<p>Research on becoming a teacher educator has extensively explored the professional journey of teacher educators, whose careers began as school teachers and transitioned into academia in teacher education. In contrast, teacher educators whose career paths did not start in the school setting have received scant attention. Drawing on my experience as a novice teacher educator with transnational experience, I examined my journey to becoming a teacher educator through the Self-Study Teacher Education Practices (S-STEP) methodology. Data analysis revealed three types of identity tensions: the tension of identity embodiment, the tension of professional acculturation, and the tension of scholarship. The results suggest that developing a teacher educator identity is inherently filled with tensions, which may lead to attrition from the profession if teacher educators are not explicitly aware of these tensions. Implications for preparing teacher educators are discussed.</p>