China Special

Road to Mandalay

The boys are back in Burma! After a year away from Myanmar, Chris flies in from China to reunite with Rob in the stunning, rural setting of Mandalay. Recording in a roof-top bar overlooking paddy fields and distant mountains, the duo contrasts the upbeat, effervescent local culture with the tech-obsessed, screen-staring realities of modern school life. There is a very strange interlude in this one, where they turned up the music in the bar that we were recording in and we had to find somewhere else. The music was really loud, but our mics didn't pick it up. The result is that we sound slightly insane.

A Korean Odyssey

The holidays have finally begun, and Rob is officially in full standby mode! In this episode, Chris and Rob look back at how a trip to the 2002 World Cup completely changed the game and kicked off a massive teaching adventure in South Korea. From the electric energy of 1.5 million football fans flooding the streets of Seoul to navigating life in a smaller historic town where nobody spoke a word of English, the guys dive deep into the ultimate culture shock. They reminisce about the early days of teaching before Google Translate existed (cue the heavy miming!), getting treated like local celebrities, and the glorious, bottomless world of Korean barbecue and side dishes. Plus, find out why four-year degrees in "air hostessing" are a thing, and why you might just get gifted 48 cans of Spam during the holidays. Grab a cold drink, kick back, and join the map-less journey!

I'm telling Mom!

In this very special, light-hearted episode, Chris and Rob are joined by a legendary guest of honor—Rob’s mom! For the first time, we get a parent’s perspective on what it’s really like when your children pack up and move across the world. From the initial worries of sending her kids abroad to becoming an international traveler herself, she shares her heartwarming and candid reflections on her children’s global adventures. Plus, she doesn't hold back on reminding Rob about some of his most infamous overseas "mishaps." * The Parent’s Perspective: The initial shock, worry, and ultimate pride of watching your children move overseas. * The Travel Bug is Catching: How having children abroad inspired Rob's mom to travel to places she never expected, including Azerbaijan, South Korea, Brunei, and volunteering in Africa. * Overseas Mishaps: A trip down memory lane regarding some of Rob’s less-than-ideal adventures (including that infamous Ukraine incident). * Cultural Differences: Comparing life, behavior, and school disciplines between the UK, South Korea, Myanmar, and China. * Golden Advice: Her inspiring words of wisdom for any parent whose child is about to move to a country they’ve never heard of. “Do lots of lovely, wonderful stuff, but be cautious... Just go for it. Enjoy it.” * Facebook: Search for "Mad Dogs and English Teachers" * Email: maddogsandenglishteachers@proton.me

The beautiful game

Cruising from the Pitch to the Classroom with Aaron Leaver With the World Cup finally kicked off, Chris and Rob are diving into that strange, post-exam twilight zone of the school year—you know, the two weeks where there's nothing left to do but we all still have to show up! But the real treat this week is our very first guest, Aaron Leaver. Aaron didn't take the traditional path into overseas teaching. He breaks down his incredible 12-year journey as a football coach, sharing what it’s really like to scout for Valencia CF in India, work with European giants like Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur, and navigate the sheer madness of moving to Beijing right in the middle of pandemic restrictions. We chat about the massive culture shocks of teaching PE online, the hilarious contrast between the "joked-around" persona of a locker room coach versus the decorum of an international school, and we put Aaron in the hot seat with some rapid-fire questions. Plus, Rob and Aaron bond over their shared love for field hockey (or tarmac hockey, depending on your surface), and Chris successfully avoids talking about football for as long as humanly possible. Connect with the Show: * Facebook: Search "Mad Dogs and English Teachers" * Email: maddogsandenglishteachers@proton.me Next week: Rob's mum, Elizabeth Alderton, joins the show to discuss the parent's perspective of raising kids who live halfway across the world!

A light at the end of the tunnel?

Episode 13: The Light at the End of the Tunnel? Are long terms wearing you down, or are you just desperately counting down the days until the final school bell rings? This week on Mad Dogs and English Teachers, Chris and Rob are diving headfirst into the chaotic "limbo period" of the international school year. As exam season winds down, they navigate the bizarre world of shifting schedules, lunar calendars, and the absolute headache that is the mysterious "Lent Day Debacle". Plus, the guys get real about the highs and lows of global travel. From the exhausting stress of airport connections to the post-Brexit visa struggles (thanks, Boris!), they debate whether the grass is actually greener overseas—or if it's just a different shade of tropical sun. In this episode: * Exam Limbo: Late-night IGCSEs and managing "unruly" students post-finals. * The Travel Fatigue: Why sometimes a staycation sounds better than another flight. * The Great Country Count: Rob totals up his staggering list of 91 visited countries. * Blast from the Past: A lesson in simple math courtesy of some frustrating "chuffin' pigeons". Grab a cold beer, kick back, and join the conversation about what it's really like to live and teach overseas! Connect with us: * 👥 Facebook: Search "Mad Dogs and English Teachers" * 📧 Email: maddogsandenglishteachers@proton.me Don't forget to follow and leave us a review if you enjoy the banter!