A change for the better

It was a sunny Monday morning, but for Tunde, the sun was lifeless. He sat in his small office at the back of the hotel, staring at the letter in his hand. His heart felt heavy. He had just been fired as manager of the hotel after working there for over five years.

The hotel had been facing hard times. Not as many people came in and the owners opted to save money. Tunde was one of the people they let go. The words in the letter ran through his mind, "We are sorry, but due to financial difficulties, we can no longer keep you on the team.". It felt like a slap to the face. He had given so much to this job, stayed late when needed, made sure everything ran smoothly, and now this was his reward.

Tunde checked out of the hotel that day with his few personal possessions packed into a small cardboard box. As he stepped out onto the busy street, he felt lost. The sounds of the city weren't even a thought to him. He wondered how he would explain this to his wife, Kemi, and their two children. They depended on his income, and now it was gone.

When Tunde got home, Kemi immediately noticed his tired face. "Tunde, what happened? You look so down."

He let out a big sigh and plopped down on their old couch. "I lost my job today," he said quietly.

Kemi’s eyes widened with shock. "What? But why? You’ve worked so hard!"

He shook his head, feeling the weight of disappointment. "They said they can’t afford to keep me anymore. The hotel is struggling."

Kemi sat beside him and placed her hand on his. "We’ll get through this," she said softly. "We always do."

Tunde appreciated her words, but in his heart, he felt a sense of failure. How would he take care of his family now?

Days turned into weeks, and Tunde couldn’t find another job. All the bills were adding up and the family was really having a difficult time. The stress was taking its toll on him. He would just sit there and think about how in the hell things had taken such a turn for the worse so fast.

One evening, as Tunde sat on the porch, staring into the distance, his phone buzzed. It was an old friend from school, Kunle, who now lived abroad. They hadn’t spoken in years, but Kunle had heard about Tunde’s situation from a mutual friend.

"Hello, Tunde!" Kunle’s voice was bright, which surprised Tunde.

"Kunle? It’s been ages. How are you?" Tunde responded.

"I’m doing well, my friend. But I heard about your job. I’m so sorry to hear that."

Tunde sighed. "Yeah, it’s been tough. I’m trying to figure out what to do next."

Kunle paused for a moment and then said, "Listen, Tunde. I know you’re going through a rough time, but maybe this is an opportunity. The company I'm at wants someone like you. It’s a much better job than what you had, and I think you’d be perfect for it.".

Tunde’s heart skipped a beat. "Really? What’s the job?"

It is an management job at a 5 star hotel in canada. They need someone experienced, and you’ve got that. Plus, the pay is great."

Tunde could hardly believe what he was hearing. "But… how do I even apply? I don’t have a visa or anything."

Kunle smiled on the other end of the line. "Don’t worry about that. If they like you, the company will sponsor your visa. I’ll send you the details tonight."

That night, Tunde stayed up late, filling out the application and updating his resume. For the first time in weeks, he felt a glimmer of hope.

Tunde recieved a life altering email a couple of weeks later. He had been screened for an interview and after talking to the hiring department a couple of times they gave him the job. They would even set up his visa and pay for all the travel. Tunde couldn’t believe it.

The night he told Kemi, her eyes just started to water. "Tunde, this is incredible! This is the answer we’ve been waiting for."

Tunde smiled, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "I know. I can’t believe it either. This could change everything for us."

As the weeks passed, the paperwork was completed, and soon, Tunde was holding his visa in his hands. It felt surreal. Just a few months ago, he had been fired from his job, not knowing what the future held. And now he was going to uproot his family and take them to a strange new country because of a job, a better job, a better life.

On the day of his departure, Tunde stood at the airport with Kemi and the kids by his side. They would join him after he got settled. As they hugged tightly, Kemi whispered, "I’m so proud of you, Tunde.".

Tunde smiled, his heart full. "This is just the beginning, Kemi. Things are going to get better from here."

As he boarded the plane, Tunde reflected on how losing his job had felt like the end of the world, but in reality, it had set off a domino effect that led to something even greater. Life had a way of surprising you, he thought, and for the first time in a long time, he was excited to see what the future held.
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