Our Founder and International Mum, Kelly

I’m Kelly — global wanderer, freelance writer, and international mum to three kids who’ve spent more time in departure lounges than most adults I know. We’ve been living the expat family life since 2020, when my husband landed his first overseas teaching job and we packed up our suburban life in Australia for Latin America.

After meeting overseas in our 20s, we both knew we wanted to go abroad again. But we weren’t sure when the best time was to go with the kids. In the end, we went with the whole ‘let’s just go for it’ motto!

After years of long hours at work, juggling daycare logistics, and a creeping sense of restlessness, we knew we wanted something different. We weren’t just chasing adventure — we were looking for some breathing room and a change of pace. My husband had always been interested in international teaching, and once we said yes to the idea, the process moved very quickly. Interviews. Contracts. Flights. Panic. Excitement. All of it, all at once.

Landing in Lima just before the pandemic hit meant our introduction to expat life was a little… bumpy. Eighteen months of online school in a foreign country wasn’t exactly what we’d pictured when we dreamed of Machu Picchu and ceviche. But it bonded us in a way nothing else could. And when the world opened up again, we moved to South Korea, where we spent three years, then on to Malaysia, where we’re currently based.

As an international mum (and a non-teaching spouse), my experience of international school life is both connected and separate. I’m not on the payroll, but I am part of the package. I’m fully involved in each move, settling the kids, navigating a new culture and building a life. But I don’t have the built-in social network that teachers walk into on day one. It can be lonely. And disorienting. And incredibly rewarding.

From Career Focussed to International Mum

When we left Australia, I stepped away from a full-time job I loved. That was one of the hardest parts — giving up not just a paycheck, but a version of myself. Over time, I carved out a new path as a freelance copywriter and marketing strategist. I work remotely now, juggling clients and coffee cups between school drop-offs and dinner prep. It may not be super glamorous, but the flexibility is everything.

Each country we’ve lived in has offered something different. In Korea, everything worked like clockwork, but the intense academic environment for our young kids was too much in the end. In Malaysia, things are more relaxed, and it’s also a far easier transition. But it’s hot!

In Peru, we mostly just tried to survive (hello, lockdown homeschooling). Through it all, school benefits (especially tuition), housing allowances, healthcare, and the fine print in contracts have played a huge role in determining whether a place worked for our family.

Our kids are thriving in ways I never imagined. They’ve gone from Aussie state schools to international classrooms full of classmates from every corner of the globe. They’ve adjusted to uniforms, new languages, lunchbox customs, and social norms with a resilience that humbles me daily. But it hasn’t all been smooth. Each move brings transition pains — for them and us. And challenges you don’t see coming.

Embrace The Change

What I wish I’d known in the beginning is how much I’d change. That it’s okay to feel lost for a while. That it takes time to find your people, your rhythm, your purpose again. And that even though I’m not the one teaching the students, I’m still learning, growing, and adapting in ways I never expected.

That’s one of the reasons I started International Teaching Families — a space for other families navigating the same ups and downs of this unique lifestyle. When we first leapt into this world, I had so many questions and so few places to find honest, relatable answers. I wanted to build a platform that supported not just the teachers, but the whole family behind them. The partners, the kids, the trailing spouses like me. And all the other expat families navigating similar challenges to those of us in the international education sector. 

So if you’re new to this life — or standing on the edge, wondering whether to leap — here’s what I’d say:

You’ll find your footing, even if it takes time. You’ll build a new version of yourself, even if the old one felt pretty great. And you’ll collect stories, friendships, and passport stamps that will shape your family in the best possible way.

Just don’t forget to pack extra snacks. Trust me on that one.