#73 Global Competence Starts with Belonging: Managing Transitions with Valerie Besanceney

In this episode, Seth speaks with Valérie Besanceney, an international educator, author, former Executive Director of Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN), and current International Advisor on Transitions, Care, and Mobility Services for the Council of International Schools (CIS). Her work focuses on helping globally mobile students—and the educators and institutions that support them—navigate transitions with clarity, care, and a grounded sense of belonging.The conversation traces Valérie’s journey as a third culture kid, her early ease with adapting to new environments, and the later reckoning with identity, rootlessness, and belonging that many cross-cultural students eventually face. She describes how those experiences shaped her writing, her consulting practice Roots with Boots, and her broader mission to ensure schools understand that belonging is not a destination but a lifelong practice.Together, Seth and Valérie explore:Identity formation as a prerequisite for genuine belongingThe distinction between belonging and fitting in, and why the latter often demands self-abandonmentHow cross-cultural mobility affects learning, confidence, and relationshipsWhy help-seeking is an essential skill for all students—not only those who move between countriesThe systems-level work required for schools to create coherent, sustainable transitions-care programsThe role of teachers, counselors, admissions teams, parents, and students in building cultures of careHow intentional schoolwide practices can transform mobility from an isolating experience into one that strengthens self-knowledge and global competenceValérie also discusses her children’s book B at Home: Emma Moves Again and the companion My Moving Booklet, both designed to help young people name emotions, anticipate challenges, and talk openly with adults during relocation. Her core message: even in difficult transitions, you are not alone, and conversation—grounded in honesty and curiosity—is a powerful tool for resilience.A brief lightning round touches on linguistics in the age of AI, books that challenge us to seek out differing perspectives, and the value of connection during personal hardship.Books MentionedThird Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds by David Pollock, Michael Pollock, & Ruth Van RekenSeek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World by Scott ShigeokaBelonging by Owen EastwoodDemon Copperhead by Barbara KingsolverGuest LinksValérie’s work: https://rootswithboots.com