So the last time I updated you on my coming to America story, I was 3 months into my job working as an account executive for an office technology company in Charlotte, NC. I had not yet tackled the issue of sponsorship and was simply enjoying the young professional life of a 20 something-year-old in Charlotte, NC. Well…a lot has happened since then, and since I am moving back to the UK full time next week, I thought this would be a great time to close out this story.
Can I get a sponsor?!
So, coming into the start of 2017, it was time for me tackle this sponsorship issue head on. As I mentioned in my previous blog, the application day for the H1-b visa is April 1, and you really don’t want to apply any later than midnight that day due to the sheer number of applications. So, in order to get the company behind me and all my documents in place, I would need to start now.
First deal I got signed with Conley!
My company always knew I was on a visa and that eventually I would need a new one after a year. However, never having any past experience with the process or understanding the length to which they must go, it was a learning experience for the both of us. When I approached the company executives with the question of sponsorship, they were very receptive to the idea of sponsoring me since they were happy with my work and enjoyed having me at the company. However, being a novice to the process, it would be me who would have to steer the ship. (I did start to write a detailed account of all that happened, but in order to keep the story concise and on track, I’ll spare you the details). After weeks of deliberation, and understanding what all would be required, financially and other wise, we came to a mutual agreement that pursuing this visa wouldn’t be in the best interest for any of us. A week before April 1st, it was decided. I felt happy that a decision had been made and that I could now move on and start thinking about whats next for me. The company was incredible in letting me continue to run my territory up until the last day of my visa, and for that, I am ever grateful.
Just so it’s clear…
I’ll give you a snapshot why it was best for the company not to sponsor me and why it was best for me not to pursue the sponsorship. Firstly, for the company to sponsor me, they had to provide a bunch of financial documents along with job listings showing that they had offered the job to other Americans. With it being a sales job, arguing the case that an American couldn’t do the job would have proven difficult considering the nature of the job. The financial side was to prove that they would be able to pay at industry standard without making any cuts to my salary due to the sponsorship fees.
If I was to be completely honest, I couldn’t see myself doing the job for more than a year. It was a great place to learn, I had a lot of freedom in my role, and was able to jump right in and learn sales in its rawest form, which was fantastic. But in terms of what I was selling and the potential upward path, none of it ever appealed to me. It just wasn’t something I could fully get behind.
The other big reason (and really the main reason) is Alana, my girlfriend. Alana would be heading to NC State in the fall to start vet school, meaning she would be based in Raleigh and would be pretty much immersed in the program. That would leave me in Charlotte, working a job that I didn’t see a future in, rarely seeing her, and still being away from the majority of my family and friends. I rarely get homesick, but having not been back in the UK for nearly two years now, there definitely comes times where you miss the culture, you miss your friends and family, and you feel like you're missing out on everything. That being said, I always had in the back of mind that I would travel after university and most likely end up living somewhere else for a period of time.
Alana and I, both having different career paths, understood that me staying solely to remain close to each other, wouldn’t be beneficial for either of us. While it would be nice, having limited options in staying without getting married, I was really just stuck, so we both agreed that focusing on our own thing while still supporting each other and visiting as much as possible was the right decision. Quickly, to touch on the marriage issue. I’ve mentioned it before but just so you understand, people getting married in our situation is a very real thing and something we discussed, but again, its just not the right time for us.
The secret life of…Ryan
The road into Cat Ba, Vietnam
So lets fast forward to the summer. I’ve just finished up at work and now have 60 days to enjoy my last proper summer in America and prepare for a three month backpacking adventure around southeast Asia. Earlier that year, one of pals (Conor) had mentioned that he was thinking of going to Thailand in fall, and before you know it, Hern had jumped on and I was in. It was perfect timing for me. While they only had a month off work, I had the opportunity to travel for as long as I wanted. It would be the perfect way to fulfill my travel desire, see my friends, and also do some solo travel. Having saved a decent amount of money all throughout the past year, all the green lights were showing. So after spending the summer enjoying the World Cup and Carolina sun, I headed to Thailand in early August to meet Conor and Hern. I spent two weeks with them on the islands in the south of Thailand before heading off on my own for the following two and half months. It was one hell of an adventure that I won’t get into here. You can watch the whole trip on my YouTube channel, and I will most likely post a takeaway vlog in the upcoming days. I visited, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, along with Thailand.
Back to our regular scheduled program
Now we're pretty much up to date. I’m in Raleigh, NC having flown straight back from my travels to spend Thanksgiving with Alana. I’m on a tourist visa again and am heading back home to the UK next week. So, this is really it. This part of the US chapter is officially closing. It sucks that I don’t have the mobility I would like in the US, but that comes with the struggles of being an international student, and like I said in my previous blog, I wouldn’t change it for the world. For now, I will be heading back to Nottingham, basing myself there to start with, playing football again, and looking for new opportunities surrounding interests discussed on this website. Alana and I are still as good as ever and I’m certain nothing will change that. Now, I’m just excited to see what 2019 has to offer.
Thanks for reading this epilogue. To read the full story, start here
- Ryan Ejezie