Visa Help, Teaching Tips, and Money Advice for International Educators
Honest reflections and personal stories from international teachers around the world. These are the real, raw, and inspiring journeys behind the decision to teach abroad—filled with heart, growth, and life lessons.
The most powerful warriors in your US teaching applications are PATIENCE and TIME! Don’t say, “I’ll try it!” Instead, “Do it!” Give time to do it! And be patient enough to allow God to make it happen for you! Successful teachers in Teach-USA saw the crooked pathway ahead – it’s a … Read more
Teach-USA started its operations in 2018. Since then, we have helped 170 teachers dream of teaching in the US via the J1 visa/cultural exchange program. The facts are easy to shout out, but the reality was it takes a lot of letting go and letting God for the story to unfold. I remember wanting … Read more
My husband Dennis and I would always fight during our first few years together. He’d always say we should go our separate ways. I allowed him to vent, but I never responded with anything but, “whatever makes you happy, I’ll support you! When our first and only child then, Mymy, was three years old, I … Read more
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
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
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 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 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 32/52 #Weeklies One thing that I love about my job now is that I get to meet a lot of people in the education world. Part of what I do is to visit schools in our state, not for instructional audit, but more for technical assistance. I get to visit one school at a … Read more
Week 30/52 #Weeklies Call me weird… why? First, I use the quiet train. My co-worker said another acquaintance is looking for me on the train and she can’t find me! I told her I use the quiet train. Another co-worker said so you’re anti-social now. I said no, I just prefer to sleep than listen … Read more
Week 29/52 #Weeklies Family and friends have been asking… when will I go home??? When I left our country, Philippines, in 2007. I was merely enveloped by excitement. New country, a new adventure, new challenges. Then I started dreaming… …. to visit Disneyland! It happened… all for free! Check my photos here. … to have my … Read more
Week 28/52 #Weeklies For some reason, I am not fond of drama, especially in relationships. The thing is I know I am not fond of it way before I was even in love relationships! I remember holding on to my belief that if I see “him” I’ll know it is “him”! My heart will tell me … Read more
Week 27/52 #Weeklies I told my boss who was preparing to leave the office, “Safe travels! Don’t sleep!” The message was for me as just two weeks ago I fell asleep for a second or two and found myself in the sloping grassy median. You’ll find the story here. My boss replied, “Oh, I won’t … Read more