Hi guys!!! How are you doing? How have you been?  I hope you're thriving & in good health! I'm back with yet another new episode and this time, I came back with a three-time guest; one of my best girls, Busayo! In this episode, we dive into the details of our first big fight and how it almost cost us our 11-year long friendship! It all started with a Galentine brunch, a shopping spree and a night over that went south very quickly! We reflected on how we handled the conflict and why we...

Hey guys, Season 4 is finally here!!! And I'm back with a surprise for you....I'm on a new mic!💃🏾  Definitely feeling excited, elated, exhilarated about the new year but at the same time -  anxious, worried and tippy-toed!  My hope is to capture all of these feelings in this new season, and share how I will be embracing and navigating the perceived changes in this new year. I'm all set, are you? Let's go! 🚀 See you in the airwaves, Tolu Support the showPlease rate the podcast wherever...

Happy New Year my fellow NISs! Wow it’s been 3 years doing podcasting. Started in 2021 just after I moved to the US and now we’re here. Season 3 was a good run - I learnt to navigate adulthood, living in New York City, and survived corporate America. I definitely feel like I learnt a lot about myself! This season will be all about 'Embracing Change'. The plan is to welcome any curve ball life throws at me; to fully embrace it, navigate it and adapt gracefully.  This will also be my fourth...

Our conversation ventures beyond the professional, diving into the essence of what it means to be healthy in every aspect of life. We navigate the murky waters of emotional and financial stability, touching on the lessons learned from our Nigerian roots to the challenges faced abroad. Discover the role of spirituality in our lives, both as a source of strength and as a guiding compass through adversity. Tune in to hear how we grapple with the delicate balance of body image, the intricacies of...

Helllllllooo people, It’s almost time to bid farewell to 2023, and usher in a new year! Grateful for the many of you that are still here and hoping for a bigger and better next year for all of us! I hope this episode also inspires you to look back on the beautiful year you’ve had, what could have gone better and lessons you might have learned about life and yourself.  Sending you warm hugs from NYC, and wishing you a very wonderful new year ahead! Happy Listening :) Much much love x...

Recently, I had a very crazy idea to voice log a day in my weekend life in NYC! It took a lot to put it together but I’m so happy to see it worked out! I had such a cool & cozy Saturday ft. laundry, a visit to the nail saloon, plant mum duties, cooking a typical Nigerian breakfast and hosting a friend! My friend came over to spend the whole day and we had a lot to catch up on and chat about - from societal expectations of women to age-old gender roles, to the sometimes unequal division...

Heyyyy y'all! I'm baaaack, and this time I'm back with a familiar guest - Bussy B! As Detty December approaches, Busayo and I sit down to reminisce our experience(s) of going back to Nigeria during Christmas (for me) and Summer (for her). I went back home in December 2022 to see my family and attend my sister's wedding while she went back in July 2023 to obtain her H-1B/American work visa, and also spend time with her family. We share some tips to prepare for the sweet (and somewhat sour)...

Hi guys! Coming to you all the way from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, please say hello to my friends and fellow Corp baddies - Pearl Abue, Daniella Mafe & Blessing 'Bibichukwu' Akonure. I've never had more than two guests per time on a recorded episode so I was a bit nervous about the outcome BUT we had so much fun doing it! (and the episode chapters say it all!) I hope you learn a thing or two from our work/visa struggles, and enjoy hearing from adults in their late twenties/early...

Sneaking this in again - Podcast feedback form  :) Have a lovely rest of your week! Tolu Support the showThere's always more to the story! Follow here for more :)

The AI Cohost description for this episode: Ever wondered how it feels to step out of your comfort zone, face your fears, and conquer new territories? Well, this episode is a testament to that! As your host, Tolulope 'Esther' Olukanmi I take you through a captivating journey. I discuss my life's voyage, from growing up in Nigeria to making my mark in the American corporate world. Be prepared to share in my joys, hardships, and amusing anecdotes - like becoming a proud plant mom and an...

Hi guys! I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording! As promised: T-Shirt interest formFeedback form (I'd love to hear from you!)Love, Dating, Marriage Youtube channelThe Morning Show on Apple TV+Painkiller on NetflixMy article on Addiction - Dancing with The DevilGoing back to Cornell Till next time ✌🏾, Tolu O. Support the showThere's always more to the story! Follow here for more :)

Hey guys! I'm back one more time before July wraps-up, and this time I'm back with a guest! Yay! So I caught up with an old friend over brunch up about two weeks ago and decided that we needed to continue the conversation over a podcast episode. We had so much fun recounting how we met (during NYSC) and sharing how we've been full-blown thrust into Adulthood since then! This guest is none other than Ibukun Joyce Aiyemo - Former Marketing Lead at Burger King, Nigeria & current MBA...

Happy Listening :) With love from NYC, Tolu Ps: Here’s the link to subscribe to my friend’s YouTube channel while we anticipate her ‘Naira to Pounds’ interview with me. Thank you! 🫶🏾 Support the showThere's always more to the story :) Follow on Instagram @thenonimmigrantstudent so you don't miss any deets!

Can you believe it's already been a year since I joined Google? Time flies when you're learning, growing, and embracing new experiences! In this special episode, I take a moment to express my gratitude to God, the friends who have supported me throughout my incredible journey, and share some of the invaluable lessons I've picked up along the way. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on these insights that could make a massive difference in your own career. Ever felt held back by assumptions...

Hellllloooo!!!! I know, I missed you too! This time I came back with a guest, yay! She's none other than Ivy F. Ochieng and she's without a doubt, one of my favorite people! Some of you might remember her as Ivy from this reel OR as my Kenyan sister/roommate from that reel but she's one of the very first friends I made when I moved to the US  and was also my very first roommate in the US...so yes we go way beck! We forgot to mention but she also invited me to join her executive board as...

Hi guys! It's been half-a-minute! Another much awaited episode on the travails of going back home to renew your F-1 visa is here! But not to worry, I gat you! In this episode, I share my own experience of going back home (to Nigeria) to renew my F-1 visa (aka student visa) and I did say a lot in the episode. So ICYM any details, kindly follow this link to a blog post where I try to give detailed steps on how to go about renewing your own student visa too. I tailored it to all international...

Another much awaited episode! This episode details my experience  working in Big Tech these past nine months and more! I also reminisce on my previous work experience in Nigeria as an Oil & Gas Engineer and how I’m able to make the best of this new experience in a new field/industry.  Happy Listening and see you in Episode 4! Tech Money Hugs, Tolu (aka T-Money🤲🏾🙏🏾)

I know, I didn’t see this change of plan coming too but I think it’s an episode we all need. Just incase you need to sit in/sit with your feelings this week, I’m here for and with you.  Happy Listening! Anyway, I hope your week is off to a great start and hope that you’re keeping HOPE alive regarding the 2023 Nigerian Elections… #fingerscrossed #NewNigeria #OBIdient.  Sending you lots of peace, respite and love, Tolu

The Non-Immigrant Student podcast is 2-years old today! As I said in the Season 3 Trailer,''Your girl is beck''...and for good this time! In this episode, I bring you up to speed on everything that has been happening with me since I graduated from Cornell in May 2022. From the updates I also share, I hope you'd understand why the hiatus took that long, and realize how adjusting to a new life can be very tough! (I'd say wicked in-fact but we international students don't talk about it enough...

Happy New Year my fellow NISs! Welcome back, as you join me on this journey of self-rediscovery, self-altruism and more!   In Season 3, I’m going to be sharing my everyday life experiences as I navigate Adulthood (Faith, Money, Lifestyle & Relationships) and Corporate America as a Non-Immigrant!  Season 3 will be all about the TEA!  I’ve really missed doing this and I’ve missed talking to you! So see you in the next episode(s)? Tolu

Grace Imanariyo was born and raised in Rwanda and is the youngest of 4 girls in her family. She grew up in a loving Christian home and was always passionate about Technology and getting to meet people. She received her Bachelor's degree (with honors) in Computer Science from Muhlenberg College and her Master's degree in Engineering Management from Cornell University. Grace loves to sing and play the keyboard and guitar. She loves everything about Worship and Praise music and is a recording...

Hello my fellow NISs! The long-awaited episode is here!  🎉 Listening to both episodes again brought me so much joy & laughter that I thought to share Part 1 with you - to at least give you a head-start, and also bring some joy & laughter your way this weekend! The planned official release for both Part 1 & 2 is on November 1st, 2022... but in the mean time, enjoy this unprecedented, unofficial episode release of how we landed our jobs at McKinsey & Co.  and at...

Nyamekye Afua Nkansah, LL.M.  and Abena Opong-Fosu, LL.M. are recent graduates from the Cornell Law School. Afua graduated with an LL.B. from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2017 winning the award for “Best Project” in that academic year. She ventured on to “Makola” -Ghana School of Law, Accra- where she practiced her law degree and was later called to the Ghana bar in 2020. Her interests are in public policy, international law and human rights. In her spare time, Afua...