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In this episode, we hear from Kay Wang, a Chinese national whose journey from the north to the south of China, and ultimately into school leadership in Shanghai, has shaped a deeply reflective and culturally-informed approach to leading in international education.

Kay shares her personal educational story and how it ignited a passion for fostering mutual understanding within culturally diverse teams. She explores the unique dynamics that emerge when people from different cultural backgrounds work together, and how intentional conversation and a genuine desire to understand one another can transform a mixed-culture team into something far greater than the sum of its parts.

A powerful thread running through this conversation is Kay's sense of responsibility as a role model. She speaks with confidence and conviction about the value that women of Chinese heritage bring to the international school sector — how their presence bridges cultures, and how their insight enables the creation of structures and systems that are more contextually relevant and authentic to the communities they serve.

Kay also looks ahead. Having recently concluded her time at Wellington College Shanghai, she is stepping into a broader role with a clear sense of purpose: to work alongside bilingual middle leaders in international schools, empowering them to bring the full richness of their cultural and linguistic identities into their leadership practice.

This is a conversation about belonging, bridge-building, and the quiet power of leading from a place of integrated identity.

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Episode Overview

In this episode, we hear from endurance sportswoman Paula Ralph, who completed a remarkable solo, unsupported cycle ride of 12,290 km from Cape Town, South Africa to Nordkapp, Norway — crossing 17 countries in just 126 days.

Growing Up: Hardship and Survival

Paula speaks candidly about a difficult childhood in South Africa, growing up in a family heavily affected by death and hardship. Her early adult years were spent in survival mode — focused on getting through each day rather than truly living a fulfilling life.

Finding Purpose: The Decision to Ride

Driven by a determination to find deeper meaning in life, Paula explains how her sporting journey led her to a bold decision: to undertake the long-distance cycle ride entirely alone. The challenge became a vehicle for self-discovery and transformation.

Lessons from the Road

The journey taught Paula powerful life lessons that she shares openly in this episode:

• Building resilience, adaptability and self-belief through the toughest physical and mental challenges.

• Learning to ask for help — leaning on the kindness and expertise of strangers along the way.

• The power of a great coach: how her coach became her greatest cheerleader, lifting her through the darkest moments.

• Coping with pain and adversity by taking it one day at a time and choosing to smile through the struggle.

Advice for Educators and School Leaders

Paula closes the episode with three key messages for those working with young people:

• Listen carefully to young people — make sure they are truly heard and have a voice.

• Ask them lots of questions — show genuine interest in their lives and how they see the world.

• Ask them: "How can I help you achieve your goals?"

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In this episode, we sit down with Fiona Cottam, Principal of Hartland's International School in Dubai. Recorded before the situation in the Middle East unfolded, Fiona shares how strong, values-driven leadership enables a community to face uncertainty with resilience and unity.

Fiona takes us through her leadership journey — from teaching in the UK to heading one of Dubai's most prestigious international schools. She reflects on the role models and supporters who shaped her along the way, including parents who instilled in her the belief that anything was possible.

She speaks openly about the importance of leading with care and compassion, building a community aligned around a shared vision, and the power of both leaning into local support and reaching outward into the global network for expertise and fresh perspective.

As a passionate advocate for female leadership, Fiona believes women have a responsibility to lower the ladder so others can rise alongside them. She encourages women to use their voice, ask for what they need, intentionally role model for others, engage with coaching, seek inspiration in other women's stories, and create spaces where everyone feels genuinely welcomed.

Fiona also reminds school leaders of the importance of carving out time for the strategic and intellectual dimensions of leadership — reading widely, engaging with research, and thinking deeply about education. She champions coaching, networking, and professional sharing as essential tools for ongoing growth.

Three leadership takeaways to carry with you:

1. Believe in yourself — keep taking the next step forwards
2. Listen deeply — to yourself, those around you, and your wider community
3. Lean in to those close to you, and lean out into the wider network for support and guidance

Let me know if you'd like a shorter version, a different tone (more conversational, more formal), or if you need chapter markers or show notes formatted differently for Buzzsprout!