A Filipino Teacher In The US: An Unexpected Goodbye
By Raine38
@Raine38 (12391)
United States
December 1, 2024 7:33pm CST
There’s this teacher I know who was originally from the Philippines—he's been teaching for years—who just got let go, or maybe pushed to resign. No one’s saying much, but the group chat’s buzzing about how he’s been struggling with his job lately. It’s tough to hear because he’s not new to teaching, so you know something serious must be going on.
Funny thing is, I remember when he was new to town and the country. I approached him to say hi and introduce myself, trying to be friendly. He just gave me this look—head to toe—and didn’t even bother to answer. Awkward, right?
Now here we are. I told him I know some people on the board who might be able to help, but he wouldn’t have it. For some reason, I’m not “good enough” to know what’s really going on, but my money’s apparently fine—he’s asking the community for financial help. From what I’ve heard, the money is so he can buy plane tickets back to the Philippines.
Life’s weird like that. Even people who seem to have it all together can hit a wall, and the help you want to give isn’t always the help they’ll take.
3 people like this
4 responses
@luisadannointed (6328)
• Philippines
2 Dec
That's sad to know about it. But sometimes life will hit you specially when you are a bit mean to others.
Hope he can have all the finances he needs for the ticket.. I hope he will have a good life here in the Philippines. I apologize in behalf of my kababayan.
2 people like this
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
2 Dec
No worries, @luisadannointed. I totally understand that not everyone is fortunate enough to have a good support system, but I fully support his decision as well - whether it's to go back home or not to connect with me. While my experience with him left nothing to be desired, I will still do my best to help another kababayan should the situation arises.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
5 Dec
@Iam_jauntyjen That is so sad to hear. I believe we should at least be cordial, if not able to stick together and be friends. Life in another country is already tough, we do not need to make it even more complicated by surrounding ourselves with people like that. I wonder if people like that are already that bad, or did they experience something that made them the way they are now.
I told myself that I will be an ally to those kababayan here who need some help and guidance but only to the extent that they will let me. I do not want to come off as meddlesome or a know-it-all.
@Iam_jauntyjen (5037)
•
5 Dec
@Raine38 How I wish to have a kababayan like you.
Sadly, I've met really rude pinoys here in Korea.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
2 Dec
That's true. You always hear about this from someone, but I did not expect that I will experience one myself. Lesson learned! But this will not stop me from helping again, who knows maybe the next one, or his replacement, will be more willing to accept some help that truly matters.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
2 Dec
@rakski Absolutely, I agree. And who knows, a time might come that I will need some help. And I know I would want some folks to help me out as well without trying to take advantage of me or the situation that I am in. Hopefully it does not come to that, but just the same, I believe in the saying that you reap what you sow.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
2 Dec
It's so nice to see you too, and everyone! I've been busy with life - which gave me an idea maybe I can do a mylot post on that! 
I am originally from the Philippines too, but I have been living here in the US for 15+ years, so I feel like I should be more patient with him and understand how difficult it is to assimilate to a new country, new culture, new job, and without any family and friends. But I guess I am not the one that he needed - maybe he thinks he cannot find any use for me, which in hindsight is to my advantage. You wouldn't want to be friends with someone who only sees you for what you can do for them, right?
I am originally from the Philippines too, but I have been living here in the US for 15+ years, so I feel like I should be more patient with him and understand how difficult it is to assimilate to a new country, new culture, new job, and without any family and friends. But I guess I am not the one that he needed - maybe he thinks he cannot find any use for me, which in hindsight is to my advantage. You wouldn't want to be friends with someone who only sees you for what you can do for them, right?1 person likes this
@everwonderwhy (7365)
•
2 Dec
I feel sad for him. And he might have a family who he might be financially supporting. I do hope everything goes very well for him in life. I hope that he gets a better teaching job that's been waiting for him all along.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
2 Dec
He does have a family that he supports, from what I heard. And looks like he just bought a new house there too, so there's the mortgage that he and his family will need to figure out. But alas, his decision is to go back home. Also to add, apparently he can no longer come back here in the US and teach. So that might mean that what he did, or what happened, is too grave to warrant that kind of repercussion.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
4 Dec
@everwonderwhy I am not, my work is in healthcare, but we have a small community of Filipinos here in our small town. I also believe it is nothing criminal, however, it might have something to do with breach of contract if he is no longer allowed to come back and teach. It is not cheap to sponsor a working visa for them, not to mention the plane fare, accommodation, etc.
We all wish him well, and hopefully this is a lesson learned not only for him but for the remaining foreign teachers. That is why I offered help in the way of reaching out to the school board if he was, say targeted or something similar. But his refusal to explore an avenue that could prevent this from happening could be a give-away of the kind of trouble he's in. Maybe it can also as simple as he felt so homesick and cannot continue working away from his family, or he was not acclimating here. He has been teaching here for a little over a year, and I think that is still a short time to learn everything in a new country as he's been working most of the time.
@everwonderwhy (7365)
•
4 Dec
@Raine38 I'm sure it's nothing criminal. Otherwise, the FBI would be all over him and be ib prison right now. Were you his co-teacher? Anyway, I still wish him and hia family the best in life (if he's innocent, a victim of a crooked system...).
1 person likes this
