For the calamansi plant to grow stronger, you need soil that drains well, regardless of where you are growing. It flourishes in tropical or subtropical weather, but can bloom in cooler climates when kept in sunshine.

My life as a migrant can be likened to the calamansi tree.

Although my roots can be traced back in the Philippines, where I worked as a university professor for nine years, I left my home country in 2006 to seek a better future in the so-called ‘land of milk and honey’ – the United States of America. I was one of the several thousands of teachers who got recruited to teach in Baltimore City, in the state of Maryland. I had a rough start because my first school assignment is classified as one of the persistently dangerous schools in the country, and a great majority of our students are juveniles that either lived in group homes, or have family experiences that involve members being incarcerated. I can vividly remember those days when I wanted to go back home. I have literally experienced culture-shock, as the teaching environment was very different from what I was accustomed to in the Philippines.

However, every time I thought of the 300,000 Philippine Pesos placement fee ($6000 USD at the time) that I needed to repay during the initial year of my life as an overseas foreign worker, I developed my personal resilience. And just like the calamansi tree that grows best when exposed to the heat and stress of the sun, I triumphantly survived teaching in Baltimore City. In fact, I was able to teach there for seven years. Like any other tree, calamansi also attract pests and insects, therefore close monitoring is what you might need. The pests associated with my migrant life were challenges with visa renewal and job security. Those were the major hurdles in my career as a teacher in Maryland. Those are the reasons why I managed to explore other opportunities.