“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are made for.”, the sign outside his office for years, the call to adventure and opportunity he answered.

In 2014, Ethan retired from deeply satisfying work as superintendent of one of the fastest-growing school districts in the United States. His career had spanned the whole arc of American public education, classroom teacher, high school principal, assistant superintendent of operations, and finally CEO, all in the same school system. Standing at the crossroads of midlife, with five children reaching adulthood, he knew more awaited him.

After a year consulting for school districts on leadership, he departed for his first challenge abroad. A decade later, the résumé reads like a departures board: schools designed and opened in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Beijing; new campuses onboarded in Rotterdam, Moscow, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Vizag, and Mohali; colleagues in London, Doha, Delhi, Hong Kong, Greece, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Tanzania, Singapore, Switzerland, and Slovakia. Over forty countries visited, usually with a camera rolling.

“Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.” Tropic Teacher exists to share why he took the leap, and why you might consider doing the same.