“Just enjoy your trip to the USA because it is once in a lifetime opportunity”

JAMES FRANCIS S. GARCIA

Lyceum of the Philippines University -Manila

Work and Travel Participant 2016

Six Flags Great Adventure Jackson, New Jersey

I left my home country Philippines for these Cultural Exchange Program because I want to experience cultures of the people that I’m going to meet and I take this opportunity right away because I want to be independent and I want to express myself in a world that I know I am going to stand out.

Working away from my family is no joke because I’ve experience homesick and for the first 3 weeks of my stay in New Jersey, I really cry from time to time but I think I was not just getting used to the environment. I also video call my family when there is time because the time in New Jersey is opposite from the time in the Philippines so it is really hard to find time talking to them.

I got to meet workmates from Jamaica, USA, Thailand, Serbia, Montenegro, China and Philippines. Working with them is somehow hard because of language barrier. Some of them can’t understand English, some of them can understand but you really have to explain to them one by one.

The most notable people I’ve met are Ceon Cuavers, Terrian Caballero, Trevonnie Powell, Patricia Brown, Cassandra Campbell, Karida Menzie (all of them are from Jamaica) also Alexandrea Manalo who is a half-Filipino but her family is now settled in the United States. My favorite supervisors Jennifer Murphy (Jen) and Susan Camarro (Sue).

I also got to meet my fellow Filipinos (my ate’s and my kuya’s) whose visa are now (H2B) which means they can stay up to 3 years in USA with multiple entries. I also got the chance to visit Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Stamford (Connecticut) and Atlantic City. But the most memorable city that I’ve ever been to is the “New York City” because everything is in New York (food, people, attractions, etc.) I’ve been in the city like 7 times because I want to do everything I want because 1 day of visit is not enough to experience all in New York.

Lastly, my tip to everyone is: “Just enjoy your trip to the USA because it is once in a lifetime opportunity, not all of us here in this world are got to experience this kind of things”

I’m happy to tell everyone that I’m going back to USA this coming September (I don’t know what date) but this time, I will be working in California (not really sure if I can pass the interview this May but hopefully…just pray for me)

Thank you for reading!