The TravFessionals: Femi Luwa

TravFessionals is ready to roll in 2020 and we’re starting out hot!! This series is about finding relatable and inspiring stories to encourage you to consider travel, regardless of your life stage and frequency of travel but also without quitting your job. We’ve featured professionals in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Netherlands. Now, I’m beyond excited to finally have someone in North America ! Welcome back to The Travfessionals (Traveling Professionals, get it?).

Our Travfessional is Femi Luwa ! Femi is based in Toronto, has been to 42 countries, and she is committed to fun times. She’s also made some bold career moves that have positioned her to work internationally at will. I met Femi in August 2017 when a mutual friend invited us both to see a Nigerian play in London. Our friend left but we went out to drinks afterwards and here we are! Femi’s path inspires me to actually make moves and not sit too long crippling myself by analyzing all the potential outcomes ten times over. Her story is tangible proof that it is possible to design a life that fits YOU. That freedom, though it has its drawbacks, is powerful! Let’s hear from her directly:

Tell Us About The Hats You Wear

I’m a foodie, low-key Bible nerd, Digital Transformation Consultant, Fun-Times haver and sunshine bringer.

What Kicked Off Your Wanderlust

In March 2016, I took my first ever “just because” trip to Thailand. The trip was organized by one of my friends from high school, who also happens to be called Femi (ha!). Femi had mentioned she was planning a trip with a bunch of girlfriends and asked if I’d like to join.

At the time I lived in Montreal and it was the middle of winter. If you are familiar with or have ever experienced a Canadian winter, then you can guess it didn’t take too much convincing for me to say yes. It didn’t matter to me that I didn’t really know any of the other girls going.

It was 10 days of island hopping, curry eating, Mai tai sipping, full moon partying, beach side massages and endless exploring. The trip was transformative in the sense that I came to realize that life was so much bigger than the bubble I existed in. There were people out there to meet, cultures to learn about, new foods to taste, cocktails to try out, and just a whole universe waiting to be seen and experienced. I returned from Thailand determined to not just exist, but to live life fully.

What Are The Different Places You’ve Called Home So Far?

Nigeria (Ife, Lagos); England (Reading, London); Canada (Toronto, Montreal)

Let’s Talk about The UK, Why Did You Move to the Uk?

The short story: In April 2016 (a month after my trip to Thailand) I decided I wanted to move abroad because I wanted an adventure. By August 2016 I had quit my job, packed my bags and moved to London (Editors notes: Whaaatt??? 4 months, Wow!)

The long story: At the time I had lived in Canada for almost 10 years and felt ready for something different. The US was my first and most obvious choice since I hold a Canadian passport, and it would’ve been fairly straightforward to get a work visa. I was really excited by the idea of moving somewhere south (think Miami, Austin, Dallas, Atlanta) and having warm weather and seeing hot men all year round, but alas I didn’t know anyone in those cities. The more I thought about having to make new friends, the less excited I got.

The next place that popped in my head was London. I liked the idea of moving to London because I had more of a community there (I have a sister there, a few friends from when I went to school in England 10 years earlier, and majority of the ladies from the Thailand trip lived in London). It would be a great opportunity to see Europe and frankly saying “I’m moving to Europe” sounded a lot cooler than “I’m moving to the US.”

How Were You Able To Make That Move and How Did You Prepare For it?

I figured out my why. There were three main things I wanted from a move abroad: to have mad fun, make money, and to meet more guys (as this would increase my chances of meeting a man I could marry). Editor’s note: This lady is intentional, I’m taking notes!!

I researched visa requirements for Canadians looking to move and work in England. I found out about the UK Youth Mobility Scheme, which allows citizens of certain countries to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years provided they meet certain requirements. I happened to meet the requirements at the time. I later found out that Canada has a similar agreement with multiple countries – France, Australia, Mexico, Hong Kong to name a few.

I researched if London would be a good fit based on my priorities. I asked my tribe what they thought about living there, what they did for fun, what sort of salary I could expect, and what dating life was like. I looked up job postings to see if there was a need for professionals with my skill set and read forums about living and working in London.

I visited London. The company I worked for had a London office and I was able to work out of that office for a few days while I visited. It was a great way to see if I had just romanticized the idea of living in London.

I applied for my visa, told the people who needed to know that I was moving – family, friends, church, work. I started searching and applying for work in London. I packed my bags, said my good byes, and got on a flight to London. Last but not least,

I prayed a lot during the entire process.

How Did You Go About the Job Search?

I moved to London in August and signed my first job offer at the end of September. At the time I was nervous it was taking too long because I had started the job search process about 2 months before I moved, which meant I had been searching for almost 4 months in total. In retrospect, I was very blessed to have signed an offer that quickly and I’m thankful for how well it worked out!

How I Went About The Job Search (Editor: Great Tips, please pay attention)

I asked people who were familiar with the job market for the best ways to get roles I was interested in – What job boards/sites did they use? What skills were hot? I updated my resume using UK job postings and resume samples. I got a UK cell phone number that I routed to my Canadian cell (Sites like TollFreeForwarding offer this service for as little as $5/month). I uploaded my resume with my UK number to multiple job boards for visibility. I was prepared for conversations with potential employers but I didn’t’t volunteer the fact that I lived abroad unless I was directly asked. When asked about availability I would say something along the lines of “I’m currently out of town but will be in London by x date”

If a recruiter asked what my salary expectations were, I would answer the questions in GBP, not CAD. If they asked what areas I was open to commuting to I could confidently say specific areas like Canary Wharf or the City. I spoke using terms they were familiar with e.g. saying CV, instead of resume.

I asked for referrals – from my manager at the company I worked, from friends, from recruiters. This last one is what worked for me as I eventually went on to work at the London office of the company I worked at in Canada. And in general, referrals are what have worked best for me when job searching.

How Do You Decide On Destinations Each Year?

I mostly go with the flow. There was a year when I just wanted to visit as many new countries as possible, so I went everywhere. I ended up visiting 10 or 12 new countries that year.

I’m also a huge fan of multi-country trips so when I get invited to destination weddings so I plan around that (e.g. wedding in India, I added a trip to Sri Lanka; wedding in South Africa, I added stop overs in Nigeria and Namibia; and so on).

There was a time I saw a travel bucket list about having breakfast, lunch and dinner in three countries and it seemed cool to me, so I planned a trip based on that and went to Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

Overall it depends on my mood and how supportive my bank account is being really.

My Travel Style Is?

Mid-range but Luxury very soon by God’s grace! LOL

You Always Look Effortlessly Fly, How Do You Pick Out Outfits For Your Trips?

Oh thank you Dee!

In general I only buy things that I absolutely love and that fit right at that moment in time – so not “this would look so good if I sucked my tummy in or lost 3.234 lbs” or whatever. By extension, I only pack items that I absolutely love and feel good in (I try everything on while I pack to be sure). I also try to stick to dresses so I don’t have to worry about matching a top with a bottom. I wrote a piece about how I pack here.

A Unique Aspect Of Your Career Journey is That You Work for Yourself as a Consultant. How Did You Get Into This?

Two years after I graduated from Uni, I had a random conversation with someone who told me she was an independent IT consultant. She explained what she did, how it worked, and I was intrigued. I looked into it, took an IT course, landed my first project and the rest is history.

Still on Consulting and Freelancing, What are The Pros and Cons?

In my opinion the pros of consulting/contracting go hand in hand with its cons.

• It can be very lucrative, but you’re a small business so you’re responsible for doing your business and income taxes, setting up your pension plan and all other employment benefits (health, dental, critical illness and so on). This can be very tedious, especially if you live in a place that doesn’t have a solid public health care system.
• You don’t have to deal with the ‘politics’ of being a permanent employee (performance reviews, doing the most for pay raises/bonuses, convincing your boss you deserve a promotion) but you also don’t get the support that comes with being a permanent employee (training opportunities, working with a good manager to set goals and do work that contribute to those goals, a defined career trajectory, etc.)
• Being an independent consultant at the beginning of your career gives you an opportunity to work on a wide variety of topics and with a wide variety of stakeholders, but consulting can be very transient in nature and if you’re not careful this can lead to you becoming a jack-of-all-trades and master of absolutely none.
• The biggest concern most people have with consulting is the perceived lack of job security. You could sign a contract for 6 months but then half way through your client decides the project is no longer a priority or budget gets cut and so your job gets cut. The best way to mitigate this risk is by staying on top of what’s happening in your field, up skilling, and maintaining industry contacts, etc. It can be exhausting!

What’s One Tip You’d Share with Someone Making a Move Abroad?

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

When I’m about to do something that seems overwhelming, I ask myself “What’s the worst that could happen?” and then plan for that scenario. I embark on my journey hopeful and optimistic, but I find that having a back up plan just incase things don’t go the way I want is a huge confidence booster for me.

What’s The Craziest Thing To Happen To You On A Trip?

People running after me in India wanting to take photos of me (presumably because I’m black). It was bizarre.

But on a more positive note, while I was at a grocery store in Windhoek, Namibia, I met a guy who grew up a few streets from where I did in Ife, Nigeria. How cool and random is that?!

How Has Travelling and Living Abroad Made You A Better Professional?

• I’m a lot more comfortable with asking questions. I’ve always been a curious person by nature but I’ve learned to take the same curiosity that accompanies me on my travels to work and ask “Why?”
• Being exposed to different cultures and work environments has made me more flexible at work. Some cultures are fast paced and so interactions can come across as direct or rude. Others are slower paced which means a request like “May I please have a response to this by x date/time” in an email is likely to be ignored and needs to be followed up with a call or meeting. I’ve learned to adjust my expectations depending on where I am, and most importantly not to take anything personal.
• I’m also comfortable being the “only”. The only woman, the only black person, the only Nigerian, the only Canadian, the only one with short hair, etc.
• Travel makes me more open minded. This is a great mindset to have at work because when I’m faced with complex problems at work I don’t automatically default to a linear way of thinking, and it means I’m more likely to come up with a creative solution.

Your Pace of Travel has Changed in the Past Year Since You’ve Moved Back to Canada. Can You Share About That And Why?

I’ve done a lot of travelling over the last couple of years and I’m looking forward to just enjoying where I live this year. Travelling from Canada can be expensive. Yes, planning in advance helps, but there’s only so much planning that can bypass the fact that Toronto is in a corner. A very wise friend (that friend is Dee, haha) captured my sentiments exactly when she said, “I cannot be intentionally poor and irresponsible because of travel”. Honestly it resonated so much with my soul I wanted to drop an offering. Travel is great, but for me it cannot be at the expense of other important goals. I’ve done a lot of travelling over the last couple of years, so I’m okay to have other priorities now.

(Editors Note: please send all offerings my way, T for Thanks! On a more serious note, let’s get our coins all the way together even as we get our passport stamps, okay?)

How Would You Describe The Process of Settling Back Into Life In Canada?

It’s been a big lesson in trusting God even when I don’t know the details of His plan.

The decision to move back was a very tough one for me; I loved my life in London! But honestly from the time I made the decision till now, God has gone above and beyond to show He’s in complete control. One of the things I was most worried about was how long it would take to find work in Toronto. In the end I arrived in Toronto on a Saturday, got put forward for a project on Monday, interviewed and was made an offer on Tuesday. The thing that had caused me the most anxiety was resolved in less than 2 business days! Letting go and letting God is a lot easier to say than to practice, but He’s never disappointed me when I did.

(Editor’s Note: Preach!!!)

If You Could Pick Any Place In The World To Live In Where Would that Be and Why?

Somewhere in the Motherland (African continent). I’d love to have warmer weather all year round and be surrounded by professionals who look like me crushing their goals on a daily.

(Editor’s note: This makes two of us. Let’s go?)

In One Word, How Do You Keep Advancing Your Career While Incorporating Travel In Your Life?

Flexibility

When I look at you on the outside I see a confident and stunning woman ( your hair , your style , and the confidence you exude in a bikini , c’mon)! On the inside you are even more beautiful and kind and warm and faith fueled! Have you always been this way, so certain of your place in the world and bold enough to show up as that? Any tips for those of us that struggle with that?

First of all, I took a screenshot of this and sent it to a bunch of people to be POMPOUS haha. Wow thank you Dee!

No, I have definitely not always been this way and it honestly is still a work in progress for me.

My biggest tip would be authenticity. I know, I know, everyone and their mama is asking you to be authentic and what does that even mean? For me it means staying focused on being the best version of myself, instead of trying to be someone else.

A small example – I’ve lived abroad for half my life and still have a very Nigerian accent. I don’t try to speak like people around me in order to fit in, I focus on enunciating and communicating with as much clarity as possible.

I wear my hair short because I love the way I look in it, I wear bright colours to work because they make me happy, I say good morning and SMILE even when I know people will look at me weird, I am not shy about referring to my faith when it’s relevant to a conversation.

Basically the most empowering thing I’ve done for myself is to be comfortable in my own skin, and I guess it reflects externally.

Editor’s Notes: A Massive THANK YOU to Femi for doing this. I love how Femi  definitely has fun times and at the same time is so grounded! After learning of how she got into consulting, found out about the visa program and moved to the UK, I had to share her story and tips on this platform! Did she share gems or what? I love all the practical tips she shared about how she made the move, how she decided on the UK, how she packs, and how she job searched (local phone number tip is a game changer!). 

As I was re-reading her responses, I started texting her with more questions and then I just picked up the phone and we just caught up. She’s a beautiful soul and one that I’m glad to have met and to now have in my circle. Femi doesn’t post often on Instagram but when she does it is worth it!! You can find her here on the gram!

Thank you for reading, please share bits that resonated with you, tips you found most helpful, comments, thoughts, or questions you may have. 

Want to read the other Travfessionals features? Read about Kachi and Tola as new parents traveling with a baby, Gabe and Birdy moving from the USA to the Netherlands, and Amarachi living in Nigeria and traveling locally and internationally!

Till next time, 

Dee (Ms. Heels)