AJ Shares Her Journey from Ghana to Canada, Sacrificing a Visa Lottery for Marriage
AJ, a Ghanaian based in Ontario, Canada, appeared on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show with DJ Nyaami to share her story. She has been living in Canada for six years.
Back in Ghana, AJ’s parents lived abroad, leaving her behind. Her mother returned in 2009, but it wasn’t easy growing up without them. “It’s always better for a child to live with their parents,” she said. Before leaving Ghana, AJ worked at Morgan International School, her uncle’s school. At the time, she was married and decided to leave for greener pastures, as her parents were already in Canada.
AJ revealed that before she got married, she won the American DV Lottery but chose marriage over traveling to the U.S. “When the visa came, I was about to get married. My husband and I had plans, and I love the concept of marriage. So, I gave up the visa lottery for marriage,” she explained.
When she finally moved to Canada, she came alone with the vision of raising enough capital to return to Ghana. However, she quickly realized the challenges of living abroad. “Earning $2,000 to $4,000 a month sounds good, but after taxes, it’s small. Even people with Canadian degrees are looking for second jobs. Once your finances improve, your lifestyle changes — a new car, new land, vacations — but doing one job makes it hard to maintain that lifestyle,” she said.
AJ eventually relocated her children to Canada, but not her husband. She noted that life abroad is far more expensive than many in Ghana imagine. “Someone in Ghana could be paying $20 a month for rent, while here it could be $2,000. It depends on the information you have,” she said.
Although she hasn’t fully settled in Canada and is still learning, AJ maintains a business in Ghana. She sells kids’ clothing, men’s T-shirts, and more through her store, AJ Clothing Depot, located at Agradaa House. She believes her success is due to excellent customer service, often using WhatsApp to connect with clients, teach them via videos, and ensure satisfaction.
On raising children abroad, AJ shared a cultural contrast: “When my kids visited Ghana, they were respectful and even a bit shy. But abroad, once I passed a red light, they threatened to call the police. Here, parents are even begging their kids to greet their friends, but they won’t mind you.”
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