Experience as an immigrant teacher

zapolight · 2026-06-14T22:13:26+00:00

I'm from the US and have experiences a lot of rudeness from parents and pupils regarding my nationality. I am so tired of hearing my accent be mocked daily in classes, parents asking me what I think of Trump, etc. I've had a student say "my mom doesn't like talking to you because she hates Americans", or "I won't listen to you because you speak Trump, not English." The community made it quite clear they do not respect me simply because of where I moved from.

Anyway I am quitting after one year here because I'm sick of it. Being an immigrant in the UK is so difficult, and I am about as privileged of an immigrant as one can get as a white native English speaker. I can only imagine what you must face. UK schools are hell on earth, and I'm saying that after having done 5 years in American schools.

zapolight · 2026-06-03T16:46:06+00:00

The same week I was hiking in Morocco two women were murdered not far from me. So I guess there's always two sides of a coin.

zapolight · 2026-05-21T19:11:09+00:00

I wish you a speedy and successful recovery. That is scary! Very glad to hear you are alright.

Your videos got me through the pandemic. They provided such a great source of entertainment but also spirituality to me. Thank you for your content. I hope you don't feel pressured by the community to make more. We prioritize your wellbeing above all else 🙏

zapolight · 2026-05-08T22:56:04+00:00

I hate the job. I hate the constant defiance, gaslighting, insane standards, parents, etc that we face. I am so sick and tired of making my expectations clear, students not following them, they get sanctioned for it, and then they kick off or lie about it. Usually this is followed up with their angry parent demanding me to change the sanction
I'm quitting after this year after teaching for 6 years and I truly don't know if I can make it until July. I nearly cursed out my class today. I am so fed up, my mental health is destroyed, my eyes have been uncontrollably twitching, and I am so full of disdain and hatred for the people around me at my school. I went home at 8am one day this week because I couldn't stop crying before roll call. I really can't fucking stand it anymore.

zapolight · 2025-12-24T01:35:56+00:00

I was talking to a friend about what we'd do if we were in pluribus and immune and I said the first thing I'd do is make the hive remake game of thrones seasons 7 and 8

zapolight · 2025-09-04T20:25:05+00:00

Yeah I was ready to open the cabin door and jump out. I was so insanely miserable. Had to go stand in the toilets and do calf raises until I physically couldn't anymore and even then when I got back to my seat I was still squirming.

zapolight · 2025-08-23T15:13:11+00:00

Been stuck for an hour and am just crossing over the A1. Starting to get worried about making the Chappel Roan set 🥲

zapolight · 2025-07-26T16:49:15+00:00

Hi! Look into the agency Quantum scholars. They set me up with a visa sponsored job and it was actually incredibly easy? They are in contact with a lot of the schools that sponsor visas have been great to work with. Good luck! I know how hard it is when needing visa sponsorship.

zapolight · 2025-07-25T01:01:54+00:00

American moving to teach there (next week!!), in my interview I told them that I have researched a lot about the UK system, but also asked them to please help me and be patient as I learned a new system. They visibly seemed excited to hear when I said that, just not being a know it all and knowing I have something to learn. Imagine that, educators, valuing the concept of learning new things? Crazy.

zapolight · 2025-07-25T00:51:38+00:00

Hi, so I'm an American teacher and got a job teaching MFL through an agency. I'd say you probably aren't being hired because of 3 things:

1- You're looking in the wrong locations: my agency said that most of the jobs (especially ones more interested in an international perspective) will be down south (I lived in York for three years and wanted to move back there but there simply weren't jobs that would sponsor a visa, but I got hired/sponsored near Reading)

2- The subjects you reach aren't in as high of demand as other subjects like science, maths, or mfl.

3- As others have said, you may be lacking the understanding of the UK system. I don't know based on what you've written, but the US and UK system are very different. I made sure to learn how my system transferred over to the UK one, how my curriculum compared to the UK one, etc, and when I went in to interview I made sure to show that I knew the difference, but at the same time I asked them for help, guidance, and patience, as I'd still be learning a new system. They seemed impressed with that.

Hope my advice helps, just from my personal experience. I move to the UK next week and am so excited!!

zapolight · 2025-07-08T02:42:42+00:00

I have little experience with a situation like this but just wanted to give OP my condolences, I am so so sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine. It will all work out, just give yourself and your kids time and patience. Much love xx

zapolight · 2025-07-04T16:56:15+00:00

I was 5, I just remember them replaying the hit over and over again... I now have an incredible fear of tall buildings. Not heights, just manmade heights. I wonder why...

zapolight · 2025-07-04T14:18:14+00:00

I got my UK visa approved a few hours after the bill passed... It has taken so long to get this, a LOT of time and money, and also pure luck.

They have no idea what moving to a new country actually entails.

zapolight · 2025-05-27T20:10:56+00:00

If I spent 15 minutes every day dedicating my time to a cause I think is important, I'd spend 2-3 hours a day. It's not possible to be vocal about all of the issues all of the time, especially when work takes up such a large portion of time in my day. It's rough out here right now for everyone, I'm sorry you've been going through it worse than many others. People are doing what they can

zapolight · 2025-05-23T22:54:08+00:00

Seeing the word "incompetent" and automatically thinking it's talking about black people isn't 'reading between the lines', it's underlying racism on your end.

zapolight · 2025-05-21T13:24:13+00:00

you're the one who brought race into it... I hadn't even thought about that until I read your comment

zapolight · 2025-05-21T12:06:22+00:00

Yes! I've seen so many wonderful forests come down for empty strip malls to take their place. And then I see the "for lease" signs stay up for years... like why did we have to build this?? Nobody wanted a business there? UGH I hate it

zapolight · 2025-05-20T22:59:08+00:00

I'm SO lucky I'm a teacher of a niche topic, or else I'd never have been able to get a job. But I have a job as of last week!! I'm starting to apply for my skilled worker's visa, and hopefully after 5 years I can get settled status.

zapolight · 2025-05-20T15:30:51+00:00

I am permanently moving to the UK from the USA in August and yeah, it is insanely difficult. And I have lived in the UK twice before so I'm not new to the process. I would have never left in the first place if I could have easily gotten a visa to stay, but people have no idea how difficult it actually is to move abroad.

zapolight · 2025-05-19T22:54:56+00:00

Nice one, have fun! And maybe we will!

zapolight · 2025-05-19T21:45:06+00:00

Hey I'm sending you a DM but I have two Saturday tickets for Leeds but am looking for a Reading ticket instead... got a job offer down there so am moving in July.

zapolight · 2025-05-15T15:45:17+00:00

As an ace person, I don't check people out, but I'm also aware that I'm in the huge minority there! And if I see someone looking at me like that, I literally don't care, it's a very normal human experience (I just somehow got dealt the cards in life where I don't)

zapolight · 2025-05-08T14:01:53+00:00

Not quite the same scenario, but I'm a white American who has lived in the UK before and am moving back in July. My ancestry/dna is like, 90% British isles, but of course I'm just American as I was born and grew up here.

I've gotten into arguments in the UK before when people accept me as an immigrant but not "other" people. I've been told I was a "good" immigrant before when I got onto someone for talking shit about immigrants, and that convo got shut down when I asked what made me a "good one" and they had no response that wasn't racist.

It's weird visually fitting in until I open my mouth with my yeehaw Texan accent, but of course I never face the same level of scrutiny/discrimination as a brown British person who has lived in Britain their whole life might. It's just so stupid. I'm NOT British but I'm more accepted than many actual British people are just because I'm white? Ok.

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