Visa Help, Teaching Tips, and Money Advice for International Educators
gemma@teach-usa.net 
Teach-USA started its operations in SY 2018-2019. We have helped 170 successful teachers since then. (not counting 2022) Teach-USA is a third-party agent to accredited J1 visa sponsors. We provide the most comprehensive preparation program for the cultural exchange opportunity. Yes, we make our teachers work and prepare them holistically through our Teach-USA … Read more
H1B and J1 visas are both non-immigrant visas. The J1 visa is under the US Department of State. Max duration is five years. You go home for the two-year home requirement before you can reapply. J1 visa runs for three years with possible two years extension. You will have to go … Read more
THE FACTS: The J1 visa exchange visitor Section 212 (e) two-year home requirement means you have to return to your home country after the end of your J1 visa program. That means you cannot do any of the following until you fulfill this requirement: Change status in the US with an H1b nonimmigrant … Read more
I moved to Las Vegas at the beginning of the school year this year. Although there was much resistance in my heart, I followed God’s promptings. I serve two schools, and I like the variety – like a perfect match, I fell in love right away with my work, the people I work with, and … Read more
Q&A on Employment Facilitation Services “Are you still recruiting teachers?” “Am I”? Technically, I do not own a school so I do not “recruit” teachers to teach for me, however, we do have an employment facilitation agency, Teach-USA, where we “recruit” teachers to seek our services so we can bring out the best in … Read more
Week 45/52 #Weeklies 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 … Read more
Week 44/52 #Weeklies Teaching in the US is not a walk in the park. A year after I started teaching in the Philippines, I met a teacher-friend who shared how she applied to teach in the US with J1 visa. After a week of being in the elementary school, she literally raised her arms in … Read more
Week 43/52 #Weeklies While talking to Shalom about anything and everything under the sun, out of the blue, she said that if there’s one thing I should do, it would be to open a placement agency to help teachers teach in the US. Although I welcomed the thought with an open mind and heart, I … Read more
Week 42/52 #Weeklies I am amazed by how God makes all things possible. A lot of times I would be very specific in writing my plans to the point that I would want God to follow my schedule. Year after year, I’d write my goals but year after year, it wouldn’t happen. Yes, I was … Read more
1 What is Teach-USA? Teach-USA helps Filipino teachers secure a job in New Mexico, US and nearby states. 2 Can I pay for my evaluation first and then pay for my license after I pass the interview? Sure. 3 NM Licenses will not be issued without Social Security Number. What … Read more
Week 41/52 #Weeklies It is all about choices in the end. See my attire? Jeans, tennis shoes… I was wearing the black shirt though, but it didn’t cut still. I was under-dressed. That morning I thought, I’ll be walking for 25 minutes from the train station to the training location, it will be … Read more
Week 40/52 #Weeklies I could not believe it has been two years and a month since I started #Weeklies. My first post was written on September 7, 2015! I wrote about “A house with centralized AC!” What amazed me when I read that blog post again was the message! I have been sharing stories over and over … Read more
Week 39/52 #Weeklies My current work entails going to different schools in New Mexico for site visits. I lead a team. We observe classes, interview principals and leadership teams. Then we gather data and do exit meetings. Most of the time, district representatives join our meetings to discuss improvement areas and supports we can provide … Read more
Week 38/52 #Weeklies Published September 21, 2017 Today marks my 10th year here in the US. Yes, time flies! Ten years ago, it was just a dream. Up to now, I am still amazed by the transitions, changes, and everything in between those ten years! I only have gratefulness to God for allowing me to … Read more
Week 37/52 #Weeklies I quietly sat in one of the tiny chairs I borrowed from this little boy. I noticed he couldn’t take his eyes off me. I smiled as he approached and blurted, “Are you Chinese?” I almost laughed and said, “No.” He looked at me as if I was kidding as I looked … Read more
Week 35/52 #Weeklies When I was about to teach my next batch of students, my partner teacher in the computer room excitedly told me that she was able to connect with Skype and found this girl from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alright, this was in 2006 when Friendster was still in, when Skype has just … Read more
Week 33/52 #Weeklies Armed with stories from Hollywood movies about American kids, I thought I was ready to aim, shoot, and fire! But I was mistaken, when I was given an opportunity to work here in the US as special education teacher, I found out that most of the “school” stories in the movies were … Read more
Week 25/52 #Weeklies Part of my job running two years now is to visit schools in the state of New Mexico, USA. Needless to say, I travel to wherever schools I am assigned to wherever it is in the state. The best thing about it is I get to see different places, different schools, different … Read more
Week 24/52 #Weeklies I started off 2016 with plans… big plans! After studying master’s degree one subject at a time since 2012, I knew I would eventually graduate… soon! Three months before 2016, my husband and I looked at the possibility of owning a house. We’ve been moving from one apartment/house to another and the … Read more
Week 17/52 #Weeklies When I mentioned to Dennis that we will simply order beef kaldereta from an acquaintance and that we will pick it up, our major thought bubble was suddenly about the kaldereta spilling in the car! I knew he was thinking about it because he suddenly suggested on what to put under to … Read more