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How does being a student in an international school shape a person? There are many ways, and of course, each person’s experience will be different. One result of having the experiences that students gain through their international education is that they become a teacher in an international school. From there, they may move on to become an administrator or a school head - or even the head of a whole association of schools! This has been the pathway of today’s guest, Dr. Michael Adams.
Michael has been living, teaching, leading and raising a family in the warm atmosphere of Colombia for many years. So many, in fact, that he now considers Colombia to be his home. Join us as we discover what shaped Michael into the person he is today – and the humanitarian venture that he is now sponsoring as a result!
Dr. Adams is a long-time LATAM leader, educator, administrator, colleague, and friend!! More importantly, he is a very proud husband (going on 36 years with Clara Rico), father of three adult boys (David, Nicolas, and Tomas), and grandfather of two amazing little boys (Eduardo and Lucas)! After growing up as a TCK in Tokyo, Japan, attending ASIJ, and then going for his undergrad degree and graduate school in Texas, Michael has spent the past 33 years in Colombia and Mexico, an experience that has made him the person he is today: a true global citizen!
Guiding question: “How has being a student – and then an educator – at international schools shaped who you are today?”
Topics addressed:
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Link to Donate to Solidarity for Colómbia
Botellas de Amor Fundación
TRI Association
Contact Information:
Michael on LinkedIn
TRI Association Contact Page
Recorded on September 15, 2026.
Categories: School Life | Travel
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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For many of us, the phrase “Going Global” elicits an image of someone leaving North America to head off to an exotic destination overseas. But how many of us think about folks for whom “Going Global” meant leaving their home country to teach in North America? Our guests on this show did just that!
Coreen Anderson, Ed.D., has built a career demonstrating that education knows no borders, from classrooms in Jamaica and the United States to online universities. As an international educator and university instructor, she creates teaching and learning environments that prepare students for success in a globalized world. She helped reshape teacher preparation in the United States by collaborating with other stakeholders to develop curriculum for teacher education programs in one state, strengthening the preparation of the next generation of teachers. Her commitment to teacher excellence is longstanding; over the years, she has mentored and coached numerous educators. That same commitment inspired her recently authored book, which positions international teachers to succeed in U.S. classrooms.
Dr. Anderson has received numerous awards for her impact on education, and her commitment extends beyond classroom walls and university halls. She is a key driver behind the Louisetta James Memorial Foundation Scholarship in Jamaica, which awards scholarships to students at the primary, high school, and post-secondary levels.
Dr. Anderson’s belief that quality education is the master key to unlocking most doors continues to shape her practices and endeavors.
Subhadra Desaraju is a highly accomplished science educator and academic leader based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She earned her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Chemistry from Delhi University before pursuing further qualifications in education, including an Educational Specialist (EdS) degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Old Dominion University. In her career, Desaraju balances her roles in both secondary and higher education, serving as an adjunct professor in the Chemistry department at a local Community College while simultaneously shaping science education within the public school system.
In her current school, Desaraju holds vital leadership roles, including Science Department Chair, Lead Mentor, and Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry teacher. Her commitment to instruction and mentorship earned her national recognition as a National Board Certified Teacher, as well as the prestigious honor of being named the City-Wide Teacher of the Year. She continues to actively participate in regional professional learning communities, focusing on instructional collaboration and advancing leadership skills. As an experienced international teacher, she is also committed to providing support and mentorship to newly recruited global educators.
Guiding Question:
“What are some tips you would offer to international educators coming to teach in the United States to help them prepare?”
Topics Addressed:
Contact: Coreen LinkedIn
Subhadra LinkedIn
Book: Reaching Beyond Borders: The International Teachers' Guide to Migrating
and Teaching in the U.S.
Date Recorded: August 29, 2026
Categories: Transitions | School Life | Finances | Relationships
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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If you spoke to 20 international educators and asked them what factors led them to take the initial leap into international education, you would likely get 20 very different answers! And if you interviewed as many as 94, well, you can imagine the stories you would hear. Such is the task that Dr. Ettie Zilber set herself.
Ettie joined Audey for this episode and shared the eight categories of Catalysts, as she has dubbed them, that emerged from her doctoral research on this topic. She also shared many of the stories that her interviewees told her. We know you will connect with the 8 categories of Catalysts as well as with some of the stories.
Before retiring from paid employment, Ettie enjoyed a long career in international schools in Israel, Singapore, Spain, Guatemala, China and the USA, serving first as an educator and then as a school Director.
She served on the Boards of several Regional Associations and taught graduate courses for four universities which catered to international school educators.
After doctoral research on Third Culture Kids, she published the book Third Culture Kids: Children of International School Educators. Other publications relevant to international schools include “Catalysts for a Career in International Schools,” “A Primer for Administrators applying to Proprietary Schools,” and many more, available on www.ettiezilber.com
She continues to conduct workshops on Cross Cultural Understanding at schools and other multi-national organizations.
She lives in Arizona with her husband of 52 years, and enjoys visits with her children and grandchildren (one of whom is also a TCK/CCK).
Guiding Question:
“What are some factors that prompt teachers to leave their home countries and seek employment in international schools overseas?”
Topics Addressed Included:
Contact Ettie:
Resources Mentioned:
Ettie’s Consulting Website www.ettiezilber.com
Ettie’s ECIS article on her research
Ettie’s book on the children of international educators
Recorded on July 17, 2026
#transitions | #internationaleducation | #goingglobal
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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What are international schools like? One way to find out is to compare them with schools in your home country.
Since David and I both hail from North America, we thought it would be interesting to ask someone who has been a head of school in multiple oversea countries and in the U.S. to help us draw some of these comparisons. So we turned to Lee Fertig, who was a director in Brazil, Spain, and Belgium and is now the head of an independent school in California. Veteran International Educators, it will be fun for you to consider how closely Lee’s observations match yours; aspiring International Educators, I’m sure this look at the insider view will be enlightening for you.
Lee talked about some of the similarities and differences he has observed among overseas and U.S. schools. While avoiding sweeping generalisations, he was able to give us a taste of some of the characteristics that can be found in either type of school, while also giving us a sense of what his current school, the Nueva School in San Francisco, is like. Lee is someone I would love to work with again – and after hearing this conversation, I’m betting you will want to work with him, too!
Lee is currently the Head of the Nueva School in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has 40 years of leadership and teaching experience in a wide variety of educational settings including five international schools (in Ethiopia, Brazil, Spain, and Belgium), a leading independent school in New York City, and a voluntary integration public magnet school in Minneapolis. Lee has been training for the Principals’ Training Center (PTC) for many years, has taught in the College of Education at the University of Minnesota, and is a guest speaker on contemporary educational issues at a wide variety of community events. He provides consulting services for schools and educational organizations around the world in the areas of governance, development and fundraising, learning innovation, student support systems, and school-based continuous improvement.
Our guiding question was: “What was your experience going from being a head of various schools overseas to becoming a head of an independent school in the United States with international aspects?”
Here are the topics covered in this episode:
Resources shared in this episode:
Connect with Lee on LinkedIn
Nueva School
Show recorded on June 12, 2026.
Categories: School Life | Recruitment | Transitions
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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How would you respond to this statement: “Everyone can benefit from having a life coach”? It’s hard to argue with the idea that having a supportive, non-judgemental listener to share our journey with can be super helpful.
This episode continues our series that centers on Transitions Coaching for International Educators. We have selected some realistic transition difficulties that could be – and have been – experienced by educators in the international school space. We want to emphasize that these are unscripted sessions where David is doing his best to represent real educators experiencing realistic situations related to transitions and Audrey is delivering the in-the-moment life coaching that could help to address the issues involved. Please be gentle with us as we seek to demonstrate the power of life coaching for those faced with a transition from a comfortable, known school-city-country-culture to a new and unfamiliar one. Whether you are currently experiencing your first transition or your umpteenth, we hope these episodes will be helpful – and that they may even prompt you to seek transitions coaching for yourself!
Scenario 2: The “Why isn't this move easier after so many moves?” Moment.
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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What would it be like for American educators to relocate to China for a few years? And in what ways would doing so in the early 2000s have increased the level of challenge?
With 1.5 billion citizens at the turn of the millennium, China represented a fifth of the globe’s population. It also brought with it suspicion as a human-rights depriving, communist country, and curiosity, with its rich cultural history that dated back thousands of years. There are historic landmarks such as The Great Wall, Peking Man, and the Forbidden City.
Janet Flaugher and her husband accepted the opportunity to live in Beijing for three years when she accepted a position in 2002 as the superintendent of a prestigious international school.
What resulted from her experience two decades later is a multi-award-winning book, Two Bottles of Water. It is an engaging and zany exposé about what life in China is really like for a couple of immigrant newbies. It’s always something, from kitchens that smell of sewer gas, to surviving mystery meat stew, to underappreciated efforts at communication in Chinese. The book follows the misadventures of a pair of Americans plunked down in an alien environment they struggle to comprehend. Her stand-alone essays collectively tell the story of an impactful adventure.
“It was a difficult, confusing, sometimes unfriendly, place for any westerner, and especially for one plunked down in a totally unfamiliar setting, unable to communicate, with a minimal support system,” writes Flaugher in her book. “In spite of all the difficulties we encountered in our stay, I'm glad we did it. It was the experience of a lifetime to be an immigrant and learn firsthand what it was like to be a stranger in a strange land. It also provided great insight into culture shock, unconscious bias (mine), and racism (theirs).”
Our guiding question for this show was, “What lessons did you learn during your 1 ½ year relocation to a school/city/country that was completely unfamiliar to you?”
Some of the topics covered include:
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Janet's website: www.jtalespinner.com
Two Bottles of Water on Bookshop.org
This episode was recorded on May 19, 2026.
Categories: Transitions | Culture Shock | Travel | Language Learning
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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How cool would it be to be able to hop around the world doing stints as a sub? To get a taste of a school/city/country without the longer-term commitment? To travel light and scratch that itch for adventure? These are some of the aspects of international substitute teaching that have long appealed to me. However, we’ve learned through interviewing Nadine Tyro of the True Teaching Flying Squad that the process is not as straightforward as I may once have thought.
True Teaching was born from Nadine’s lifetime (40+ years) of international education experience, gained while living and working across the Pacific, Asia, Middle East, and Europe. This venture allows her to stay connected with the international school sector and use her deep knowledge to help new educators navigate the complex smorgasbord of global education offerings.
As a New Zealander, Nadine began her journey teaching K-6 students at Kerevat International School in Papua New Guinea in the 1980s. Her international career then took her to Jakarta Intercultural School in Indonesia and Vienna International School in Austria.
A major highlight was serving as the Founding Director of Concordia International School in Bangkok, Thailand, at the turn of the century. This demanding role established a bespoke learning environment that delivered the IB frameworks in English, Mandarin, and Thai.
Nadine then moved to the UAE, where she headed a school in Sharjah and later spearheaded a high school educator upskilling project with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC). After a stint in business development for a London-based recruitment agency, she founded her own agency, True Teaching, in 2013.
The True Teaching Flying Squad database connects experienced educators with long-term and short-term placements. The agency invoices schools upon a successful match, ensuring educators are never charged for registration or services. Nadine believes her extensive career provides the critical level of 'handholding' and reality needed for teachers considering their first move overseas. She has been blessed with the life she has led and now it’s time to give back.
Our guiding question for this show was: “How does one go about getting a long term subbing gig at an international school?”
Some of the topics covered include:
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
True Teaching: register for recruiting services or for long-term subbing with the Flying Squad database
Connect with Nadine on LinkedIn
This episode was recorded on October 30, 2025.
Categories: Long Term Subbing | Recruiting | School Life | Travel | Finances
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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Have you ever taken a job in a new location and, after a few months, started asking yourself if you had made the right choice? Maybe something felt "off". Or maybe you just didn't feel like you "fit in".
If you have, then this episode may prove to be helpful for you. Audrey will be modeling how a life coach might approach this question with a client. Even if you haven't experienced this kind of feeling during a transition, you may be curious to know what life coaching is like. If that's you, then check out this episode!
This episode kicks off a new series for us that centers on Transitions Coaching for International Educators. We have selected some realistic transition difficulties that could be – and have been – experienced by educators in the international school space. We want to emphasize that these are unscripted sessions where David is doing his best to represent real educators experiencing realistic situations related to transitions and Audrey is delivering the in-the-moment life coaching that could help to address the issues involved. Please be gentle with us as we seek to demonstrate the power of life coaching for those faced with a transition from a comfortable, known school-city-country-culture to a new and unfamiliar one. Whether you are currently experiencing your first transition or your umpteenth, we hope these episodes will be helpful – and that they may even prompt you to seek transitions coaching for yourself!
Scenario 1: The “Was this the right move?” Moment.
Episode recorded on May33, 2026.
Categories: School Life | Transitions
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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If you’re reading this, you're likely passionate about helping students grow into global citizens. Chances are, your school’s mission statement includes that phrase—or something close to it.
But what does it really take to turn that mission into action? What’s your/your school's blueprint—your strategies, programs, and systems—for cultivating global citizenship? And how effective is it?
In this episode, Scott Jamieson of Inspire Citizens helps us explore the heart of designing and implementing a holistic global citizenship program. Scott shares powerful strategies, tools, and big-picture insights that can help elevate this key aspect of your school's mission.
Get ready to be inspired with actionable ideas that support your global citizenship vision—in the classroom and beyond!
Prior to joining Inspire Citizens in 2020, Scott spent 17 years as a teacher and school administrator in international schools in the Middle East, China, and SE Asia. He is passionate about designing learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom, develop empathy and lead to meaningful and reciprocal community partnerships. With Inspire Citizens, Scott partners with schools to design whole school programs for global citizenship education that focus on student leadership, service learning, and community engagement. These programs are designed to create opportunities for students to live their school mission and take an active role in shaping a more sustainable, equitable, and joyful future. Scott is also the host and producer of the Empathy to Impact podcast.
Guiding Question: “How can schools design and implement a holistic global citizenship program?”
Topics:
Resources:
Inspire Citizens
Empathy to Impact Curriculum Integration Approach
Empathy to Impact podcast
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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Disclaimer
In this episode we speak about suicide and mental health. Please take care while listening, and feel free to pause or step away if you need to. If you or someone you know is struggling, you’re not alone, and support is available. You might consider reaching out to someone you trust or a support service in your area.
Introduction
This show is unlike our usual. It is a tribute to a well-known and beloved international educator who died by suicide in May, 2024. His name was Allan Bredy. We have included statements about Allan from his family, friends and colleagues. Audrey will be narrating, and has inserted quotes from the celebration of his life as well as some recorded testimonials. Even if you didn't know Allan, we think there will be some impactful take-aways for you -– on how to live fully, to lead with heart and to lift others up using all you’ve got.
Allan was born in New Jersey to Canadian parents and grew up in Germany, France, and Oklahoma. As a younger man, he was a wrestler, shoe salesman, oil rig derrick hand, and farm hand. He met Julie in an Anthropology class; they were engaged in 3 weeks and married in 6 months. They lived in Spokane, Washington, before Allan became principal of Port Angeles High School. In 2000, he and his family moved to Singapore, where he was middle school principal at Singapore American School. He later became director of Lincoln School in Nepal, then of American Cooperative School in Tunisia, and then of American School of Brasília in Brazil. Eventually, Allan and Julie returned to the farm on Lummi Island, Washington. Later, he served as Interim Head at Dar es Salaam American School in Rabat, Morocco, and as an administrator at The Index School in Washington. He was also an active member of Lummi Island Church and The Gathering Place.
Themes: Allan as Coach and Team Builder | Allan's Warrior Code | Allan as Defender and Protector | A Life Fully Lived | Allan’s Love of Music and Rituals | Allan's Values: Work, Purpose, and Courage | Family and Complexity
Thank you to Gabel, Anton and Julie Bredy for giving us permission to create this tribute to Allan and to use quotes from his Celebration of Life and Facebook Page. We would also like to thank the following people who sent in recordings: Luke Davis | Mark Forgeron | Mick Cooper | Andy Donahue | Lesley Taite | Niva Shrestha | A parent from the Lincoln School, Nepal who chose to remain anonymous | Chip Fairclough | Gail Hannagan | Beth Miceli
Support the show
Remember to access our Educators Going Global website for more information and consider joining our Patreon community at patreon/educatorsgoingglobal!
Email us with comments or suggestions at [email protected]
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
Listen on your favorite podcast app: connect from our share page.
Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.
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