"The bitter story of my trip to Dubai"

This piece is by a young Nigerian guy who dropped out of school because of his bad GP, gathered his life savings and ran to Dubai thinking people pluck money from trees there. He got the shock of his life when he arrived. Lol. Please read and learn. It is very interesting and funny piece.

My name is Kola, an undergraduate student of Ekiti State University, 400level final year, studying statistics.

It has always been my dream to travel abroad at a tender age and make some certain amount of millions and come back to Naija to start business.

My department is one of the toughest and baddest in my school.
 The lecturers fail the students anyhow, imagine scoring 11 over 70 and a lot of prerequisite courses. In a nutshell, due to the low G.P I'm having I decided to quit school and travel abroad without my parents' consent.

I made connection with my friend in dubai who lives around deira who claimed to have got job 5 days on getting to UAE.

I paid 800dollars for the 2 month visa, the visa came out and 3 days later I headed straight to MM airport.

I went to Emirate office to buy ticket and to my surprise the price I saw online has increased from 125k to 136k and I have made all my calculations from onset. I went to EtIhad office and behold they have closed, no flight for that day. I had no Option than to purchase the emirate. I bought the ticket and I join the departure queue a first timer, Immigration go chop, NDLEA go chop, I paid token.

I was welcome by some white Arab girls, saying "welcome to Emirate Airline". I felt like a King. Our flight took off. I was giving dish menu and I took option for rice. I drank 2 red wine, 3 cup of tea and coffee also, I can't eat their rice because it smells like perfume; totally different from Naija rice.

We departed around 2pm and got to Dubai 3am midnight. On landIng there I felt a new breeze and I was welcome to Dubai. The airport is so fantastic, I saw different races from Russia, UK, Ukraine, Germany and others who came in there for tourist. The port of entry was full and when it was my turn, they checked my visa, my passport, snapped me and I was passed in...that was probably my happiest moment on heart not know the bitter truth yet.

I called my guy and he asked me to carry cab to Blue Diamond hotel in Dubai. I slept there and early in the morning I called my guy and he came at evening time. He took me to a place to drink Castel beer with a lot of smokes, afterwards that he handed me over to another person called agent..

I paid 200dollars for house rent and he requested for 200dollars for agent fee also. I have met a guy earlier who told me he has been in Dubai since December 2012 till February 2013 and he got no job. On getting to Diera I saw a lot of Naija sitting down eating rice smoking shisha and talking.

I guessed in my mind that maybe they are house owners in Dubai but later I realise they came the way I came far back as 12years 10 years and some 6 years ago. They were tricked also and when they got there was no job. You have no option than to sell your passport and turn to cargo boy dealing with goods and clearing agent with visa agents also.

After 3 days I noticed my life in Naija is far better than that I put my self to in Dubai. I realised later that job is difficult to get and I have spent all my money in my account for this dream. I was left with 265dollars and I realised the earlier the better to return to Naija and continue with my bad CGPA in school. The life there is good with light, water everywhere, good road, good communication and easy environment but the major thing is how to make money there which is a lot difficult without a job, unless you are into business, come to buy goods, spend 2 weeks and go. There are many Nigerian youths roaming the streets of Deira without any job, claiming to live big abroad, posting nice pictures on beach with oyinbos on Facebook and Twitter.

My dear brother don't just run waka go Dubai or any abroad if no be school. You go hear 'whin' if money finish or your hand oo. Unless you go to better country like Canada, Australia, please don't run comot for Naija if no b school u wan go school because am talking from bitter experience.

I spent all my life saving within 5 days because of ilu oyinbo (whiteman's land).

After 5 days I went straight to Airport Terminal 2 and changed the date of my return ticket at Emirates office and was charged a token...

I boarded on flight and even met a oyinbo girl from New Zealand while awaiting flight..I took off and landed at Lasgidi. I was very happy, and I went straight to the woman behind taxi park selling hot amala with ewedu soup and correct meat and pomo to ka...

I lodged at a small hotel and the following morning i headed straight to the park of Ado Ekiti Garage.

Finally am back to school so happy and overwhelmed with joy because I have achieved my initial dream at 22years old...now about to go for NYSC and maybe I can go for my Masters in Canada or Germany later and return back home...

My people Naija sweet.., we no know the value...God bless Naija...

Mind you my mates I left in Dubai are still their but by the time they hear I'm a CEO or Managing Director of a company or Major in the army they will be ashamed to come to Naija again..

My God help us all to fulfill our destiny...its not always greener in abroad ooooooo.....

Note: Kola wrote this piece before the Naira crashed, so you can imagine how much he would have spent if it were to have been in this recession era.