The Hustle is Real
Yesterday I had a deep conversation with someone I know who has left Ghana in search of a better life in Germany. After our discussion I couldn't stop thinking about how difficult life becomes when you move to another country. Our family and friends back home see the pictures and videos of life abroad, and they're thinking it is all about luxury, money, and peace. But when you travel and live abroad, it hits you in ways you never imagined or expected.
When you first arrive in a new country, it is often quite shocking how different everything becomes. Things you never used to appreciate at home start to make sense. You begin to wish for the freedom, the food, the warm people, and even the little things you used to complain about. Finally you realize that some of the things you were running away from, actually are not that bad.
Living in Europe, whether in Germany or the UK, is not as easy as people assume. Most of us who live here have suffered quietly. We pay high taxes, expensive rent, receives lots of bills. Sometimes after a hard working months, more than half of your salary goes into bill paying. Definitely exhausting. You are constantly calculating, finding where you can cut back, and looking for how far your money will take you.
I've been living in the UK for a while now, and I can tell you straight up that the hustle is real. You do not just wake up to make money. You must learn about how the system works; you must learn to survive. If you are not careful, you can work every day and feel like you have gone nowhere. It’s not just about having a job, it’s about knowing how to make a living smartly.
The person I spoke to said he has to commute over three hours every day by train and then by bus to work. After 8 hours of work, he makes a 3-hour journey back home. That’s 6 hours every day stuck in traffic or public transport. Can you imagine how draining that is? He said he wishes he never left Ghana. In Ghana, his life was not perfect, but he had a job, and he had peace of mind. He was told Europe would be better for him, and now he is seeing the complete picture.
Many people still don’t get it. Even sharing my experience, they assume I am trying to demotivate them from travelling. The reality is that I just want people to prepare their minds. Migration is not a bad thing, but travelling without proper planning and with the wrong expectations can break you. I know Ghana’s economic situation is tough. People are losing faith in our system and it is easy to think travelling abroad will fix the problem.
The truth is that the hustle is real everywhere in the world. No matter where you go, you will fight for bread every day. There is no magic in abroad; if anything, you might work harder than you ever have in Ghana. So wherever you are, just know nothing comes easy. You will have to be tough, you will need to plan well and remain focus wherever you are. The hustle is completely real, but if you have the right mindset, you can still win.
Most people don't know that it's not easy out there, and seem to bill people who had the opportunity of traveling out which is wrong..
Omo it's not easy anywhere but God will see us through
That's the fact, it's not easy anywhere
Omo!!
Wetin man go do, na just dey patch ourselves dey go...
One day oluwa will run am
I think the expectation part is what really gets to people versus the reality when they finally land in a new country realizing how they thought it will be doesn't really match how it is actually in reality. In takes time anywhere to get the hang of things and start putting in the work towards achieving a desired outcome. Planning ahead really helps, most of the time, as you wouldn't be caught unprepared.
And i tell you, those who never listened to any advice before travelling have been in a mess. I have come across lots of people who have regretted travelling abroad due to poor planning, what can they do now...nothing, the reality has already dawn on them and going back to their home country means starting all over again.
I guess they'll have to learn to be more realistic and then get back to work. Starting all over again isn't ideal for the most part but this may also be the last option
There is no greener grass anywhere, there is bliss in traveling but proper preparation is very vital, there should be proper planning for it, and a tangible purpose attached to it
Planning well is what makes the difference in your next destination. Thank you
Yes sir
That's the truth. The grind is real and Western Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia are very expensive and the social contract has broken down to where most people are struggling to survive. The banks have a 0% reserve requirement so the banks have an infinite money hack and everyone is a slave here.
That being said if someone is crafty they could work their ass off and then get that money and move to Thailand or Bali or somewhere the money goes way further.
People often run away from their country in a search for greener pastures. While this isn't bad, sometimes the question I always ask is, "where you are, are there no greener pastures there?" If No! Then I should ask another one; "Are there people succeeding there by doing businesses or working and making a living?" If yes! Then Begin by making a reflection on yourself. There must be something you are not doing right. It is not easy everywhere. If you can't build a kingdom in your territory, do you expect to build in another man's territory?