Lessons from a search

BY Mafoya

I can’t remember when I decided that a Masters abroad would make sense but I can remember why. The education system here in Nigeria was falling apart. Union strikes. Student protests. I spent five years for a degree in Literature-in-English. Inaccessible resources, we relied on photocopies most times. Irrelevant curriculum, how would you explain a degree in English without a course in Creative Writing? We spent many months locked out of class; even when in class, the relevance of the courses to contemporary life was questionable.

For many months, I dreamt. In some of my dreams, I was the black girl in a white class getting a ‘white’ education. It could be anywhere: Cambridge, Yales, Harvard or somewhere in the world of a fictive character. I fed on dreams. Dreams kept my sanity. I returned to school after the unexpected breaks; I pushed myself into studies; I worked hard. Personally, I strive for success in all I do.

After getting my degree, I decided to bring my dreams to life. It was almost inevitable. I wanted to be a writer. I felt I needed to study Creative Writing. There was no Nigerian University offering the course at the Masters level. So, it was just simple calculation, I’d to travel out. For a minute, online classes didn’t exist to me. I’m currently on my MA programme in University of Lagos. I’m not getting a ‘White’ education but I’m living my dream of being a writer, day after day. Maybe I didn’t need a White education to achieve it. I also learnt my lessons.

1st lesson: the class of your degree may not open the door but your cash sure would. In my search, I was discouraged when I saw the thousands of pounds called tuition fees. It looked as if the universities ran on fees paid by international students. That was also the first time; I became so conscious of the burden of being a Nigerian. There it was on a particular university admissions page “Nigerians are requested to pay a down payment of $ because of visa issues.” Do I have a problem with that? Yes, why do I have to pay more simply because I am Nigerian? When money becomes a barrier to smart students who can’t pay for an education through their noses, it’s an issue! I forget, there are scholarships to cushion the effects, but maybe like me, you will get tired of sending emails about applications that almost never get any response.

2nd lesson: you may need to take a Language Test Exam. That was another thing I had to deal with. I found it hard to wrap my head around the fact that someone thinks that I need a language exam before I gain admission. It is understandable for students who had previous education in other languages. I guess from the application stage, it’s clear whether or not I understand English. The language test bridge sort of says rather silently says, “A second speaker of English needs a test to verify how much they can speak English.” It doesn’t really matter if my first degree is in English. And I forget all that comes with the exams: the fees and the classes you may have to take.

3^rd Lesson: Google may not be your friend.  I started searching online for universities that had courses in Creative Writing. I googled; visit university websites; checked requirements; collate them on a Notepad before transferring to a Word Document so I could read offline. I didn’t have access to the internet 24/7. I studied the requirements. There are a thousand and one universities with different scholarships for the same programme you want to study. And my dear, there are a thousand and one other international students like you craving a ‘White’ education, so you need to do more than google. All it does to you after all the applications is clog your email with university newsletters and your box with university brochures.

4^th Lesson: Take your search offline. Attend the university fairs in your country. You also pay some money for that most times. Maximise your money; ask questions and request for their brochures. Find a university representative around you. Visit their office and speak to them. Most times, they will tell you the truth about the situation. It was at one of such meetings that a young lady looked me in the face and said, “My dear, it’s very hard to get a scholarship. If you don’t have a sponsor, a full scholarship is almost impossible.” Something gave way in me that day. I told myself, ‘maybe a White education is not the end.’

After then, I decided to use the resources at hand to give myself an education. Call it defeatist if you like  but it has worked for me! I went online. I read writers I loved. I attended writers’ workshops in Nigeria. I put my heart to every single thing taught. I practised. A ‘White’ education may open some doors for you but trust me, it’s not as important as it seems. What truly matters is what you make of the opportunities around you. And trust me opportunities abound everywhere; just open your eyes. For those who still dream of a white education, good luck!

Culled from Aspire June 2010.

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