This paper is a personal narrative of a journey from teaching to teacher educator, and researcher. The first part of the paper tells the professional story which at first glance is a rather common trajectory into teacher education, whereas changing contexts has formed development, perceptions and actions. The story is followed by a discussion of the underlying principles that have served as a personal guide throughout my career. Next, the paper briefly presents some of the lessons learned from the long experience before finally some views on future directions for teacher education are mentioned. The main argument throughout the paper is that limiting the discussions to the structure of teacher education is not enough. Building strong relations through collaborations in the near and far context is essential to all working to improve education.