A former university lecturer who relocated to Canada has sparked an online debate after sharing her experience working as a hotel cleaner, prompting immigrants to highlight the dignity of honest work and the sacrifices often required when starting over abroad.
The woman, who shared the experience on TikTok through her account, @Jojo’s Lifestyle, was seen wearing navy-blue scrubs and a patterned headscarf while cleaning a hotel bathroom. Holding a spray bottle and a green microfibre cloth, she appeared cheerful and comfortable in her new role.
Her video attracted attention largely because of her previous career in academia. Some social media users questioned why she had left a university lecturing position to take up cleaning work in Canada.
However, rather than expressing embarrassment, the former lecturer appeared to embrace her new job, demonstrating that earning an honest income was more important to her than public opinion.
A woman identified as Divine, who lives abroad, defended the lecturer’s decision, explaining that immigrants often take available legal jobs while establishing themselves in a new country.
She stressed that there was no shame in doing honest work, adding that people living abroad are generally more focused on their own lives than on judging others.
Other TikTok users shared similar experiences of starting from entry-level jobs after relocating overseas.
One user said she worked as a cleaner for six months before eventually securing a job with Microsoft in Toronto.
Another commenter revealed that she had a PhD and previously worked as a lecturer in Nigeria before moving to Canada, where she initially worked as a cleaner. She later established a home daycare, received a grant and began planning to launch her own cleaning business.
Another user encouraged the former lecturer to remain positive, noting that progress matters regardless of where someone begins.
The reactions have highlighted the experiences of many immigrants who accept jobs outside their professional fields while adapting to new countries, before eventually securing employment related to their qualifications or establishing businesses.
The discussion also comes amid wider conversations about the earning potential of manual jobs abroad. A Kenyan living and working in Australia recently claimed that some physically demanding jobs could pay between KSh10,000 and KSh11,000 per hour, while caregiving work could reportedly earn between KSh5,000 and KSh6,000 per hour.
However, some commenters noted that higher wages abroad often come alongside expensive living costs, demanding working conditions and the emotional challenge of living far from family.
The former lecturer’s experience has therefore sparked a broader conversation about migration, dignity of labour, financial independence and the sacrifices many people make when rebuilding their lives in a new country.
