People of Georgian: International student has ‘difficult but perfect’ college experience

What’s your story?

The Georgian community is full of unique, inspiring perspectives —and we’re sharing them as part of an ongoing series.

People of Georgian: Meet Obioma Chukwuka

I’ve always been a cheerful person with a high spirit.

I don’t know if it’s that what made my parents name me ‘Obioma.’ It means good heart and joy.

A person wearing a red sweater, black pants and black boots, poses with their hands up by their head while standing in a classroom.

My positivity comes from my mom. She’s a very cheerful person, and she has always influenced my siblings and I.

She’s such a good person, who is hard working, courageous and positive, even when life is not that way. My mom is the backbone in our family.

And she’s the No. 1 reason why I came to Canada.

When I was accepted to Georgian College, I thought I would never be able to do all my courses, such as accounting, which I didn’t have any background in. I thought I would even drop out in my first year or in my first semester.
But my mom is always encouraging me: “You can do it. You can do it.”
In the end, coming to Canada was difficult but perfect.

Being here has built up my personality. While growing up, I wasn’t allowed to show much of myself. I’m glad for the opportunity to come to Canada and show who I am and come out from my comfort zone.

Meeting people, especially my classmates and professors, and everyone from Georgian College, has helped me grow. They have built up my spirit.

Two people sitting in a classroom at a desk hold up paper designs in front of them. One reads #CoolCold.

A person wearing a dress and red shoes smiles and stands outside next to a road.

Obioma studying business to become entrepreneur

It’s a totally different experience than being in my home country.

It has been a great experience so far being in a new environment with different people. Every day I see people of different colours, different races, different backgrounds, different home countries – and I’ve been enjoying every bit of it.

If I just made friends with people of my own colour or background, I would have stayed back in Nigeria.

Studying here now, I also get to share my passion for fashion, hair and clothing while working on establishing a business.

I started making wigs when I was a teenager, and later on a friend showed me how to sew and design clothes.

After my undergraduate degree in Nigeria, I had one-year mandatory service in the National Youth Service Corps, where we had to learn a skill of our choosing, and so I chose beading.

An aerial view of a hand holding a brown, braided wig. — *Obioma has been making wigs since she was a teenager.*

Beaded necklace and earrings on display. — *Obioma learned to bead while in the National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria.*

‘This is where I’m supposed to be’

Combining hair, fashion and beading into a business is something I would love to do.

In my first semester at Georgian, my classmates and I each had to bring in an artifact that held significance in our lives.

I brought a beaded necklace and earrings that I made.

I’m not studying fashion but going into businesses is something I’ve always wanted to do.

This is where I’m supposed to be.

Obioma Chukwuka, a student in Georgian’s Global Business Management program.

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