The American Dream is the belief that every United States citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success. When physics teacher Ritchie Jatico moved to America about a decade ago she received the opportunity to reach her full potential and show others what she is capable of.

While Jatico had an initial desire to teach overseas, she also wanted to experience a different environment with new cultures; her journey from the Philippines to the land of the free wasn’t easy, nor would it be after she arrived.

“I struggled adjusting with the weather and food while missing my family, which I did not get to see for almost eight years due to financial and legal constraints,” Jatico said.

For Jatico there has never been a regret about moving to America. There have only been lessons learned, memories missed and struggles fought.

“I left home just three months after my dad passed away, and to end up jobless for a few months with no family here, I was not sure how to survive on a daily basis,” Jatico said. “It was a real struggle to stay afloat. There were days of no food, [I was] cash strapped [and] I had to endure a difficult living arrangement and conditions. As days went by [the] debts I incurred from coming here ballooned and I struggled more.”

Before moving to the United States, Jatico had a job lined up as a science inclusion teacher. However, soon enough she realized her plans were not going to go as expected.

“I came here after getting a job offer facilitated by a placement agency based here in the United States, but the job offer turned out to be uncertain, almost nonexistent and the contract was fraudulent,” Jatico said. “I was not prepared for the experience financially and emotionally.”

While she fully believed many aspects of her life would drastically change by moving across the world, she ended up realizing her day-to-day life remained almost the same.

“My normal day there is somewhat similar here,” Jatico said. “A normal day starts with [a] full breakfast shared with family. Work typically starts at around 7:30 a.m. and ends at about 4:30 p.m. and [then we have] dinner with family.”

Even though a typical day is set up similar, it’s the intimate details she misses most.

“It was a bit laid back,” Jatico said. “Life back home was simple but a happy one. There are several modes of public transportation, so one could get to go to places without having to have your own car. It is abundant of different flora and fauna, so there are many mountains to hike and explore and beautiful beaches to see. Traffic is only in the major cities. Every year, we get about 20 plus typhoons and frequent earthquakes, but people have learned to adapt.”

Even though she misses her home she has found to love learning and teaching with her students, even those she’s only known for a small period of time. She’s had a large impact because she teaches with passion.

‘“I [really enjoyed] the projects and the labs we had,” senior Daisy Ramirez said. “They were really interactive and you could learn the material better. She lets you do your own thing while teaching, and then she helps you out throughout the process.”

Although Jatico is only with her students for half a year, the influence she has on them remains indefinite. She tries her best to teach in ways students understand, while still keeping the subject interesting.  

“She has a way of teaching us using images and [showing] us step-by-step problems and going over them if anyone has questions about them,” junior Jesus Lopez said. “As a visual learner this can make it very easy for me to learn. She goes through the problems and makes sure everyone understands the material before moving on. What I’ve enjoyed more about her class is the ability to keep everyone focused and working.”

Even with the many changes Jatico had to face, she was able to successfully achieve her initial dream of teaching.

“Certainly, you pay a price for every opportunity, but you learn to weigh the risks and benefits,” Jatico said. “You set your goal and act on it. From those experiences, I learned the values of humility, resilience and perseverance.”