A: The American Samoa program departs in mid-July. WorldTeach orientation takes place prior to the start of classes in early August. The program ends in late May.
Q: Are you still accepting applications?
A: The application deadline for the American Samoa program (as well as all Pacific programs) is April 15. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Q: Is there a fee for the program?
A: No. The program is funded by the Department of Education in American Samoa. There is a US$2,000 deposit. The full amount of the deposit is returned after completion of the full year of service. Volunteers send the deposit in three installments.
Q: What key cultural differences might I face?
A: While Western culture values individualism, American Samoan culture ascribes more worth to family and group identity. Volunteers should expect to participate in family, church, and community activities that are highly regarded social events in American Samoa. Learning the fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way of life, is one of the best aspects of this program; however, being immersed in a new value structure is an intense experience.
Q: Can I speak to a returned volunteer?
A: Yes. A volunteer can expect to speak with a returned volunteer once he or she has submitted an application. Please send these requests to info@worldteach.org.
Q: What will I teach?
A: Volunteers need to be prepared to teach a variety of subjects, including English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. High school teachers will focus on one subject and deal with various groups of students, while elementary school teachers will most likely stay with one group of students throughout the day.
Q: Where will I teach?
A: Volunteers are asked to teach in both elementary and high schools throughout the country. The majority of volunteers are assigned to the main island of Tutuila, and several are sent to the outer islands. About half of the volunteers teach in elementary schools and half teach in high schools.
Q: When will I find out where I will be teaching?
A: Specific teaching placements will be decided in collaboration with the Department of Education in American Samoa and will be based on the qualifications of each volunteer in tandem with the needs of the educational system. Because the Department of Education heaviliy influences placement, volunteers are notified of their final placement only several weeks before departure, usually in June.
Volunteers indicate whether they want to teach high school or elementary school, and whether they would prefer to live on Tutuila or on one of the outer islands. Volunteers confident in their abilities to adapt to any placement are welcome to voice this preference, which will reflect positively upon them in the application process.
Q: What is the student/teacher ratio?
A: The student/teacher ratio varies from school to school. It is lower on the outer islands. Generally it is approximately 25:1 in a larger school, and 15:1 in a smaller school.
Q: Will I be expected to run extracurricular activities?
A: Yes, volunteers should expect to participate in extracurricular activities. Although it is not required, volunteers who join or create extracurricular activities generally have a significantly better experience during their session than those who do not. Volunteers should reflect upon activities that they enjoy and perform well and see if those coincide with the interests and resources of their school communities.
Q: How large are the schools?
A: The sizes vary considerably. Four of the elementary schools have more than 800 students. Conversely, some of the smaller schools have fewer than 200 students.
Q: Are there any multi-grade classrooms?
A: Yes. There are a few elementary school multi-grade classrooms.
Q: Will I receive training?
A: Yes. Volunteers spend their first month in-country in an intensive orientation training program with their fellow volunteers in Tutuila that includes an orientation to the country and its culture, language classes and teacher training. Teacher training focuses on ESL teaching methods, lesson planning, teaching resources, and a teaching practicum.
Q: How well do the children do in comparison to other Pacific Islanders?
A: They are above average for the Pacific. The students take the Stanford Achievement Tests and tend to rank at about the 40th percentile, which are good results considering that the test is for native-English speakers.
Q: Do many of the students go to college?
A: Yes. About 9% of the students leave the island for college. Another 20% attend American Samoa Community College.
Q: What are the school holidays?
A: There is a two week break in December and a one week break in March. Volunteers may travel during this period. They should not be absent during other times.
Q: What are the social problems that affect the students?
A: The challenges schools in the islands face are similar to the problems that are common in the U.S. Bullying is a recurring issue, usually stemming from corporal punishment in homes and schools. Diabetes is an issue among students, which makes nutritional education even more important.
Q: What is the language of instruction?
A: English is the language of instruction. Yet, in elementary school some teachers may teach a portion of the day in Samoan, which is the native language of most students. This is particularly true on the outer islands. Volunteers who live and work on the outer islands will likely have a greater opportunity to gain a level of fluency in Samoan.
Q: Do I need to speak the language?
A: WorldTeach does not require any previous knowledge of the language for volunteers to participate. However, all volunteers are encouraged to learn the language. Language training is provided during orientation; however, volunteers should start familiarizing themselves with Samoan before departure. There are many virtual resources available here. The Samoan Word Book by Aumua Mataitusi Simanu and Luafata Simanu-Klitz are great resources to begin with. They can typically be found at BessPress.com or other online sites.
Q: What are the differences between outer islands and Tutuila?
A: Tutuila is the main island where the majority of the population resides (approximately 57,000 inhabitants)
Q: What type of housing will I stay in?
A: On Tutuila, volunteers live in school provided, furnished apartments. Each volunteer will have his/her own bedroom but will likely share an apartment with other volunteers.
It is possible on the outer islands that volunteers will live with host families. In American Samoa, houses are called fales falepalagi. Fales falepalagi are similar to western homes, only they have open walls with posts. There are various other types of housing available, depending on the preference of the volunteer and what the Department of Education can provide.
Q: Do I need a visa?
A: American citizens will need a valid passport and an onward ticket to enter the country rather than a visa. We will help arrange entry visas for other nationalities.
Q: What requirements are there for my passport?
A: Volunteers' passports must be valid for at least six months past the date they intend to leave American Samoa, in late May. In addition, passports must be in “good” condition to avoid problems at the Airports in American Samoa.
Q: What are the arrangements for travel?
A: It is the responsibility of the volunteer to get to and from the gateway city, Los Angeles. WorldTeach can assist volunteers in getting a flight to the departure city by putting them in touch with a travel agent. If an overnight stay is required, WorldTeach will provide accommodations.
Q: Can I make my own travel arrangements?
A: Yes, but WorldTeach recommends for a volunteer to fly to American Samoa as a member of the WorldTeach group. Volunteers’ international flights are included in the funding provided by the Department of Education.
If volunteers do book their own travel, they must plan to arrive in Tutuila by the same date as the rest of the group so that they do not miss any orientation activities. Any volunteer planning to make independent travel plans should contact WorldTeach.
Q: Can I come home during the year?
A: Yes. Volunteers will have the opportunity to travel home during school vacations such as Christmas break, which is about two weeks in December. Volunteers may also travel home in cases of medical or family emergencies. However, as employees of the Department of Education, volunteers are responsible for teaching full time for the duration of each school term and are thus limited to only these times and circumstances as acceptable reasons for leaving American Samoa during the year.
Furthermore, bear in mind that travel to and from American Samoa is expensive and time-consuming and that personal travel is not covered by WorldTeach. Volunteers who decide to leave the program early have to pay for their flight home.
Q: Will there be a chance to travel to other places?
A: Any other travel will be done at the volunteer's own expense, and can take place only during school breaks. It is expensive and time-consuming to travel outside of the Samoan archipelago. Most volunteers in the Pacific programs choose to spend their breaks taking advantage of activities and destinations in the region.
Q: What immunizations are required?
A: The most comprehensive source of information on immunizations and travel health is the Center for Disease Control’s website. This site provides recommendations for country-specific international travel as well as detailed information on specific diseases. Volunteers must consult their doctor, or a travel health specialist about immunizations and other health needs. WorldTeach staff is not qualified to give medical advice.
As for travel to any developing country, it is generally recommended that volunteers get immunized against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid. A Rabies vaccination is also highly recommended. Volunteers need to confirm that their Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), and Tetanus-Diphtheria (TTD) vaccinations are up to date. Volunteers should also confirm that they have had a recent TB test.
Q: Will I get sick?
A: Volunteers might get sick at certain times, just as they would at home - it is unavoidable. Adjusting to a new environment, the stress of new professioanl responsibilities, diet, and climate places demands on anybody's body and health.
Q: Will I have health insurance?
A: WorldTeach volunteers have health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation insurance. For medical expenses such as doctors' visits volunteers pay up front, keep the receipt, and then file a claim to get reimbursed by the insurance company. All volunteers are covered under the WorldTeach group insurance policy - it is not optional. The overseas insurance provided by WorldTeach is considered supplemental insurance to a volunteer's existing policy. Please consult with the Program Manager for more information on medical insurance.
Q: Are there doctors and hospitals?
A: There is a medical center in Pago, Pago. It is a 128 bed acute care hospital. There are also outlying public health clinics and dispensaries that serve the outer islands. Refer to www.cdc.gov for more information. More complicated cases will be referred to a hospital in Hawaii. However, the level of care in American Samoa is quite good; many doctors in American Samoa were trained in Fiji, or on the U.S mainland.
Q: Is it safe?
A: While there is always some level of risk involved in traveling and living in a developing country, WorldTeach pays close attention to US State Department and Embassy advice and does not place volunteers in any areas considered dangerous. Volunteers are expected to educate themselves about the conditions in their placement country by visiting here for international travel information and consulting other pertinent resources. The WorldTeach field staff will provide safety information during orientation and can be consulted if any problems arise during the year.
Q: What communication technologies are available on the outer islands?
A: The islands all have telephone and internet connections. The schools are all wired and have unlimited internet access.
Q: Are there other volunteer groups in American Samoa in the DOE now?
A: No. WorldTeach is the only organization, although there are individual volunteers. The DOE has had teachers from India who have taught at their schools for several years.
Q: How much money should I take?
A: Access to US$1000 should be sufficient for spending money. However, this depends on how much the volunteer intends to travel, and the lifestyle he or she intends to lead while abroad. If he or she plans to dive, travel, or eat out, he or she should bring extra spending money for these activities.
WorldTeach recommends that a volunteer takes traveles' checks, and some cash in small sums abroad. WorldTeach also suggests for the volunteer to have access to a credit card, which assures that he or she has access to more money if he or she needs it.
Q: What should I take with me?
A: Upon confirmation, volunteers are sent a Living & Teaching in American Samoa booklet. This booklet contains a suggested packing list. We do not recommend taking a lot of electronics, as they are easily broken or damaged by the humidity. Pack lightly and minimally; volunteers need to be able to move their bags easily. Many things are available in Tutuila. Volunteers might want to take their own books, activities, or other materials that they think would be of use during the year, such as posters or pictures from magazines, popular songs, or videos. Such items have the potential to be great teaching tools that are hard to come by on the islands.
Upon confirmation, many volunteers are excited at the prospect of fundraising for their school. WorldTeach cautions incoming volunteers against overwhelming themselves with fundraising activities until they know more about their placements. While friends and family may wish to help, please do not send items like used school supplies, books with no relevance to children or high school students in American Samoa (i.e. cooking books, unwanted/discarded library books, etc.), or large equipment like computers. It is often better to wait and see what is really needed rather than to spend a lot of money sending unnecessary supplies prior to departure. Once a volunteer is familiar with the needs of the school, fundraising contributions will be welcomed and more valuable.
Q: Can I bring my pet with me?
A: Volunteers may not bring pets with them while abroad. Pets are often quarantined upon arriving to a foreign country to help prevent the spread of foreign parasites to the local animals. Also, housing conditions cannot always accomodate pets. Thus, to greater protect their general wellbeing, WorldTeach must insist that volunteers' pets remain at home.
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