We The Americans - What it means to be in America

by Victor Unachukwu

This is what it means to be in America: As a Nigerian who came to the United States last August for my master’s program, being in America is more than an experience— I must say. While the education system here is considered the best in the world, it initially presented a wave of perplexity and confusion, one that emerged as a whirlwind of doubt. Understanding the educational system was a roller coaster of its own, given the stark difference from my home country.

The reason for this is that there are a lot of differences between the American curriculum and that of other countries, especially the Nigerian curriculum. I grappled with so many concepts as an international student, from the different styles in curriculum to the different approaches to professors, and interactions with Americans on campus. In my home country, speaking to professors wasn’t a walk in the park; unlike in America, where there is a more flexible and tangible relationship between students and professors, that wasn’t the case in my country. Also, the American system of education acts more like a learning experience because one is expected to start studying the first-day class starts because there are a lot of assignments to attend to. And although, at first, it seemed as if this methodology wasn’t clicking for me, especially during my first year when my professors offered to help me, offered to provide any guidance I needed to move forward as a student, and offered to provide a shoulder to lean on, which is not always a given. 

As a public speaker and my people’s advocate, meeting with a few Americans has helped me amplify my voice, receiving valuable support and advice on navigating my journey here, both professionally and personally. When I heard that writers are voices, that like a voice crying in the wilderness, they herald the voice of a people, either positively or negatively — I decided to travel on that path, to make the voice of the voiceless come alive, to amplify their voices such that their living will matter. When I talk about being an advocate —I mean — being responsible for the lives of millions of people who exist on earth without having a direction for their lives. Because of such people, my love and passion for their lives grew like an intensified weight on my chest.

The book of Matthew 11:28-30 speaks of “reducing the yoke and burden on people,” like an albatross on the neck. It even goes further to remind us that these “burdens and yokes” are too much for us to bear, meaning that Jesus is the only one who has what it takes to bear such burdens, and as an advocate — this matters so much to me because I have been there; I know what it feels like when people haven’t found themselves. Many issues and crises we have in the world today are because people have not yet found who they are, what they are here for, and the place of fulfilling their purpose. And for me — as an advocate, this is where my advocacy comes into play —to lead these people to Jesus, the one who has what it takes to take their yokes and their burdens away, and the one who will show them who they were created to be, even before they were born. Speaking from experience, I can boldly say that when people find Jesus, Jesus gives them hope, which morphs and intensifies into knowing their identity in this world, which also morphs and intensifies into fulfilling their purpose on earth, for which their identity was known.

In Psalms 82:6-7, the scripture says, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Highest. But ye shall die like men and fall like one of the princes.” This goes a long way to remind us that although God has a specific reason for which he created us in his image and likeness, there is still a possibility of not coming to that knowledge, the actualization of what has been set ahead of us and dominating our world. This reminds me of when I was curious about what it means to find my purpose as a young teenager who often hears people talk about purpose, purpose, and purpose. All this time, the word Purpose never made sense to me; instead, I understood it as some word that, perhaps, requires some certain knowledge from certain books written by certain people to find purpose and all this while, I never knew that my purpose in life is tied to knowing the source of life, that by finding Him, Jesus I will find my purpose for living.

This was the beginning of my journey into discovering God's plans for my life and what has been written about me from the studio of eternity.

Today, although I’m not there yet, by God’s grace, I will get there, because the vision is for an appointed time, and although it tarries, it will certainly come to pass. As I encountered Jesus, my purpose of existing became clearer by the day, because I gave Jesus a chance to take my yoke and my burdens. Since this encounter, affecting people positively through teaching, writing tracks, and sharing my encounter with Jesus with them has been something that I can say — gives me joy and fulfillment —something that burns inside me like an ember. And by the special grace of God, I have been doing this with a sense of fulfillment and joy.

In Nigeria, I was a teen coach in my church, a platform that teaches and transforms the minds of teenagers who most times find themselves in the well of life uncertainties and who, in most cases, are the target of the devil. I give glory to God for this privilege. For most of my life —nothing triggers me the most than telling people that the only way to accomplish and have a full sense of fulfillment in life would be when they give Jesus a chance in their lives —to Lord over their lives —to be the sole navigator of their own heart.

Coming to America has broadened my vision in some dimensions—specifically around building a community of students’ believers, with a sense of letting them know God’s original and eternal plans for their life and how rewarding, self-fulfilling one can be if they are tied to the source of all things, Jesus, because in Him we live, exist, and have our being.

Living in the land of the free that is as vast as the sky, where birds of all sizes soar without colliding, regardless of their sizes, diversity, and multifaceted nature—I must say—serves as an elixir for my life ambition of shaping and impacting lives. I might not have arrived there now, in terms of why God brought me to America, but it won’t be long enough. I will be grateful to God for the gift of America and for the people all over the world He has entrusted to me. Not only will my goals come to fruition on American soil, but they will also leave a palpable mark on every heart, despite religion, or race, to inspire, enrich, and create a hunger to know God.

A Nigerian writer from Imo State, and musician— Victor Unachukwu demonstrates a fervent commitment to addressing social issues through his work. By giving voice to the challenges faced by society, he seeks to spark meaningful change in society — with a sense of amplifying the voiceless in society. He is currently a master’s student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA, where he is currently pursuing his MA in English, with a concentration in Creative Writing. He writes poetry, short stories, flash fiction and novellas....

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