ITP - 066: From Corporate to International Teaching and Author Life

Greg:
Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your hosts Matt, Kent, Jacqueline, and Greg. We’re bringing you episodes from around the world about international teaching.

Greg:
Alright, welcome to the International Teacher Podcast. This is Greg.

Greg:
Today I’m really excited because my guest is joining us from Spain, Mallorca. She’s a teacher with a rich background in education, and she’s also a first-time author. One of my personal goals is to write a children’s book, so I’m especially looking forward to this conversation. Please welcome A. G. Allen. I don’t even know what AG stands for, but welcome to the show.

A.G. Allen:
Hi everyone.

Greg:
So AG, can you give us the elevator version of how you ended up in Spain and what led you there?

A.G. Allen:
Sure. I worked in corporate America for about 25 years. Around 2000 I started feeling a pull toward teaching, but I kept working. Then at a corporate job there was a school fair and one of the universities had a teaching program. I thought, “Okay, I’m going to do this.” I completed a two-year teaching program, earned my master’s in teaching, and decided I wanted an adventure overseas.

My first job was at an international school in China, where I stayed for about 10 years. After that, I moved to South Korea and taught at another international school for three years. As I got closer to retirement, I started thinking about where I wanted to end up, and Spain was on my list. I thought I’d do a few more years in the classroom, but only in Spain, so I could transition into retirement there. That’s how I ended up here.

Greg:
So you left corporate America after more than 20 years, went into teaching, got your master’s, and went straight to China. How did you land that China job?

A.G. Allen:
My cousin worked for the company and told me about the opportunity. I wasn’t really thinking about going to China, but I like applying for jobs and I enjoy interviews. I tend to apply thinking I probably won’t do it. But it came through, and I thought, “Okay, I’ll do it for two years.” Then I ended up staying for 10.

Greg:
That fits right into our theme because a lot of international schools have two-year contracts. So you went there, of all places, leaving the US and going to China. That’s a huge change. But you had a connection.

A.G. Allen:
Yes, but we weren’t in the same city. She was in Chengdu, which is where I ended up. The onboarding process was very strong. From the moment I arrived, I felt like I was part of something and settled in quickly.

Greg:
That onboarding must have helped a lot, especially staying 10 years. What were you teaching in China?

A.G. Allen:
I started in middle school as a language arts and English teacher—grades six, seven, and eight. Over time I moved into high school courses as well, mainly AP. I do miss middle school. Even recently I was helping younger students write proper emails instead of texting style messages.

Greg:
No 30 exclamation points.

A.G. Allen:
Exactly. You have to teach structure.

Greg:
After China, you went to South Korea. What school was that?

A.G. Allen:
An international school in a suburb of Seoul. I won’t name it—it just wasn’t the right fit for me, even though it was a good school.

Greg:
And that matters—the right fit.

A.G. Allen:
Exactly.

Greg:
Then Spain became the goal.

A.G. Allen:
Yes. Mallorca specifically. It was hard because I teach American curriculum and most schools prefer IB or British backgrounds. There are only a handful of American curriculum schools here. This school actually called me when they needed an English teacher. I was very happy to come. The weather, people, and students have all been great.

Greg:
Quick question about IB. Should teachers invest in it?

A.G. Allen:
If you want to teach in Europe, yes. It’s almost essential. But it’s expensive. I didn’t do it because I had just finished a master’s in creative writing and didn’t want to invest more. Priorities shift later in your career.

Greg:
Now your book.

A.G. Allen:
Yes.

Greg:
What’s it called?

A.G. Allen:
*There Are Dinosaurs in the Library!*

It came from a dream about six years ago. I was a child in a library and books opened while dinosaurs jumped out. I wrote it down but didn’t act on it until later during my master’s. It became my final project. I’ve read it many times and love it.

Greg:
Why third grade?

A.G. Allen:
I wanted younger kids who would be excited. It just felt right.

Greg:
It’s also dedicated to your daughter, Courtney.

A.G. Allen:
Yes. One of the most important things she ever told me was, “Make yourself happy.” That stayed with me.

Greg:
That’s powerful. I grew up with reading as a reward—if I read in bed, I could stay up longer. That helped me love books.

A.G. Allen:
That’s a great strategy.

Greg:
Your book really captures that idea—kids getting lost in stories at the library.

A.G. Allen:
That’s exactly the message.

Greg:
Do you keep a notebook by your bed?

A.G. Allen:
No, I just woke up and wrote it down because the dream was so vivid.

Greg:
How did you find your illustrator?

A.G. Allen:
Through Upwork. I had a clear vision—rich colors, expressive but not cartoonish. I chose an illustrator whose style matched perfectly. The expressions in the illustrations were very important to me.

Greg:
The librarian page is one of my favorites.

A.G. Allen:
Mine too.

Greg:
How did you choose character names?

A.G. Allen:
Some came fully formed—Melissa and Mrs. Barker. Others came from students or family.

Greg:
Do you use your book in class?

A.G. Allen:
Yes, to show creativity and possibility, and to talk about managing time while having personal projects. It also helps students see what’s possible.

Greg:
How much did you revise it?

A.G. Allen:
Very little. It stayed close to the original dream. Most changes were for illustration layout. It was more collaboration than rewriting.

Greg:
Do students respond well?

A.G. Allen:
Yes, very well.

Greg:
Favorite classroom books?

A.G. Allen:
*To Kill a Mockingbird*, *House on Mango Street*, and *Their Eyes Were Watching God*.

Greg:
Do you compare books and movies?

A.G. Allen:
Not usually. Movies are more for support, especially with language learners.

Greg:
Do students read more because of you?

A.G. Allen:
I hope so, but they prefer short digital content.

Greg:
Best book you assign?

A.G. Allen:
*To Kill a Mockingbird*.

Greg:
Travel story?

A.G. Allen:
In China I was always randomly searched at airports. One time my scooter was stolen outside a bank while I was withdrawing money. I ran out yelling “scooter!” Police helped me file a report and even took me to buy a new one.

Greg:
Essentials abroad?

A.G. Allen:
Transportation, a housekeeper, and internet. Those things make life manageable.

Greg:
Final advice?

A.G. Allen:
Be open to culture, lean in, say yes, and build community.

Greg:
Where can people find you?

A.G. Allen:
agallen.me and [agallened@outlook.com](mailto:agallened@outlook.com)

Greg:
We’ll link that in the show notes. Thank you for joining us—and go get *There Are Dinosaurs in the Library!*

A.G. Allen:
Thank you for having me.