109. What Prompts us to Go Global for the First Time? A Conversation With Dr. Ettie Zilber

If you spoke to 20 international educators and asked them what factors led them to taking the initial leap into international education, you would likely get 20 very different answers! And if you interviewed as many as 94, well, you can imagine the stories you would hear. Such is the task that Dr. Ettie Zilber set herself.

Ettie joined Audey for this episode and shared the eight categories of catalysts, as she has dubbed them, that emerged from her doctoral research on this topic. She also shared many of the stories that her interviewees told her. We know you will connect with the 8 categories of Catalysts as well as with some of the stories.

Before retiring from paid employment, Ettie enjoyed a long career in international schools in Israel, Singapore, Spain, Guatemala, China and the USA, serving first as an educator and then as a school Director.

She served on the Boards of several Regional Associations and taught graduate courses for four universities which catered to international school educators. 

After doctoral research on Third Culture Kids, she published the book Third Culture Kids: Children of International School Educators. Other publications relevant to international schools include “Catalysts for a Career in International Schools,” “A Primer for Administrators applying to Proprietary Schools,” and many more, available on www.ettiezilber.com

She continues to conduct workshops on Cross Cultural Understanding at schools and other multi-national organizations.

She lives in Arizona with her husband of 52 years,  and enjoys visits with her children and grandchildren (one of whom is also a TCK/CCK). 

Guiding Question:

“What are some factors that prompt teachers to leave their home countries and seek employment in international schools overseas?”

 Topics Addressed Included:

• Definition of terms 
  • (TCK, TCA, ACCK, CCA, multiracial/cultural children, Children of immigrants, Children of refugees, Children of minorities, International adoptees, Domestic TCKs, Educational CCKs, Self-initiated and Assigned Expatriates, push-pull factors of migration)
• THE BIG 8 - Eight factors that prompt people to decide to teach internationally
  • Childhood as a CCK (Cross-Cultural Kid)
  • Grew up listening to family stories/seeing artefacts/had family history overseas
  • Influenced by teachers/colleagues or friends’ stories/artefacts
  • Reading/literature, TV about overseas Or desire to learn English
  • Grew up in multicultural environment (school, community)
  • Early international travel experiences (independent of family)
  • Intimate relationship/loved one
  • Life/labour/career status dissatisfaction 
• How hiring schools can seek to leverage these factors in order to grow W4 Wanderlust in general and thus expand their candidate pools

Contact Ettie:

LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned:

Ettie’s Consulting Website www.ettiezilber.com

Ettie’s ECIS article on her research 0 ecis+INFOCUS_Ettie_Zilber(1).pdf

Recorded on July 17, 2026

#transitions | #internationaleducation | goingglobal