ITP - 99: Kuwait is Awesome for Family Life

Greg: Welcome to another episode of the International Teacher Podcast. This is Greg coming at you from the Middle East. I've got JP with me. Good morning, JP.

JP: Good morning.

Greg: And as always, on my other side, it’s the guy that looks like me—according to all the kids—it’s Kent, the Cat Guy. How you doing, Kent?

Kent: I’m the better-looking one. Very good to see you, Greg. JP, good to be here.

Greg: Well, I’m happy we have our guests coming to us from Iowa, but they’re overseas right now. They’ve just gotten home to the States for the summer, I believe. This is Hannah and Jake Loney. Did I get that right?

Hannah: Yeah.

Jake: Yeah.

Greg: How are you guys doing?

Hannah: Doing good.

Jake: Yeah.

Greg: Welcome to the show. I can’t wait to get into this. Let’s start with a quick elevator version of your background in education and how you ended up in international teaching.

Hannah: I think you should start because yours is longer.

Jake: Oh, you’re talking to her?

Greg: Yeah, yeah.

Hannah: So I actually grew up as a missionary kid in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro. My senior year of high school, I was in Iowa.

Hannah: Then I went to Iowa State for college, and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life—like most college students.

Hannah: And I met this guy randomly—walking down the street. For the audience, I’m pointing to Jake.

Jake: Just to clarify that.

Hannah: So we started dating, and I was kind of figuring things out while my parents were still in Rio.

Jake: I was going into teaching at the time.

Hannah: So I taught one year in Houston, Texas, while he was finishing up his last year of college. Then we visited Brazil.

Jake: My parents were moving back to Minnesota, and they flew me down to Rio for spring break as kind of a final goodbye.

Jake: On the very last day we were there, I got a job offer to teach at the school Hannah had attended and graduated from.

Hannah: That was around March or April. We were getting married in June. We honeymooned in New Zealand, came back to the US, and then flew to Rio the next week.

Jake: So we hit the ground running—with a lot of jet lag.

Greg: Were you both teaching at that point, or was it a single contract?

Hannah: I was a trailing spouse at first. My degree is in communications, so I worked part-time at the school—building their website, doing social media, helping with events.

Hannah: Then I got my teaching certification and started as an assistant, eventually moving into a full-time teaching role mid-year.

Greg: How did you get your certification?

Hannah: I started through an alternative certification program, and later completed a stronger certification through Teach Now—now Moreland University.

Hannah: And now I’m working on a master’s in elementary education through a university in Northern Ireland.

Greg: Nice. Jake, what’s your background?

Jake: I grew up in Iowa and went to Iowa State to become a teacher. Jobs in Iowa are competitive, so I took a job at a charter school in Houston.

Jake: I only taught there for a year before we moved to Brazil.

Jake: We taught two years in Brazil, and then moved to the American School of Kuwait around 2017.

Greg: You grew up in Iowa, planned to teach in Iowa, and then suddenly you’re overseas. What made you take that leap?

Jake: In middle school, I did a student ambassador program where I traveled to England, Ireland, and Wales.

Jake: That’s where I fell in love with travel.

Jake: So when the opportunity came up, it just made sense to take it.

JP: How did you find the job in Kuwait?

Jake: We started with Search Associates but never completed the membership. Instead, we cast a wide net—using sites like Teach Away and applying directly to schools.

Hannah: I was open to going anywhere. I’ve always wanted to travel and do something big with my life.

Greg: Let’s talk teaching. Jake, what’s your teaching background?

Jake: I’m elementary now, but I started in middle school social studies in Texas—teaching Texas history, which was funny as someone from Iowa.

Jake: When we moved to Brazil, I was initially going to teach high school, but the principal asked if I’d be willing to teach fourth grade.

Jake: I said yes—and that’s how I ended up in elementary.

Greg: That’s how it happens.

[End of Chunk 1]

JP: So after Brazil, how did Kuwait come into the picture?

Jake: We were looking everywhere. We didn’t really have a specific location in mind—we just wanted to stay international.

Hannah: We were applying to a lot of schools directly, just going through websites and sending applications out.

Jake: We had signed up for a few platforms, but honestly most of it was just us doing the legwork.

JP: Casting a wide net.

Hannah: Exactly.

Greg: Do you remember your first impression after the interview?

Hannah: Honestly, I didn’t think it went that well.

Greg: Really?

Hannah: Yeah, I felt like I didn’t have enough experience at the time. I was second-guessing myself a lot.

Jake: But then we got a second interview with the superintendent.

Hannah: And that’s where things clicked. She was from Iowa and had also worked in Brazil, so we had a lot of shared connections.

Greg: That’ll do it.

Jake: Yeah, sometimes it just comes down to those connections.

Greg: So you land in Kuwait—what’s the first impression?

Hannah: It was hot.

Jake: Really hot.

Hannah: It’s a different kind of heat than Brazil. In Brazil you sweat, but in Kuwait it feels like you’re stepping into an oven.

Greg: That sounds about right.

JP: What time of year did you arrive?

Jake: July or August.

Greg: Perfect timing.

JP: So how long have you been in Kuwait now?

Jake: We first went in 2017 and stayed until 2020.

Hannah: That’s when our first son was born—just before COVID hit.

Jake: Then things got complicated. We couldn’t get him residency because the country shut down.

Hannah: So we had to leave Kuwait and go back to Houston for two years.

Greg: And then you went back?

Jake: Yeah. We reached out to the school again and asked if they had openings.

Hannah: They said yes—come back.

Greg: That’s a great example of how relationships matter.

JP: What was it like going back to teaching in the U.S. after being international?

Hannah: It was tough.

Jake: There was a lot more red tape. A lot more focus on standardized testing.

Hannah: We felt like we couldn’t really teach the way we wanted to.

Greg: That’s something we hear a lot.

Jake: And socially, it was harder too.

Hannah: Yeah, building relationships felt different. In international schools, you connect quickly because you need that community.

Jake: In the U.S., it felt slower. People weren’t as open to hanging out right away.

JP: That’s such a big difference.

Greg: It really is.

[End of Chunk 2]

Greg: Let’s talk about that transition back to Kuwait. Was it an easy decision?

Hannah: Pretty easy for us. We missed the lifestyle and the community.

Jake: And honestly, the support. Things like childcare are much more affordable.

Hannah: That was a big factor for us as a family.

Greg: That’s something a lot of people don’t realize.

JP: And what about safety?

Jake: Kuwait is incredibly safe. That’s one of the biggest positives.

Hannah: Yeah, we feel very comfortable there. Sometimes even more than in the U.S.

Greg: That surprises a lot of people.

Jake: It does. People back home always ask if we feel unsafe, and it’s actually the opposite.

JP: So overall, would you say your experience in Kuwait has been positive?

Hannah: Yes, definitely.

Jake: There are always pros and cons, but overall it’s been a really positive experience.

Hannah: I think our time in Brazil helped shape that mindset too—we already knew things would be different.

Greg: That perspective matters.

Jake: It does. You just accept that things won’t always work the same way as back home.

JP: What about challenges?

Hannah: There are cultural differences. One example is “wasta,” which is basically using connections to get things done.

Greg: Yeah, that’s common in the region.

Jake: Sometimes that can be frustrating, especially in a school setting.

Hannah: But we try not to dwell on it. It’s just part of the system.

Greg: That’s a healthy approach.

JP: Let’s talk about family life there. How is Kuwait for raising kids?

Hannah: It’s great. Very family-friendly.

Jake: There are lots of indoor play areas, malls, and activities for kids.

Hannah: And because of the heat, a lot of things are indoors, which actually works well with young kids.

Greg: That’s a good point.

JP: And travel opportunities?

Jake: That’s another big benefit. It’s easy to travel within the region.

Jake: I’ve coached sports teams, and we’ve traveled to places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Greg: That’s a nice perk.

Jake: Yeah, and the school often covers those trips.

JP: That’s one of the underrated benefits of international teaching.

Greg: Absolutely.

[End of Chunk 3]

Greg: Let’s shift a bit—what about travel outside of Kuwait? Have you been able to explore more of the region or beyond?

Hannah: In Kuwait, it’s a bit different compared to Brazil. In Brazil, we did a lot of travel within the country because it’s so big.

Jake: Yeah, Brazil has so much to offer. We went to Iguazu Falls, the Amazon, and a lot of different regions.

Hannah: We also went to Peru and visited Machu Picchu before we left South America.

Greg: That’s a solid trip.

JP: What about Kuwait? Do you travel as much from there?

Jake: It’s more regional travel. Flights are relatively cheap to nearby countries, so you can get to places like the UAE, Oman, or even Europe pretty easily.

Greg: That’s one of the big advantages of being in that part of the world.

JP: Let’s talk about something practical—what are a few things you always bring with you when you move overseas?

Hannah: Coffee. Definitely coffee.

Greg: Non-negotiable.

Hannah: I buy it in bulk and have it shipped. That’s probably my number one.

Jake: I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t need much anymore. You adapt.

Hannah: Yeah, you realize you can live without a lot of things.

Greg: That’s a big shift.

JP: All right, we have to ask—do you have a police story?

Hannah: Yes.

Jake: Definitely.

Hannah: This was during COVID when we were trying to leave Kuwait.

Jake: The school told us we needed to leave because they couldn’t guarantee maintenance on the housing during the shutdown.

Hannah: So we packed everything up, got our baby ready—he was about two months old—and headed to the airport.

Jake: But we had to get through a police checkpoint to leave our area.

Hannah: We showed them our passports, tickets—everything—and they said no. We couldn’t leave.

Greg: That’s stressful.

Hannah: Very. So they told us to try another checkpoint further down.

Jake: We drove there, but couldn’t take the car through. So we had to carry all our luggage across this checkpoint area.

Hannah: We had multiple suitcases, a baby, and even someone else’s cat we were helping transport.

Greg: Of course you did.

Hannah: We got through one checkpoint, but then couldn’t go back to get the rest of our stuff.

Jake: And the police didn’t speak English, so we had someone translating for us.

Hannah: I had to basically insist—full-on mom mode—to get back through and get everything.

Greg: That’s intense.

Hannah: We finally made it, but I remember sitting in the car shaking afterward.

JP: I can imagine.

Greg: That’s a proper ITP police story.

[End of Chunk 4]

Greg: So you made it out, baby in hand, luggage in tow. That’s a wild story.

Hannah: Yeah, definitely one we won’t forget.

JP: And that was all during COVID, right?

Jake: Yeah, that was peak COVID chaos. Definitely not a normal Kuwait experience.

Greg: Good to clarify that for listeners.

JP: Before we wrap up, I want to ask—if someone is listening right now and thinking about international teaching, what would you tell them?

Jake: Do it. Even the hard experiences are worth it in the long run.

Jake: It’s enriched our lives so much. And even the bad stories become good stories later.

JP: That’s very true.

Hannah: I would say the same. It’s hard being away from family, but the experiences you gain are worth it.

Hannah: If you’re hesitant, just take the leap. It’s a great ride.

Greg: Love it.

Kent: And where can people find you if they want to follow your journey?

Hannah: I’m on Instagram—my handle is @thatexpatfamily.

Hannah: I share a lot about our life overseas and what it’s like being an international teacher and expat family.

Greg: Perfect.

Kent: I’d like to thank our guests, Jake and Hannah Loney, for joining us.

Kent: And thanks to JP Mint—you can find her at jpmintconsulting.com.

Kent: And Greg the Single Guy—you can find his book, *International Teaching: The Best Kept Secret in Education*, on Amazon.

Kent: I’m Kent, the Cat Guy—you can find me in room 402.

Greg: And thank you to our listeners around the world.

JP: We’ll see you in the next episode.

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