It is what you make it

My experience in the Marshall Islands was a much different experience than many other volunteers because I was in faculty housing (not with a host family) and I was in Kwajalein - a more urban, populated area. For almost everything involved though, I can say this program is what you make it. We were told from the very beginning to be flexible and independent as much as possible - I was lucky because independence was easy. Many people complained about not getting enough support - I thought the amount of support I was given was fine. I have no complaints. The thing to remember here is that you have to make all the first moves. Marshallese people are generally very welcoming and I think they were glad to have us there, but they're shy. You won't usually be able to tell if they even like you. And as for teaching there - all I can say is if you are someone who takes things personally or you are expecting to do a lot of teaching - this is not the place for you. It is glorified babysitting every day. You have to have a real sense of humor in this placement. I would get so frustrated every day because I wasn't doing much teaching and it really ruined the experience for me, but I know other volunteers who took things in stride and loved teaching here. It depends so much on what you are like. This program is an easy pick because it's fully funded, but you should really consider carefully if it is the right program for you. I would not suggest this program to a friend, but I would absolutely suggest World Teach to a friend - just choose your location wisely. I chose the RMI out of convenience - If I could go back, I would still volunteer to teach, but I think I would choose a different program.