Interview with Quinn Bolander, WorldTeach alum
GO: Why did you decide to teach abroad with WorldTeach in Samoa?
Quinn: After I graduated from college, I was unable to find a full time job in International Education. My dream career is to work in study abroad, and after applying for around 50 positions in the field, I was shot down by all of them. As disheartening and frustrating as it was, I refused to give up. My international experience was limited to a semester in New Zealand, so I took the next step by searching for a position overseas.
I had no idea what type of job to look for, but when I stumbled across the WorldTeach website, I was instantly hooked, despite my lack of experience as a teacher. The first thing to catch my eye about WorldTeach was their extensive list of teaching locations. You can spend a year in places such as Bangladesh, Chile, and even on tiny islands in the South Pacific. I liked that WorldTeach offered locations that would probably not be someones first choice or option for teaching abroad.
As I researched all the locations, my heart was lifted up when I saw that you could spend a year in American Samoa. During my time in New Zealand, I lived next to several Samoans, and they were some of the hardest working and dedicated people that I have ever met. They had left their families, their culture, and their island to get a degree so they could make a future for themselves. I knew that the next chapter of my life needed to be spent in American Samoa, and soon after I applied, I was accepted to teach and volunteer with WorldTeach.
From what my Samoan friends told me, and from what I have learned as a current WorldTeach volunteer in American Samoa, not many students in the Samoan islands get farther than a high school diploma. Besides being able to volunteer my time for a year, my main reason to come to American Samoa was to motivate and educate as many students as I could about the endless opportunities that await them after high school.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Quinn: A typical day at Leone High School in American Samoa is not so typical at all. Every day is different and I think that this is why I love living here. I arrive at school around 7:45 a.m. and spend the next 45 minutes going over my lessons, moving desks, cleaning my room, and visiting with students that pop in to say hello. School starts at 8:30, and after the students sing and pray, class begins.
I spend the first 10 minutes trying to get my students focused. Classroom management is the biggest challenge for the WorldTeach-ers on the island. Students can be disrespectful, rude, obnoxious, and lazy, but they can also be incredibly smart, dedicated, sweet, and lovable. No matter where you go or what you do, you'll always come across a bump, and you just have to figure out ways to get over it.
I teach three classes in the morning and two after lunch. Lunch comes at the perfect time and it gives me a chance to rest my mind and re-charge for the rest of the day. By the time 3:00 rolls around, I'm exhausted but still happy. I recently started a running club at my school so I spend the next hour or so running and exercising with the students who have joined. It's a good way to end my day at school and it makes me happy to spend time out of class with some of my students.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Quinn: Now that I know how hard it is to be a teacher, I also know that it is one of the most rewarding positions I think a person could have. One smile from a student keeps me going, and even if I am on the verge of tears, I always remind myself that every day is a new day, and that there is no point getting upset. While I have only lived in American Samoa a little over three months, I have already become a stronger person in many ways. I am more confident in myself and I truly understand what it means to be completely independent. Living on an island in the South Pacific and being away from family and the comforts of home definitely has its challenges, but I know that I will leave this place with memories I will keep with me forever.
Following my year here, I still plan on going into the field of International Education. I will soon be applying for graduate school and I hope that my experience as a volunteer teacher will make me a strong candidate for my top schools. I'm not sure where life will take me after I get my Masters degree, but what I do know is that I will always look back on my time in American Samoa as one of the most important and exciting years of my life.
I am a current WorldTeach volunteer in American Samoa. I teach English to 105 high school juniors and let me tell you - each and every day is a new, exciting, and challenging adventure. Upon arriving in AmSam, I was nervous to start teaching and to become part of the Samoan community. Now that I have lived here for almost three months, I feel as if I have been here for many years. While the island is extremely small, I always know someone wherever I go and the Samoans are always quick to help or even just say hi. The WorldTeach program has been incredible. Our Field Director and the home office keep in contact with the volunteers and make sure that we are comfortable and happy with our teaching placements and with our living arrangements. No question goes unanswered and there is always someone to talk too if we need to ask for teaching tips or resources! Besides teaching, American Samoa has a lot to offer. I have already climbed mountains, snorkled in turquoise blue water, eaten delicious food from the Samoan umu (the underground oven where they cook their food), and met many friends that I will keep for the rest of my life. What better way to spend a year of your life than on a tropical island in the South Pacific? You won't regret it!