Game Changer #Weeklies

Week 45/52 #Weeklies

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1979777241/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_4gAKCbGAMKHA0

One agency in the Philippines paved the way for my American dream.
When I received a text message that I have an interview, and after a couple of days, I received another text message telling me that I passed and in 3 days I had to come up with $5000. Woahh! We were not informed at all that it would be $5000 to process our papers!

But, God made it happen, I had the money loaned and in 3 days we paid the agency. Not even thinking if it was a scam or was the interview really true! Lol. I had my dad join me in paying the agency I told him to talk to the manager (to pacify some doubts).

The three weeks waiting time was scary! But one good day, the approval of our visas came and the agency asked us to pay $10000 within 5 days this time - yes, this was in 2007 and we had to pay prior our US embassy interview (which they also set). Wahhh.

No turning back. I told my parents about how much the agency was asking this time. I am really thankful because they helped me!

It was awesome to finally ride the plane and see the Los Angeles airport. But, what we didn't know was the agency (the sister agency who organized all the interviews) made us sign another agreement in a rush. We didn't know that we had to pay additional placement fee amounting to 10% of our gross monthly salary for 2 years (she held our SSN, told us to not mingle with any other Filipinos, and that she would deport us if we don't behave- heck, we didn't know that she even profited from our apartment rentals even the forks and spoons that we used!) Did I mention we had to pay $2200 for our one-way ticket to the US.

Greed won't definitely take you anywhere.

They were eventually sued through the help of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the class suit won and we received $2200 each.

In spite of it all, I am still very thankful to the agencies because without them our lives wouldn't change but justice needs to be served.

Questions to ponder:

1. Should the agencies profit from the recruitment activities that they are doing? Yes. A for-profit organization exists primarily to generate a profit.

2. Would it be game-changer if the agency initially informed all the teachers they recruited about 10% of our gross monthly salary for two years on top of the $10,000 recruitment fees we had to pay outright in the Philippines? Yes.

3. Would it be a game-changer if the agency didn't invoke fear and anxiety and did not abandon us? Yes.

4. Would it be game-changer if we didn't pay a king's ransom and an arm and leg just to make our American dream come true? Oh yes!

More stories? Please check out my book "Believe It to See It: Dreams Do Come True", you'll see how God makes a way every time!

https://www.amazon.com/Believe-See-Dreams-Come-True/dp/1979777241/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=believe+it+to+see+it&qid=1553046216&s=gateway&sr=8-2


3 comments:

  1. Very nice post. I certainly love this site. Keep writing!

    ReplyDelete
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    I've saved it for later!

    ReplyDelete

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