Why does student behavior abroad feel so familiar yet so hard to manage at the same time?

In this episode, we dig into one of the most common shocks of international teaching and parenting. We explore why behavior in international schools is so often misread, how culture and mobility quietly shape classroom dynamics, and why systems matter more than geography. Drawing from our own experiences and what we consistently see across regions, we reflect on what actually helps teachers and schools respond more effectively.

This conversation is part of our International Files series, where we unpack the systems and realities of international life, moving, and working abroad. As Trisha & Brandi, we share what we wish more educators and parents understood before moving abroad as a teacher or enrolling children in an international school.

Inside the episode:

• Why familiar behavior can have completely different meanings abroad

• How culture influences communication, respect, and classroom expectations

• The impact of student mobility on behavior and emotional load

• Common behavior patterns teachers see in international schools

• Why inconsistency and leadership follow through shape classroom culture

• How mislabeling behavior creates frustration for teachers and families

• What explicit teaching of expectations really looks like in global schools

  
  

Whether you are navigating job changes abroad, supporting your child in a new school, or building confidence as part of an international school teacher community, this episode offers grounded perspective and practical reflection for international educators and parents alike

Links & Resources

🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠ https://connectedglobal.org⁠

📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊

https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/

💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes.

💓 Don’t forget to subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

What happens when opportunity pulls you home, but community pulls you back abroad?

In this Insider Voices episode, we talk with Amy, an American educator who moved to Prague, stepped into leadership, started her family, and found a deep sense of belonging within the international teacher community. After several years abroad, she and her Czech husband made the decision to return to the United States in search of stability and new career pathways. What they discovered was that rebuilding community back home was far harder than expected, and that reverse culture shock can reshape everything you think you know about teaching abroad with family.

We explore the emotional and practical layers of moving abroad as a teacher, navigating career identity across countries, and the importance of community for expat families. Amy’s story speaks to anyone comparing international school contracts, transitioning between countries, or trying to choose an international school for your child while balancing family wellbeing. Her reflections highlight how connection, culture, and belonging can matter more than the opportunities that first lead you overseas.

Inside the episode:

• Building community as an international teacher in Prague
• Shifting identity during leadership and maternity leave
• Teaching overseas with family and navigating multicultural life
• Returning to the US and experiencing reverse culture shock
• Rebuilding community and redefining home
• Practical insights for expat families moving abroad or moving back

If you are navigating an international move, choosing a school abroad for your family, or searching for a global educator network that understands these transitions, this episode will help you feel supported and seen.

Links & Resources

🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠ https://connectedglobal.org

📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊

⁠https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/⁠

💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes.

💓 Don’t forget to subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

How do you build community when you move abroad and everything in your life changes?

In this Insider Voices episode, we speak with Jennifer, an American who grew up in Hong Kong and Japan before moving abroad again as an adult to live in Prague. She shares what it was really like moving abroad without an established network, creating a sense of belonging from scratch, and navigating international life as a partner, parent, and educator-adjacent professional.

We explore how early motherhood abroad shaped her relationships, how she found an international school teacher community and parent network, and what it felt like giving birth and raising children outside her home country. Jennifer reflects honestly on the realities of teaching overseas with family nearby or far away, the emotional weight of building community as a trailing spouse, and the unspoken challenges many international educators face when relocating.

Jennifer also opens up about moving back to the United States, experiencing reverse culture shock, and rebuilding her identity after years abroad. We discuss how international experience reshapes your sense of home, how community changes over time, and why returning can feel just as disorienting as leaving.

This conversation offers grounded insight into moving abroad as a teacher, teaching overseas with family, and finding stability and connection within international school communities.

Inside the episode:

• Building community as a trailing spouse abroad
• Motherhood overseas and navigating unfamiliar systems
• Finding an international school teacher and parent network
• Reverse culture shock after returning home
• Identity shifts after living internationally
• Practical advice for expat teachers and globally mobile families

If you are exploring a teaching abroad guide, planning a move overseas with children, or seeking a stronger international school teacher community, this episode offers honest perspective and practical reassurance grounded in lived experience.

Links & Resources

🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠ https://connectedglobal.org

📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊

https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/

💬 Have a question or story of your own? Drop it in the comments! We’d love to feature listener topics in future episodes.

💓 Don’t forget to subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.