These answers to frequently asked questions will help inform you about the program in the Marshall Islands. If you have further questions, please call the WorldTeach office at 1-800-483-2240 or 617-495-5527. We can also put you in touch with a returned Marshall Islands volunteer.
Q: When does the program start and end?
A: Our program usually departs in the third week of July, usually from Los Angeles. Volunteers generally need to arrive at the departure airport the the night before the flight departure. WorldTeach can assist you in getting a flight to the departure city, and if an overnight stay is required WorldTeach will provide accommodations. The Marshall Islands school year ends in late May so volunteers can return home in early June.
Q: Are you still accepting applications?
A: The Marshall Islands program is a very popular program and it is in your best interest to get your application in as soon as possible for the following year. In some years, the program has filled before the final application deadline. We accept volunteers on a rolling admission basis. As soon as all components of your application arrive at our office, our admissions committee reviews it. We are generally able to tell you if you have been admitted within 1-2 weeks. Please see Program Information for updates on this year's program.
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Q: What are the differences between the outer islands and Majuro?
A: Volunteers who live on the outer islands will have a very different living experience than volunteers who live in Majuro. Majuro is the capital city of the Marshall Islands, with a population of about 24,000 people. It offers both the advantages and disadvantages of urban centers found in other developing countries. There is running water and electricity, moderate-sized stores including grocery stores that cater to the small ex-pat communities, and even cable television. The ex-pat community on Majuro consists of perhaps 200 Americans in addition other Micronesians, some Chinese and Filipinos, and a sprinkling of others. There are several grocery stores that cater to these populations as well as to urban Marshallese who enjoy many western and oriental foods. While there are sections of Majuro that have a high population density, there are many where the density is quite low, particularly past the airport. From Majuro Island, which is actually a 29-mile string of islands in the Majuro Atoll that have been joined together by "land fill", it is quite easy to visit the "outer islands" of the atoll.
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"I've learned that separating myself from the world is not possible, even on a remote Pacific island."
Philip Bagley, Marshall Islands Volunteer
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Volunteers who work on the "outer islands" will have the rare opportunity to live with a people whose lives haven't changed dramatically from the lifestyles of their ancestors. There is minimal electricity or running water in the outer islands. What water there is comes from wells or is caught off of anything with a solid roof. You should boil all drinking water on the outer islands. Transportation between the outer islands is limited. The government field trip ships travel to each outer island at varying frequencies, depending on the island, bringing passengers, food, medical and educational supplies and trade goods. Some islands see a field trip boat every month while others can go six months without a supply boat. Air Marshall Islands (AMI) flies to most of the atolls weekly carrying persons, mail, and very limited cargo, and serving as medical emergency transportation. However, frequent flight cancellations can occur, and service may be unreliable. There are no telephones, but there are short-wave radios, which are used for communication with the outside world. Income for residents of the outer atolls is generated primarily from the sale of copra (dried coconut meat) and handicrafts. Volunteers living on the outer islands should be prepared for a lot more isolation and an intense cultural experience.
Q: When will I find out where I will be teaching?
A: Volunteers in the Marshall Islands will teach in elementary and high schools. There are 8 elementary schools and one high school located in Majuro, the capital. There are two high schools and many elementary schools on the outer islands.
Teaching placements are determined by the WorldTeach Field Director in consultation with the various host schools that have requested a volunteer teacher and the Ministry of Education. Once accepted to the program, you may express general preferences with regard to your teaching or living situation. The Field Director will take these preferences and your prior experience into account when matching you with a suitable school and host family. Since WorldTeach also has to take into account the needs of the host schools and communities, we cannot guarantee any particular placement. This process of matching volunteers with placement sites is done once the Field Director has received information on all the volunteers in the group. You will receive information about your placement site, teaching assignment and host family about one month prior to departure. Until then, please be flexible and keep an open mind.
Q: What type of housing will I stay in?
A: Wherever possible volunteers will live with host families, either in the family's home or in a room or house nearby. Given that houses are generally small, some families may build an additional room for the volunteer. Houses and living conditions are simple, especially on the outer islands. Host families will be paid a stipend (provided by the Ministry of Education, administered by WorldTeach) to cover the costs of hosting a volunteer.
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Q: Do I need a visa?
A: No visa is required for US-passport holders traveling to the Marshall Islands; however it is necessary for all volunteers to acquire a 10-month “Entry Permit” upon arrival in the country. Your Field Director will help coordinate the process but you must obtain the following documents to be copied and forwarded to your Program Manager. Original copies must accompany you to the Marshall Islands. You will need: a criminal record check (also called Police Clearance or Letter of Good Conduct. This is a simple, local background check done by your police department), a passport-size photo, and a negative HIV test. Important: your HIV test must be completed within one month of your arrival in the Marshall Islands, no earlier.
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 at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ . This site provides recommendations for travel to the developing world as well as detailed information on specific diseases. Also refer to the Healthy Travel guide that WorldTeach will send you when you confirm your participation in the program. You must consult your doctor or a travel health specialist about immunizations and other health needs. Please understand that WorldTeach staff are not qualified to give medical advice. All we can do is tell you what immunizations are usually recommended for travel to the Marshall Islands - only your doctor can give you specific medical advice.
As for travel to any developing country, it is generally recommended that you get immunized against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid. There is no currently no stated risk of yellow fever in the Marshalls, nor is there risk of malaria. Check with your doctor that your Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), and Tetanus-Diphtheria (TTD) vaccinations are up to date, or get a booster shot if necessary. Also check that you have had a recent TB test.
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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 area considered dangerous. The WorldTeach field staff will provide safety information during orientation and can be consulted if any problems arise during the year.
The Marshall Islands is a stable country, and the people very welcoming. Risk of theft is present (as it is everywhere) and you should take sensible precautions to look after personal belongings. Do not take anything that you mind losing! Volunteers who confirm participation in the program will receive a Living & Teaching guide for further information.
Q: What if I get sick? Are there doctors and hospitals?
A: Adjusting to a new environment, diet, and climate places demands on your body and health. Living in a new culture and taking on new professional responsibilities will be tiring. You will get sick at certain times; it is unavoidable. But you will also learn how to look after yourself, maintain your health, and seek treatment for sickness.
There are doctors and a hospital in Majuro. The outer islands typically have a small health clinic. If you have a serious medical condition or emergency the health clinic can call to divert the inter-island plane to pick you up and take you to the hospital in Majuro. More complicated cases may be referred to a hospital in Hawaii. Your Field Director will also give advice on health and safety while living in the Marshall Islands.
As a WorldTeach volunteer you will have health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation insurance. For medical expenses such as doctors' visits, you will 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 your existing policy. Please consult with your Program Manager for more information on medical insurance.
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Q: What about the nuclear testing?
A: Of great interest and concern to many persons interested in living in the Marshall Islands is the nuclear testing issue. Between 1946 and 1958 the United States dropped 66 atomic and nuclear bombs on two atolls in the Northern Marshall Islands: Bikini and Enewetak. These atolls were selected because the winds in the Pacific generally blow from east to west, and so the nuclear fall-out from testing on these north-western most atolls would blow out over the open north central Pacific waters.
In general the testing went as predicted. Bombs were dropped and the fallout blew out to sea. But one terrible and tragic test went awry. A 15-megaton hydrogen bomb test was scheduled for Bikini Atoll in March of 1954; it was called the Bravo test. This was 1000 times more powerful than the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. As they sometimes do, particularly in the fall but this time in the spring, the winds changed and blew from the west to the east. The fallout from the Bravo test blew eastward, falling on 23 Japanese fishermen on the "Lucky Dragon" fishing boat, 28 American men who were at a weather-monitoring station on Rongerik Atoll in the Marshall Islands, and 82 people on Rongelap Atoll. Less exposed were the 157 people of the more distant Utirik Atoll. Newly released documents indicate that the fall-out may have been more widespread than had previously thought, and that the people of Ailuk and Meijit Atoll and perhaps other atolls as well were also affected.
Many Marshallese have long felt that the United States knew that the winds had shifted, but that the US chose to go ahead with the tests, purposefully using them as human "guinea pigs" to see what the effects of radiation on humans was. US documents released in 1994 confirmed that the US government had at least contemplated studying the results of nuclear exposure on humans. The controversy continues to this day. You may hear of talk of this while on the islands.
There is a history of U.S. clean-up of the islands and attempts to resettle the Marshallese back to their home atolls. The biggest problem today is that there is a radioactive isotope of cesium called Cesium 137 (Cs 137) in the soil. Cs 137 is taken up by the plants of the atolls and therefore by the animals as well. The radioactive materials emit radiation: alpha particles, which are like helium nuclei (two protons and two neutrons), and beta particles, which are the very much smaller, but much more energetic, electrons. The danger comes from people eating the food that is grown on those irradiated atolls because when people eat irradiated soil, they also ingest the radioactive Cs137. These Cs137s continue to emit radiation in the body, where they can do damage.
Soil samples throughout the entire Marshall Islands have been extensively tested and are considered safe for all uses except those on the far northern atolls. Attempts at resettlement on Rongelap have been made in the past, but today it is still considered unready for permanent habitation, because of the cesium in the soil.
Sometimes confused with the nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands is the ballistic missile testing and national missile defense testing that is done today and has been done for many decades on Kwajalein Atoll by the United States military. There is no nuclear component of this testing. The US military reports that extensive safety measures are taken so that there is no danger from missiles that are off-track and maintains safety offices to evaluate the program. There has never been a major safety incident in the missile testing.
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Q: Do I need to speak the language?
A: Marshallese is the language spoken on the islands. You do not need to speak the language in order to participate, although we recommend that you check the RMI Marshallese phrasebook to learn a few simple words (http://www.rmiembassyus.org/Marshallese%20Phrasebook.htm). Most volunteers pick up enough Marshallese during orientation to get by, although most progress in language acquisition is accomplished while volunteers are at their site with their host families. One of our volunteers gave a detailed presentation in Marshallese after only a month and a half in country, with no previous Marshallese experience!
Q: Will there be a chance to travel to other places?
A: The group will spend the first 4 weeks in Majuro for the orientation training. Then you will travel to your teaching site. The group will reconvene for a mid-service conference and again at the end of the year for a debrief meeting and the flight home. Your travel to attend these program-related meetings will be covered. Any travel you choose to do beyond these program activities will be at your own expense, and must be during school vacations. Bear in mind that flights between islands only go once a week (however the airline is very unreliable and it is possible for some islands to go more than a week without an airplane), so you will need to plan accordingly. Many volunteers hope to travel to other countries in the Pacific while volunteering with WorldTeach. This is sometimes possible at the Christmas break and after the teaching commitment is complete. Most volunteers are surprised at the cost of traveling in this region as costs are very high. Instead, many volunteers take advantage of activities the Marshall Islands has to offer, such as incredible scuba-diving.
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Q: What should I take with me?
A: When you confirm your participation in the program you will be sent a booklet called Living & Teaching in the Marshall Islands. This booklet will contain a suggested packing list. We do not recommend taking a lot of electronics, as they are easily broken or stolen. Try to pack light; you will need to be able to move your bags easily, and you will find many things are available in Majuro. In terms of teaching materials, the WorldTeach office in Majuro has some teaching books and materials that you can borrow or copy. You might want to take your own books, activities, or other materials that you think will be of use to you during your year. Posters or pictures from magazines, popular songs, or videos are valuable teaching tools that are harder to come by. You can also speak with a returned volunteer for advice on packing.
Women in particular may wish to purchase much of their clothing in Majuro; this will allow you to purchase more traditional Marshallese clothing (generally available at a very low cost). You may feel more comfortable, especially on the outer islands, in this traditional clothing. The clothing you do bring should include skirts and dresses; it is not considered appropriate for women to wear pants or shorts. Men and women alike should keep in mind the high temperatures and humidity on the islands!
Upon confirmation, many volunteers are excited at the prospect of fundraising for their school. While supplies and books are needed in the Marshall Islands, we do caution incoming volunteers against overwhelming themselves with fundraising activities until they know their exact placement. Needs vary dramatically among schools and placements and many volunteers pay a lot of money to send unnecessary supplies prior to their departure. While friends and family may wish to help you, please do not send items like: used school supplies, books with no relevance to children in the Marshall Islands (i.e. cooking books, unwanted/discarded library books, etc.) and large equipment like computers. While your hope to contribute more to the school you are placed at is appreciated, volunteers are asked to only bring/send minimal supplies initially. Once you are familiar with the needs of your school, your fundraising contributions will be welcomed and more valuable.
Q: How much money should I take?
A: This will depend on how much you intend to travel, and the lifestyle you intend to lead. Volunteers living in Majuro will have access to stores and entertainments and so will probably spend more money than volunteers on the outer islands. We recommend taking travelers' checks and some cash in fairly small denominations, and having a credit card so that you can access more money as needed. Access to $1000 should be sufficient for spending money. If you plan to dive, travel or eat extravagantly you must bring extra spending money for these activities.
Possessions which western cultures normally consider personal belongings are seen as collective property in the Marshall Islands. When you live in a host-family, you are not a guest, you become a family member. This can be a difficult adjustment. Your host-family is given money to provide you with food and you are provided a minimal volunteer stipend. Your stipend is meant to provide you with the very basics while you are a volunteer such as shampoo, soap and stamps but it is also meant to help you integrate and adapt to your new lifestyle. You should consider some of the stipend as a means to purchase things to share with your host-family such as coffee, dish soap, and other items that will contribute to family.
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Q: Will I receive training?
A: Yes. Your first month in-country will be spent in Majuro in an intensive orientation training program with your fellow volunteers. This will include orientation to the country and culture, language classes and teacher training. Teacher training will focus on ESL teaching methods, lesson planning, teaching resources, and a teaching practicum.
Q: How is the program funded?
A: The Republic of the Marshall Islands provides full funding for all volunteers who are accepted to our program. The number of volunteers accepted each year varies depending on the country's need for English teachers. Thus, we only accept as many volunteers as there are funds available.
Q: Is there a fee for the program?
A: Although all volunteers are fully funded and there is no fee for the program, we require a US$1,500 deposit. The full amount of the deposit will be returned to you after completing the full year service. We ask that volunteers send the deposit in three installments.
Q: Can I come home during the year?
A: Yes. However, travel to and from the Marshall Islands is both expensive and time-consuming. You are an employee of the Ministry of Education and are responsible for teaching full time for the duration of each school term. The only opportunity you will have to travel home will be during the Christmas break – usually about two weeks in December. You may not miss school to travel home unless there is a medical or family emergency. Personal travel will be done at your own expense. WorldTeach provides one round-trip ticket for each volunteer who completes his/her teaching service. This ticket is paid for by the Marshall Islands government; it is not your ticket to use when you like. Volunteers who decide to leave the program early without teaching the full year will have to pay for their own flight home.
Q: Can I make my own travel arrangements?
A: You may, although we do not recommend this course of action for Marshall Islands volunteers. As a part of the program, the Marshall Islands government pays for volunteers' international flights. It is preferable for you to travel with the group if at all possible. There are not many flights to Majuro and it can be difficult to find connections.
If you do book your own travel, you must plan to arrive in Majuro by the same date as the rest of the group so that you do not miss any orientation activities. If you plan to make your own travel plans, please contact WorldTeach.
Q: Can I speak to a returned volunteer?
A: Absolutely! We can put you in contact with a returned WorldTeach volunteer who can answer specific questions for you. Contact the office by phone (1 800 483-2240 or 617 495-5527) or send a request by email to info@worldteach.org.
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