I couldn't help but wonder...

Carrie Bradshaw once wrote about love and friendship in New York City. Her stories captured the magic in everyday encounters - the things that seemed small but meant everything.  And just like Carrie, I spend my days searching for connections that make life a little more magical. Only instead of wondering if Mr Big will call, I’m wondering if little Rafi in London will remember to slow down at full stops, and whether Matilda in San Francisco will beam when her joined-up writing finally flows across the page.

Teaching children across the globe has shown me something remarkable: learning has no borders. A tricky word in England is just as tricky in the States, and a perfectly formed letter sparks the same pride in Switzerland as it does in Surrey. And the voices I hear on my calls - soft Midlands warmth, a bright Californian, or the lively tone of New York - change every 20 minutes. Encouragement, no matter the accent I hear, always lands the same way: with a smile. Every child brings their own spark, their own story, their own ‘cosmopolitan’ twist.

I couldn’t help but wonder: what truly makes that connection possible? It isn’t just the WiFi (though we silently pray for it) or the convenience of Google Meet. It’s the tiny rituals we build together: the two-minute 'show-and-tell' from their kitchen table, the emoji they earn for brave tries, the shared giggle when a younger sibling or family pet wanders into shot, the quick screen-share to celebrate neat handwriting, and the parent’s thumbs-up just out of shot. It’s trust that I’ll meet them where they are today, delight in the small wins we name out loud, and the quiet certainty that they are safe to get things wrong on the way to getting them right.

Parents often ask if online lessons can really "work." But then they see their child reading aloud with new confidence, writing with fewer hesitations, and even reminding them of the rules we’ve practised together. They notice the small habits forming too - the pencil held correctly, the pause at punctuation, the ease that replaces frustration.  Lesson by lesson, the progress is clear. Online doesn’t hold children back - it gives them the confidence to push forward.  In those moments, the answer is clear: yes.

The magic of teaching across the globe isn’t about geography - it’s about possibility.  When a child feels seen, understood, and encouraged, they can learn anywhere: kitchen tables, their parent’s study, hotel lobbies between time zones. The setting changes; the spark doesn’t.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s the kind of love story worth telling - the one where learning itself becomes the happily-ever-after.