From sea to classroom: Filipino seafarer brings culture to Japanese students

From working aboard a ship to writing lessons on a classroom whiteboard, Web Icalla embraced a major career shift that demanded dedication, focus, and a willingness to start anew.

Icalla is a Filipino who currently teaches English in Japan. But back in the Philippines, he worked as a seaman on a passenger ship—an opportunity he landed while working as a hotel staff member.

“Hindi naman masyadong maganda sa pagtatrabaho sa barko, malayo ka sa pamilya mo, sa mga kabigan mo. Iba ‘yung routine mo sa Pilipinas, iba yung routine mo sa barko,” Icalla shared on GMA Pinoy TV.

(Working on a ship wasn't entirely ideal—you are far from your family and friends. Your routine in the Philippines is completely different from your routine on a ship.)

“Ang pinakamaganda siguro, ‘yung kita sa barko, mas malaki kumpara sa atin sa Pilipinas. Nakakapunta ka sa iba’t ibang lugar, nakaka-meet ka ng iba’t ibang tao,” he added.

(Perhaps the best part was the pay on a ship, which was higher compared to back home in the Philippines. You get to travel to different places and meet various people.)

Icalla’s journey to becoming a teacher in Japan could be viewed as a full-circle moment.

While working as a seafarer, he was employed by a Japanese company where he met his Japanese girlfriend, who is now his wife. Icalla noted that their relationship endured even when he was transferred to an Italian shipping firm.

Icalla was in his late 20s at the time, and seeing his friends build their own families made him realize that it might also be time for him to build his own.

“Nung una, ang plano namin sa Pilipinas kami titira, kaya lang just difference of cultures. Kasi sa Pilipinas siya naman ang naiiwan sa bahay, hindi siya marunong mag-Tagalog, weekly tumatawg yung parents niya chine-check yung situation niya. Naisip ko na imbes na siya ‘yung mag-aral ng Tagalog, ako na lang siguro mag-aral ng Hapon,” Icalla said.

(At first, our plan was to reside in the Philippines, but the cultural differences posed a challenge. In the Philippines, she was left at home alone; she didn't know how to speak Tagalog, and her parents would call weekly to check on her situation. I thought that instead of her studying Tagalog, it would probably be better if I learned Japanese instead.)

Following this decision, he and his wife relocated to Japan in 2004, where they began to raise their family.

Culture and teaching

Following his migration to Japan, Icalla became an English teacher at a cram school.

“I was an English teacher in a Juku, it’s a cram school. Doon ako nagtagal (That’s where I stayed for long),” Icalla said.

A Juku is a private, fee-paying Japanese cram school that students usually attend after regular daytime classes, on weekends, or during vacations to prepare for entrance exams or catch up on schoolwork.

On the side, Icalla said he also tried learning online programming, which paved the way for his journey into becoming a web professor.

“In between those years, nag-aral ako online ng programming. Nag-double work ako, nagtuturo ako ng English, at the same time, nagtatrabaho ka as a web canary, sa atin webmaster,” Icalla said.

(In between those years, I studied programming online. I worked two jobs: I was teaching English, and at the same time, I was working as a web designer—what we call a webmaster back home.)

For him, transitioning to a new career could be easy as long as one maintains professionalism and confidence in his capabilities.

According to the Commission on Filipino Overseas, there are over 300,000 Filipinos living in Japan, and historically, this number is dominated by overseas workers.

As an educator, Icalla shared that among the best parts of his job is the opportunity to share Filipino culture, especially with students who have never been to the Philippines or met a Filipino before.

“The best part ng pagtuturo sa Japan is hindi lang yung subject, naishe-share ko rin kasi sa mga estudyante ko yung kultura ng Pilipinas. Naiintindihan nila, especially ‘yung mga hindi pa nakakapunta ng Pilipinas or hindi pa nakakameet ng Pilipino,” he said.

(The best part of teaching in Japan isn't just the subject matter—I also get to share Philippine culture with my students. They gain an understanding, especially those who haven't visited the Philippines or met a Filipino yet.)

The way Filipinos form friendships remains truly unique, to the point that meeting a fellow Filipino instantly creates a warm connection, Icalla said.

To individuals who wish to take a similar leap, Icalla advised remaining focused and having unwavering faith in what one can achieve through their skills.

“The best advice that I can give everyone is stay focused. Don't worry too much kasi talagang natural sa buhay ang magkaproblema ka from time to time. Keep going, ‘pag alam mo namang may skills and motivation ka sa buhay, maa-achieve mo yung dreams mo eh,” Icalla said.

(The best advice I can give everyone is to stay focused. Don't worry too much, because experiencing problems from time to time is a natural part of life. Keep going—if you know you have the skills and motivation in life, you will achieve your dreams.) —LDF, GMA News