WorldTeach - Manu'a Tele, American Samoa (outer-island life)

My year as a WorldTeach volunteer on the small island of Ta'u has been incredible. I taught eight second-grade students at Faleasao Elementary. My students were incredibly well-behaved and such a pleasure to teach. Many elementary students do not speak English beyond a basic, intro level, and are very much behind in other subjects. Words cannot express how incredible it was, as a first year teacher, to see improvements in my students' skills. I was able not only to teach foundational knowledge (reading, addition and subtraction, etc) to my class, but also to begin preparing them for their educational careers (how to be a student--how to study, how to ask questions about a text, etc.) It was difficult at times, but teaching here has been one of the most important things I've ever done.
The schools in American Samoa are under the American Department of Education, and due to the small enrollment at outer-island schools, elementary resources were abundant. We had up-to-date text books for most subjects, new computers and other technological resources, and regular professional development training from the Department of Education.
We lived in a small village, in one of the nicest houses on island, about 30 yards from the ocean. There is no night-life to speak of on Ta'u, but we were surrounded by beautiful beaches, lush vegetation, and a welcoming community of Samoans. We had every opportunity to learn traditional cultural practices--spear fishing, baking in an umu, weaving, Samoan dances (siva Samoa), and speaking the Samoan language. As far as safety goes, there is very little crime on our island (some teenagers broke into a store once but that's all that's happened in 11 months), and there is a tsunami warning system and evacuation procedure in place. I never felt unsafe here. The community is incredibly welcoming.
While is much harder to get certain basic items on an outer-island, the WorldTeach field director was always available to ship whatever resources (either classroom or personal) that we needed. We had extensive cultural and classroom training during orientation, and knew that our Field Director was just a phone call away. I never felt unsafe, unprotected, or alone in the program. Every effort is taken by WorldTeach to ensure that all volunteers are given the information and help they need on island; I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have the support of field staff while living in a new country.
I would recommend this program to anyone who cares about global education and wants to travel with a purpose. WorldTeach is a wonderful organization, and American Samoa is an incredible place to live. I've enjoyed living here so much that I've decided to stay on as a contracted teacher.