The Diplomatic Family's Educational Lifeline: Our Community of Experts

It's Guest Blog Time!

I don't know about you, but parenting is a consistent stream of learned lessons and 'if only I'd known' and 'why didn't I think of that' scenarios. While I would prefer not to think of parenting as experimental, sometimes it feels like we get caught in a cycle of trial and error, especially when we are navigating something delicate like education.

We all want the absolute best for our kids. We go to great lengths to ensure that they have what they need, what they want, and what will hopefully help them to grow into successful adults someday. Even when we have to step out of our introverted bubble to attend a birthday party with 25 classmates and their parents in a new country, we do it!

Having served as Community Liaison Office Coordinator (CLO) in two posts, one of the greatest things we could offer to anyone was a variety of resources. When children's needs weren't being met in the classroom, parents would turn to us first seeking guidance on what could be done locally to fill a gap. Until recently, the educational resources available from within our community were somewhat limited. So when we heard about a business that hires Teachers that are also Eligible Family Members (EFMs) to provide global tutoring services for expat kids, we knew we had to invite Evan to be a Guest Blogger!

Guest Blog by Evan Wilson

I founded Ambassador Academics in 2020 after returning to my tutoring roots during my family’s three-year post in Paris. Prior to that, I had worked with children in the justice system as a juvenile and youthful defendant attorney in Maryland. I loved working with children, even those in tough situations, so I suppose that it makes sense that I fell back into it.

Over the past five years, Ambassador Academics has grown from friendly help for neighbors’ children struggling with math (I was a STEM major in college) to an educational service resource for children of the American diplomatic corps overseas. Our teachers are EFMs and Americans who have worked abroad and understand our lifestyle. Our students are the children of these families. No one has to explain what “HHE” means or ask questions when someone says they are “waiting for the cable.” 

I am joined by a group of experienced professionals who have shared their insights, and together we have learned some invaluable lessons that I want to share with the community.

You Are Not Alone

Although sometimes our lifestyle can feel isolating, there is no need to try to navigate our challenges alone or settle for something less than what you need. No matter how remote the post, we are always surrounded by an incredible community of experts. From an active CLO to Trailing Houses, it can sometimes feel like there are innumerable ways to connect and specific challenges can get lost in the noise.

We can forget to ask if there is a way to access something we are missing or even identify something we need. Things like: EFM job satisfaction or building professional connections; coaching or training in our activity of interest; or support for our kids. Whether we need help as an EFM finding work or navigating the logistical challenges of getting work approval or if we need advice on taxes, there really is a network for that. There is no need to feel isolated, no matter how remote or small our post.

There is no need to feel isolated, no matter how remote or small our post. ASK for what you need. You don't have to face challenges alone.

Your Kids Are Not Alone

Similarly, we should never let our kids face educational challenges alone. All too often, we see individual learning needs neglected among our children. Either through cultural differences or because it often takes time to identify learning differences and challenges when starting at a new school, our kids seem to lag behind their peers who stay in one place longer in having their needs identified.

Fortunately, we have a huge, global network of specialists and advocates, both through State and through EFM service providers to help fill this gap. Our kids should feel supported in their academic endeavors and feel confident in their learning.

Quality over Quantity

When seeking educational support abroad, look for providers with substantial experience and understanding of the diplomatic lifestyle. The Foreign Service community includes social workers, teachers, therapists, scientists, and lawyers who can provide more than just core subject tutoring.

The best educational resources will focus on empowering students to succeed independently rather than creating dependency. When researching options, don't hesitate to explore the network of EFM educational service providers or consider attending educational summits and events focused on international education.

Earlier Interventions Are Almost Always Better

Whether the concern is grades or identifying learning differences, it is better to get help sooner. Grades can move back up a lot more easily and lessons can be retaught if we can help our clients before challenges have grown insurmountable. Identifying learning differences early allows for better intervention and puts less social and emotional stress on children.

The experts in our community are valuable resources to help you begin the process of identifying challenges before they become overwhelming. Many educational consultants offer initial consultations to help members of our community get the help they need. The earlier you get started looking for the help that you or your child needs, the better!

Evan's Bio

Evan Wilson is the founder of Ambassador Academics, a service that provides educational resources for the foreign service community. At Ambassador Academics he teaches math through advanced high school levels (including AP BC Calculus and IB HL Math), physics, chemistry, and writing.

Evan has worked with children as a coach, tutor, mentor, and attorney for the last twenty years. He has a B.A. in the History of Science from Harvard University and a J.D. from the Washington College of Law. As an attorney, he has worked with children involved with the juvenile justice system—something he gave up to be a part of the FS community as a spouse. He has worked with students in primary school all the way to graduate school, both in the U.S. and abroad. He has been a college chemistry and math tutor and taught kindergarteners to read. Empowering young people (including his own two children!) to succeed has become his life’s goal. Ambassador Academics is grateful to be part of an amazing network of EFM educational service providers or consider joining the First Annual Foreign Education Summit.

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