ITP - 126: Why Teachers Stay in Kuwait (Even When They Say They Won’t)

Greg:
Alright, this is Greg coming at you with another episode from the International Teacher Podcast. And I'm alone today, I think, as far as hosts. I think Kent is still asleep, Darian is asleep, and Jacqueline is asleep in Mexico. She said it was a little bit too late for her. She apologizes, and so do the other guys.

But you know what? I have Terence Tong here on our show, and he's coming to us from Kuwait currently. Welcome to the show, Terence.

Terence Tong:
Hey, thank you for having me, Greg. I'm happy to be here.

Greg:
Hey, you know, you're one of Jacqueline’s friends. I think it's a small world. Am I correct about that?

Terence Tong:
I think Jacqueline and I share mutual friends. One of your previous guests over the summer, Hannah and Jake Looney, are current colleagues of ours. I think they appeared on the podcast earlier this year. Through the Looneys, we made a connection.

Greg:
Well, I'm excited to hear why you're on the show and what we're going to talk about. Let's start with your background—an elevator version of your education career and how you got into international teaching. Can you do that for us?

Terence Tong:
Absolutely. This is coming up to the end of my 24th year in education. I was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Canada. I spent the first six years of my career teaching in Toronto at a couple of small private schools.

Then I hit a milestone age—I won’t say which one—and at that point I realized I hadn’t really traveled. I didn’t have strong ties keeping me in Canada. So I thought, let’s take a stab at this.

In 2006, I came to Kuwait for the first time through a teaching contract. I thought I’d give it two years and go from there. But two years turned into three, then four, then five. At one point it was just, “one more year, one more year.”

I ended up staying eight years in Kuwait from 2006 to 2014. During that time, I met my wife—she’s a fellow Canadian from Montreal. We got married.

Then in 2014, we moved to Seoul International School in South Korea and spent eight years there. We had a daughter, Olivia, during COVID.

In 2022, we took a sabbatical and went back to Canada for a year. We have a place north of Montreal, so Olivia got to experience life there—seasons, family, everything.

Then in 2023, we came back overseas. Kuwait was an easy landing spot because we were familiar with the region. We’ve been here two years now and plan to stay a couple more.

Greg:
Yeah, exactly. I’ve got a thousand questions for you. I was in Kuwait from 2005 to 2007, so I definitely relate. Let’s go back—how did you get into international teaching from Canada? Did you go to a job fair or something?

Terence Tong:
No, actually. I made that decision late in the school year—around May or early June. I realized I needed to do something different before I got stuck in a routine.

I saw my peers settling down—marriage, mortgages, same district—and I didn’t want that path at that time. So I took a chance.

It wasn’t through a job fair or recruiting site. I stumbled across a job ad online for a startup school in Kuwait—the American Baccalaureate School.

I sent in my application, and within about 10–12 days, I had an offer. It was a one-year contract with the typical international package—housing, flights, healthcare.

Greg:
Did they interview you by video or phone?

Terence Tong:
Back then it was just a phone call. The principal was Canadian, from the Toronto area, so we connected easily. We even met in person before I left, just to finalize things.

When I arrived in August, we weren’t strangers anymore.

Greg:
That must have helped a lot.

Terence Tong:
It did. And honestly, when you think about it, it’s only about 10 months of actual work time in a school year. I figured, why not try it?

If I liked it, great. If not, no harm done. I wasn’t tied into a pension or anything.

Greg:
Right—what’s a year out of your life?

Terence Tong:
Exactly. I didn’t have enough reasons not to do it.

Greg:
What did your family say when you told them you were moving to Kuwait?

Terence Tong:
The only thing I knew about Kuwait at the time was from the Gulf War—those CNN images. So there was definitely concern about safety.

But once I got here and started sharing photos and videos—normal daily life—it helped ease their concerns.

Greg:
Yeah, you’re just living life—eating, shopping, going out.

Terence Tong:
Exactly.

Greg:
For me, Kuwait was different. I did my two-year contract, kind of hunkered down, worked a lot, did my master’s, and then left. What kept you there for eight years?

Terence Tong:
You have to make the experience work for you. I joined a beach club, played ultimate frisbee, played softball—those communities gave me a network outside of school.

At one point, I was ready to leave. I went to a job fair in Hong Kong but didn’t land anything. I came back and stayed another year.

Then I changed schools and had strong leadership support. My principal really pushed me to grow professionally—encouraged me to pursue leadership roles and my master’s degree.

That growth, combined with being happy at work, gave me reasons to stay.

And then I met my wife at a Halloween party.

Greg:
And that changes everything.

Terence Tong:
Absolutely. Once that happened, everything shifted.

Greg:
Well, I tell you what—when I was in Kuwait, I really just coasted through. I believe that as long as I like my job, I can live anywhere. But at that time, I was just kind of escaping a situation, and I didn’t really engage with the place. I just worked, overworked really, and did my master’s.

So hearing your story, it’s different. You really built a life there.

Greg:
Well, I tell you what—when I was in Kuwait, I really just coasted through. I believe that as long as I like my job, I can live anywhere. But at that time, I was just kind of escaping a situation, and I didn’t really engage with the place. I just worked, overworked really, and did my master’s.

So hearing your story, it’s different. You really built a life there.

Terence Tong:
Yeah, I think part of it comes down to making the experience work for you. Like you said, you made it work in your own way, but for me it was about building community.

Greg:
Right, and you had a mentor too. Someone who pushed you.

Terence Tong:
Exactly. She challenged me. She asked me what I really wanted out of the experience. Was I just going to stay comfortable, or was I going to grow?

Greg:
And that’s huge, especially in a place like Kuwait.

Terence Tong:
Yeah, absolutely.

Greg:
Alright, let’s talk a bit about that job fair experience. You mentioned going to Hong Kong and not landing anything. What was that like?

Terence Tong:
It was tough. I thought I might be able to leverage my experience into something new, but it didn’t happen. I came back empty-handed and honestly a little dejected.

Greg:
Yeah, that feeling sticks with you.

Terence Tong:
It does. Even if you know logically it’s not a failure, it still feels like one. Recruiting is emotionally taxing. You put a lot of yourself into applications, and every rejection stings a bit.

Greg:
Yeah, your heart’s in it.

Terence Tong:
Exactly. But at that stage in my career, I was still early enough that I could just reset and keep going.

Greg:
And you did. You stayed, grew, and eventually moved on to Korea.

Terence Tong:
Yes, and that was a big shift.

Greg:
Let’s talk about that. What were you teaching at the time?

Terence Tong:
I was a middle school language arts teacher. That’s been my main focus since going overseas—grade six through eight.

Greg:
Middle school—bless your heart.

Terence Tong:
There’s something special about middle school. It’s unpredictable, but the relationships you build are incredible.

Greg:
So going from Kuwait to Korea—big change. Do you think students are different across countries?

Terence Tong:
The core needs are the same. But how students express themselves and the cultural expectations around education—that’s where the differences come in.

Greg:
Give me an example.

Terence Tong:
In Kuwait, families can be very hands-off, and students often have a lot of support at home—sometimes too much. In Korea, it’s the opposite. Students work incredibly hard, sometimes to an unhealthy degree.

Greg:
Yeah, I’ve heard about that.

Terence Tong:
They’ll go to school all day, then academies at night, then do homework late into the evening. It’s intense.

Greg:
That’s a huge contrast.

Terence Tong:
It is. And as a teacher, you have to adjust your expectations and your approach depending on the context.

Greg:
Alright, we’ll pause here.

Terence Tong:
Yeah, moving to Korea was definitely a big shift, not just culturally but professionally as well.

Greg:
What was the biggest adjustment for you going into that environment?

Terence Tong:
I think the biggest adjustment was the pace and the expectations. In Korea, there’s a very strong culture of academic achievement. Students are incredibly driven, but that also means there’s a lot of pressure.

Greg:
Did that change how you approached teaching?

Terence Tong:
It did. I had to be more intentional about balancing rigor with well-being. Making sure students were challenged but also supported emotionally.

Greg:
That’s a tough balance.

Terence Tong:
It is. And it’s something you’re constantly adjusting.

Greg:
You mentioned earlier that you had your daughter during COVID. What was that experience like overseas?

Terence Tong:
It was unique, to say the least. There were a lot of restrictions at the time, but we also had a strong community around us. That made a big difference.

Greg:
That’s one thing about international schools—the community can be really strong.

Terence Tong:
Absolutely. People look out for each other in a way that’s really special.

Greg:
So after eight years in Korea, you decided to take a sabbatical. What drove that decision?

Terence Tong:
We felt it was important for our daughter to experience life in Canada, especially being close to family. And for us, it was a chance to reset a bit.

Greg:
And then you came back to Kuwait.

Terence Tong:
Yes, it was familiar, which made the transition easier. Coming back with a family is very different than arriving as a single teacher, though.

Greg:
In what ways?

Terence Tong:
You’re thinking about schools, community, safety, lifestyle—all through a different lens. It’s not just about you anymore.

Greg:
That’s a big shift.

Terence Tong:
It is, but it’s also rewarding.

Greg:
Alright, before we wrap up, let’s do a couple of quick ones. What advice would you give to someone considering international teaching?

Terence Tong:
Be open-minded and flexible. Things won’t always go as planned, but that’s part of the experience. And make an effort to build connections—that’s what will make your experience meaningful.

Greg:
Good advice.

Terence Tong:
And don’t be afraid to take a chance. Sometimes the best opportunities come when you step outside your comfort zone.

Greg:
Absolutely.

Greg:
Alright, Terence, thanks so much for joining us today.

Terence Tong:
Thank you, Greg. It was a pleasure.

Greg:
And thanks to everyone for listening. We’ll see you next time.

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