ConnectED Conversations

Ep 32: What Should I Pack When Moving Abroad?

What should you actually pack when moving abroad as a teacher? In this episode, we talk about packing as step zero of international teaching. Before you can step into a classroom abroad with confidence, you have to get yourself there, and that means deciding what supports your new life and what only adds weight, stress, and airport sweating. This is not your average moving abroad packing checklist. Instead, we talk about the practical and emotional side of packing for an international teaching move. Trisha & Brandi share personal stories from their first moves abroad, including overpacked suitcases, emotional comfort items, professional clothing surprises, blown fuses, document stress, and the things they would absolutely do differently now. We cover what to pack for teaching overseas, what to leave behind, and how to think about the first 72 hours in a new country when your apartment may be “fully furnished” but still missing the things that make it livable. We also talk about packing with children, professional dress expectations in international schools, and why classroom supplies usually should not take over your luggage. Inside the episode: * Why packing for an international teaching move is both practical and emotional * How to decide what to store, ship, donate, or pack * Why professional clothing expectations can vary widely between international schools * What to know about hair appliances, voltage, converters, and buying locally * Why official documents should stay organized, copied, scanned, and carried with you * What comfort items can help you feel grounded in your new country * How to prepare for the first 72 hours in a new apartment abroad * Why teachers usually do not need to pack a suitcase full of classroom supplies * How to approach packing when teaching overseas with family This episode is especially useful for teachers preparing for their first international teaching job, educators comparing international school contracts, families moving abroad with kids, and anyone looking for a thoughtful teacher relocation checklist that goes beyond clothes and chargers. Links & Resources ⭐Not-Your-Average-Packing-Checklist: COMING SOON! 📌Teaching Abroad Document Prep Guide https://connectedglobal.org/product/teaching-abroad-document-prep-guide/?v=9c049173fad5 [https://connectedglobal.org/product/teaching-abroad-document-prep-guide/?v=9c049173fad5] 📌Teaching Abroad Visa Checklist https://connectedglobal.org/product/teaching-abroad-visa-checklist/?v=9c049173fad5 [https://connectedglobal.org/product/teaching-abroad-visa-checklist/?v=9c049173fad5]  📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊 https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ [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 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠⁠ https://connectedglobal.org⁠⁠ [https://connectedglobal.org] 💓 Don’t forget to like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

Ep 31: What Does the End of the School Year Really Mean?

What does it mean to wrap up the school year in an international classroom or school? In this episode, we look beyond the usual end-of-year checklist and explore the emotional, relational, and logistical layers that make international school endings unique. Reports, assessments, classroom clean-outs, and celebrations matter, but in international schools, the end of the year may also mean country moves, new schools, curriculum changes, language transitions, changing friendship groups, and staff turnover. We talk about how to create closure without forcing toxic positivity, how to support students who are staying as well as students who are leaving, and how to help multilingual learners recognize progress that may not always show up neatly in grades or assessments. We also look at transition tools, language profiles, student passports, curriculum notes, and teacher handovers that help continuity carry forward in high-turnover international communities. This episode is useful for international teachers, school leaders, and parents navigating end-of-year transitions, supporting children in a new school, understanding international school teacher community, and helping students move between schools, countries, languages, and curricula. Inside the episode: * Why international school endings are not only about finishing curriculum * How to help students process excitement and sadness at the same time * Why the students who stay also need transition support * How class rituals, letters, reflection activities, and memory walls can support belonging * How language profiles can help teachers describe multilingual learner growth more clearly * Why useful handovers matter when students, teachers, families, and leaders are moving in and out * How schools can use belonging as a reflection point at the end of the year Whether you are moving schools internationally as a teacher, supporting expat families through transition, or helping students prepare for their next school community, this episode offers practical reflection for ending the year with care, clarity, and continuity. Links & Resources 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊 https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ [https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/] 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at:⁠ https://connectedglobal.org [https://connectedglobal.org] 💬 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 like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

Ep 30: Mary Ann’s Global Pet Moves

What does it actually look like to move pets internationally while living and teaching abroad? In this episode, we continue our conversation about relocating pets internationally by speaking with Mary Ann VanDeWeerd, an international educator and IB PYP Coordinator from New Zealand who has worked across the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Mary Ann has lived and worked in Turkey, Indonesia, Sudan, Switzerland, New Zealand, Thailand, and Oman, and along the way, animals have been an important part of her international life. Mary Ann shares what she learned from moving a cat from Sudan to Switzerland, navigating pet relocation into New Zealand, and bringing her dog Petal from Thailand to Oman. Her stories make the process feel real, from import permits and rabies tests to airline booking timelines, crate sizing, travel stress, pet relocation agents, and the emotional decision-making involved when animals are part of your family. This episode is especially helpful for international teachers, school leaders, and expat families who are moving abroad as a teacher, teaching overseas with family, or trying to understand what to include in a realistic teacher relocation checklist. Inside the episode: * Why you cannot simply show up at the airport with a pet * The difference between cabin travel, excess baggage, and cargo * Why import and export permits can create stressful timelines * How one small paperwork detail can delay a pet’s move by months * Why six months of planning is a realistic starting point * What pet passports, rabies tests, microchips, and vaccination records involve * When using a pet relocation service may be worth the cost * How crate training, calming products, and preparation can help reduce stress * Why researching housing, weather, pet care, and animal-friendly living matters before accepting a move For anyone comparing international school contracts, navigating job changes abroad, or preparing for life in a new country with pets, Mary Ann’s story offers the kind of lived insight that makes international life feel more possible and more manageable. Links & Resources 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊 https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ [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 like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad. 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org [https://connectedglobal.org]

Ep 29: How Do You Move Your Pets Abroad?

Thinking about moving abroad with a pet? In this episode, we talk through the realities of relocating pets internationally, because for many international teachers and expat families, pets are not an afterthought. They are part of the family. But moving them across borders can involve far more than booking a flight and showing up at the airport. We explore the major planning areas people need to understand before relocating with a pet: legal requirements and paperwork, transport and airline logistics, cost and long-term planning, animal welfare, housing, and daily life abroad. Brandi shares her experience moving her two cats, Luna and Sebastian, from Washington State to Prague, including paperwork challenges, crate issues, and airport surprises. Trisha adds perspective from friends, rescue animals, fostering abroad, and the important question of whether bringing a pet is always the best option. This episode is especially helpful for anyone moving abroad as a teacher, teaching overseas with family, building a teacher relocation checklist, or trying to understand how to prepare for teaching abroad when pets are part of the plan. Inside the episode: * Microchips, rabies vaccines, health certificates, titer tests, and government endorsements * Why the order of paperwork matters so much * Cabin travel, excess baggage, manifest cargo, and airline crate rules * Why some pets may face breed, health, weather, or quarantine restrictions * The real costs of relocating pets abroad * How early to begin planning before an international move * What to consider about housing, daily life, vets, pet supplies, and animal welfare in your destination country * Alternatives such as trusted family care, fostering, volunteering, or supporting local rescue groups abroad If you are navigating job changes abroad, preparing for an international teaching contract, or moving abroad with kids and pets, this episode gives you a realistic starting point before you make big relocation decisions. Links & Resources 📌Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) – United Kingdom Pet Travel Scheme (PETS): https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain 📌Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: https://www.agriculture.gov.au 📌Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): https://inspection.canada.ca 📌Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Dog Importation Rules: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs 📌European Commission – Movement of Pet Animals: https://food.ec.europa.eu/animals/movement-pets_en 📌International Air Transport Association (IATA) – Live Animals Regulations: https://www.iata.org 📌International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA): https://www.ipata.org 📌PetTravel.com: https://www.pettravel.com 📌U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA APHIS) – Pet Travel: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel 📌U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Importation of Dogs: https://www.cdc.gov 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org 💬 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 like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.

Ep 28: Patty’s ELL & Grammar Teaching Tips

How can international teachers better support multilingual learners without lowering expectations or leaving language development to one department? In this episode, we speak with Patty McGee, a literacy consultant, speaker, educator, and author whose work helps teachers bring clarity, joy, and purpose into literacy instruction. Together, we explore how English often becomes the access language in international schools, why conversational fluency can hide deeper academic language needs, and how teachers can make grammar, writing, and content learning more accessible for multilingual learners. This conversation is especially useful for international educators, EAL teachers, classroom teachers, and school leaders looking for practical international teacher resources, stronger multilingual learner support, and clearer systems for language development across international curriculum comparison contexts. Inside the episode: * Why grammar instruction does not have to feel dry, isolated, or worksheet-driven * How grammar manipulatives can help students build sentences, test ideas, and practice academic language * Why explicit instruction needs clarity, modeling, and usable steps * How teachers can separate language proficiency from content understanding * Why assessment for learning matters for multilingual learners * What happens when language support is treated as one department’s responsibility instead of a whole-school commitment * How WIDA Can-Do Descriptors can help teachers understand what multilingual learners can do, almost do, and not yet do Whether you are teaching overseas, leading EAL development, comparing international school systems, or looking for practical strategies to support multilingual learners, this conversation offers grounded insight for the global educator network. Links & Resources 📌WIDA English Language Development Standards: https://wida.wisc.edu/resources/wida-english-language-development-standards-framework-2020-edition 📌Patty McGee’s website: pattymcgee.org 📌Not Your Granny’s Grammar by Patty McGee: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Your-Grannys-Grammar-Instruction/dp/1071941674/ 📌Writer’s Workshop Made Simple by Patty McGee: https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Workshop-Made-Simple-Essentials/dp/1987332016 📌Feedback That Moves Writers Forward by Patty McGee: https://www.amazon.com/Feedback-That-Moves-Writers-Forward/dp/1506349927 📞Book a consultation with us! We’re here to personalize support for whatever choices you are facing. 😊https://connectedglobal.org/book-a-consultation/ 🍬 Find lots of other global education goodies at: https://connectedglobal.org 💬 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 like & subscribe if you're navigating life, learning, and leadership abroad.