and so that's why we're here recording this. Um, by the time this is out, excel would have already moved to his new country. Do you want to?
Speaker 1:tell us where you're moving to. I don't think.
Speaker 2:I don't think so really no, no, oh my god, okay, are you sure?
Speaker 1:are you joking I?
Speaker 2:have this written everywhere on this.
Speaker 1:All these are my questions.
Speaker 2:Okay, it's okay, now we know Basha.
Speaker 1:Cut, cut, cut.
Speaker 2:Wait, I can speak right, yes, you can, oh my.
Speaker 1:God you can talk, you can talk, you can talk, so ready for everybody to know I'm going to canada because I'm planning to be lucky there okay, and this podcast is coming out in july, so is it too early? It's too early actually I think it's fine. I mean, what the hell it's?
Speaker 2:not the no village person can come and look for you yeah, I just want to just be.
Speaker 1:Just, am I taking this part of the?
Speaker 2:podcast out or not, which one?
Speaker 1:okay, I can leave it, it's fine. So are we talking about it?
Speaker 2:okay, so do you want to tell us where you're moving to?
Speaker 1:guys, so I am moving to canada, canada, drumroll, canada canada. I'm with canada ontario. Canada, yes ontario, canada.
Speaker 2:He's the one. He's not too far. He's not far. We're still in the North Americas, Exactly. But some people like me please ask me where am I moving to? Where?
Speaker 1:are you moving to?
Speaker 2:Help me to ask oh my God. My mother say, when they ask me maybe like say my daughter is, she's in Warsaw. Some of you might never know where it is. You might have to go and Google it. Warsaw is the country where people fled to during the Ukrainian war. Please, why do you have that conversation, guys? I'm moving to Poland. I'm sure I'm moving somewhere in Europe. It's still tentative.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's still Schengen. It's still Schengen, it's still Schengen. But I'm sure I'm moving to the EU. My currency is changing it's changing To euros.
Speaker 1:I'll send you some pounds.
Speaker 2:Yes, actually, that's if the woman allow me to spend money. It's lotties, remember. Oh my God, oh, so sad. Oh my God, this podcast, I wonder if we can ever do it structured, you can? I'm so sorry. You're the one guest I was like I don't think I can do this podcast seriously, but we'll try, okay. Okay, we need to be serious. But you guys also know that I've been traveling, you know.
Speaker 1:I also need to give like I need to give Loki recap.
Speaker 2:I just came back from Arizona. You guys, I was in the desert, in the beautiful desert. I had like mountain dinners, watched the sunset.
Speaker 1:Oh, you had a dinner in the mountain, yes, ma'am. Okay, now repeat.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've showed you some of the pictures. You know Watched the sunset and some cute we went to grand canyon and sedona. You know, it was all beautiful and butterflies. Guys, just respect yourself. Please just respect yourself before you put your mouth inside this mic where sedona and grand canyon.
Speaker 1:Please don't expose me on this street, okay, thank you but on the on the other hand, guys, if you are single, don't be single yes, don't be single.
Speaker 2:That's one advice. It's not worth single. Don't be single. Yes, don't find love. That's one advice.
Speaker 1:Don't be single like there's no value my sisters and brothers find love.
Speaker 2:Is that what you did? It your own excuse me you better respect yourself this is my podcast better, even if it's the episode in my podcast. Thank you madam, madam okay, and also something else I was fond of I experienced was taking a driverless car using Waymo.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:I posted it on Instagram. It was an 8 minute drive. Yes, I did take the Waymo.
Speaker 1:I'll show you.
Speaker 2:Yes, I'll show you the video to tell you to like, wear your seatbelt. And he was driving. I felt it was crazy. I kept saying, oh my god, is this real? Is this real? There's nobody in the car. Who is driving the car. Yeah, it felt like, oh my god, there might be a spirit. It was so weird. Eight minutes and we go there in parks and I'm telling you, red traffic light is stopped that's something that I really want to.
Speaker 1:Almost every day I check oh are you serious?
Speaker 2:oh, it's true. You're a techie. Oh, that's true. Okay, you guys. Sorry, you are not hearing us how we talk, how we banter to ourselves. Let's be fast. This is only one hour, people, let's not waste anybody's time, okay, so first things first. Please can you introduce yourself? Tell us, okay, very, tell us, your name is excel, but where are you from? How did you get to the US basically?
Speaker 1:So my name is Excel. I am from Delta State.
Speaker 2:Why do I feel like I don't know that about you, not Imo State?
Speaker 1:No, Imo State was my NYC.
Speaker 2:Okay, sorry, sorry, delta State. No, that's fine.
Speaker 1:So I'm from Delta State, both parents from Delta State, igbo boy. I was born and raised in Lagos. So I got the best of both worlds and I'm able to understand both languages because of that how long were you in delta state for?
Speaker 2:I I only visit in december okay so I never like oh, I see, okay, once I come to school, I'm primary school. What primary school did you go to?
Speaker 1:this is not all the questions to my social security number.
Speaker 2:Calm down Joy, so that people can relate to you now.
Speaker 1:So I went to a very Jaguda primary school. It's called Divine.
Speaker 2:It was street. Okay, where was it in?
Speaker 1:Lagos. It was in Lagos, where I don't remember where in Lagos.
Speaker 2:Street is like Leagege. No, leagege is not it. I don't remember when. Lagos Street is like Agege. Agege is not, it's not street, agege is street.
Speaker 1:Ajegule. Sorry, no, not Ajegule, but it was somewhere in Yanopaja.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's where we did camp NYC, camp Yanopaja Folks in Lagos.
Speaker 1:But then Prime risk Imagine how we looked. And then secondary to faith academy oh, you should have a lot of fa fans and then uh for uni covenant university graduated in 2016, studied mis.
Speaker 2:What's the management? Oh yeah, mis management information system right and then so after mis, after after uni in 2016, in 2016 2016 to 2017 was service year, so one year nysc and I served in most states and you always tell me how there was no light.
Speaker 1:Tell us too, he loves telling you I love this story because it's like it. It encourages the streets in me. Oh, my god no, no, but honestly, but honestly. My service in Imo state. I didn't serve in the capital, I served in a village, and then there are so many things that happened throughout my, you were a teacher right. I was a teacher for math and vocational studies Okay.
Speaker 2:And agreek.
Speaker 1:But the funny thing is the agreek the students knew more than me because they were farmers. Oh, I me, because they were farmers, oh I see, wow, they pretty much knew most of it, so they still correct your uncle. Start, excuse me, sir, I'll tell them. Put in band. They say what is ban and his ebook? They spoke oh, my god, you know what is banned. Please we put it in xyz. Now I say, hey, wow, I'm just teaching you what to detect I would have loved to be a teacher.
Speaker 2:That's nice, it was actually nice and I always wanted to teach.
Speaker 1:So to be a teacher, that's nice. It was actually nice and I always wanted to teach, so I was, but I stopped, for I stopped teaching after six months because I was. I wanted to prep for my gre, which I failed, by the way that's the way you won't be able to hear.
Speaker 2:What was what's failure to you for jerry? What's failure? Was it less than 300?
Speaker 1:yes, uh, the first time I wrote it I had 288, I believe, and I think for me, because my sister got in her first try and she had just two weeks to prep she got like 305. So to me, getting to 288 was kind of like a low score in my opinion.
Speaker 2:Oh, I see, I see, and then so did you rewrite it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I wrote it after the NYSE and you know I'm not trying to my own, but I did well. What did you know? I get like a 317, or is it like?
Speaker 2:oh my god, oh my god, why do you do your eyes like that?
Speaker 1:317 is crazy you have to be smug about this thing yeah, yeah, that was a very smug look that was not humble at all.
Speaker 2:317 is nice. It's nice.
Speaker 1:I had a 303 and then when I read it, I got 301. It was so bad, but anyway and so then. So, like nyc was, it was a whole vibe for me, like you know, we wouldn't have network we have to climb.
Speaker 2:By the way, for non-nigerians, nyc's national youth service core is a year of service. Our country, yeah, where we shall act like we're in the military, paramilitary or something it's like pretense minute.
Speaker 1:Yeah, military for only three weeks out of the whole year, basically and then every other year you sort of like go to different places where you or you're posted to somewhere else where you are forced to serve the country.
Speaker 2:So Excel did a real NYC. I worked in an oil and gas company and I was earning good money. That is insane, I know you did do NYC.
Speaker 1:Now, how many times did you wear the uniform?
Speaker 2:A lot every Friday.
Speaker 1:I used to wear that uniform to CDS. What was your CDS Community Development Service. What did you do for your CDS?
Speaker 2:Sorry guys, cds is like Community Development Service. What did you do for your CDS? What was it? We shot Bill Sigbe For Eteo Saluka government.
Speaker 1:Guys this is what you call a wealthy. A wealthy, you know what I did for my CDS Every Wednesday, I would go and cut grass Every Wednesday.
Speaker 2:Why are you cutting grass?
Speaker 1:That was it For two hours today. Like you have blisters when you're done cutting grass we're cleaning the council, so sometimes we cut grass sometimes we like.
Speaker 2:I hate the fact that they do all those like I'm sorry, I can't relate I, I really cannot relate right.
Speaker 1:It was crazy, oh my god.
Speaker 2:No, I was rebuilding bmw plaka and we went to encouraging the city that is so rich and we went to the encouraging, the scenic. That is so rich. But look how good I was in VI. I was in Victoria Island, lagos, okay, anyway, anyway, that's a size point. So after NYSE, when did you? Did you immediately come to the US?
Speaker 1:No, so after NYSE I met. During my NYSE I met this lady who was into sewing Like she wanted to learn fashion and I was into software development right so I used to do a lot of like web development. I was good with back end, but the front end development was terrible. So in my head. I was like you know what, let me learn something in fashion to maybe spike your creativity?
Speaker 1:yeah, exactly exactly, and so after mysc I left where I was working and I went to learn how to sew. So I was an apprentice for a street tailor. I'm not talking about like a fashion school, like I'm talking about this guy Like what do you call them?
Speaker 2:Is it new for the Obioma?
Speaker 1:No, not the Obioma.
Speaker 2:Okay, no, Obioma is a tailor hawker.
Speaker 1:This one had a shop and he was pretty good actually. This one had a shop and he was pretty good actually. So I, I, I worked with him for about eight months, nine months, and then, when I learned as much as I needed to learn and I left and I started a what was the name of your artillery? It was called put us put it. Who is the great?
Speaker 2:Oh, I see, oh, put us fashion.
Speaker 1:So just put us luxury.
Speaker 2:Put us Ooh a true evil. Oh, potius Fashion.
Speaker 1:No, just Potius Luxury, potius, luxury Ooh. I had like a whole, a true Igbo man. I love you. One name Abumoyi Igbo. Forget that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Abumoyi, Say what's Abumoyi.
Speaker 1:Igbo, abumoyi, igbo. What does it mean? I'm an Igbo boy.
Speaker 2:Oh, I like that.
Speaker 1:Where's luxury?
Speaker 2:oh sorry, purchase luxury. Yeah, well, it means the great. I love that I learned. How long did you do the fashion for?
Speaker 1:I did it. For how long did I do that? I did it from 2017 to 2019, so yeah, oh 2017 2019.
Speaker 2:That means you're in the us at some point no when did you come to the usi?
Speaker 1:came to us 2019 oh, I see.
Speaker 2:So while you were doing fashion, were you working in nigeria?
Speaker 1:no, no, I wasn't working in nigeria, that was like my full time is a lie.
Speaker 2:You're an entrepreneur. Say it again. Say it again what's my response?
Speaker 1:what should?
Speaker 2:I say what should I say? Wait, you might want to agree with something. Sorry, I'm so sorry. Okay, okay, okay, sorry, okay, that's my response Okay. Wow. So what? What was your biggest profit? What was your how?
Speaker 1:much did you make? I was, it was very. It was so profitable then, because you know there was no COVID and all of that. It was very profitable.
Speaker 2:So you were selling like a badass and like all these things for people. Where was your shop?
Speaker 1:I was staying at home, so I didn't have any overhead costs did you have tailors? I had. I had like two people that would. I would outsource some things to like, the basic things like pants, some shirts that I was confident in, you know, in their abilities so till today, do you still have the sewing?
Speaker 2:no, I haven't sewn since 2019. I can't but I'm sure you'll still be there, right, you'll still be there I hope so.
Speaker 1:I'm planning to. Just funny enough, yesterday I had a dream about me sewing. As weird as this is. I'm telling you now that I said I just dipped it right. Are you serious? Yeah, I remember I was. I remember in your old life.
Speaker 2:You know, these things happen sometimes recently I've been, I've been on someone that was. I've been dreaming. I saw myself at home. My sisters were playing all five of us and I'm like does that mean I want to go?
Speaker 1:for.
Speaker 2:Christmas, I guess we all remember sometimes. So now, after the story, did that help you with your front-end development?
Speaker 1:I would say no, but I think what the story really did for me was it helped me know that I didn't want to be in the coding development.
Speaker 2:Oh, I see. Yeah, I didn't want to go down that path like full-time, I could do it like part-time, I still do it currently, but it just made me realize that I'm more of a I guess processed person, so it has process now. No, you caught you draft, you caught right.
Speaker 1:So that's what it helped me, oh yeah like the structure, like that, you know there's a defined process okay, okay, that's what you mean.
Speaker 2:I see, I see, I love that, and so how much did you make?
Speaker 1:oh, I don't know, but I know that as I was living nine. So I I learned another guy for a year and then I worked for myself for a year and I don't know. I I would say I had close to half a million okay, that's in profit.
Speaker 2:Profit. Not even like yeah, you know so all the money people were paying you to sell yeah, it was a lot and I didn't even have.
Speaker 1:I hadn't even published myself, because on my sports clothes guys like I used to say they always come and hold you that they like you know, when they say I was, I was, I was not even like, like when I first started.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because you learn something from the guy.
Speaker 1:But because I went to. You know, luckily I went to school so because I I went to school, I I would want to look for an easier, more streamlined way of doing this thing right. For example, the guy would say oh, cut everybody's arm nine. And I'm like what are you somebody's small? Would you cut nine? The song is so I had to like find a more like science.
Speaker 2:I don't think I'm more. You're saying scientific, mathematical way to adjust to everybody. Yeah, but don't you take measurements. Why do you have to cut nine?
Speaker 1:you do, but some things are not. You don't. You're not making suits so you can. You don't necessarily have the the time to like measure every single part is an art. Fashion design is a serious art like, like the numbers yeah the numbers part, when you actually sit down and figure out. Okay, this is the proper way to do this thing.
Speaker 2:The calculation numbers is crazy okay, now we're going too deep but, that makes sense. Okay, 500k of money in one year, guys, I would advise you to always pick up like a blue color. It's blue color, right yes, a blue color job on the side, like it's it's very helpful.
Speaker 1:I mean now that, yeah, it's taking everything, yeah, it's not going to show my clothes exactly what Exactly?
Speaker 2:I don't want to hear the word AI on this podcast.
Speaker 1:Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Speaker 2:Every day. This is what we hear for a living. I don't want to hear Shumbay on this podcast. Thank you, and then? So what made you?
Speaker 1:come to the US in 2019?. Why did you leave the business and come to the US? Coming to the US was kind of it wasn't even it was. Traveling was kind of defined, because my older sister already did her master's here and my folks were like they don't care where you are or what you are Like, you must travel for your master's. Like that was a given in the family.
Speaker 2:You must go for your master's.
Speaker 1:The only thing is, the only thing that they sort of like emphasized was nobody's going to the UK, nobody's going to London.
Speaker 2:Oh really, yeah, my dad was very practical about that. He was troll of you and he came to the us.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's like nobody's going to uk, either canada or any other state, but I don't know why, but he just doesn't value that place, yeah. So he was like okay, so yeah, he, he just sort of. So when I, when I came to, when I came to the us, when I was finishing my my the sewing thing, I knew that it was time for when I came to the US, when I was finishing the sewing thing, I knew that it was time for me to come to the US and I started applying. I actually wanted to go to Canada, but Canada didn't work out.
Speaker 1:Look at God, look at God, look at it.
Speaker 2:Look at it. Hey, okay yeah.
Speaker 1:A very good friend of mine. She just recommended a school for me. That was where she was and she advised me to apply there, and what's the name of this university? University of michigan guys that's a smug voice not humble at all, but I love it.
Speaker 2:I love it. And what did you study?
Speaker 1:for your masters, for masters, I studied a program, that project management engineering program, oh that makes sense.
Speaker 2:Oh, I see, I see, I see, and this is with and did you apply to just one school with your 317?
Speaker 1:you don't apply to other school I feel like she's throwing some shade yes, I'm throwing some with your 317. Only one school you apply to apply to three schools university of maryland, university of college park yeah um, then two other schools I don't remember them now.
Speaker 1:Two of them put me on wait list and one rejected me, so I'd already given up. I continued my sewing and then my friend is like excel, why you like? Randomly, this is someone I hadn't spoken to in a long time. Wow. And then she's like excel, I, you know, I heard you were rejected, do you want?
Speaker 2:to apply to my school.
Speaker 1:I see, wow and I'm like, yeah, sure, why not?
Speaker 2:you know, my application to cornell was different. I could. Stanford was my dream school. I said it's all the time I wanted to go to California. I was California dreaming. But then she was like, oh, you should check out Konya.
Speaker 1:I heard there's a lot of. I don't know if California or Fiji, though.
Speaker 2:That's what people say. So you think New York Fiji more than California?
Speaker 1:Way, way more than California Really Like, to an extreme.
Speaker 2:This place. I mean I have love-hate relationship.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yes, for two years For about two years.
Speaker 2:So how's your journey? And, by the way, now we both work at Google. See our jizz, jizz, our talk, talk did not allow me to follow the structure of this podcast. We're supposed to talk about how we met. I always tell people how we met, but this is how Excel and I met now. So, after school, I started working at Google in 2022. When did you start working at Google? 2021. Immediately after. Okay, we'll come to that. But so then we have a friend called Roma K, a mutual friend. Shout out to you Ramzi um shout out to you, romy what's wrong with you?
Speaker 1:this is my uh podcast voice, okay noted, noted, lol.
Speaker 2:Okay. So Roma K was like oh Tola, I hear you in New York. Now I googled, I have a friend that works there too. I should. I will introduce you both. And then she connected us on LinkedIn or told us to reach out to each other on LinkedIn or something. I don't know if it was me that did first. I think it was me. I was like oh Ram, it was you. Oh my money. You were saying that you pray me out of your life. Go punish your mother. That's it, man.
Speaker 1:Guys, I can never forget the first time I had a Call with oh yeah, you're right, I think so. I'm not sure what happened I was trying to look for a roommate and to be rejected the idea before it even came oh yes, I was like I cannot, I cannot, I don't know how it appears and you're not in nigeria on the top.
Speaker 2:I'm like jesus christ. I did the sign of the rosary. I cannot rule with a man. First of all, you have to understand.
Speaker 1:Let me paint a picture Of the condition I was in. I was in the car, it was summer, it was hot, oh my god. I didn't have the keys with me and the windows were wind up and the car was locked, so I was sweating In the car. On the call I hear somebody.
Speaker 2:I'm trying to Suggest let's rent a 2 in new york, because new york first of all, why are you in a car when you just say things to pass by this? Why are you in a car? The windows are up.
Speaker 1:That's a story for another day. Oh my god I've never heard this before and then so I, as she was saying, oh, giving me all the rejection, like she's a job offer I was just looking at this guy. I'm wondering why am I on this call? Oh my god, I'm on this call in this heat, sweating and being rejected. Oh my god, you know the crazy part, what I could have? Just walked into the office because it was in front of me oh, I see, that's still finally.
Speaker 2:It's history. You know you're weird, but that is the final day. Anyway, I want to talk about, like, the job to google a bit, before we go into now why we lost our visa. So where were you before google? I know that you did some other blue collar jobs and if you want to talk about it and I will have a story, I want to tell people. I want to remember that I was telling you how somebody ate my chick-fil-a fries. Okay, yes, let's not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a long. Okay, let's, let's stay focused. Let's stay focused as a motherfucker. No way to mention that as part of my blue card jokes.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, okay. Let's not mention it, because now that you're selling people deep, deep. Moving on, guys okay, moving on, moving on. Sorry for the detour, apologies. Where did you work okay? I was like where were your white collar jokes?
Speaker 1:exactly, exactly. Thank you, I'm all posh, don't mind too, I don't know what she's talking about okay, okay so when I came to, when I came to the us, I met a nigerian. Like shout out to Tomoa, by the way, wonderful guy, and shout out to Yemi, beautiful people, yeah, shout out to Yemi.
Speaker 2:I know Yemi, you know Yemi. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So Yemi and Tomoa, they, like you know, they just linked me up to one guy, one of the international office guys, and he's like okay, I know nigerians are hustlers, like I see it in you, and this was like first day guys, orientation, I'm going to connect it to somebody that can help you with campus job in the it department so I was lucky in nigeria and just left the department and he did well oh yeah.
Speaker 1:So the guy's like oh, he likes nigerians, and then he just I went for an interview, wrote an exam and then I got hired. So that was my first five months at the university of michigan. Oh, I did eight months actually at the university of michigan then I got an internship at equity did you teach while you were there? No, no, I was just working in the it department. Okay, then I got a. I got an internship at equinix. I did the internship for about 11 months.
Speaker 1:Oh, zero, it was a tpm technical program manager at Equinix, and then I got a job at Google Google.
Speaker 2:Oh, I see 2021. When is your Google anniversary?
Speaker 1:I think it's either June 17th or July 12th.
Speaker 2:Oh really, it's on your birthday, july 12th.
Speaker 1:I signed the offer on my birthday. It was July 12th.
Speaker 2:Oh, I signed my offer. Oh, no, I signed my offer A month after my birthday.
Speaker 1:I wanted it to be related.
Speaker 2:I wanted to always remember that it was a month After my birthday. I signed my offer.
Speaker 1:That's a birthday gift. How come you had your offer On your birthday gift On your birthday, because I got the offer Before the birthday and I just waited for, like A few days.
Speaker 2:So you signed it. Oh, look at you, I was in my mushy era, guys. Look at this one.
Speaker 1:I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my. I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my, I was in my.
Speaker 2:I was in my, I was in and building that and actually you guys should know that excel. I don't know is it proper now that you know I can't be calling you workers, band up and down. You know I'm saying that, but it was. It was this close. I had a work wife before shah I'm not by work wife I mean like we used to sit them beside each other. We used to go for lunch together. She used to sit beside me. Shout out to you fatma, she's from bahrain. Then she got married and moved to boston.
Speaker 2:It's an arab country, Sha. No it's not in Africa. Hey God, I'm about to go to Jabo.
Speaker 1:It's an Arab country, but right Middle East.
Speaker 2:Middle East probably. Oh my God, I can't believe. I just said that, Sorry. Yes, I was with them, beside each other, so we would go for lunch together. Anything, Sha, any go. And then she left. When she got married to Boston, I remember that it was so sad. I was like, wow, you're really leaving. And she used to name me and my manager, so you can imagine now she was not taking any way. I was like Jesus.
Speaker 1:Did she leave the company?
Speaker 2:No, no, no. She got married but moved to go and be with her husband in Boston. Anyway, yes, and that was around the same time you finally moved and we would start talking and I was like, wow, I actually like this guy and I think what actually happened was now he went to Cumberland University, so that helped our relationship. Right it felt like I knew him from another life, you know, and so every time, like now, be like.
Speaker 1:Excel are you? This is any social activity Like the only reason why Google makes sense to me, the only reason why I feel like I can say I enjoy working at Google is because of Tolu, Like she's, like Excel, we're going for this activity and I'm like oh yeah, sure, yes, Excel doesn't know where anything is happening. Let me tell you for me, you guys me small picture.
Speaker 2:I think excel doesn't care about the bigger picture, he's just focused on the details, like the small, like what am I here to? Do? So for me? I needed to enjoy, I needed to know, like me, actually. No, actually you, you read, actually you focus on the big picture. I know you read financial reports, kind of it's because of you now starting listening to investment earnings and stuff like that. But that would not concern me, means the culture I'm interested in, like okay, what's happening at google, like the tgifs I don't even know if you watch it, if you're subscribed to this thing called TLDR.
Speaker 2:It's like Google, like short, short videos about the most important things Sondor has done, maybe when our CEO has traveled to somewhere and all that. So things like that keep me abreast of the business, of the company's business. I like all those type of stuff and anytime I hear that there's where, even tomorrow, I'm dragging him to a summer event at pier 50.
Speaker 1:I'm looking for OT. What's hot this is your last event in this New York you better.
Speaker 2:I don't want to hear anything tomorrow we are headed we are headed to the pier 50 rooftop things exactly so I always force Excel to come for all these things, and so that's how he became my workhorse band just the head.
Speaker 1:I'm not. I'm not antisocial, I'm actually very social.
Speaker 2:That's what an antisocial person would say, for sure.
Speaker 1:I think it's just. It's just when it comes to activities, I'm just like eh, just put it in the back burner.
Speaker 2:I see.
Speaker 1:And honestly, I wouldn't advise anyone to do that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because, like, look at Tony's birthday guys.
Speaker 2:Look at the google. I forgot my own baby I'm serious baby that we asked you to come and give parting words of.
Speaker 1:I mean drs was no, no, that one is that one was pure indian anxiety guys, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay.
Speaker 2:But anyway, yes, google has been a fun place to work and I and I also. I would say that's too because of you, google, nyc, I mean particularly because a lot of times I never like coming to the office. I mean I had work friends. I had white friends, the arab friends, trust me, I had. I think I had every race of friends that could exist. At least I work. But like having a nigerian and then an ego, which is what we call alumni of korea university, it was. I felt like I was so happy sometimes I was. I was very grateful to god I had that. You know I'd come to me, so he made coming to the office.
Speaker 1:Again, rumi shout out to you.
Speaker 2:Yes, shout out to you.
Speaker 1:Rumi, we did a good matchmaking here. Thank you for match relax, relax, operate matchmaking, professional matchmaking.
Speaker 2:I beg you, but anyway, so that was, that was fun, and my first impression of you was like you just look like a cool guy. So I can't even imagine that, all this while you were giving me side eye, judging me. I was 100% judging you the first time I ever met you, I invited you to my house so we had like a friends giving you Iyanu but at that time I already sort of knew that, okay, this person is chilled.
Speaker 2:When you talked about the leg thing, okay, yeah, we started talking after, so at that point. I was already cool okay, you were beginning to think of me as, but but it's true, though, from the cover of your.
Speaker 1:We have heard, we have heard, we have heard my god.
Speaker 2:And that day no wonder I was begging everybody I made jello fries. You guys and everyone that knows me knows that when I cook I love to share my food. And no, no, I don't, don't be for me, shy, here we were supposed to. Let me tell you, the fight I and Excel have had is over this jello fries, because I feel like every time he tells me oh Tola, I made food today and, by the way, we live on the same street but like 15 minutes Away from each other. I'm like Excel, how can you say that we're friends and you cook, and you know me? I couldn't understand it, you know. But hey, what's your excuse?
Speaker 1:Tell them out here. I'm just going to say one thing I told you. I told you were joking and I was playing along. I'm like no, we cannot. And she's like, actually, I'm serious, we cannot be friends Because.
Speaker 2:I'm like that's how I received the love, like you could come and share.
Speaker 1:I mean now I know that's a good thing.
Speaker 2:How can you not? In my mind? I'm like how can you say you could and you did? He tripped him. Oh, he should have brought that rice. He brought that rice. I was even forming. I said I'm not taking it, you're not putting it inside my bag. I forgot to.
Speaker 1:Guys, if you see it, you form me. If you see it, you think that I said.
Speaker 2:But I swear I was not going to eat it. I'm telling you, you know that you put you. Actually, you said, you'll beg me.
Speaker 1:You're like okay, oh, yeah, take.
Speaker 2:I squad, so me and Excel also go to the same church. He shot ah, Excel, I've tried for you this year. It's me that I've brought you to church and I made you join Connecting. Did you ever do anything in that Connecting?
Speaker 1:No, I think I sneakily didn't submit to that phone.
Speaker 2:Oh, Excel told me that he wanted to join the people that used to make coffee.
Speaker 1:I said it just randomly. She only took it upon herself to make sure that I joined that team. You joined, Like why?
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Oh God, we've come a long way in such a short time, oh my God.
Speaker 1:In two years.
Speaker 2:Oh my God. Anyway, no, we're never talking about we lost our work. So, anyway, what took me there? Okay, I gave everybody jello fries and it was your turn to take and you said you're not taking. In my mind, I don't understand. In my mind I'm so sure of my food, even if I'm eating. One thing I'm known for cooking is jello fries. So I said what do you mean? Now you're going back. I think you were going back to New Jersey and you said you didn't have food. I said are you on a diet? He said no. I said okay, don't worry, I use basmati. I was trying to tell you the things I did, that my food is healthy, the oil is not too much. He said no, he does not want. I can't remember what made you change your mind and eventually take.
Speaker 1:I think I took the plantain. I think I took the plantain and I was like okay.
Speaker 2:Common fried plantain. You insult me. No, no, you insult me.
Speaker 1:Guys, let me tell you so I'm very, very, extremely cautious of eating people's food, that's probably when I know them. It's not anything personal, it's just.
Speaker 2:You don't want to know that they're a bad cook.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:But you know, I'm not going to ask you. I was not going to ask you because I'm a good cook, I think for me.
Speaker 1:Oh, I see that you like the food.
Speaker 2:So it's better I don't just eat it. Oh, I see, I can be like. I know what you mean, I know what you mean so like I never, but if I was a bad cook. Would that be a test of my character or something? Absolutely not.
Speaker 1:It just means I'm never going to eat your food, oh my God. No, I'm being honest.
Speaker 2:And I'm so like but.
Speaker 1:I ate the rice now.
Speaker 2:You tasted it I have rice at home.
Speaker 1:That's why.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, we have rice at home. That's what you're eating for me now. We are not alone. Continue, continue.
Speaker 1:But the point is, like I'm always very and then I tasted the plantain and then I'm like, hmm, and the rice was looking fine, I'm not even going to lie, it was looking very fine and all of that.
Speaker 2:I was like hmm, maybe it's worth giving this shirt and I ate it. I said please pack, please for me. I didn't even know that was happening, I can't even remember. So I knocked on the table and I think I gave him plenty. Okay, not, maybe not plenty, but I sure gave him about one piece of meat. So I am planting.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, that's the man I got to know, I said ah, that's why I know that your rice is good.
Speaker 2:It's just even though that I I know I know it's okay, it's okay, but it hurt my feelings. Did not have food and they saw food and just eat for me. I mean I've already cooked plenty for everyone every other person I ate even we had a friend there from microsoft that was jamaica. That kept asking for more, so I was like what is wrong with you?
Speaker 1:they're not wrong with my food I actually eat, actually can eat somebody's food just one plate like, just maybe rice, and that's the only thing I'll eat forever from that person and I don't want to taste anything because you're not sure I understand and I've given you beans before. But I don't usually like this. Okay, oh, that means you didn't like it. I didn't say that. I'm just saying time is not okay, I have some people in my life that like my dish and I'm happy with it I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry for the bad experience for you. Okay, let's forget about it, okay, okay, so I've already told you guys we are moving to poland for me, canada for you.
Speaker 1:I don't like when this podcast Is going. God.
Speaker 2:He's giving voice notes. Please. We're very serious In this place.
Speaker 1:I don't appreciate this, please. I said what I said, vibes.
Speaker 2:No, just because I'm more hilarious. Oh my god, okay, okay.
Speaker 1:No, let's be serious. Let's be serious For real.
Speaker 2:Okay, now let's discuss Our H1B launches.
Speaker 1:Where were?
Speaker 2:you when you found out that you would be leaving the US finally.
Speaker 1:I think I told you immediately. I got it right. I was in the office, I believe.
Speaker 2:I think so. We both were waiting for it.
Speaker 1:It was March 31st it was March 31st, but you were not in the office. Where was I?
Speaker 2:I was walking from home, maybe I was at home, but I was in New York and we had heard that he'd get the result Last week in March. First week in April Before my, which was First week in April, is my birthday.
Speaker 1:And I continued from there. So the original plan Was to have Like record Our reaction when we see. But I don't think we had the patience for that.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, it's true. That was our plan. So you guys also have YouTube. Please, please, if you follow me on youtube, you should not make me cry. Please go and look for me on youtube, the non-immigrant student. More videos coming your way, amen, this is what they call a shameless plug. Yes, please look for us, even excel has featured on that youtube in my very first, one of my very first videos, vlog day one or whatever, so continue so that was the original plan.
Speaker 1:You know we record our reaction, but we didn't have the patience for that because it was it is nerve-wr is nerve-wracking guys. Yeah, when you know that it is your last lottery.
Speaker 2:Lottery yeah, and it's either zero or one. Yes, it's zero, or one Either going or staying. Yeah, that was it.
Speaker 1:So I opened it and then I saw the result, what was?
Speaker 2:the title of the email.
Speaker 1:I even feel. I think the first place I saw it was on my phone, because it came in the morning and I was talking for work.
Speaker 2:So I saw it on my phone and I said I'm not going to open this. Are you serious? You held out for it, Are you?
Speaker 1:serious. I got to the office, I went into a solitude mode.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, a solemn mode. A solemn mode. Let me receive my decision in peace.
Speaker 1:Guys, I was very dramatic to, and then I think it was only Tuesday. No, it was only Monday, because folks were not in the office. I remember that. What day was it?
Speaker 2:Yes, it was a Monday. It was a Monday.
Speaker 1:And then I usually walk on the 9th floor.
Speaker 2:I went to the 10th floor so that no, but you will see, nobody will see my fish chain.
Speaker 1:And then I opened it, and for a split second yes your heart dropped my heart just went Pikung, my heart just went Piko.
Speaker 2:Who? No, it's Igbim. Why Igbo, why Igbo, why Igbo, igbim, okay, oh my God, okay, continue, continue.
Speaker 1:And then I saw it and I was like hmm, Interesting, very interesting. So it's time to move right. Did you call me? Oh, it's the first person you. I sent you the picture in the logistic case and then I don't think you had seen. No, I've not seen mine, I haven't seen mine.
Speaker 2:I just sent. I just sent you the picture and I was like but the moment my text message. I wonder what I said to you.
Speaker 1:I think I called you immediately. I called you. I don't think I would text. I think I called you immediately. I think I called you, but the thing is the the funny thing is, immediately after I felt that it been after like it was a complete flip into survival mode yeah like I, I just stopped and guess what?
Speaker 2:this is april. You had to leave july by july.
Speaker 1:I know, I didn't even know when I had to leave. I just had to leave by june 28.
Speaker 2:Okay, so your EAD is expiring June 28th Exactly. So like this was April and I had June 28th to stop working and figure things, out and figure where to move to study work process at B&B Okay, okay, and figure where to go to and where I'm going to go.
Speaker 1:So the first thing, like immediately, I heard the results and I reacted. I sent Tony the picture. I just started thinking survival mode. Oh no, I think I called my mom.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I called my mom and my younger sister.
Speaker 2:And I'm like yo see what's going on. Yeah, that's happened to me too. Okay, when you say yours, you say mine.
Speaker 1:I'm like that's happened to me and I'm ready to go Like I just flipped and sure people don't know that you want to stay in the us.
Speaker 2:Remember? Yeah, you were still hopeful, me as a last year. We won't have a video, remember?
Speaker 1:yeah, we're singing this song from black panther too, that I've been a voice like um. I'm not going to give you guys my single voice.
Speaker 2:We're just thinking in that video, and I was telling Nexel that we're taking this video for when I'll go to Zurich. See my mom, I wanted to go to Switzerland. So you guys me how I deal with stress and anxiety. I just accept it. I started telling myself I'm in Zurich, I'm not staying, I'm not staying.
Speaker 1:So me, I've been in survival mode for a past year.
Speaker 2:No matter what happens today, she, they cannot, it will not affect me at all.
Speaker 1:So so I felt sad for you and continue no, no, I think I think for me it was. It was very. It was at that moment, the you know, at some point I was saying I wanted to go to Zurich in order to experience something else. But towards the end, when the H1B decision was coming, that's when it became no, I want to stay in the us.
Speaker 2:I'm not ready for the change and everything. And you'll be moving around and I've moved around too much guys from michigan to chicago, to tennessee, back to chicago I don't know. You ever went to tennessee. What do you go and do, tennessee?
Speaker 1:I stayed in tennessee for like a month or so. Okay, about two months, yeah, and you guys just to add it here excel has never bought furniture.
Speaker 2:Have you ever bought furniture? I've offered you once but when you move to this house where both of us live, excel said that I'm doing it today. Guys, I'll be. I say I'll be bold to pick you, except he never allowed me to sit in. I never went to his house because he said that he does not I never allowed anyway, because the excuse is I don't have chair. Who wants not to buy chair? He said that he was not going to buy chair. Until until what is it?
Speaker 2:until whether your h1b decision comes out, yeah, until I'm sure that I'm settling that, if not you, and I mean it was fair, but I was like okay. So, since I already know that both of us are in this, boat together.
Speaker 1:I can't come to your house like my whole move is usually like two boxes because of these reasons, reasons.
Speaker 2:I see, yeah, it's okay, okay. So yeah, when I had the decision I.
Speaker 1:I called my family and then I was like yo Wawan, this is what's going on and I just went straight into Survivor. What next? We talked to my manager. I told him look, this is where we are.
Speaker 2:Bam, bam, bam what can we do?
Speaker 1:They offered me some of the most biz. I won't say biz Sao Paulo.
Speaker 2:So Google is investing in lower cost economies.
Speaker 1:We should say that.
Speaker 2:So places like india, munich, brazil. Um, there's another place poland, singapore, right? Oh, I know, I know about taiwan, taiwan, taiwan to somewhere else. So places where labor is cheaper than the us of zurich even now, that's zurich I was mentioning you have to be l5 and above, and even at l5 it is extremely hard to get.
Speaker 2:Yeah it's so. So what? How did you guys arrive at canada? Because usually at google, policy is like there has to be a business justification or reason to send you to a particular place. Yeah, so for me, why I have been selected to go to Warsaw is because the people who are building our phones I work on the device system, pixel team, fitbit and all of that A lot of them are hosted in Poland. They work out of Poland, so they think it's business wise for me to go to Poland, right Even though.
Speaker 2:London could also be an option, but like there are out of poland, so they think it's business wise for me to go to poland, right, even though london could also be an option, but like there are single teams there, but anyway. So why did your team choose canada for you?
Speaker 1:yeah, I think because one of the uh criteria was that you would have your team in wherever you're going to there should be team members team members there. So brazil was an expanding site, india was an expanding site.
Speaker 2:They offered me brazil or india really, I thought it was munich they offered you germany munich was a gamble.
Speaker 1:Munich was. We could try, but we are not sure. Sure okay right because you have some team members there so we could try to push for that same with me.
Speaker 2:That was how london was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was closed yeah, right from the onset, they already told me it was closed.
Speaker 2:Taiwan was out for me because it was a 13 hour time exactly and mind you guys.
Speaker 1:My whole my whole traveling was hinged on moving to zurich, like my whole, my whole piece.
Speaker 2:It's true me and you talk about it that we'll be in zurich together. That was our.
Speaker 1:That was our piece was that, even if I get to travel, I'll be in zurich and we're like fine, like I use that as a comfort zone. And then they just told me straight up.
Speaker 2:They snatched it under our feet out.
Speaker 1:I was like oh, I think at that point I was when my micro panic started started. Yeah, I was like oh my god, so brazil.
Speaker 2:I remember I remember when excel taught me how to watch walking talk. So you go to youtube and you click walking the city of brazil. Then you'll not see someone with gopro. Now he's walking around the city. You'll learn how to. So I did that too for poland people that are walking around the city so we can know what the city looks like. Man, you guys it was. It was a tumultuous it was a tumultuous.
Speaker 2:It has been a tumultuous two months for you, but poland is nice, right, my brother? That's not the situation. Who is in poland? If you know anybody in poland, please tell them that I'm coming. Oh, I'm coming. I've been watching youtube videos. There's some nigerians there like I'm, so one can have her braids look neat.
Speaker 2:I said, okay, maybe there's a braider, because I need my bread, I need my nail artist, I need my everything thank you, you guys don't be praying for me, me, my own, I mean, I'm supposed to live by january 2025, so I still have some time, but now I have to be in like survival mode for a long time. Like my lease here is up in j, but I was able to extend it for an extra three months. I'm supposed to be moving like September, october, november around that time. So it's like, as long as I just sit and look around my house, god, what am I going to do with my bed?
Speaker 1:What am I going to do with my?
Speaker 2:plants. At first I even wanted to text some of my friends Just like yeah, so plus the pot. As you see, that's her name pot. That's why she has a name. I don't want my plant, so, but yeah, because it was real monster. See, it's still growing now. The soil is good, anyway. So that's the situation of what we're going through.
Speaker 1:I look around $200 for a plant.
Speaker 2:No plus the pot. Maybe the pot is like $80.
Speaker 1:Maybe $120.
Speaker 2:It's not like how people have pets. You know the way everybody wants to stress me in our team, my pet. Meet my dog Louie, my cat.
Speaker 1:Me too, I should start taking my plants.
Speaker 2:Even when someone was telling us how, oh my God, their dogs miss them so much Me, I not commented. I said I guess my plants miss me too, Because all of us came back from summit. I said okay, let me join these crazy people, I inanimate object, but, anyway, sorry.
Speaker 1:So, um, yeah, where were we canada? Yeah, yeah. So my manager is like excel. After like like three weeks, he's like excel, you know what? There's a probability that you'll be able to make it to canada and I'm like let's, let's give it a shot, let's try, because one going to brazil, I have to learn portuguese, yeah, to survive at least for a whole year. And then there are a couple of things that you knowzil, I have to learn portuguese, yeah, to survive at least for a whole year. And then there are a couple of things that you know you would have to learn is a new site.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the team is just being formed yeah, there were so many and the place was still giving third world the place was actually I mean we might be wrong. Please, in case you're brazilian.
Speaker 1:We're sorry, but that will be so on youtube yeah, and I think I think what what I was trying to avoid is I wanted a place where I could bring my family to, to visit and they would feel like it was different yeah, and brazil is a lot more.
Speaker 2:It's a lot like lagos yeah, you know, there's a lot of nigerian vibes.
Speaker 1:Yeah nigerian vibes. So I that's. That's why I can't bring my parents in new york, to be honest because, yeah, my mom came from manhattan.
Speaker 2:She spat yeah, because the smell. She said that is this, the manhattan I think she could not take this man. She just spat on the floor like this.
Speaker 1:I saw the disgust on her face like this is the Manhattan you know when you're about to talk, take them to somewhere else, please.
Speaker 2:So yeah, what other alternative? And for me? I think when I heard the news, I was on the phone with someone so it shocked me. I think my heart just dropped and immediately I texted my. So everybody on my team, I, I, everybody, I dragged them through the trauma with me for one year. I told them you guys, guys, guys, guys, this is last year, guys, we're waiting to march.
Speaker 2:Guys, every minute, if any time, bar our immigration firm sends us an email, I forward it fyi did you forward it to your team yes, no, just my manager and I copied my skip.
Speaker 2:I needed to tell them to know, because my team too you can see now it took them how many months four months before they approved my request. So I knew that these folks, this bunch, I need to be carrying them along so they will not act like. I never told them so every once in a month. They knew that tolu is waiting for her, her information, I think. So when it finally happened, I just forwarded it and said hi, the shoe has finally dropped. Full stop regards. And I went. I wanted them to know that I'm as you are as you read this, I'm thinking about my life. And then the other shoe has finally dropped. Then the responders start to hear this Okay, we'll speak to the director soon. Follow up. So immediately that process started, but it just took forever and they just approved it today.
Speaker 1:Guys, I think, if nothing, this is one thing that I'm grateful for my own management chain for. I gave it very, very much on it.
Speaker 2:I kept saying that I'm so happy for you, so what? So when? Before we go into what are things we're going to miss about the us, because time is of the essence what other alternative paths did you explore that? So this is for other us people who might fear that they are also losing their work, authorization like what advice can we give them?
Speaker 1:so what?
Speaker 2:paths can they explore?
Speaker 1:if you, if you are from places like outside india or um china, asia generally, india, india and china. Basically, I would say, explore the eb to niw path what of nigeria's?
Speaker 2:yeah, outside there like okay, any other country outside okay, yeah, because for them their date isn't that it is about 10 years exactly, except if you are willing to wait 10 years, but otherwise explore the national interest waiver. Which is what's that you're writing to us government that you have a proposed endeavor that can help the economy, so they should waive your your work authority yes, they should waive that that need for you to apply for work authorization and they should give you a special visa to be able to stay back in the us ahead.
Speaker 1:So and then I think another option to explore is the eb1, although this one is extremely difficult it's called the ice time visa yeah, because it requires you to be of extraordinary ability. So, yeah, it's something you can explore, something you should try, but that would require you to maybe write papers yeah, and you have to have.
Speaker 2:There are 10 requirements for an eb1 visa, but you need to have four out of ten yeah, so something like um what are they like?
Speaker 1:an award public. It probably your different.
Speaker 2:Yes several publications, like websites, have to have carried you. You have to be somebody in your field basically yes, you have to. Yes, you have to be commanding a higher salary than the rest of them. Yeah, so both of us tried different options. I'm trying for the niw, and you as well. Right so, but that takes a year and a half right a year and a half to to get approved or to get the green card to get up to get approved if you do um speedy whatever it's called premium processing.
Speaker 2:You can take about two weeks, yeah, but to get the green card. It takes about a year because of the backlog backlog exactly, and right now the backlog is there in march. So so march of 2023 so they're still, and for us who are applying 2024, so you can imagine, there's a one year um backlog and these are alternative pathways to green card. So, of course, whatever we say, please don't even take it. Just whatever lawyer has assigned to you, just go and meet them I think.
Speaker 1:I think another option to explore is actually leaving the country and coming back on an air visa, which is what we're doing, which is yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:So we should say the green card we're exploring is Pan Am B. It's because and two of us fell into the pit of usually Google does apply for green cards from the first day we had, but we had shitty lawyers assigned to us and I do not. I said what I said. I stand on what I I do not stand to be. I had and also something else that didn't favor me. Even you. You definitely had a terrible lawyer when I came in 2022. They laid off january 2023 and in the us, if a company lays off, you're required to pause your green card applications for six months so now they're not laid off again in june.
Speaker 2:So now it starts me post again to the end. It was supposed to get to the end of last year then they did some layers. So, as you can see, I have no hopes for my green card being approved. So that's why, fine, and people used to talk to me about taking this pathway, but I never really listened because I was like I was like we have our jobs.
Speaker 2:You know, we're just like spoiled googlers, thinking that we always have this job and now look at us, look at us, we're there going for events. But truthfully, to even my notary layoffs, we also knew a lot of success stories. We had friends who were getting their green card at google, so we just I genuinely just felt like my time would come to be honest.
Speaker 1:Yeah, honestly, I felt like I wasn't going to push it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah and even when I would follow up with the lawyers, they would tell they would tell me the same thing it's paused, it's paused, it's paused anyway. Now we have gone to go and look for lawyers and people outside that can help us spend our money spend our money, bro bro I'm at 4k now.
Speaker 1:Where are you? I'm at 4k. I didn't want to talk where I am, oh my god, you know I'm doing one or two oh my god.
Speaker 2:You know I told someone that I can never give that money to this government just to stay here. Never, but it's my pride. It's probably my pride because I'm like what the hell? And I'm still going to pay premium processing I've never done that.
Speaker 1:Let's, let's keep. Actually, let's not talk about it, it's very sad, you guys, so sad it's so expensive when it is, if you have, if you are, I think one of the major advice I'll give is, beyond you know, getting your professional starts up yeah save up a lot of money if you want to just have a hinge free peace of mind application exactly just save up a lot of money for that. Focus on that Moving on.
Speaker 2:Oh, I wanted to increase your voice, oh sorry, sorry, so that you can be louder for people to hear you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, you can't keep talking, but yeah, it's just yeah, to immigrate is money.
Speaker 1:You know, we keep with some of us. I know a lot of us. Anytime they actually they'll say it's good, it's because you cannot begin to describe. If you begin describing, you tell like, honestly, see, there are some people who had a very smooth immigration and truly, for those ones you can say it's god, yeah. But then there are some, there are some, the process in it, in of itself, like the general process. I'll be, I'll be honest.
Speaker 1:Both of us are lucky I think so even, even though we are going through distress, yeah, we are still lucky that we're in a position where we can, where we can actually that's true.
Speaker 2:So sometimes when I complain, you're right, god. I thank god. I'm so sorry if I've been ungrateful, because some people don't even have jobs, people that were laid off. Who's going to take them to poland and canada?
Speaker 1:the option even day exactly.
Speaker 2:There's no option. That's true, that's true so we, we are, we are lucky in some way, we are God, we thank you, we thank you so much. We even have somewhere that we can say we're going to and actually when we check, you're right, it's not that bad, it's actually. It's like a mini city, it's like a wannabe New York. Yeah, and it ranges are. I'll give a joint range for our salaries. Maybe are you including like the no, no, no base.
Speaker 1:So let's say 120 to 160.
Speaker 2:That's about right for yours, right, okay, sorry, sorry, it's a range. It's a range 120 to 180 for the base, and so how do you feel about the salary adjustment too? You want to see if they're, if they say any six figures, you can see any six figures no, no, no, no, actually no, I'll be any six figures in zloty's.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but in the uk. Yes, I was to be any you see me I think. I think it even goes beyond that, because the the cost of living in canada is almost as equivalent to living in the us and I'm taking a 45 percent cut and I'm getting double tax. To me it's like like I'm getting the, like the the. What's the word? Is it the wrong end of?
Speaker 1:the stick or whatever it's called like I mean it's great that this option exists. I'm actually grateful because I do need to leave to canada and I really I'm looking forward to it in a way. Yeah, but then the financial part.
Speaker 2:I don't know if I'm willing to just accept it as is like I remember you used to tell me that even excel I mean, it's something I'm going to talk about later like you started doing all the, I started seeing all your financial models that you used to do to get your money up. I was like Excel, plug me in this, you know, and you used to tell me that, as a woman, I do even need to be getting my money up although I know that might sound a little patriotic out some patriotic out some people but, like both of us understand the context of what it was right.
Speaker 2:Excel felt like he's gonna be a provider, he needs to be a family man, he needs to, like, get his money up and all that. So he was very he was much more frugal in his spending but, like, even for me, now where I'm going to even okay, I'm going to start, I'm waiting for that part. So excel was much more frugal in his spending and even for me now, knowing how much. I've not calculated percentage of my code, but all I need is that it's less than half of what I'm in the us for base, so I don't even know how it's going to affect my stocks or my equity or my no bonus is still 15%.
Speaker 2:How is it in Canada? I think it's 15, but then I'm paying US Canada tax together yes, it's true, they told me so they're still doing some tax reviews so how it works at Google. You don't earn the same money everywhere. They adjust it to wherever you're living. So that's which is. I think it can be a good or bad thing, but anyway. So that's the dilemma that we're currently in.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, so to wrap up the episode on what will you miss the most about the us I think I think for me, the biggest, the what I'll probably miss the most to me, is the people. I think I made a lot of friends, especially like in chicago and now in new york yeah I'm going to definitely miss the people a whole lot. They they made my stay in the us worth it anyway.
Speaker 2:So you didn't tell us how you moved from michigan to chicago actually that's a lot of but you were. You got your job In Google Michigan office or Chicago office.
Speaker 1:No, I got my job In Google Cali In Mountain View, really yeah, but then I changed it To New York and my excuse was that there are no black people In Mountain View. I swear to God.
Speaker 2:And you, what Did you talk to HR? Was he HR? No, I just told my manager.
Speaker 1:That she's she's in Zurich. So I was like, never now, look I, I want to go to San Fran, but I know black people there, I know Nigerians there, and she's like, oh yeah that she, yeah.
Speaker 2:So where do you want to move to? Do you want to stay in Chicago? Yeah?
Speaker 1:they have to support you. They have to be inclusive she's like so do you want to? Do you want to stay in, uh, chicago? And I said, well, I think New York would be a better option for me. I was like okay, yeah sure I know doing COVID, they were allowing a lot of moves. I see, I see so Michigan they allowed me to stay in Michigan for like a year just because I work from home and then during that time I just switched.
Speaker 2:Okay, so that's how you ended up in New York and we finally became friends. Okay, so you said you were saying sorry to have caught. You said you miss the people yeah, I think so.
Speaker 1:For me, most importantly, like I'll miss the people I, I will miss the ease of doing things in the us. I know people complain a lot but honestly, trust me, it is. It is really easy to do a lot of things in the us I don't know if it's because of capitalism, but they make things easy. I'm not going to lie I'm going to miss my pee. Yeah, I'm going to miss my friends.
Speaker 2:I'm going to miss tolu. I'm not even going to lie, it's just yeah, I'm going to miss my pee.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm going to miss my friends. I'm going to miss tolu. I'm going to miss a lot of people. Yeah, that made the us, you know, mean something to me to me yeah and I think even you know, beyond that, I'm going to miss the um. Beyond you know, my friends, the, the ease of doing stuff and all of that I'm. What am I going to miss again in the us?
Speaker 2:let me say mine. So maybe, yeah, I think for me I haven't even thought about I wrote this question so I forgot to answer them to myself, but definitely my friends and new friends of me and the new you know my story is very sad but, anyway and um, because before I think in our reveal we're going to tell people how I also never really wanted.
Speaker 2:I was already getting ready for a change in my life. Low-key, very low-key. I was like, okay, I've been here for four years now I can use the change of embarrassment, I'm a spinster, nothing is holding me back, I can do whatever the hell I want. So I was already like, okay, going to europe will be a nice experience in the experience, you know to explore and all that.
Speaker 2:But now that I think of it, I think I don't even know if I'm really missing anything, because I never allowed myself feel rested in the country as well, like my two feet have never been down because I knew that I was going to be in a lottery.
Speaker 1:All this way, so I've never.
Speaker 2:I mean, I've made good friends, don't get me wrong, like I have like people that I can call tomorrow and these people will be like oh yes, tolu is our ride or die, you know in air quotes and all that. But when I think about what have I really missed? Maybe the attractions, maybe even the places I ever traveled to. I went to go and meet people yeah, so I always feel like I can always meet people again, so I guess I don't know what do I miss.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, I don't know actually. But you know one thing I feel like I I miss. I have more things that I miss in Nigeria than in the US, of course, definitely.
Speaker 2:I agree with that, because I also feel like I have friends everywhere, even in Europe. I'm going to nice.
Speaker 1:Like I'm going to go and begin another Europe tour.
Speaker 2:I have my sister in Dublin, I have friends in London, manchester, germany, so in fact To do the travel? I've been telling myself no matter what happens, it's me, I'll do it again. I'll find community again with the help of God. You know I love that. I'll find I'm even sad. I think something I'm sad about is actually leaving my church to be fair to be fair, because I felt like I was already becoming committed.
Speaker 2:For one year I did not go to church in this US. I've been for even two years, so I know what back in church. I know how grateful I am to have been back in church so I to have joined like service units in church, like I'm on prayer team now and all that. So it's like, oh my god, I'm going to start again a new place, and so, of course, that's scary, but I don't think.
Speaker 2:I think your work might still be the same. Working with people, meeting your friends, might still be the same. For me, hopefully, europe too is a very is a first world place, so, like I feel like he's doing things easily, might be easy too. I don't know about language barrier, though. So that's another thing, of course, the salary will hurt, but I think I'll adjust you know? No, I never knew I would end this much money in my life already in dollars.
Speaker 1:I think, wherever I am, I'll be fine. I think one thing, one thing, one thing is that is also very fair to point out is, in a way again, I know we are being all grateful, I know, but we are also coming from a place of, should I say, some level of privilege. Yeah, because the truth is, being in the us is not easy. I'm not even going to lie like the emotional baggage alone, yeah, just knowing that you're in a lottery for for three years and there's like there's nothing you can do to actually change that change that.
Speaker 2:You know. It's not like you can sleep money. Even if we started applying for well, even if we said, okay, we'll start applying for our own green card on this side, where we have gotten the money, it's not because we're working on how many that we could have applied. So yeah, I guess everything happens.
Speaker 1:So I think, I think, I think what I'm trying to drive out is all these things that we're saying we're grateful for yes, they are nice, but you should also know that we are saying we are grateful for yes, they are nice, but you should also know that we are saying it from a place of Privilege, privilege. Because everybody can actually you know, Some people are not, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, are stable enough. Are stable enough.
Speaker 1:Even just the emotional Dude when Trump was coming in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, A lot of people told me to that's when I was coming. I came here in 2020 during the elections. Yes, I came here just before. I came here in November. I arrived here November 1st. Everybody I knew was going to the US kept telling me why not Canada? But, I had to tell them you guys, the US is my promised land.
Speaker 1:I don't know about this.
Speaker 2:But now that promised land fooled me and it's about to spit me out. But we peed.
Speaker 1:I told you about the whole depression thing. I feel like we've talked about it, but not in detail. I hardly gave you the detail.
Speaker 2:I know people are voting him again this year.
Speaker 1:I think, for when I got my Google job, I slipped into depression twice.
Speaker 2:Is it that you couldn't believe?
Speaker 1:it. No, I think I've just gone through so much. I've just gone through so much stress. Both mentally and emotionally. How?
Speaker 2:long was your recruiting period? No, I think I've just gone through so much stress To get there, both mentally and emotionally.
Speaker 1:How long was your recruiting period? How long did it take you? When did you start? When did you get there? I started in March. No, yes, in March, and then by April it wasn't even the recruiting period.
Speaker 2:You know you'll be star boy, star boy Me. I started in January. I didn't get into me.
Speaker 1:my mother, I was told I don't think it was just the google recruiting, because I feel like for google zone I was already not to brag, but I feel like I was already sure and I was going to get it even just by when the recruiter reached out to me, so I was like fine I don't even, I don't even settle that, that I'm going to get that one you know spiritually and everything yeah, but I think it was just the the buildup of emotional stress yeah, dude, I did go through a lot yeah, I came during kobe, that you have any friends, that you have any anybody here?
Speaker 2:that not make bread? Ah, should we talk about that?
Speaker 1:no, please your grass ah, let, yes, let's not talk about it, but your established.
Speaker 2:Has established.
Speaker 1:My established has established.
Speaker 2:Oh, my God.
Speaker 1:I mean, guys, this doesn't mean that if you send me money, I will not collect it. I will not collect it.
Speaker 2:Help us please, and actually we should tell them so people are not worried. There is a plan to come back aside the green card Google. After you've stayed away from the country for at least 12 months, you're allowed to rent at the US on a different visa called the L1 visa, and there's the L1A and the L1B.
Speaker 1:See with how many lawyers I've met.
Speaker 2:Now I can, even I can spit, I can quote everything that they tell me.
Speaker 1:But, guys, you know one of the disadvantages of l1, the reason why I'm pushing that we still do green card is because l1, you have to throw it to the company. So if anything happens, you have to do this yeah, spoken english like engaged.
Speaker 2:You know you'll be threatened. Oh my god, oh so everything happens.
Speaker 1:It's not even like the normal ead that you have 60 days or 90 days. I see you say I didn't even know that part, so so us immigration.
Speaker 2:I didn't even know that part. So US immigration is I don't even know now. Do you see a vice to come to the US? Anybody with dreams to immigrate to the US? What would you say? I think I felt if money is the dream, pursue it, yes. But if money is not the Norway, Finland, Ireland.
Speaker 1:Australia I don't know about Australia. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Since I mentioned the Shanghai companies.
Speaker 1:I said let me add Australia. Other places that are more. If it's peace of mind, if it's money that you want, the capitalism in the US is supreme.
Speaker 2:Even the job, the experience, the expertise.
Speaker 1:Even the quality of Nigerians are here too. Honestly, if you are looking for, I hear Nigerians are quite experienced.
Speaker 2:I respect it.
Speaker 1:Sorry, I've seen Nigerians are respected among the African community like you need to hear my Kenyan co-worker talking about Nigerians.
Speaker 2:I know they think we're so cool. I'm like bro, I didn't know we're that cool yeah, they always think that's so cool and there's some people that roll their eyes. I have a friend that's always like every time I I cooked jollof fries for nigerian jollof wars competition now in nigeria, she's like your people voted they. She's always like, oh, they cheated.
Speaker 1:Like, oh, you guys just I think someone said that about your, the, the, the stuff that we did in google, that that outfit thing, and they were like only Nigerians, and that were there. Someone said come and call me my peer bonus.
Speaker 2:So you guys, there was a fashion competition. I mean, I submitted and I was like wait, I don't even have to go and dress up for this. When my sister did wedding.
Speaker 1:I was sister of the bride. I said I submitted my picture, but there were only two non-Nigerians. What?
Speaker 2:was the concern. What was there not to submit? True, true Do you remember when I was Africa committee lead, I even came back and begged we were asking for suggestions of food for. African people. So, you guys, we had Africa week and I was on the volunteering committee, and then we begged them. Only Nigerians were submitting food. Moi, moi, jello fries meat pie. I had to come back and beg. I yes, people are submitting.
Speaker 2:I was like hi guys, we've only received a submission from West Africa, in particular Nigeria and Ghana. Please like, if you're from South, west, north, please submit. That's how people from Morocco, cameroon, côte, d'ivoire, all those are sending out their submitting for that food.
Speaker 1:So I feel like other Africans don't participate as much as Nigerians, because that one does not concern me. I just want to also point out that Tolu bullied me to vote for her.
Speaker 2:Eh, I never did. I said okay, actually I bully this one, I actually bully this one. But let me tell you, I said that yeah, because I know you did not know that it was even happening.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I said to the link that I said see, I'm going for this.
Speaker 2:Vote me, of course. Who else will you vote? Are you funny? I?
Speaker 1:mean, if I knew it was happening, I would have voted for you, and actually no.
Speaker 2:If you saw someone else that you liked, maybe you could have voted I don't think I saw anybody.
Speaker 1:I know you just.
Speaker 2:You just went there and voted me and I had a friend the same friend who called me to let me know I've never talked about where I was when I had my h1b. I was on a call and someone called me. I said tolu, I heard that people h1b's are have you seen yours? And I'd logged out, for the day was around 7 pm, march 31st, I'll be april 1st and so I said, oh no, I haven't get to know. Anyway, that was how I found out about my, and then, of course, I sent the screenshots to you I sent to my mom.
Speaker 1:I mean, like I told you, I was already expecting so I was like okay, now my mind can calm down, it don't happen exactly it has casted it don't cast everything.
Speaker 2:So so me too, I immediately went into sharp mood, like texting my people and whatever. So she's the same person called me. I said tolu, I saw that you put in, you went in for this fashion competition. I've already voted you. So that's when I knew that. And let me tell you, apparently I found out that I eventually got access to the phone because so I saw the people that voted for me and I saw the. I even saw one friend. They said you did not vote for me in this thing, and it was clear, let me tell you, except forget was.
Speaker 1:But my was my picture not the finest okay, maybe the other south african girl came close. Like I said, I didn't look at any other.
Speaker 2:There was another person that her own looked fun like startup. It looked different like her own. The other people there that had actually mom was the best you know, you know, you know.
Speaker 1:The thing is. I say I, you asked me to send the picture to your work profile yeah, so like I already knew what you knew, I didn't even look at anybody. I just saw the pink outfit and you saw it exactly.
Speaker 2:I saw. I remember seeing some whose responses, some other. I didn't know their name, but there was a girl's elder. I saw I was like Jesus. This girl didn't actually vote for me. She was always pinging me. I'm not joking. She used to ping me for help. Sometimes I even used to ignore her messaging. I said this life, this life even if, even if no, you're supposed to help your helper.
Speaker 1:Wow, yes, this is why Tinubu is where he is now.
Speaker 2:Please don't call my name in the same name. Thank, you.
Speaker 1:Maybe she's drinking white tea now it's in the presidential seat. It's a lie. Maybe she's a liar.
Speaker 2:Except why I'm even angry is because I know my picture with the finest. That's my point, but we can talk about that another day, Anyway. So what do you miss most about New York? We're running out of time.
Speaker 1:What do you miss?
Speaker 2:most about New York.
Speaker 1:So I think the New York office, to me personally, is the best in the US and you know I've been to 11 offices means let me do smoke.
Speaker 2:Let me come close to the mic, like this nigga has been doing.
Speaker 1:Please, though, no offense to a killer head so African American friends, please though guys, tolo and I have this running competition. Yes, whoever this is, whoever visits the most google. What's the gift set. Is that right so?
Speaker 2:I've been. I've been to 11 offices and every time you can see how many offices you're being to so let me count it for you guys. I've been to sunnyvale mountain view boston wait, now I've been to boston, don't get me distracted. Atlanta, new York, virginia DC, austin, texas, lagos, toronto, 10, 10, no, there's one more. I'm missing one. I swear I'm missing one. Continue, count it.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to embarrass myself. I've been to just New York, chicago, michigan, colorado and I think one more I can't remember One Lagos. I've been to Lagos, colorado, and I think we won one. I can't remember we won Lagos. I haven't been to Lagos, except we said we'll go to Lagos office in Lagos office. They pick them from their house inside car hey, we said we'll go to Lagos, but we're not coming in December now, even if one day we shall jam in Lagos and we'll do that, we'll order.
Speaker 2:Pick up, go to the office guys I'm doing in my Excel no grief for anybody.
Speaker 1:They don't burn anybody, papa me.
Speaker 2:Excel said that now that they don't give me visa, we travel the world because he was stuck in, you were stuck in the US, right, I haven't.
Speaker 1:I haven't left the US since, and the US. They don't joke with that if you leave, you can't come back.
Speaker 2:It's not a joke if you leave anything you leave in this country, say bye, bye, forget about, which is kind of like a dicey thing. Maybe like B1, B2, yeah.
Speaker 1:But this year you see this competition that we are doing. I'll come back for the next podcast Okay, no. Allah, you see, my guy Let it be Matt.
Speaker 2:No, I'm at the level of this. Let me never make Matt. You see what I will make, matt, I'll be. I'm going to Europe, all the Europe offices, anyone I go, that I've entered, don't worry, he's on, he's on, he's on the bet. We bet pinky swear. Okay, what else? What? I'm new york. Anybody that knows me I think everybody has the wrong impression that I love new york because of all my instagram.
Speaker 1:I absolutely, I told you, nobody believes me when I say that I don't.
Speaker 2:You know. I told you when I got my offer. I told them I want to go to either california or austin. They said no, that these were the head counties, and I accepted it in grudgingness, you know. So I, I just made up my mind. I was going to make the best of it. So for new york, I think the only thing I'll miss is having everything somewhere. I used to enjoy going shopping. I used to enjoy like I liked. I don't like the transit system, but I like the ease of transportation. I don't like the subway, but I like that. I can get to wherever I need to get to. Right, I can be in another city today.
Speaker 1:So sorry for interrupting, but I have something to brag about oh my god the train. The reason why tuli doesn't like the transit is because she goes through the the ghetto on the ghetto train guys, my train is the post train and it is literally just like a 30 second walk from the house get out of there.
Speaker 2:Who are?
Speaker 1:you bragging for now in this one.
Speaker 2:Who are you bragging for? Get the, get the. Who are you bragging for?
Speaker 1:get the hell out of my podcast actually, I'm actually going to really miss the comments and I'm going to miss the food.
Speaker 2:I think food in New York is good.
Speaker 1:I haven't really explored the food in New York, funny enough really.
Speaker 2:You sure you don't like it.
Speaker 1:You're picking it up too yeah, and also the fact that I mostly like make what I eat. So I haven't really.
Speaker 2:And you're weird. You like Mexican. What's your favorite cuisine outside of Nigerian cuisine?
Speaker 1:It's Jamaican or Mexican right, jamaican or Mexican, yeah, my favorite is Asian Thai food, chinese food, yeah.
Speaker 2:I feel like I started liking Asian recently. Yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, actually I did. I used to Quesadilla tacos. Yeah, it's only tacos, I know right.
Speaker 2:It's only tacos. I know I was like which Mexican food even exists?
Speaker 1:Rice and beans no no, no, they are very close Really. It's like when you get the ingredient right, huh, when you tell them to spice it up.
Speaker 2:Oh, I see, give us spicy. I see they're not a spice. Anyway. So that's, I don't know what else I missed about New York.
Speaker 1:And another thing I missed, by the way, is the stores yeah. I'm someone who, like one of the issues that I had with Michigan was the stores were like very far away from me so I'll have to like take an Uber or whatever, but I like the fact that I can just come down my house and there's a store downstairs.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, it's true, even me, even the, I like that. I liked going to Sephora. I mean, I'm sure in other places I can go to them too, right, but I just like the fact that in New York I could walk to any of these places. There are parts of New York that are really cute, like I love seeing, and I started people watching a lot, like on the train. That's why all the sneakers I have today I lent it, I saw it on people on the train, so I'm going to miss like that, maybe like that people watching, but I don't think that I really I can say I love you there's some people that say I love new york.
Speaker 1:I don't know, yeah, yeah. I have a friend who says that she can never leave, like she actually wants to buy a house in new york, in the city itself, and I'm like what does she?
Speaker 2:do for you. Who's her daddy? What does she do?
Speaker 1:you know, you know, you know the person. I know the person that go and do job. Yeah, oh, I see Interesting, go with you for her, actually you know anything you put your mind to do.
Speaker 2:No, I'm beginning to understand. I'm beginning to see time and time again.
Speaker 1:Your goals can be achieved. I mean mom, I want to buy a penthouse.
Speaker 2:I know it's always penthouse.
Speaker 1:Go watch her, do it.
Speaker 2:It's possible in the US, right, yeah, true, but I think for me it's the. I don't think New York is that kind of place where I would want to. That's what people say, but I don't agree. People say, oh, how can you raise a child in New York? No, that is the mindset. It's because you hear everybody say in the city you can't raise a child? Yes, I mean, if your money can pay for it, why not us that we grew up in richer?
Speaker 1:places in our house had to be survived. But it's not just money, right?
Speaker 2:it's not just money issue right like the cultural issues so will you take your kids to Nigeria?
Speaker 1:not necessarily Nigeria, but like more prestigious, even if it's in Texas, they will go there and face gun violence, so which one is better?
Speaker 2:yeah, but I mean, I don't think about it like that because people that I have a friend that was shot, that text that I don't, I don't mess with that people, I like it but I am like People will be carrying gone. Yeah, I don't think anyway is better than anyone comes to raising kids. You think so?
Speaker 1:This podcast is coming to you next.
Speaker 2:What I favorite memories from our friendship. I have a list here memories from our friendship. I have a list here so, oh yeah, wow guys, she's prepared and I'm not. What are your favorite memories from our friendship and your worst memories? You said it to start with favorites okay, I can start with what.
Speaker 1:Let me start with what you, you just like stress yeah, start from, because there's only one worst I have, okay, tell me I think my worst memory was when we quarreled about the the jello fries thing really okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you were pissed I wasn't pissed.
Speaker 1:I wasn't pissed, I was just like I was shocked.
Speaker 2:Like I was very surprised.
Speaker 1:I think I was surprised Because of the extent that I got to.
Speaker 2:Got to. Yeah, but you know I also don't like jokes. I don't know if you know. Yeah, I know you say that.
Speaker 1:But then it's like You're kind of a funny person, kind of Emphasis on kind You're funny.
Speaker 2:You're. I'm already sad. You cannot take it back. I'm falling out. You can't take it back. You can't take it back. I guess maybe I was just on the wrong side of my emotions that day and I don't even mean to. Sometimes After I was like wait, why are you so angry at me? Why are you so angry? I think I just Because I actually told you, except you, bring for me. I think you pranked me. Either you said that, no, you didn't. Cool, I don't know why I was offended.
Speaker 1:I remember why too, but it was like it was serious to the point of we cannot be friends. And I'm like whoa.
Speaker 2:Okay, yes, that escalated, but I think did I apologize you did.
Speaker 1:No, it's not. I'm just saying, like the, you did like that was.
Speaker 2:It was last year, was it?
Speaker 1:last year, or was it this year?
Speaker 2:it was this year. It was this year. You definitely wanted to be strong before.
Speaker 1:There are a lot of memories. I think there's one where we went for Toussaint's thing, where we all went to the Chinese house and the Korean barbecue. There's one where we went with. What's her name? Iyanu, Iyanu love, no, not love.
Speaker 2:What's her name Ivy. Anyways, a friend.
Speaker 1:Sarah oh yes, yes yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Sarah came in time, went for dinner. That was Val's day dinner this year, that was this year. And then you know your birthday. Really you had fun, really I had so much fun. I really liked your birthday.
Speaker 2:I'm happy you came, I'm happy, thank you, thank you for inviting me. Duh, duh exactly you that you were for me. I told you. When you told me, oh, I have piano class, I said, except, so you're going to come late for my birthday.
Speaker 1:But I did. You came late. I came late, but I dressed up for the piano class and I'm sure everybody looked at me weird because we were just dressed randomly and I, you know, looked up proper and all.
Speaker 2:You sure we didn't talk about our piano class and my acting class.
Speaker 1:It's true. Yes, we did that. I still have a. You must never see the light of day. You see the way I'm looking at you. You shall see no body. No, I'll be in Canada. Wait till you're in Canada, so what?
Speaker 2:does that mean? Are you threatening me?
Speaker 1:Is it threats?
Speaker 2:Is it threats? Is it?
Speaker 1:threats.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, now you still have your own piano videos. God even said that you're good in those. What's the name of the video?
Speaker 1:Money must something I will never, I will never. So I think. So that was one. And then also when I came to New York, you know, the first time we came to your house with Sori Channel, I that was like to me, that was like, okay, I already knew that this person is she.
Speaker 2:she make like, like you know as you wanted to be friends with me. Yeah, this is.
Speaker 1:I just knew that this was someone that I have a good friendship with.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you for giving me a second chance after insulting me from LinkedIn. But it's okay, I didn't insult you.
Speaker 1:I just judged you Heavy judgment.
Speaker 2:Actually do you know? Is that all? Are you done? I mean there are more, but let me pause for now. I'll giving me food when you cook, isn't?
Speaker 1:it crazy that we have this.
Speaker 2:Because I was actually so pissed, and then you refusing to let me pay your visit. I think that but that one is not so serious, but like these are the only two things I feel like I can find fault with in our two years of we've been friends for almost it's like one and a half, almost two years now and then, but my best memories, best memories I remember the first.
Speaker 1:Do you remember the day?
Speaker 2:you booked an uber for me. Oh yeah, and it was last year. All my memory from, yeah, my favorite memories actually, from last year, it was at that day I closed late from work I think it was past nine that day. I just stayed at work and I kept doing what I was doing and you just texted me half and I said I'm about to go home or something. I can't remember what happened. And you know, I said should I book an uber? I think you said that and that day I feel like nobody in us can really be broke, right, because we have credit cards. But for some reason I remember being broke. I remember counting. You know, I did not want to overspend because I knew how much I wanted to pay back my credit card. I should just remember being broke and I could not take that.
Speaker 2:But normally when I can't, I don't like, and today, if I can't enter the train, I take a phobia for train, I book an uber instantly, and it's always a shared Uber anyway because it becomes cheaper Instead of paying $40 home, I can take a shared Uber for like $29, $30. And then Excel booked me and he just said it and I was like at first I was asking my hard guy okay, are we saying yes or not? Are we saying yes or not to this offer? And I said yes, please. And you actually booked an Uber for me and without. So he really touched me and it was not even a shared world, it wasn't shared. And you know, it was the things that I felt like I had to be in a relationship to experience. So I just felt like I might not even be in a relationship. That was so kind of him to offer that. You know to do that. So that would be my favorite memory Guys, that's very touching.
Speaker 2:I remember after, after didn't know yes, so you asked at the right time. Yes, yes, so it was. It really touched us. I can't forget that. Did you remember when I was sick, too, in september, that I left my laptop in the office? So sometimes, guys, because of how much I hate going, I leave my laptop in the office, so that the next day.
Speaker 2:So motivation that when I wake up I will go into the office. I have no choice because my laptop is on my desk. But that day I really motivation. No, it did not work. So I had to stay at home, I had to work from my phone and I told excel, the excel, please, that you're coming back. Since we live like not so far from each other, please can you help me bring my laptop? And you know, because of the way I am, I don't, I don't like to expect too much from if you have told me no, it doesn't change our french, because it's a big ask, right so, but you still brought it and you brought it for me. So, um, I, I won't forget that, the this thing that if we go out, if you're not initiated, you're out in two days, whether I think You'll be the one To follow me to my side or something like that.
Speaker 2:So there was, I can't remember which one of the days, but you followed me home A couple of times, you know, just to like Be sure I get home safe. And unfortunately, but actually no, I say it because it's me that used to initiate the house. So I'm like okay, I promise we'll take the train that's closer to your house.
Speaker 1:So that's what we used to do. Tony is the most random person. He's just like in the middle of the day. She had already planned her whole day to go to Whole Foods. Excel, let's go to Whole Foods and I'm like from where? Like?
Speaker 2:this is just from the blues. You laughed at him. So I'm like okay, if I'm the one that makes you go out with me, I'll follow you. We will take the train closer to your house and me I'll walk. So that's how we coped in our friendship Then another day that, and then we'll yap on the train.
Speaker 2:Yes, and we will now be just not doing that. Another favorite memory is when you indulge me in my hobbies. You'll follow me painting. You'll follow me to the cinema before we watch Anyone to the cinema before we watch anyone but you in the cinema. You're following me to comedy club before. And those are the three things I always do in New York City, and I realized that Excel has gone on everyone about these things with me. Yes, oh, why did you put your hand on your?
Speaker 1:Excel, they're rubbing me. I just remember, because I was living in New Jersey and I was like you know, we have to like was it like x versus y?
Speaker 2:yes, yes you made me choose yeah, yeah, we've had good times. We go way back, we go away yes, you've indulged me in all of my hobbies. So that means all those memories favorite. And then buying you, buying all the drinks for my 28th birthday. I remember that I you had asked me how can you help?
Speaker 2:and I told you that the only thing that is not my budget in this list is drinks. I had budgeted cake, drink, hair makeup shoe I won't buy new shoe, buy dress, everything and then I could not still decide and I forgot that drinks too is part of it. And Excel bought like he paid, yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm painting me in a good light.
Speaker 2:I feel like people listening are you having low self esteem issue? Are you insecure? I'm like calm.
Speaker 2:I think this guy is a good guy, he's a great guy and he's single, he's single he's single, he single, Let me shout All the single ladies just hit me up, you guys by the way, I should plug this you can now leave me fan mails on my podcast, you guys. I enabled it, so please click on that. Leave me a fan mail, ask me for his number. I'm going to hook you up Only if you're interested in long-distance relationships.
Speaker 1:Because I'm going to be in Canada.
Speaker 2:He going to be in canada exactly, and you have to be, you have to send me resume. I'm going to be like my sister now.
Speaker 1:My sister used to ask me to send resume when they used to tell her that they were interested in me I'm not joking.
Speaker 2:Shout out to you, temi, we love you, I love you, yes. Now. Yeah, it's just like we want to know who are you, what, what?
Speaker 1:did the show, so ask for cover letter no, I'm not.
Speaker 2:I have plenty memories. Yo, I don't have another memory of my first 40 minute walk, so me, I normally don't like taking walks. Excel made me walk from Chelsea to World Trade Center and if you're a New Yorker you know that that's from downtown Manhattan to almost Brooklyn, the start of Brooklyn, Williamsburg. So, this guy made me walk and we walked, we stopped, we stopped to gist on the road.
Speaker 1:That day was a good day, I remember, actually, although we took our video of memory yeah, that's the day we said that we're going to zurich together.
Speaker 2:We're taking this video for zurich, so that was hindsight is 2020.
Speaker 1:you only could see the future so that was.
Speaker 2:That was a oh, this is our love, how people can hear us. But that was a good day. And then, um, another thing I put here is um you getting promoted to L4. Like when you got your promotion.
Speaker 1:Do you remember? Tulu got me an amazing gift for my promotion. I still have the card that she got me, which?
Speaker 2:card, the card I got me, I got you, I got you a card.
Speaker 1:The promotion of the newest L4 in town.
Speaker 2:Oh, is that not my role? That's my role. I'm so cute. Yes, I was so happy for you. Both of us were expecting it together, Like I mean, you had told me that we were waiting and I was like, hey, I want to see it work for you so I can believe my work for me. My insha came this year. I did not get promoted, sadly. I know this year has been a lot. It has been so much. I went through manager issues.
Speaker 1:You guys. That's why I've not been.
Speaker 2:It's been a lot. It's been a lot. You guys, when God told me last year that this year is going to be for embracing change, I should have asked how much. I did not understand, because I didn't know how much change I would be going through this year.
Speaker 1:You are new, if I had known.
Speaker 2:So, yes, that was a good memory, and that day I bought you a cupcake. I did a cupcake.
Speaker 1:Yes, it was red velvet.
Speaker 2:I love it. So I had a bad cupcake and I gave him a card and in a kiss you, I mean I kiss you to say congratulations and then two more and nothing memories. Your money talks. Like I liked the fact that you encouraged me. I mean I always also wanted to know about, like, how to Financial prudence, to be prudent with my money. I'm that other dollar that people are talking about this. How can I multiply my number? I mean you know, like make it, what can I do? People are talking about how can I multiply my number? I mean you know, like make it, what can I do? Um, when it comes to tax, what's the call? What's 401k? How much should I put? You know. So you always indulge all my questions. You help me to see the loopholes in my finances, how I can take down my spending a month from a thousand to less than a thousand. You know, and all of that.
Speaker 2:So you always tell me how can I consider reducing my spending? So you added me on your excel sheet and that that sheet is a very private, special, special day when it's going to the other one, because I'm like I don't know how I love you.
Speaker 1:I was like. I was like I think you're the only one that has access to it.
Speaker 2:Now, you know, you just told you what I'm your bestie. I better go on. He has his own best bestie that cannot come and visit him Anyway, anyways, okay. So, shahi, I think I don't know why you gave me access to that finance, but thank you because it really helped me stand up my finances Like before. When it's time to pay rent, I mean, you know you have the money right, the money is always coming, but like I finances, so it's one of my all our money talks one of my favorite memories and lastly, you stocking up my office jar.
Speaker 2:It's for me. So excel used to come to the second. Excel works on the ninth floor. I'm on the second floor, so when he would come and also allowed to take snacks from you know the company, if we want to, whatever, so he'll come take stuff or fruit and then he'll always remember to put well, he has done it twice, let me say always, but he's touching, yeah, he's done only just twice. But he replenished my snacks. He replenished Because he knows that me, I used to Me, you know, like it's not every time I used to bring home Because I can't be. I'm about to expose myself.
Speaker 2:But I used to, I'm about to cast myself, but because I love shortbread and that shortbread Used to finish, it used to disappear. And of us, you know, before you think that there's only certain people that take snacks, it's a lie. All of us is to pack home.
Speaker 1:I see my people like 20 home.
Speaker 2:Okay, sorry, sorry, scratch that, scratch it scratch so me, I just used to take from the kitchen what do we call micro kitchen? And put in my locker like oh, so that whenever I'm in the office and I want snacks I have things in my locker. So excel recently yesterday I went to the office on monday and I saw that you had put popcorn, plenty popcorn like six or something for me in my locker. So that's also very nice of you. Thank you for always thinking I'm gonna come to the floor.
Speaker 2:So, guys, you can tell that this is going to be so sad. This is going to be so sad.
Speaker 1:Please don't forget when you go to canada anyway I was gonna tell you that like it's, it's like this is, these are, these are like super well thought out yeah, things and I I am, we're getting mushy guys yeah, it's getting mushy, it's getting mushy I am so grateful to have you as a friend and I know for the most part that's been difficult for me to like express emotions and it's something I'm still trying to get used to and to learn and all of that.
Speaker 1:But I cannot express how much gratitude I have meeting you just like you know being able to like someone to take you out, someone to like force you to do certain things that you know it is important for you to do them, but you're just reluctant, just lazy.
Speaker 1:And you have someone who you can see that, okay, he's trying and doing all that, and then tolu is almost a perfectionist when it comes to work and I think for me I'm very, very everybody be all right kind of person when it comes to work, and I think for me I'm very, very everybody be kind of person when it comes to work, but I I learned how to be more. There's this uh report that you send out the um the newsletter that you send out. The first time I saw that newsletter I realized I'm doing rubbish.
Speaker 2:I'm doing rubbish.
Speaker 1:It passed like three years in Google.
Speaker 2:Oh excellent.
Speaker 1:I didn't know I saved it. I had it booked to my laptop because anytime I want to move a pushy newsletter, I want it to look like that, like.
Speaker 2:I want it to be, oh my God, excellent, I'm blushing how did you even find it, you?
Speaker 1:sent it to me now, showed me we're in the same office. You were trying to show me pictures that you okay. Yes, yes, my team. I used to add pictures to the newsletter guys. It is extremely professional, like the linking I was like.
Speaker 1:Thank you oh sorry, guys, phone call sorry, thank you oh, no, no, no that's so nice, oh my god thank you for saying that and honestly, there are so many things, there are so many smaller things Like I obviously haven't really thought it out, but like these little things, these are the things that really matter to me. I have a question to ask, though. To me we are kind of like going into a short therapy session, but a beautiful therapy session.
Speaker 2:Guys, this time is good. This time is good.
Speaker 1:Your love language is out of service.
Speaker 2:Hey, sorry guys, sorry guys. Service. Hey, sorry guys, sorry guys. Let me quickly this one professional. Oh my god, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, my love language is act of service is it?
Speaker 1:I can see why because a lot of the things you mentioned were very, very active.
Speaker 2:Yes, oh my god, I hate you, you nice.
Speaker 1:I hate you. You like the form, dr Phil.
Speaker 2:You like the form. I can see, I know you, chips.
Speaker 1:No, but it is so nice to know that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's my primary love language. That's so serious. Yeah, it is so nice to know. Yeah, that's how I receive love.
Speaker 1:It is so nice to know that.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's true.
Speaker 1:Following me home following my yes yes that's what's happening.
Speaker 2:I love that for you. You're hilarious. What's your primary love language?
Speaker 1:that's interesting. I, I think it's. I think it's word of affirmation. I just found that out, like last two weeks, you guys?
Speaker 2:why any dilemma? This person does not understand.
Speaker 1:I'm busy, oh my god, okay, sorry, what you said is words of affirmation I just found that out, like two weeks ago, that it is word of affirmation. Um, I wasn't so sure.
Speaker 2:I is word of affirmation and physical touch oh, I see I think mine has changed now, you know, with new things I've, I'm going to see that I I'm receiving and giving love in other ways.
Speaker 1:But we can't go to people for growth. I think for me, giving is an act of service.
Speaker 2:Oh, I see receiving is also a foundation. You're not telling me now that would be. I would tell you when your outfits are nice.
Speaker 1:That's the thing I never knew, because I used to cringe at it. But you also used to hear nice it's true, I even forgot to say even you, you bought me a cup too for my birthday, I told you that I wanted one of the cups you always buy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've had good memories, oh excellent but I have a lot of pictures and I used to force Excel to take pictures. I always take his pictures and take my let's take a selfie.
Speaker 1:Let's take a selfie, okay. So I'm about to say something. Every time I show somebody a picture of me smiling, it's that picture we took in church where I had the blue sweater. Yeah, and I I've not seen anybody as photogenic as Tolu Like it's crazy, you can just wake up and just.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know, I don't think so Sha.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, people tell me, I look better in person Than in pictures. Maybe, but the picture, sha, that I see.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Like you, can be in any form and you just switch.
Speaker 2:And want to take a picture.
Speaker 1:And the picture Because in my mind I'm like this is a memory, remember, and I just captured it. No, but the pictures always come out good, like me okay okay, you're, you're hailing my photography skills okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 2:I know you, I know you, I know you seriously I have to like do some permutation.
Speaker 1:Is my smile okay, he's my friend, he's just coming around.
Speaker 2:I'm like ah I know we've been, you guys our walk is our walk. We have been content creators. Nice, our walk. That's funny. Yes, we also took a lot of pictures while we were here, so I I can remember that, guys memories, memories memories. Oh god, it's so sad. Okay, what are we talking? Too much this is actually one-hearted. Yes, yeah, yeah yeah so, but anyways. So yeah, those are our best and maybe worst memories, if we can call it that.
Speaker 1:Oh my god, it's good that we have worst memories.
Speaker 2:Yes, um, did we ever have lunch together and work? And, yes, anytime I had friends over, I'll be like excel. I have friends, even because of you remember I made you meet him, yeah I made you meet a bunch of people. I'm like excel because I have these friends coming in today. Do you want to have lunch with?
Speaker 1:us actually. You know, having lunch in the office also was it was one of my best times because yeah, it was just, we would never talk about work like we would talk about work, but it was like you know, we just well thank you for saying that.
Speaker 2:That thing makes me so happy. You know, I finally got the spot bonus for it. Yeah, my skip manager recognized me and that's why I felt sad, because I felt like this thing nobody had ever done it before, this something they always wanted and I did it and and so they now wrote today. This has been a thankless job. We just want to say thank you. Let me tell you, one month I went at a restaurant somebody did that newsletter typo excel typo error.
Speaker 1:You got a spot bonus. Yes, you know, you can put it as your part of your eb2. Yeah, spot bonus for the organization for my work.
Speaker 2:These are the things they don't tell us. Yeah, okay, I will remember that.
Speaker 1:Thank you, yeah, yeah do the plug for the podcast you get. You get like a bonus from work or from your friends. You can add it to your Green card application.
Speaker 2:For the EB2 process. Yeah, thanks for saying that. That makes me feel so validated. I don't even need their promotion anymore, thanks, I bet we need it.
Speaker 1:I bet we need it, we need it. Do you need it?
Speaker 2:Okay, so this is the last round right right, right right so we're going to do this or that new york or new jersey first question don't think new york. Okay, chicago, new york chicago straight up train or bus train green line or blue line, so the get the blue line or the punchline. We talked about that manhattan or brooklyn manhattan. Yeah, manhattan, for me too, actually, I should answer this question. Submit on living new york or new jersey, actually Actually New.
Speaker 1:Jersey, really yeah, not Newark, not Newark yeah.
Speaker 2:Jersey City, please be certified.
Speaker 1:My New Jersey was Newark I was going to Because that's where I stayed.
Speaker 2:And that's where most Nigerians stay, chicago or NYC I've never been to Chicago. So, I'll stay to the NYC.
Speaker 1:Train or bus. It does, but if it's a, that's why you leave early, so that you can get there At the time, but I like the bus Because of the internet though. Yes, me too, and I like that.
Speaker 2:I can charge my phone.
Speaker 1:I can read a book.
Speaker 2:I can respond to my messages, so Subway is where I know it.
Speaker 1:Still train, still train.
Speaker 2:No bus for me, green line or blue line, blue line, manhattan or Brooklyn, manhattan, but sometimes Brooklyn, he doesn't have the hair ready he doesn't have it as we're Manhattan folks even though we're living at the end of Manhattan.
Speaker 1:At the end of Manhattan, the start of Bronx.
Speaker 2:Actually no, we're at the start of Harlem.
Speaker 1:Okay, at the start of Bronx.
Speaker 2:Before we reveal our address pizza or bagel.
Speaker 1:I think I'm leaning towards pizza.
Speaker 2:Bagel for me? American church or Nigerian church? American think I'm leaning towards pizza. Bagel for me, american church or Nigerian church? American church, american church yeah. Coffee or tea, tea, coffee for me Amazon Prime or Netflix Amazon Prime.
Speaker 1:Really, yeah, netflix, really Amazon Prime, they're the first guests. Wait, I said for movies, or like Audrey, no for movies. Oh sorry. Amazon Prime Video or Netflix, no, no, what's Amazon Prime Video, yeah.
Speaker 2:Netflix. They have things, though they have things. I haven't heard that from Lionel or some good movies out on Prime Wait to watch it Netflix. Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts, it has to be Starbucks. Star starbucks stocks starbucks for the coffee and matcha, but dunkin for the doughnuts I don't like. I'm a fan of dunkin donalds. Yeah, I know, actually it's rich people that look down on dunkin. Yeah, but anyway, target or marshalls, ah, it's tough. It's tough, I know it's tough, it's tough, I'll say target for me, I think I say Marshalls.
Speaker 2:Target is cute, but Marshalls has more options, but target is just cute.
Speaker 1:Target is cute, but Marshalls is cheap.
Speaker 2:Okay, fair, we'll give them that. Marshalls or Burlington Marshalls now, what is Burlington?
Speaker 1:Burlington is cheaper, but I mean come on, give me my cheapness on class.
Speaker 2:Okay, marshalls, or Old Navy, Old Navy, old Navy, it's. Where is that? Chipotle or chick-fil-a?
Speaker 1:ha I know it's a tough one is it tough for you to answer it's chick-fil-a. Yeah, I feel like it's chick-fil-a, yeah I have a chick-fil-a person I feel like it's chick-fil-a. I'm I. If I have to lean towards junk food, I'll go there like what but chipotle for when you need food, when I'm trying to be like healthy, I'm leaning towards asian.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, I can see. Is it me that influenced?
Speaker 1:no, no, no, no. I've always liked um. Is he um? What is it? There's, chinese there's, it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2:This podcast is running out and by the way we have a is it bedded, belated bedded dinner for you tomorrow at an asian restaurant. So I guess that's why you chose the asian restaurant anyway. So when are you leaving again?
Speaker 1:july 1st, like on paper to canada, july 7th right july 7th, finally, oh my god.
Speaker 2:Anyway, now this question. Think carefully before you say your words. I don't want to. Yeah, wrong answer, only that's a tough one wrong. Actually right answers only actually you know I've set trap for you, but it's my podcast, so say my name, tulo Eyanu.
Speaker 1:Oh, because it's a podcast, I'm going to say Eyanu, you guys sorry.
Speaker 2:I'm making him choose between me and his actual bestie. One of his actual besties. One of his actual besties.
Speaker 1:Anyway, one of my close friends.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, yes, sir, anyway, so, but the answer is you guys shine, and it's too loud. I forced him, I bullied him to say anything. Any last words to the us government guys screw.
Speaker 1:Okay, we don't use that. We're not cutting this part of it. Please, I take your baby, give me a green card, honestly.
Speaker 2:We take our baby please please hear our plea. That's our last word, please, and please don't make it hard for us. What did we? Do we are valuable to your economy, if not for us.
Speaker 1:This country is built on the backbone of immigrants it's okay okay, yes, I'm getting it because without us, we would be there safe and and last.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'll be saying lastly, for the past last week any last words to someone who is about to lose their work authorization, someone who might not even have options, like us I mean honestly explore marriage I swear, I've lost my energy.
Speaker 2:Next time we don't do like this, I'll do podcast. Let's go. Oh my god, my chest, my chest, my chest, my chest, my chest. Do you have lawyers? Always, if you don't do like this At this podcast, let's not. Oh my god, my chest, my chest, my chest, my chest, my chest, do you have lawyers? If you don't have lawyers, you better take back what you said.
Speaker 1:It's not unlawful. I hope you know Like it's actually recommended. Explore marriage or military. If you don't have the opportunity, the funds and all that, explore it. It's recommended. I'm serious.
Speaker 2:Because the US won't let citizens move love into who cares about love.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean in the context of Except love and money, no love. Now. Wait love and money.
Speaker 2:No love and money. It's good to have one.
Speaker 1:It's good to have one and the other.
Speaker 2:Actually, I'm telling you you need to have one and the other. Okay, so explore marriage.
Speaker 1:Explore marriage? Yeah, Honestly.
Speaker 2:Actually I don for you. If you're a christian, just hold god no, but it's not.
Speaker 1:It's not godly now.
Speaker 2:It's not ungodly to explore, it is not, I know, but you know, you know the context of why it was funny, because people do exploit for wrong reasons what's the wrong reason for green card?
Speaker 1:yes it's not wrong, it's legal. I'm telling you even if you don't love them.
Speaker 2:It is absolutely legal so the love will grow no, you will end it okay. Well, divorce is not. It's not not god. No, I don't think it's legal itself. It is. We'll check it. We'll check it up guys.
Speaker 1:It is, check it. It stands by his explanation. I stand on business absolutely, we didn't tell them.
Speaker 2:Another path is to explore school. But me, I don't stand on that. Yeah, school is expensive it's really stressful.
Speaker 1:Like you have a lot, it was an option for us to go back to school. But me, I say I know, yeah, I'm true, we didn.
Speaker 2:If you have a, it was an option for us to go back to school but me I say I know, yeah, I'm true, we didn't even mention that. So you can do the one cpt.
Speaker 1:It's a gray line, it's a great, you know, gray area it's not illegal, it's not legal.
Speaker 2:So yeah, anyway okay, we need to wrap up this wrap it up, you guys, please. I apologize if, if this is your first time here, please go and listen to other ones Also. Actually, no, just take us as we are.
Speaker 1:Take us as we are. This is who we are. This is our band, exactly our band. It's actually worse than this. This is much. This is much better. This is much civilized. This is much civilized.
Speaker 2:Well, I hope, I hope you enjoyed listening. Oh, my god excel. So I wrote down some last words To say to you. I'll always remember you dearly. I know that they say friends are for a season, but I hope, eh, eh, is that your welcome?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I said hope.
Speaker 2:I'll start again. I said I'll always remember you, dearly Excel. Stop this, stop this.
Speaker 1:I'm going to give you this tissue. Let me cry on this.
Speaker 2:Can we even be serious in this relationship? All right, all so my last words to you I'll always remember you dearly and I know that they say friends are for a season, but I hope ours doesn't end here. I hope it's not the end of a season, and I can't believe I'm losing one of my better friendships, one of my best friendships, in New York In the walls of the US immigration system. I'll miss you, excel. Stay warm in Canada. I can't, I can't. I need you to keep me warm. Please don't be sad. It's like Excel. What Excel may be thwarted?
Speaker 1:Please, no, no, no Like. Okay okay, yes, yes, our friendship makes us warm.
Speaker 2:I agree, it's true, we spent Christmas. Did we spend the last Christmas together? No, no, but both of us were not at we. But both of us were not at. We were both in new york. We should have spent our christmas not with our families last year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I remember and we said, we remember. I have a good memory. I said we're going to go and do broadway, but I remember two of us were strong.
Speaker 2:We're like we want to go, but I went right no, you know, I told you that it'd be like, say, I actually don't have money remember you did you now say it's true, it's true, I don't have money.
Speaker 1:So I was like if I did not open, up, but when I was too sad that, yeah, you went for another type that was something that's not real broadway that was good though you should, you should exploit it okay, maybe in your minimum size.
Speaker 2:The only the last exploration I have now is to go and see all my friends one last ride, one last visit guys for the past three weeks.
Speaker 1:That's what I've been doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I have been going back to back to yes and I feel like I knew and I think because, and I think because of this, even last year 2023, I traveled a lot. I feel like I saw every one of my friends, even Pearl, I think I saw her like two or three times last year. I know Every one of my friends. Shout out to Pearl. Yeah, shout out to you. P, dr, p.
Speaker 1:Shout out to you, Dr.
Speaker 2:P she was. I've established good relationships with them. So even if I have to fly out of this country tomorrow, I'm not scared, because I feel like all the people that I'm supposed to be talking to and all the people that know should know. So I'm looking forward to it. I feel like my announcement is a little premature. I'm not leaving yet, but anyway, you guys, I don't think, I don't think no more than a hundred people will be listening like that. So I have like nine active listeners by about 100 or something, downloads all the time. But anyway, for the 100 of you that might be listening, please don't go. Let's keep the secrets in the family until you hear that I've gone to Warsaw, but anyway. So, yeah, we are both living in this country and yes, excel, I'll miss you, don't forget. Well, I mean, I'll still tell you tomorrow and before you leave. I don't know why you excel, we're going to be in different time zones. How? What's the plan for this friendship we're?
Speaker 1:going to be intimidating what's?
Speaker 2:the plan to keep this friendship going we'll talk about it, we'll talk about it. Okay, we need to. We need to shout out our cci siblings all over the world, you know, but like yeah, we need to have some things and also we need to like plan.
Speaker 2:Like, if I remember I cannot, that's our carola, you know, and I also want to be able to still complain to you at work and actually you helped me fix a lot of things. I remember to that x and that microsoft, that google form, that I needed to put the rejects RegEx.
Speaker 2:Sorry RegEx. Sorry Segbro TextX, I cannot scream RegEx. Excel helped me write that code. We queried bad everything and Gemini. But yes, you have also helped me at work, even outside, and we don't even work on the same team, so we have a lot of memories.
Speaker 1:Too many kind words. My heart is beating fast, migbim, migbim, migbim migbim. Why? Let me teach you guys something before I go. It's called if you don't see the chieftains of the house, you will hear his money coming. It's called if Rodinpa, he knew he see you go.
Speaker 2:Say that again If Rodinpa, if Rodinpa, if Rodinpa. He knew he see you go. He knew he see you go. Yeah, yeah, he's okay, he's okay. I rubbed him back, he would see ego no, that's not typical, don't worry, I like the. Shall I let one ego?
Speaker 1:that one is nice, that one is nice you just say if you don't see the owner of your house, you hear the smell of his money, money.
Speaker 2:I love it. So now, where's the money that we're smelling? Can you smell his money on the podcast? Tell them, please, don't kill me, anyway. So where can they find you if they're looking for you?
Speaker 1:So, honestly, you can reach me through Tolu. Yeah, right.
Speaker 2:You don't want to give out your Instagram have you.
Speaker 1:I don't know the name of it.
Speaker 2:I know it, it's E Chukura no it's not E Chukura. No, it's Excel. Ask, no, it's Excel. Is it A or S? That's what I don't know it's S, it's Excel. Oh, so then?
Speaker 1:it's ITS underscore E-X-C-A-L. Yeah, then I think there's an underscore. I'm not sure.
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, and just ask Misha.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Or DM me, we'll plug you. I remember girls. He's single, hey. So you guys Please tell them to rate the podcast Please. Guys, I've been begging, since Please help me to rate it.
Speaker 1:Guys, the goal is to make this podcast Bigger than I said. What I said.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you, we're not playing around here, we will come for you.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Jola FKR are my faves, please I cannot come for my masters. Okay, true, true, true. I like Jola. Yes so yes, um, so I take that back guys, but the goal is to be bigger than I said. What I said, yeah the. I could take that part of the future roadmap for this podcast is to go video roadmap.
Speaker 2:Yes, go to pm now you've gone all technical program manager.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, roadmap, roadmap part of it is to go all video. Yes, to have two mics.
Speaker 2:Now both of us are sharing one mic yeah, and then.
Speaker 1:That's why we need your donations by, by the way.
Speaker 2:No, please, I don't need to ask for donations. Thank you, bye-bye. I said you should turn on the radio.
Speaker 1:We're going video podcast. And then from video podcast. We're going to invite celebrities, we're going to bring in people on the podcast and we'll bring all of you back. Don't worry, you'll be a celebrity someday.
Speaker 2:I believe in your future. I believe in you If you keep except when I don't want to be signing for when it's time to see.
Speaker 1:You.
Speaker 2:Just tell them, is that no, no, no, we are getting there we are getting there, oh my god, so I wish I want to smell your money. Basically, okay, you guys, please, oh please. My apple podcast Analytics tells me that I have 219 listeners, so please, if I can get 219 reviews. Five points, only Five stars. Five stars, that's what we ask for, I mean, even for this episode, that's five stars. Just if you listen to this one, just give me five stars.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:I want to raise my right now my ratings are 4.6, which is not so bad, but that family. Tell me what I can do better too. I mean, of course, I'm sure I can do better with the audio and the production and everything, but I'm not big enough yet to to, to produce, but I get in there. We're getting there.
Speaker 1:It's not consistent enough yet, but we'll get and thank you, the roadmap is to get there yeah, there is a goal and if you have um, if you have a specific topic in mind, yeah, you can reach out on the non-immigrant.
Speaker 2:yes, student at gmailcom yes, this is Naba and Bracing Chain. Tell us, share your stories, tell us who you like to see, who you like me to invite. You know, and I'll try to accommodate it in my busy schedule with the way my life is now. You know, you guys are moving to Warsaw.
Speaker 1:I think one final thing is being an immigrant in the US is very, very dicey. It can be tough and it's very fun. So totally is happy to to answer whatever sort of questions you have regarding the tough part, as well as the, as well as the most interesting people I know.
Speaker 2:So when it comes to having fun totally is your plug oh, thanks for saying that, because we always think that by having fun that are going to clubs like that, you know we take it for dinner on the mountains but yes, I'm a fun person, you know, and if I don't look at her, uh, her linkedin don't look at my, but now I've updated it. Now my linkedin picture is nice with the red hair. You changed it from the one that we took in.
Speaker 1:My own tattoo has bleached by the way, the day that she took the picture, we took our picture the same day and I told Excel, I'm the one that I thought you were the one that told me about it.
Speaker 2:It's not for me. So they had told us that they were going. I'm subscribed to all the emails with all the benefits, and I say excel, ah see, oh, let's go and take picture. Yeah, it's because of me. Now, you two, you have, you have established ID picture. Please don't go to Canada and be a hermit oh okay, better don't cast yourself away. You better go to the office. Okay, we need to say bye now. Oh, my god, this was a lovely episode I loved so much, oh.
Speaker 1:I'm going to miss you. Oh my god before this started, I told you that I feel like I would enjoy this a lot and I wish we had done this more often, and that's the truth, and I now wish I had done. It's true excellent this.
Speaker 2:So if you know how many times I used to just remind you, remind, I will just be eating. I'll remember. Except we have, because I know if I don't tell him 100 times he will, he will chicken out of this thing. But thank you for coming here to share your story. You guys, this was a fun one, I'm so I'm always. Thank you to all my friends who always indulge me honestly, every most of my most enjoyable episodes, all my friends that came. So thank you so much for being here. I'll miss you. We're hugging, you guys. This is why we need video podcast so they can see us hugging.
Speaker 2:But anyway, okay, and um, I always say this on the podcast if we can do it, you can do it. I mean our what was it called? The american dream might not be a straight path, right, might not be the path to the green card, might not be the straightest path, but, um, it's okay to take a little detour now and then. You know, I mean from a lot of stress. Of course, let me tell you every day, or not. I'm suffering from the breakdown, you guys, anxiety breakdown this minute, and of course it's even affecting some of my best relationships, you know. So course there are other things aside this partner that is really fun. When we go out, when we leave this podcast, we're going to go and continue facing our lives, continue facing, like all the things we have to do, you know. But for me, we trust God. For that, we thank God that we have someone that you know we can do it. You can do it too. Signing out.
Speaker 1:Do I have any last ones? Oh yeah, check out, check up on your friends that are abroad. Yeah, check up on us Check up on them, not just in the US.
Speaker 2:Forget, forget our Instagram picture. Forget, forget it, Forget about that. I mean I can't say it's fake life. I mean I can't say it's fake life. I mean we are kind of having fun but like check up on us. That's what we can say. That's what we can say See you guys Take care.
Speaker 1:See you I don't go Canada, no Canada.
Speaker 2:Okay, bye, guys.
Speaker 1:Oh my god, this was fun. This was actually fun.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you.