ITP - 065: Minority Experience Teaching Overseas

Greg:
Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your hosts Matt the Family Guy, Kent the Kent guy, Jacqueline from JPMD, and Greg the single guy bringing you episodes from around the world about the best kept secret in education—you got it, international teaching. Welcome to the show.

Greg:
All right everybody, this is Greg the single guy. Kent is somewhere in the Seattle area—I think he’s just playing right now because he’s not with us. And today I am alone with our guest. She’s coming to us from Baltimore currently, and I want you to say hello to Amaris. Amaris, welcome to the show.

Amaris:
Hello. My name is pronounced Amaris, by the way. I know a lot of people make that mistake, but it’s okay.

Greg:
Oh, like “amorous.”

Amaris:
Yeah, almost.

Greg:
Right, Amaris—okay, I love that. No pun intended.

Greg:
You’re coming to us from Baltimore, and you heard us from another show I believe—Making the Grade, one of our other podcast groups that we love. What brings you to our show today?

Amaris:
What I really want to talk about is what it’s like being a minority, and a woman who is a minority, teaching overseas. I can’t speak for everybody, but I can share what that looked like for me in different countries and how it impacted my journey.

Greg:
So you were a certified teacher in the States before you went overseas?

Amaris:
Yes, I was certified in the States. But I actually got started in Korea. My first job was teaching in South Korea, which is crazy because I originally wasn’t going to go. I was very against it.

I thought, “This is not the trajectory. This is not how I’m supposed to start my teaching career.” But they really wanted me. It was a full package—housing, setup, everything.

And my mom said, “Whatever you’re leaving for will still be here when you come back.” So I took a leap.

Greg:
How did you even find out about it?

Amaris:
A friend told me. I was part of a sorority, and one of my line sisters came across it around 2010. International teaching was still fairly new then. At the time, all you needed was a bachelor’s degree in anything—luckily mine was in education.

She didn’t go, but she said, “If anyone else wants this opportunity, take it.” At first I said no. I had just finished my program, I was certified, I had a new boyfriend—I thought I was supposed to stay.

But I ended up going, and thank God I did.

Greg:
What did you teach in Korea?

Amaris:
Kindergarten. Technically ESL, but it functioned more like a homeroom class.

My students were all Korean—native Korean speakers.

At first I was nervous because I wasn’t specifically trained in second language acquisition. I thought that would be a huge barrier. But it actually helped me because I’m early childhood certified.

So I leaned heavily on phonics, phonemic awareness—all the foundational skills I learned in undergrad.

Greg:
A lot of people think they need TESOL certification or another language to teach overseas, but really schools want strong early childhood teachers.

Amaris:
Exactly. Once I got there, that pressure disappeared. My job was to speak English and help them acquire it.

Greg:
And that was your first year teaching?

Amaris:
Yes, my first year.

Greg:
That’s wild. Same for me overseas. Do you remember your first day?

Amaris:
Yes. Thankfully I had an amazing co-teacher who spoke Korean. That helped a lot with nerves.

But like you said, it’s your first year teaching—you’re already figuring everything out. Now add a completely new country on top of it.

Greg:
How long were you in Korea?

Amaris:
Almost two years. I loved it.

Greg:
That first year you’re just piecing everything together—curriculum, classroom management, everything.

Amaris:
Exactly. They had a curriculum, but there was still a lot of figuring things out. And again, you’re a first-year teacher in a completely new environment.

Greg:
Where did you go after Korea?

Amaris:
North Carolina. I told myself I was going back to the States to be an adult.

Greg:
How did that go?

Amaris:
It felt very different. In Korea I was teaching all day in a private school environment where parents were paying for English instruction.

In North Carolina I taught third grade, and it just didn’t feel like the same energy. I realized I love travel and new experiences.

Greg:
Where next?

Amaris:
Egypt.

Greg:
That’s a shift.

Amaris:
Yes. I taught at an American school in Egypt. That year was not a good fit, but it was important.

That’s where I really started noticing my identity as a minority.

Growing up in New York, I never felt different. It was a melting pot.

But in Egypt—and even a bit in Korea—I started to experience difference in a new way.

Greg:
Can you explain that?

Amaris:
In Korea, people were more exposed to diversity because of military bases. But there were still moments—people would ask if I was African.

I would explain: yes, my ancestors are from Africa, but I identify as American. That concept wasn’t always understood.

In Egypt, it was more direct at times. I remember walking down the street and being called things based on my skin tone. It was uncomfortable.

Greg:
And being a woman adds another layer.

Amaris:
Absolutely. But what I noticed is when I was with my husband or later with my children, the treatment changed completely.

Greg:
That contrast is real.

Amaris:
Very real.

Greg:
We’ve talked about leadership diversity too—there’s still very little representation of women and women of color in international school leadership.

Amaris:
Yes, and I experienced that directly. In Korea I was often the only African American woman on staff.

I remember once another African American teacher arrived and someone joked about whether we felt in competition.

Greg:
That’s wild.

Amaris:
It reflects a lack of awareness. Even if it was meant as a joke, it shows a mindset of scarcity instead of inclusion.

Greg:
How do you respond to that in the moment?

Amaris:
Honestly, in the moment you don’t always respond. You internalize it. Later you learn how you wish you had responded.

Greg:
And it keeps happening.

Amaris:
Yes, but you develop language and confidence over time.

Greg:
Let’s take a quick break.

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Greg:
All right, let’s get back to it.

Greg:
So after North Carolina and Korea, you’re in Egypt. What happened next?

Amaris:
I taught at two different schools in Egypt. The first one was not a good fit at all. From the beginning, the tone was off.

I remember arriving and being told it was a prestigious school, but it came across more like pressure than welcome.

Greg:
That’s not a great start.

Amaris:
No. Then I became pregnant while working there, and culturally it was complicated. No one explicitly said anything, but I felt a shift.

When I went on maternity leave and returned, my role had been changed. I wasn’t placed back in my classroom.

I was told I was lucky to still have a job.

Greg:
That’s rough.

Amaris:
It was. I ended up leaving and going to another school.

Greg:
Was the second school better?

Amaris:
Much better. It was a British curriculum school and the environment was more collaborative.

We actually planned together as a team. There were multiple teachers at the same grade level working in alignment.

Greg:
That makes a big difference.

Amaris:
It really does.

Greg:
Do you think teachers are more respected overseas?

Amaris:
Yes, absolutely. Overseas, teaching is highly respected. People are impressed when you say you’re a teacher.

In the States, it’s improving, especially after COVID, but it’s still not the same.

Greg:
And underpaid.

Amaris:
Exactly.

Greg:
What advice would you give people considering international teaching?

Amaris:
Ask about the staff makeup and leadership in interviews. Those are the people who shape your experience.

Also ask about the student body.

But beyond that, think about how you will be perceived in different cultural contexts and be honest with yourself about that.

Then show up as your best self.

Greg:
That’s solid.

Amaris:
Diversity matters. If it’s missing, perspectives are missing.

Greg:
Where can people find you?

Amaris:
Instagram and TikTok: themerge_consulting. I also do consulting work supporting teachers with ESL students.

Greg:
We’ll put that in the show notes. Thanks for coming on.

Amaris:
Thank you for having me.

Greg:
On behalf of the International Teacher Podcast, this is Greg signing off.