Isaac Opoku is a Ghanaian currently living in Atickwal, a city near Bristol in the UK. His journey to the UK was filled with painful experiences and challenges.
Years ago, Isaac sold his land in Ghana to finance his dream of traveling abroad. Unfortunately, he was duped by an American woman he had married. She took $10,000 from him but later returned to Ghana and abandoned the marriage. Isaac recalls feeling devastated, even to the point of nearly harming her, but he restrained himself.
Life in Ghana after this setback was not easy. He had accidents, legal troubles, and disputes with relatives. At one point, he even sold his car and used the money to get by. Later, he ventured into buying and selling cars, which helped him raise some money, but once again he was scammed of $10,000.
Eventually, Isaac managed to travel to the UK in 2023. He came as a dependant and started working, initially as a kitchen porter, then as a supervisor in cleaning and security. Today, he works overnight shifts and sometimes pays as much as £1,000 in taxes from his salary. Despite the challenges, he feels grateful because the UK has offered him opportunities he could never have imagined in Ghana.
Isaac emphasizes that whatever one used to do back home should not be repeated abroad, because the system is different and highly regulated. He also advises newcomers to respect and appreciate their hosts, as this plays a big role in survival when migrating.
He shares that in just one week in the UK, his salary surprised him, especially compared to what he could ever earn in Ghana as an uneducated person. He says, “If you live in Ghana, unless you steal government money, you can’t get money more than me—even though I am illiterate.”
Isaac has five children in Ghana, and since relocating, he has changed their schools to better ones. He is also working on building a house back home while planning to bring his children to the UK.
Though he now owns luxuries like the iPhone 16 Pro Max—things he could never afford in Ghana—he stresses that traveling without proper documents is risky. His own marriage visa was later canceled, and authorities told him he must return to his home country to marry properly and reapply.
In all, Isaac’s story is one of resilience, struggle, and faith. He believes God has blessed him in the UK, but he urges others to be careful, prepared, and genuine in their migration journey.
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