The study reported here sought to gain insight into the experience of transition into teaching in an international Christian school that could inform the development of a pre-field orientation (PFO) programme for Australian Christian teachers. The experiences of five American teachers who had participated in a pre-field orientation programme was compared with the experiences of six Australian teachers who did not have access to such a programme. Based on the insights from participants gained through semi-structured interviews, recommendations are made regarding the content and structure of a PFO programme that could be developed for Australian teachers.