ITP - 011: Returning Overseas After 17 Years

Greg: Welcome to the episode again without my co-host Matt, the family guy. It’s probably not going to be as funny without my buddy, but you should still find it interesting. I’ll be interviewing a couple in Guayaquil, Ecuador, who have been friends of mine since 2001 when we taught together in Honduras. It’s been 17 years between Honduras and Guayaquil, so I think you’ll find this a very interesting International Teacher Podcast episode.

Greg: One last note—I want to apologize for some of the audio. I couldn’t quite get it right. Bryn is talking to us from a phone in the backyard while Shannon is in the living room, so it’s a bit difficult to balance their audio. But I think you’ll still enjoy it. Let’s get right to the show.

Greg: Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your host Greg, the single guy, and Matt, the family guy. We’re recording episodes from around the globe to tell you about the best-kept secret in education. That’s right, it’s teaching overseas. We’re glad to have you.

Greg: Let me introduce Shannon and Bryn. I met them back in Honduras in 2001. We got on an airplane together and went to live there, and you guys were right next to me for two years, right? Then you went back to the States, and the last time I talked to you, you were on a farm in Iowa. So where are you guys now?

Bryn: We’re in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Greg: How big is Guayaquil, by the way?

Bryn: About three million people.

Greg: Three million? That’s huge. That’s bigger than anything we were used to. For a farm boy, that’s big. How many people were in your town in Iowa?

Shannon: Growing up, about 100.

Greg: So going from 100 people to a city of three million—how are you handling that?

Bryn: I was raised in a tiny town in Tennessee, so it’s been an adjustment. We’ve been in bigger cities since Honduras, but this is still very different. A lot of cement, a lot of city life.

Greg: That’s just the beginning of the changes. That’s why I wanted to have you on the podcast. After 17 years, you’ve come back overseas. What made you do it?

Shannon: Ever since we left Honduras, I’ve been wanting to do this again. But life got rooted. We had a home, jobs, more kids. It becomes much harder to pick up and leave when you’re settled.

Shannon: The first time, we were right out of college. We had a couple of bags and could go anywhere. This time, it’s a completely different situation. We had to get to a place financially where it made sense, and the biggest factor was the kids. We asked them if they wanted to move, and they were excited about it.

Shannon: I don’t think they would have been ready a couple of years earlier. This just felt like the right time.

Greg: This was right before the pandemic, right?

Shannon: Yes, right before.

Greg: So tell me about your kids. You had one son back in Honduras who was about five. Now it’s been years later. How many kids do you have now?

Shannon: We have three kids now. And this time, we brought two teenagers with us.

Greg: That changes everything.

Shannon: It really does. When we came to Honduras, our son was little and always with us. Now, with teenagers, it completely changes what you look for—safety, activities, the kind of school.

Greg: So you chose your school not just for yourselves, but for your kids too.

Bryn: Exactly. We wanted a small school—around 300 students—so it would feel familiar to them. That was important for their transition.

Greg: That makes sense. Something consistent in a new environment.

Greg: So when you got to Ecuador, what were some of the biggest adjustments right away?

Bryn: The size of the city was the first thing. Just getting used to traffic, the noise, and the pace of everything. It’s very different from what we were used to back in Iowa.

Shannon: And just daily life with kids. Everything takes more planning. When they were younger, they just went wherever we went. Now they have their own needs, their own schedules, and their own expectations. It definitely changes how you approach living overseas.

Greg: I remember when we were in Honduras, things were simple. We were just figuring things out as we went. Now you’ve got more responsibilities.

Shannon: Exactly. And that makes the decision bigger. It’s not just about you anymore.

Greg: How has the school experience been so far?

Bryn: It’s been good. It’s a smaller school, which we like. There’s a sense of community, and the kids are getting to know everyone pretty quickly.

Shannon: That was important for us. We didn’t want them to feel lost in a huge school.

Greg: And what about teaching during the pandemic?

Shannon: It’s been a mix. Some students are in person, and some are online. It’s definitely a challenge trying to manage both at the same time. You’re teaching to the kids in front of you while also making sure the online students are engaged.

Bryn: It’s a lot of technology—multiple screens, microphones, cameras. You’re constantly switching your attention back and forth.

Greg: That sounds exhausting.

Bryn: It can be. But it’s also pushed us to learn new tools and adapt in ways we hadn’t before.

Shannon: There are some positives. We’ve discovered new resources and ways to teach that we probably wouldn’t have explored otherwise.

Greg: What about your classroom setup? Do you feel like you have the resources you need?

Bryn: Yes. The school is well-equipped. We have good technology, materials, and support.

Shannon: That’s been a big difference from some of our earlier experiences. The classrooms are well stocked, and we’re not having to spend our own money to get basic supplies.

Greg: That’s huge. A lot of teachers back home are spending hundreds of dollars out of pocket every year. It’s one of the perks of international teaching—schools often invest more in resources because they want to keep teachers.

Bryn: Exactly.

Greg: What about your student population?

Bryn: It’s a mix. We have a strong host national population, but there are also students from other countries.

Shannon: In my class, I’ve got students from Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, India—really a mix from all over. It makes teaching more interesting because we can bring in different perspectives.

Greg: Do you feel like kids are basically the same everywhere?

Bryn: Absolutely. Different backgrounds, but kids are kids.

Shannon: You still have the same range—students who are motivated, students who need extra help, students who are bouncing off the walls. The main difference is often the family background and resources, but the kids themselves are very similar.

Greg: One thing I remember from Honduras is how tight-knit the community was. Do you feel that again now?

Bryn: Yeah. When you go overseas, your group of teachers becomes like family. You go through everything together—new country, new systems, figuring things out. It’s similar to what we had in Honduras, just at a different stage of life.

Shannon: And we’ve already started building those connections here. It takes time, but it happens naturally.

Greg: That’s one of the best parts of teaching overseas. Those relationships stick with you for years.

Greg: Any advice for people thinking about going overseas, especially with families?

Shannon: Think about timing and be honest with yourself and your family. It’s a bigger decision with kids, but it can be an incredible experience for them. Make sure they’re part of the conversation.

Bryn: And be flexible. Things won’t always go as planned. There will be challenges, but that’s part of the experience. If you can embrace that, it makes everything easier.

Greg: All right, we’re going to wrap this one up. Shannon, Bryn, thank you for coming on and sharing your story.

Shannon: Thanks for having us.

Bryn: We appreciate it.

Greg: This is Greg, the single guy, signing off from the International Teacher Podcast. We’ll see you next time.