The Monthly Chess Match of Surviving Abroad

Life abroad can feel like a chess match against an opponent who never sleeps. Every month, the same pieces return: rent, transfer fees, phone bills, visa paperwork and a minimum wage that moves one square at a time. The bills close in from every direction. I learn which payments must come first, which ones can wait a few days, and which money-transfer app takes the smallest cut before I send support home. Some months, survival is having a few dollars left after rent clears. It is paying a bill minutes before a reminder arrives, or getting a late fee waived because someone chooses to listen. There is no final win, only another month of careful moves. I do not beat the system. I survive it, one paycheck, one transfer and one almost-missed deadline at a time. Some months, that survival is its own victory.

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.