Candidate Stories, Page 3

Candidate Stories, Page 3


 

 
P.E. Teacher Makes an International Leap | September 29, 2021

Sharon Awuor Wasonga finally landed her dream job through tremendous perseverance along with the support of an old friend as well as her Search...


 
An International Couple with an International Calling | September 7, 2021

International teaching couple Ralph Emmerink and Gaby Montejano met in a classroom. Ralph, born and raised in the Netherlands, had taken an overseas...


 
Jon Nordmeyer: A Life of Enriching Intersections | August 17, 2021

Jon Nordmeyer was destined to work in education from the start. Around schools his whole life, this son of thriving, beloved teachers admired...


 
Nancy Remondi: Embrace the Unexpected | May 30, 2021

Don’t worry Ma; it’s just for a year! These were the exact words Nancy Remondi used to reassure her sweet, immigrant Italian mother when she...


 
Brittney Caldwell: “Let the Day Seize Itself!” | May 8, 2021

Brittney Caldwell’s original plan was to take a steady job as a school paraprofessional in order to support a move to Atlanta to study law. But...


 
The Elgers: Improvisation is the Key | April 15, 2021

College Admission Officer Elizabeth Elger and aspiring Sports Broadcaster Joey Elger enjoyed aspects of their first careers, but the strain of...


 
The Gardners Have Arrived | March 21, 2021

Steve and Alina Gardner were tempted by other career paths before finding their way back to their true calling. Alina, born and raised in China,...


 
Tessa John-Guerra’s Leap of Faith | February 28, 2021

Born and raised on the island of Saint Lucia, Tessa John-Guerra was a teacher for three years and school counselor for 16 before deciding to...


 
David Karayan: Following the Spark of Light | February 6, 2021

One month of teaching at a summer camp was enough to convince undergraduate David Karayan that math education was his calling. Twenty-four years...


 
Charles Franklin II: Making the Right Choice | January 14, 2021

Two high school teachers made such an impact on his life that Charles Franklin II decided to become an educator himself. After five years of...


 
Teaching in International Schools: No Looking Back | December 20, 2020

Over 18 years, Amos Owiti and his wife Martha Ojwang have taught in international schools in Kenya, Ethiopia, Singapore, China, and most recently,...


 
Barbara Wrightson: Life, Love, and Learning on Three Continents | December 3, 2020

When Barbara Wrightson earned her B.A. in International Affairs, specializing in Russian and Eastern European Studies, she did not intend to...


 
Binita Dey: From India to Spain, Austria, and Myanmar | November 12, 2020

Growing up in New Delhi, Binita Dey was exposed to many different aspects of Hispanic cultures and people. Her father, a professor of Comparative...


 
Albina and Charles: Determined to Give Back | November 1, 2020

Albina Mululu and Charles Ochola, both children of educators, grew up basking in their parents’ joy when students and their families thanked...


 
Barika Andrews: From South Florida to Abu Dhabi | October 21, 2020

Growing up in South Florida, a region with a robust multicultural population, Barika Andrews understood that being part of a diverse community...


 
Matthew Tavares’ Dream Come True | October 11, 2020

Music teacher Matthew Tavares turned a yearning for home in Indonesia into a reality, and he made it happen through passion, focus, and a gratitude...


 
The Punjabis: An IB Family | September 30, 2020

After enjoying their two years at the International School of Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, the Punjabis have relocated to the New Oriental Academy,...


 
The Many Roles of Duncan Kaiser | September 17, 2020

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and the quarantine began, Duncan Kaiser was between appointments in international schools within Switzerland....


 
A Global Perspective: Home Is Wherever We Live at the Time | September 7, 2020

Born in the U.S. and Spain, respectively, Andrea Plakmeyer and Rayesh Peswani met in Tanzania during her first year and his second teaching in...


 
The Morris Family: Extending the Adventure | August 21, 2020

This year, Justin and Claire Morris completed their 13th year as international educators, three at Dubai American Academy and 10 at American...

Did You Know…?

CEO of Search Associates, Jessica Magagna, was born in Morocco and attended the American Community School in Iran while her father was headmaster.