Introducing Travel Army

It is my pleasure to take you through a journey to your destination. Travelling is a pleasant experience especially here on earth (I don’t know about space travel!)

I am particularly interested in sharing with Nigerians the vast travel opportunities that abound out there, how to go about it, and provide in-depth information as much as possible, to make your transition smooth.

Nigerians love travelling, little wonder they are in every corner and crevice of the globe, and for those still planning to join, Travel Army is here to share opportunities with you.  Whether you are a leisure traveler or you're aiming to migrate permanently, I’m here to share with you how. However, the focus would be more on migrating as this is usually the tough one, and also the one most people are interested in. Moreover, obtaining a travel VISA is oftentimes, not too complicated anyway. Nigerians don’t even need travel VISAS to some countries…(I’ll cover that some other time)                  

But what exactly is migration? It is the movement of people from one permanent home to another, therefore you have to choose your new home carefully. I'm talking about international migration, so if you are looking to migrate from Lagos to Abuja, you can exit this blog now.

A quick terminology review. People who leave their country are said to emigrate. People who move into another country are known as immigrants while the actual movement is known as migration.

But why emigration? People emigrate for thousands of reasons among which are seeking employment, lack of security, medical treatments, passion for seeking knowledge, tourism or just for adventure.                                          

Some of the well known routes for emigration include; via scholarships, schooling, federal immigration scheme in different countries, visiting, tourism , foreign jobs, exchange programs in other countries and lots more.

Migrating could be a cumbersome process; applying, waiting, sending and scanning papers back and forth and a lot more, hence, you need to set clear goals;                                                           

1. Define your reason for migration and make sure it is worth it.         
2. Set a time frame and do not be in haste.   
3. Do more research on where to go and how to get there.
4. Prepare adequately for potential challenges ahead.           
5. Be financially prepared (even free immigration programs still cost some money). And as much as you can, avoid obtaining loans for travelling, experiences has proved that it puts more pressure on you.
6. Follow the legal path; don't bend the rules or prove too smart to bypass the required procedure in travelling. Do not be in a country and be afraid whenever you see a cop or hear the siren.
7. BEWARE OF FRAUDSTERS! They are everywhere these days and they device  fresh tricks everyday.

I will like to share an experience. Football is one of those avenues for migrating. There was this guy we met in a shopping mall. He was a footballer in Nigeria, playing with a popular club, and some  agents promised to take his team abroad to play football and become international players. The agent charged a fee of 750,000 Naira. He raised 250,000 and borrowed 500,000.

They started moving from one country to the other without a definite destination. Still hopeful and with no job, no contact with home and no football club, they kept moving. At some point the agent and the coach miraculously disappeared. Left with a driver that doesn't speak English, it then dawned on him the volume of mess he's in. By now, they were in Kuwait where they're set to cross to Saudi Arabia by road.

In Saudi, they were handed over to some men and were made to sign a contract all written in Arabic. You may wonder, why did they sign a paper they didn't understand? They are lost, hungry, broke and stuck! They had no options. As he would later realize when after a month working as a driver and he didn't get a salary, the contract he signed says the agents have collected money on their behalf for a two-year contract as a driver. This is modern-style slavery or human trafficking.

He is in his second year of slavery now, not even as a footballer but as a driver. When he sees his contract through, he will be free to go back to Nigeria where a 500,000 Naira debt awaits him.

Read Travel Army, and let's share possibilities and methods to easy migration.

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 Migrate Safe!