I Was Cleaning Up Oyibo When I First Arrived In America – Former Nollywood Actress

Former Nollywood actress, Cynthia Amadi has opened up on her travails as an immigrant in the United States.

She explained that she did jobs that most Nigerians would look down on after she arrived in the country.

She revealed that when she first arrived in the country she did jobs such as cleaning up aged Americans.

Amadi argued that most Nigerians who travel for greener pastures do so with the notion that it is a bed of roses, and are selective about the type of jobs they choose to do.

She stated this during an interview with Daddy Freeze while reacting to a recent video where someone described life abroad as tough and tasking.

Amadi disclosed that when she first arrived in the United States, she was a nanny and, at some point, also an Uber driver.

She, however, stated that things have turned around for her as she now works for a Fortune 500 company.

According to her, “Abroad is different for different people. If you ask me, abroad is the best thing that has happened to me. Abroad has given me back the years that I wasted in Nigeria. Looking back, I experienced some years of stagnation in Nigeria that I have reclaimed now.

“What he said (video) is true to him. He is projecting his experience to the generality of the diaspora.

“I clean oyinbo nyash (aged people’s buttocks). The thing is that so many people come here (abroad) with a lot of expectations. Bring a Nigerian who just arrived and try to show them how it is done and they will tell you ‘no’. Whatever you do when you get here does not define you. See it as a means to an end. See me today, Fortune 500 company. I’m sitting down and working in the comfort of my home. But when I came here I clean oyinbo nyash.

“The first job I did when I got here was the job of a nanny. At the end of the day, we all came here to hustle. One thing is that, as long as you were not a US citizen when you were born, you must hustle. If you come here you must hustle. Forget the stories they tell you.” 

The ex-banker further disclosed that she had to venture into ride-hailing services (Uber) when it dawned on her that she had to make ends meet after losing her first well-paying job.

“The reason most Nigerians struggle when they arrive initially is because they came with a mindset and are picky when it comes to getting jobs.

“From being a nanny, I became a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). From there I went into Uber. I had a well-paying job in a furniture company and felt I had arrived. I didn’t last long in that job because I was the youngest in the company and became uncomfortable with the way I was treated,” she added.