In this exclusive interview, Gabriella Chinaza Okorie takes us on a reflective journey through her experiences as a Nigerian living in Germany. From when she started her relocation plans, the steps she took in processing it by herself, to highs of discovering a passion for travel, and navigating the challenges of adapting to a new culture, Gabriella shares her candid insights on the reality of life abroad. With humor, wisdom, and an inspiring perspective on growth, she opens up about what she misses most about home, how her time in Germany has shaped her outlook on life, and offers invaluable advice for those considering their own “japa” journey. Dive into this heartfelt conversation for a glimpse into her world. There is so much insights to take away from her Japa Story.

Japa Media Host:

Tell us a little bit about yourself. What were you doing in Nigeria before you decided to Japa?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

Okay. My name is Chinaza Gabriella Okorie. I’m currently living in Germany. So, 2018, was my NYSC. I did my camp in Kwara State. I was going to stay back in Kwara, because I actually enjoyed Kwara, but then, there was a job I had applied to that I forgot about. So, while I was in Kwara, going to my primary place of assignment (PPA), I remember I used to teach like once a week. The woman we were working for didn’t want to pay us, so she told us to compensate for not being paid; we can just come and teach once a week, and then we can use the remaining four days to do whatever we like. So, I was there for like two months before God rescued me, and I got a placement in Lagos. Then I changed my posting to Lagos and moved to Lagos. I was working with an oil servicing company in Lekki Phase 1. So, I finished my NYSC with them and started as a full-time staff with them. I was first of all a technical sales engineer. And after I switched to full time role, I became as a drilling engineer. I was with them for over a year, and I had already started working on traveling. My first choice was actually Canada, not Germany. While I was focused on Canada and all that, someone mentioned Germany to me, that have I thought about Germany. Before now, Germany has never crossed my mind. Like why would I pick Germany over Canada? And then one day I said, let me just, actually see what Germany is about. And then I found out that, I didn’t really have to spend money to school there. Because in the case of Canada, you would have to pay school tuition and things like that. But, for Germany, I could go to school for free or almost free, and all I needed to do was to show that I had some amount of money to take care of myself and things like that. So, I now became interested in Germany. That was how the whole thing started. 

So, why did I decide to leave Nigeria? I was not so comfortable with the job I was doing, it wasn’t a job where I saw myself being for too long, but it was okay for a start as a fresh graduate. Maybe if I did enjoy the job, I would not have opted to leave Nigeria. So, I planned to apply to two schools, but when I applied to one, they answered me quickly. So, I didn’t go for the second one any longer since I got admission already. For me I was very lucky because when I applied, Germany process was still very smooth then, so it was just easy. You apply for a visa interview, you get an answer in one month. However, it was a few days after I got my visa that Corona started and then lockdown. So, after I got my visa, the whole thing came crumbling down. They made the process more difficult because of the lockdown. 

When I applied for visa, to get a priority appointment, you only need a 2:1 school result, but now, you need to have a first class to get priority appointment for your visa. So, I wouldn’t have qualified if I had applied after this change. But then when Corona struck, and there was lockdown. I could not travel. Airports were shut down. And by this time, I had resigned from my job. There was nothing to fall back on while waiting. I was just hanging, no travel, no job, no money. I was at home for a while, not knowing when airport will open.

Japa Media Host:

How long have you now been living in your current country – Germany?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

I’ve been living in Germany for a while now. It will be four years in August. I got to this country August 5th, 2020. So yeah, it will be four years in August 2024. 

Japa Media Host:

What were some of the main factors that made you to decide to relocate from Nigeria?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

So, I’m grateful for my first boss and my first job, I mean it was nice to work there as a fresh graduate. It was a nice way to start your professional career. But the pay for someone living in Lagos was not really the best. You practically spend your salary on transport, and similar expenses. It was more like a job I needed to keep busy while planning to leave the country. And I have always wanted to go for my master’s degree immediately after I finished school. It has also been my hope to do it outside the country. So, I was always researching for schools outside the country. At some point it was frustrating, seeing the tuition for the schools I wanted in countries like Canada. And then, Germany happened.

Japa Media Host:

What were your initial hopes and aspirations for Japaing (traveling)? 

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

Yeah. So first of all, the course I wanted to study. There’s no University in Nigeria that offered it at the time, because I really wanted to do a Masters in Process Safety or Safety Engineering or something related. When I did my internship in Total Nigeria, I had a boss who I really admired. He had similar background, and he was a big shot in the field. Money was really the goal if I being honest. So, when I was now trying to go abroad, I really wanted that course. After a lot of researching, I found the course in a university in Germany, and it just made sense that Germany was the place for me. So, I was like, okay, I’ll do the course, and get the oil and gas job. Lol. I mean, as a chemical engineering graduate, oil and gas job was great. So, those were my aspirations. 

Japa Media Host:

Why did you choose to move to Germany specifically? And what are the things that attracted you specifically to Germany? 

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

Germany has a very good engineering industry. Germany is good in STEM. But if I’m being honest, the first thing that led me to Germany was the fact that I didn’t have to pay school fees, or I paid close to nothing. So, I spent two years for my master’s. There is no school fee per say, but you pay semester fee and for my school, the semester was like €129 per semester. Which means for my entire studies, I did not pay up to €1,000 for fees. So, the first thing that attracted me was cheap school. Even though, you had to provide a certain amount of funds before they can give you visa, but the money is still yours. So, for me, it just seemed like the better option financially compared to Canada, which was my first choice. 

“Germany is good in STEM. But if I’m being honest, the first thing that led me to Germany was the fact that I didn’t have to pay school fees, or I paid close to nothing.”

Secondly, they’re very good in engineering and the job prospects. One thing I did before I moved from Nigeria was that I checked for job prospects in my field, and I saw that it was really good, and that language was not really a barrier for people in my fields. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken the chance.

Japa Media Host: 

How did you find out about the school you attended or still attend? What made it the right fit for me? 

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

I wanted to do master’s in Process Safety Engineering, or Safety Engineering. So, I just searched for schools offering Safety Engineering in Germany. That was how I found the school. There were two options actually, but my school had a curriculum that was more related to what I wanted. So that’s as simple as how I found the school. But honestly, if I were to do this again, I may not have chosen the school because, one thing about going to Europe is that you have to research the area, or the location you’re going to go live. The city was not the best place to be, even though the school was of good quality. I would have preferred to have my student experience in a different city. So, choosing a school was based on the course. 

Japa Media Host:

Did you have any other countries in mind, outside Canada and then Germany? 

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie:

Yes. The first place I considered was the UK. And then after a while, I spoke to someone who once lived and moved out of the UK, and the guy discouraged me about going there, he said certain things that did not quite sit well with me; but now that I think about it, who knows he may have been biased. And then the next place I was looking at was Canada. Canada was actually what I was chasing up until I found out about Germany. 

Japa Media Host:

Can you walk us through the process of how you secured your visa for Germany? Also, talk about the biggest challenges you faced during your migration journey, and how you overcame them. What’s there any specific resources or agencies that helped you navigate the migration process?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

Yeah, I’m going to start with the last part. I did everything myself. And that’s what I always tell anyone who asks me. Anything related to japa or migration, I advise people to do it themselves, because how can you be sure that the person you hire will do the right thing, in terms of accurate information. It seems difficult, but it’s not. All you have to do, is take it one step at a time. 

In terms of the process, it took me two years actually because I started the process already while I was doing my NYSC in 2018. And finally moved to Germany in August 2020. I started the process around November 2018. The first thing was to find the school, but I had to settle for which country first after contemplating whether it’s UK, Canada or Germany. And when I finally settled for Germany, I chose two schools as my top choice. And then for Germany, it is very direct and straightforward, if they demand for like 10 requirements, and you present 9, you will not get admission. So, it does not matter how good you are, if you don’t have all the school’s requirement, don’t bother to apply to that specific school. Go for the one you have all their requirements.

As part of the process, you will have to verify if your degree is accepted in Germany and I used Uni-Assist, it’s like WES for Canada. You pay certain fees for this service, and when you are done, they will transfer your information to the school you are applying for. Although not all school uses this system, for some, you just apply directly.

From the time of application to when you get your decision will take around 4 to 6 weeks. You will have to send your documents by DHL to Germany. After the school receives it, that’s when you wait for your decision between 4 to 6 weeks. 

Also, I wrote IELTS because my admission demanded it. Some schools may not require it, but mine did. It was greatly challenging because I had to do marathon preparation for the IELTS exams in order not to miss the window for admission. I prepared for the exam in just about one week. Thank God I passed.

Semester starts in October. I applied for admission in July and I was already late to get a visa appointment for that year. So that was how I couldn’t go to school that semester. This led to me waiting longer than expected. Just for the record, if you don’t get visa appointment, no visa agent can help you. Don’t let anyone deceive you by promising you that they can help you get visa appointment.

I fell into this lie. I paid money to two of these visa agencies who promised they could secure visa appointment for me. One of them returned my money though, while the other one, I lost part of the money to them. The fact is none of them can secure your visa appointment, it is completely in the hands of the German embassy. The only way to get appointment is through their website, and there is no agent that has any affiliation with them to have such privilege. As a result, I lost that semester and had to defer my admission to the next semester since I could not secure a visa appointment.

I reapplied for a new visa appointment around November and got a date for January. I got my visa in February. That was about 4 to 6 weeks after my application. I would say Germany migration is easy if you know how to navigate the various time frames. I had an issue because I lacked information in this area. Knowing when to apply and knowing what to do is key. So, I will advise you do your research from reliable sources, and you will be good. Do not use agents for anything Germany, it may work for countries like Canada or others.

“The journey took me two years from start to finish. Germany is easy if you know how to navigate the timeframes. Knowing when to apply and what to do is key.”

Japa Media Host:

What were the biggest challenges during your initial adjustment period in Germany? Describe your initial months after moving in, and how did you adapt? Also, any language or communication barriers? 

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie:

When I landed in Germany, I was happy, you know, the first month excitement, you finally ‘japaed’. But then after the first month, there is this kind of depression that you feel. I don’t know if it happens to everybody. But for me, it was just like, what am I even doing? The initial excitement just died down. And then it was like, okay, now that I’m here was next, you know? At some point, I started to think if I did the right thing. Leaving your job and coming to a country where you don’t know anybody, they are not even speaking English. So, it was hard at the beginning. 

“When I landed in Germany, I was happy. But after the first month, the excitement just died down. I started thinking—did I make the right decision?”

But I think one thing that helped me was the fact that I already knew 1 or 2 people here before I came. So, it wasn’t too lonely for me because I already knew some people, mutual friends and things like that. 

But then I can imagine for someone who doesn’t know anyone. It would have been worse. There’s a loneliness that comes with moving in the initial months. And sometimes you will be so directionless. My advice is to ask questions about everything. Try to keep up with the place and try to understand the system because it’s a new place, not Nigeria where the system is different. In Germany, your bills are coming in, and there is a lot to keep up with. And it’s worse when you are in a country where English is not the first language. Even though most of them can speak English, they would rather speak their language first. From experience, I think Northern Germany is more liberal compared to East Germany where I was then.

   “Loneliness comes with moving… And sometimes you will be so directionless. There’s a kind of depression that sets in after the initial excitement wears off. But after you adapt—it gets better.”

So, language was a big challenge, because you will also have to ask people if they speak English and with the hope that they are in the mood to speak English.

After the language barrier, you have to start thinking of how to make money, because you can’t sit down and be doing nothing. And when you come in newly, even with your academic background, you can’t expect to get professional jobs immediately, so, you have to be open to menial jobs. In my first year I worked in various places, like warehouses, factories, I also worked as a cleaner. 

These are some of the challenges, but after a while, you will begin to adapt. I have been here for over 4 years, I can’t still speak German, but I have learnt how to find my way around. Basically, you keep pushing, after a while, it will get better.

Japa Media Host:

What are other skills that are crucial for adapting to a new country’s culture and demands based on your experience?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie:

Yeah. For me, you have to very inquisitive, because one thing I’ve noticed is that, it is possible to come here and be quiet, and still find your way around it. But you will miss a lot of opportunities. For example, the first job I got here was through a friend. And this friend is the person I met in Germany. So, if I did not socialize, I would have missed it because I’m a very big introvert. I had to keep that my introvertism in my pocket when I came to Germany and ask questions. Especially if you want to grow professionally, you don’t want to keep doing all those menial jobs for the rest of your time in the country. If you want to grow, you ask people who have come before you, how they did it? Ask questions and do your research. I tried to be close to people who came before me and who knew what they were doing, and what they wanted.

“I’m a big introvert, but I had to put that in my pocket when I came to Germany. If you don’t socialize, you’ll miss out on opportunities.”

You will make money doing the menial jobs, but it can keep you trapped away from pursuing your professional career and goals. If you want to grow in your career, then, don’t be carried away by the pay from the menial jobs. Do your research on how to make progress in your career. I remember I had to do a certificate course which gave me my current professional job, not even the master’s degree. I took a few months, to focus on the course and ensure I passed it, and that was what gave me my current job. Talk to people, socialize, it doesn’t have to be only the people from your home country. Network with people who have been in the country before you and who are more stable.

“It’s easy to get trapped in menial jobs when you first arrive, but if you want to grow, you have to ask questions, do your research, and network. The menial jobs will pay, but they can hold you back from your career.”

Japa Media Host:

Is there a strong Nigerian or African community where you live? Have you found it easy to connect with others in the community?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie:

Yeah, there are a lot of strong Nigerian communities. I think I have like 4 or 5 different Nigerian communities. There is the Nigeria Students in Hamburg, that was where I used to live, before I moved to my current place. There is also Nigerian Students in Munich, Nigerian Students in Magdeburg, Igbo People in Germany, then my alma mater, Covenant University. I have Covenant University Students in Germany. So, yeah, there are many of them, and I think finding Nigerian communities is not a problem. There are also church communities. I was attending RCCG in the city where I used to live, and we have WhatsApp groups too. Once you find one Nigerian, they will show you where others are. Lol.

“There’s no shortage of Nigerian communities here. Once you find one Nigerian, they’ll show you where all the others are.”

Japa Media Host:

Do they organize some physical local gatherings or events? 

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie:

Yeah, all the time. There’re always summer events, Christmas events, sometimes people that watch football. I remember during AFCON 2024, people gathered to watch the game. If what you want is to socialize with Nigerians, you will find a lot of them easily.

Japa Media Host:

How do you spend your weekend, and do you have any favourite spot or recreation centers where you hang out?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie: 

Okay, again I’m an introvert. Most of my weekends are spent at home, I just want to rest. What I like to do is to travel, and one good thing about why I came to Europe is that I’ve always wanted to travel and in Europe, it is easy to travel. I can decide to be in France tomorrow morning. It’s as easy as booking maybe a €100 flight and I am there. If I want to go to Prague. I can easily get on the train, and I will be in Prague in a few hours. It’s very easy to travel and connect to different countries when you are in Europe. So, somehow, I found a hobby in traveling. That’s my first and primary hobby. 

“I found a hobby in traveling. In Europe, it’s as easy as booking a €100 flight, and I can be in France tomorrow morning.”

I don’t really go out, except someone invites me. I cook at home, so I don’t eat out. But if you are someone who is into activities, Germany is a country that loves activities. You will find a lot of things to do. If you are into parties, they are big on it. But if you are in smaller cities, there is no night life there, so, don’t expect a Lagos kind of life in small cities. If you want the Lagos vibe, go to the big cities, and of course expect higher standard of living and higher bills. I live in a small city currently, so there is little night life. But if you live in Hamburg, some parts of it feels like Lagos, same with Munich and Berlin.

However, one thing I will love to add is that, it cannot be like Nigeria. People are not that loud like you will find in Nigeria. 

Japa Media Host:

Would you be interested in using an app that helps to easily connects you with other Nigerians or Africans with similar location, interests and backgrounds?

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie:

Yes, of course, why not? 

Japa Media Host:

Okay, great. The reason for the question is, at Japa Media, we have launched an app called JapaConnect, you can download it via Google Play Store or Apple App Store. It’s basically built to connect, new migrants with older migrants, to help them to settle, and, provides information as much as possible.

It’s also a way for older migrants to give back to their communities in terms of support, because some of them were also supported with the right information when they were new in the country. 

Among the amazing features of the app, is that it automatically assigns new migrant to old migrant once the new migrant signs up with their location and other information.

Gabriella Chinaza Okorie:

Okay, great. It’s a good idea. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Gabriella Chinaza Okorie’s captivating Japa story, where she delves even deeper into her journey abroad!