How to Get a Free Flight Back to the US?

Mess around with some underage children. Send the evidence to ICE. in the U.S. threw your shop. They will fly you back to the U.S.

I don't think companies will hire you only to send you back to US. Of course they would hire you in the hope that you could work for them for long-term. You can work and then save your earned money and use that to fly back to US. Why not ask for help from your gf and her family?

Get a job at a call center.  Call center minimum requirements:
At least 18 years old
Must be at least a high school graduate
With or without call center experience
With good to excellent communication skills (i.e. in English)

You obviously are qualified.  Apply for a position.

Do not rely on charity.  You are young, and it seems like you are an able bodied person.  Work for your keep.  Save up some money for your plane ticket if you want to fly back home.  It might take a long time to come up with the amount. So for now, cut back on your expenses.

No aircon. (Get used to just the electric fan.) No more eating out, expensive salon cuts and treatments, and other unnecessary expenses such as new clothes. Cancel cable subscription. Cut back on power consumption by unplugging appliances and turning off unnecessary lights. Use cheaper means of travel. Improvise toys for your kid. Little economizing such as these add up to savings.  Use your money wisely.

Chris Hill wrote:

I heard that there are some jobs that will hire Americans and pay for a free flight to the US. However, I cant find any information about it. Can someone tell me what companies will do this for me? If anyone knows a company that will allow me to return and work in USA and provide a free flight and accommodation, then it will definitely be a life-changer for me. I would be more than grateful. Hope to get a reply. Thanks!

I don't think there are companies that would hire you and then pay for a free flight to the US, because it just doesn't make sense why any company would do that.  What you heard is probably either hearsay or a scam.

Chris Hill wrote:

Hi, I am an American expat living in the Philippines. I have been here for almost a year and I have basically run out of money. There are little job opportunities for me here since I am 22 and I only have a high school diploma. I bought a PC café when I moved here and I thought it was a good business idea but Im barely making ends meet since I also have a girlfriend and kid. I cant survive on counting peso coins and the maintenance on the computers is costly.

I went to the US Embassy in Manila to ask for help but they will only give me a free phone call to the states and recommended some churches to ask for help. I thought they do more for US citizens but they do not. My parents wont help me and my friends are broke. I was wondering if anyone else has been through this type of experience?

I heard that there are some jobs that will hire Americans and pay for a free flight to the US. However, I cant find any information about it. Can someone tell me what companies will do this for me? If anyone knows a company that will allow me to return and work in USA and provide a free flight and accommodation, then it will definitely be a life-changer for me. I would be more than grateful. Hope to get a reply. Thanks!

In the past I have heard of courier jobs available where you deliver packages or mail abroad in exchange for airfare...check it out online..

Thanks, for the suggestions. I'm still looking into my options.

You can try contacting the U.S. State Department for a "repatriation loan". The loan is dependent on the availability of funds at any given time.
Have you tried the Red Cross?
Booking passage on a freighter in exchange for work?

Have you tried going to Expat hangouts and simply asking for donations to get you home. You may have to do a little groveling but it should net you the funds eventually.

P.S. After years of working overseas, always have a way out involving the funds to get home and NEVER touch the money for anything other than going home.

Good luck

Jim
Silang

My question is: Once he gets back to his home then what...With no funds he will be worse off...And if he says his family will help once he returns then why aren't they helping now....

There's no free lunch, kid. Suck it up! What were you looking for when you went there, at your age, with no education (a US high school is NO education), with no 'stand-by-me' friends, with no parental relationship and enough money to last you less than a year?......freedom? smiles from the locals? easy sex?

Well, you found those things, and now you want to run away back 'home', leaving a woman to raise your kid alone and a kid who will grow up abandoned? Only a local, Western supported church can direct your life now (and I'm no Jesus freak) so I'd advise you to find one which will want to talk with you and 'help' you find out what a responsible life needs. No other person, organization or government office will want to offer FREE anything beyond what they must offer to YOU at this time. This is the best advice you'll ever get.

Try the church rectory on del Pilar in Malate.

Is the child yours?  If so, you need to make sure that he is taken care of and though I am no experts I am sure the more knowledgeable on this blog will be happy to let you know what to do to make sure that if the child is yours that he or she is registered as the child of an American citizen. At the least when you return home and get a job you can go through the processes of bringing the child and your girlfriend to the states and the two adults can care for the child.

If the child is yours, do not abandon he or she and leave the child and the mother without support. The right thing is the best thing and when you are older, having done the right thing will bring you peace and the love of a son or daughter and maybe a wife. Build a family and care for them.

Good luck and God bless and guide you.

As the previous poster mentioned, find a job. Not easy, but a call center might be a good place to start if you do stay. If you manage to find your way back to the states, even with only a high school diploma you would still have more opportunities to make a life for yourself, your girlfriend and  the child.

I know many people who have made a very good life for themselves with only a "high school diploma" in the states. But you will have to be focused and driven to make a success of your work and personal life and you and your family can live comfortably.

You can also work your butt off and take care of your family and take courses to further your education be it with a college degree or a trade. Did you have a human response, of course. Why your family will not help I do not know and I will not conclude it is all because of you. You and you alone know what is in your past.

Be strong, be proud and be human, but a strong one. If your girlfriend loves you as well as the child, you are already ahead of the game and NOT alone.

In answer to your question if you are still trying to get home to the U S. Firstly, never mind stupid comments like the other one posted. Unfortunately, this is common place on forums.

OK, I was in the exact circumstances as you last year. I lived in the Philippines for over a decade and had some very, very bad luck and no family alive to help me and I could not go on borrowing from my friends forever. Here is what you do...

Firstly, I do not know how bad your financial situation is or how desperate you told the U S embassy your situation is? If you are simply not making enough money and are not in a emergency situation they may not think it is so essential to help you. If you are over due on your visa fees and unable to pay, that will get you out with the embassy's help. I suggest you contact ACS {American Citizen Services} at the embassy or send them an email which you can find on the Embassy site. Although there is no law that says they must help you, they will. You just tell them you are indigent and no money. Do not tell them you have a business. My suggestion is sell the cafe as they do not make much money anyway unless you have a few of them.

The U S embassy flys out over 200 Americans each year in your situation from the Philippines. They flew me out, but you must pay the U S Gov back which I did. I also paid my psst due visa fees and I am off the black list.

Good luck...

johnt77 wrote:

In answer to your question if you are still trying to get home to the U S. Firstly, never mind stupid comments like the other one posted. Unfortunately, this is common place on forums.

OK, I was in the exact circumstances as you last year. I lived in the Philippines for over a decade and had some very, very bad luck and no family alive to help me and I could not go on borrowing from my friends forever. Here is what you do...

Firstly, I do not know how bad your financial situation is or how desperate you told the U S embassy your situation is? If you are simply not making enough money and are not in a emergency situation they may not think it is so essential to help you. If you are over due on your visa fees and unable to pay, that will get you out with the embassy's help. I suggest you contact ACS {American Citizen Services} at the embassy or send them an email which you can find on the Embassy site. Although there is no law that says they must help you, they will. You just tell them you are indigent and no money. Do not tell them you have a business. My suggestion is sell the cafe as they do not make much money anyway unless you have a few of them.

The U S embassy flys out over 200 Americans each year in your situation from the Philippines. They flew me out, but you must pay the U S Gov back which I did. I also paid my psst due visa fees and I am off the black list.

Good luck...

Good advice and helpful, not judgmental. The young man asked for help, not a beating.

You forgot to advise him what to do with the woman (who probably set up the business for him) and child she bore by him.
The only 'stupid' reply I saw in this blog concerned nonsense about pedophilia getting you arrested and sent back. The others mostly dealt with responsibility.

I said other stupid comment like the ONE ABOVE and did not elude to any other!

As far as not advising him on his responsibility to his child, how about giving him the benefit of the doubt and not lecture him on his children and that he will do the right thing.

johnt77 wrote:

I said other stupid comment like the ONE ABOVE and did not elude to any other!

As far as not advising him on his responsibility to his child, how about giving him the benefit of the doubt and not lecture him on his children and that he will do the right thing.

I see a lot of people trying to help and support and some just beating him up. It might help to mention the posters name when referring to them as "stupid". That only serves takes the whole subject off track.  Sometimes we are all a little stupid.

wjwoodward wrote:

If you read the original posting, Chris ONLY MENTIONS HIS GF AND CHILD as a passing remark, almost like an afterthought.

He then goes on to ask about A FREE FLIGHT meaning only one or he'd have used the plural. By his style of writing and the exact phrases he's used it doesn't look like he's nearly as concerned here about his child and the child's mother as he is about HIMSELF.

Don't you think that's why he's getting "beat up on" as you put it??? I've pointed out the very serious consequences that are almost certain to happen back in the USA should he think that he's just skipping out and home free. The kid got himself in over his head all by himself, why should he expect anybody else to bail him out, especially US taxpayers who have enough on their plates already, especially if they'd be helping him to shirk his OBLIGATIONS to his child???

Guess all my buddies from the US kind of exaggerated when they made such a big deal about being an AMERICAN MEANT HAVING HONOR AND CHARACTER.

Talk about rantings...Now you are suggesting what you say is written in stone...ARE YOU A PSYCHOLOGIST??..You through your one sided judgement of Chris are telling him and the forum he will end up paying child support should the mother make a claim through the appropriate US channels...What do you know???...Has it ever occurred to you the child may not even be his...All Chris would have to do is make the claim it is not his child and it would be up to the mother to prove otherwise...If she cannot; there is no way the US government would ever garnish his future wages...How can you as an EXPERT give legal and character advice to any member of this site as to what they should do with their lives...Telling Chris to stay in the Philippines, get a job and live up to his responsibilities...What gives you the right???You are really good at posting your personal opinions of what others life should be like in YOUR EYES...My advice to you is live and let live and stay out of others personal lives...Chris opened this thread to find a way to get back home and not to have people with their personal judgemental views like yourself break down his character and self confidence...Just because you have a articulate command of the English language does not give you the right to pass judgement on others...It is postings like this from the so-called EXPERTS which make people shy away from wanting to participate...

Ever since your threat to have me expelled from the site in your personal message to me and blocking me from any further contact with you is just another sign of what you are truly all about about....You blocked me without ever answering the questions I had requested of you but you were quick to judge me and my postings...You are not an elected psychologist for this site and if I or any others were to make the posting you made above you would more likely than not construe it as a personal attack of Chris and off topic and have the posting deleted...I suggest you check out the meaning of what Narcissism, Self-Serving and Superiority Complex is in Websters and see if you may be guilty of any or all of them...Perhaps you're not...But if I am right I am sure you are going to do your best to show you have the power to have me permanently expelled from this site...I have several members emails from this site and I am sure if I were to succeed in expelling me, they would be more than happy to express their feelings on the matter to Julien and the Staff...

Back on topic....Chris, I can only imagine your plight being as young as you are and I believe johnt77 has given you the best route thus far...Trying to get a job in the Philippines as wjwoodward as suggested just isn't feasible...He doesn't live in the Philippines and has no clue as to how difficult it is for someone like yourself to even find work like most other expats. I am sure you once you return to the US you will do the right thing about your relationship in the Philippines...Only you know what the circumstances are and no one else...

Good luck to You and if you want to leave me a personal message where you live back in the USA perhaps it may be within a stones throw of where I live...

wjwoodward wrote:

If you read the original posting, Chris ONLY MENTIONS HIS GF AND CHILD as a passing remark, almost like an afterthought.

He then goes on to ask about A FREE FLIGHT meaning only one or he'd have used the plural. By his style of writing and the exact phrases he's used it doesn't look like he's nearly as concerned here about his child and the child's mother as he is about HIMSELF.

Don't you think that's why he's getting "beat up on" as you put it??? I've pointed out the very serious consequences that are almost certain to happen back in the USA should he think that he's just skipping out and home free. The kid got himself in over his head all by himself, why should he expect anybody else to bail him out, especially US taxpayers who have enough on their plates already, especially if they'd be helping him to shirk his OBLIGATIONS to his child???

Guess all my buddies from the US kind of exaggerated when they made such a big deal about being an AMERICAN MEANT HAVING HONOR AND CHARACTER.

Talk about rantings...Now you are suggesting what you say is written in stone...ARE YOU A PSYCHOLOGIST??..You through your one sided judgement of Chris are telling him and the forum he will end up paying child support should the mother make a claim through the appropriate US channels...What do you know???...Has it ever occurred to you the child may not even be his...All Chris would have to do is make the claim it is not his child and it would be up to the mother to prove otherwise...If she cannot; there is no way the US government would ever garnish his future wages...How can you as an EXPERT give legal and character advice to any member of this site as to what they should do with their lives...Telling Chris to stay in the Philippines, get a job and live up to his responsibilities...What gives you the right???You called him a KID..A man at 23 years old is no longer a KID...You are really good at posting your personal opinions of what others life should be like in YOUR EYES...My advice to you is live and let live and stay out of others personal lives...Chris opened this thread to find a way to get back home and not to have people with their personal judgemental views like yourself break down his character and self confidence...Just because you have a articulate command of the English language does not give you the right to pass judgement on others...It is postings like this from the so-called EXPERTS which make people shy away from wanting to participate...

Ever since your threat to have me expelled from the site in your personal message to me and blocking me from any further contact with you is just another sign of what you are truly all about about....You blocked me without ever answering the questions I had requested of you but you were quick to judge me and my postings...You are not an elected psychologist for this site and if I or any others were to make the posting you made above you would more likely than not construe it as a personal attack of Chris and off topic and have the posting deleted...I suggest you check out the meaning of what Narcissism, Self-Serving and Superiority Complex is in Websters and see if you may be guilty of any or all of them...Perhaps you're not...But if I am right I am sure you are going to do your best to show you have the power to have me permanently expelled from this site...I have several members emails from this site and I am sure if I were to succeed in expelling me, they would be more than happy to express their feelings on the matter to Julien and the Staff...

Back on topic....Chris, I can only imagine your plight being as young as you are and I believe johnt77 has given you the best route thus far...Trying to get a job in the Philippines as wjwoodward as suggested just isn't feasible...He doesn't live in the Philippines and has no clue as to how difficult it is for someone like yourself to even find work like most other expats. I am sure you once you return to the US you will do the right thing about your relationship in the Philippines...Only you know what the circumstances are and no one else...

Good luck to You and if you want to leave me a personal message where you live back in the USA perhaps it may be within a stones throw of where I live...

wjwoodward wrote:

Guess all my buddies from the US kind of exaggerated when they made such a big deal about being an AMERICAN MEANT HAVING HONOR AND CHARACTER.

It looks like you are insinuating Americans don't have Honor and Character now...I am beginning to think you believe this site is YOUR OWN PRIVATE SOAP BOX as you had told me in your last personal response to me and then blocking me from responding....

Your buddies did not exaggerate...I am an American and I can assure you most Americans who have served their country have Honor and Character..Do you??? I wonder what kind of Honor and Character does a man have who would make threats to a member of this site and then not allow that member to respond...My opinion the individual only has a self-serving, self-righteous attitude and after reading all the postings by you on this thread regarding Chris and his plight I believe i am right...

As I had said in my personal posting to you...I hope you will take a longer look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are not stepping over the bounds of one who calls themselves an expert.....If you can grasp that perhaps your views of many of the postings on this site will change to a more favorable one instead of a self-serving Censor...

You're right @vetretreat, this is Chris's problem. No need to give advice in the first place and in the interest of not being offensive I have deleted my comment, with the obvious exception of the ones that still appear in your quote. Not my place.

That said, none of it was anything I wouldn't say to my own son in the same postition. If you have a son I'm sure that your own words would also be the same or similar, any father's would.

wjwoodward...How does it feel to have your long thought out three postings deleted(wiped out with the stroke of a button) because they were construed by staff members as being off topic and a personal attack on a member of this sight....I hope you have been enlightened and use that wonderous education you have to actually help us Expats instead of putting us on the defensive as to what your personal MORALS and ETHICS are.....We expats could give a rats *** to your own beliefs of what life should be like...We only want guidance in what is requested in the threads we post nothing more....CONCENTRATE your efforts more on the scammers and solicitors who use this site for their own personal gain...Just as the "Old Dead Horse" one I inquired to you about in personal messages to you....Them are the ones which should be scrutinized not SOMEONES PERSONAL LIFE....

Cheers to You...

Your point is taken @vetretreat, I got that before you said so...... that's why I came back and deleted the posting in the first place.

I apologize to Chris, to you and the other members who've posted to this topic. Know what? I'm not perfect, having some real serious problems (health) in my life right now and was having a bad day. Was it a mistake to even post to the thread, you bet! Does it excuse me, no... but maybe now those here might understand. Also parents here will probably understand too when I said that there wasn't anything I wouldn't have told my own son.

@vetretreat you've got 338 postings, you've never made a mistake and said something you shouldn't have? All 338 postings have been helpful in every way? I trust they have been. Well I'm up over 6000 now, the vast majority have involved many hours of my work to help other members and guess what, I don't make a thin dime for it. I am not a machine, I'm not a robot and yep, I sometimes make mistakes. Go look at ALL of my past 6000 postings, if you don't think that the work involved merits you cutting me some slack then you can come back here and throw all the stones from the comfort of your glass house as you wish. I'll let you.

WOW!
I didn't mean to contribute to the start of a war of words, egos and articulate blogging skills. Freedom is hard to find. All of us expats are running away from something. That's why we're expats. So, relax! We're all just expressing the emotional and psychological baggage we brought with us from the 'West".
I'd like to be able to sit down with all of you, even the naive, selfish twerp who started this since meeting him would be like looking in a mirror, decades ago.Ha! He's trying to get back to the States while I'm trying to get back to the PI.
Unless you can look into a man's eyes while you're talking to him, you'll never be able to gauge and evaluate his sincerity and the depth of his grief, fear and motive. 
So, good luck to all of us...the twerp included.

Dear wjwoodward. It takes a strong person to put his/her hands up and admit they did something wrong or acted improperly, so I take my hat off to you my friend! None of us are perfect and I for one have made plenty of mistakes as well as good decisions in my life. We all never stop learning!
I trust your health is a little better? But in any event, well done for being so HONEST when others would not have bothered. If no one messed up once in a while life would be soooooo BORING! Andrew.

Thanks for that Expat IFA, you're quite right none of us are perfect however some people expect that anyway.

Anyway, I goofed big time and on the internet, once it's out there it's out there forever. I did the only thing I could and that's admit my error and apologize. I did that and I'm certainly not going to fall on my sword as he would certainly wish. Our friend @vetretreat's problem not mine! Besides, he's angry at something else entirely, which has absolutely nothing to do with me. I don't moderate topic postings, never have, it's not my function.

wjwoodward wrote:

Thanks for that Expat IFA, you're quite right none of us are perfect however some people expect that anyway.

Anyway, I goofed big time and on the internet, once it's out there it's out there forever. I did the only thing I could and that's admit my error and apologize. I did that and I'm certainly not going to fall on my sword as he would certainly wish. Our friend @vetretreat's problem not mine! Besides, he's angry at something else entirely, which has absolutely nothing to do with me. I don't moderate topic postings, never have, it's not my function.

Actually I was going to compliment you on your honesty, but now it is obvious you continue with your judgemental self serving character...I would never wish that on anyone even a narcissistic individual as yourself...Go back and read the messages between you and I, which by the way no one else can read...If they could they would understand just why I would be upset with you...Its obvious you cant see your error as you claim you have...I put you on the defense and you had no alternative to respond in the way you did...Be truthful, members of the staff recommended you delete the postings in question or they deleted them...

Now, because I humbled you which is against your nature you come back at me by telling me I am angry at something else entirely...WOW...Talk about judgemental...Why even mention anything about me if in fact you were truly sorry for your HUGE MISTAKE  as a so-called EXPERT on this site...You stated you have over 6000 postings...Well that is nice and with that experience you should ALWAYS BE AWARE OF ANYTHING WHICH IS NOT KOSHER REGARDING OTHERS LIVES as you are one to warn other EXPATS as to their unethical ways and go on to recommend their postings be deleted...ALSO WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TELL ME IN YOUR PRIVATE MESSAGE YOU WILL HAVE ME BANNED FROM THE SITE then commence to block me from responding...Is that being an EXPERT??? I dont think so...You only showed your backside by doing that...I was in no way verbally abusive in any of my messages to you...Only wanted questions answered as to why you ridiculed me about responding to what you said was a "DEAD HORSE POSTING" which by the way was brought back to life by 2 Filipino members trying to allow another possible SCAM to blossom...Your remarks to me were ones of a individual with one sided views and showed no open-mindedness as an EXPERT should...

As far as my postings...I have a few grateful expats who left me private messages as to helping them deal on many levels in the Philippines and I myself have learned from several of the more knowledgeable Expats on this site..But you...I have learned NOTHING except that you are one to attack anyone who questions your authority....I knew guys like you in Vietnam who would order his men in harms way when it was not necessary to do so...Some of those same guys got fragged...

If you say you are truly sorry then humble yourself further without attacking or judging those who put you in your place...Angry I am not...If you saw my wife and children and how I live you would never make such a statement...

Go back to what you do best...Find those postings which are most definitely selfserving and scams...

It is you who doesn't give up...Hahahaaha...Talk about angry...You opened yourself up for further comment by me by telling the forum I am an angry person and it has nothing to do with you...LOL...It has a lot to do with you...In my opinion you can Stay up with your one sided self-righteous, self-serving views...I will later post all private messages of ridicule you had left me, including the ones I left you and in no way will they be edited just so the forum can see what you are truly all about..They will then see in no way were you trying to help me as an EXPAT...It is my opinion You have put yourself on a pedestal thinking you are above the others on this site, otherwise as an EXPERT you would not had made these hilarious comments...You made a statement about honor of Americans in that posting to Chris....It is obvious you have little or no HONOR or you would not continue to attack but should truly humble yourself or just bow out....You have a block on your private messages so this is the only way I can get my point across to you....I wonder if you ever served in the military...I have 3 grown children all with 5 year degrees and never would I had addressed them the way you had addressed Chris...I hope your children are as successful as mine...You are not Chris's father and should never ever had done what you did...You want to continue to chastise me...Well what is good for the goose is good for the gander...

Have a great day...BTW good luck with your adverse health problems...I myself have a few but would never use them as an excuse for my actions...