E53: Maryam Atoyebi thinks the pandemic made it harder for immigrants to settle down

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.

Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.

In this episode, I’m speaking to Maryam Atoyebi, who moved from Nigeria to Canada in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a strange time. Loved ones falling sick. Then passing away. The lockdowns. The terror from not knowing who had the virus and who didn't. The social isolation.

And the subsequent breakdown of the first layer of trust that guides how a society behaves in public.

For immigrants like Maryam, this meant settling down into a new society was hard. 2X harder than it should normally be.

I moved in 2021, so I didn't fully experience what it felt like as everyone tried to navigate the new rules for societal interaction. But the little I experienced was emotionally tasking. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for Maryam and others who moved to a new country about that time.

In this conversation, we chat about all the feels while trying to settle down during the pandemic. We also chatted about:

* Her biggest mistakes

* How to use informational interviews to build your confidence when job hunting and interviewing

* Handling the loss of identity that comes with being put into a box when you move to a new society

* And intersectionality as a skill set.

I’ll leave you with this great piece of advice from Maryam: Understand that every piece of advice you get from other immigrants is contextual. It’s often coming from a good place, but its colored by their experience, their bias, and their perspective or view of the world.

Your job is to apply your context to what you hear.

Official Links

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Did you read it?

Two months ago, Nelly Kawira shared a hilarious thread on Twitter about all she’s learned and achieved since moving to London two years ago.

Well, she’s published an updated version on The Newcomers, with some great images to boot.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com