In this interview, you’ll hear from Leonora Fanene, a Peace Corps Education volunteer in Samoa. Leonora shares what daily life looks like, the work being done, and how service has shaped their personal and professional growth. You’ll learn about housing, cultural differences, project work, language learning, and what it’s like to live and work in a new country. This interview offers a real look into Peace Corps service and what future volunteers can expect.
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. What do you do as a Peace Corps Education volunteer in Samoa?
Peace Corps Education Volunteers in Samoa work in their village’s primary school in collaboration with local teachers and community members to improve English literacy amongst students in year 3 through year 8. PCVs share teaching skills with school staff and increase accessibility and support for English literacy content in the classroom, at homes with families, and throughout the village.
I arrived in Samoa in July 2025 and swore in late September 2025. I have been in service for about a year now. Below is what I, as a Peace Corps Education Volunteer in Samoa, am continuing to do now and/or have completed within my year of service, starting from when I swore in up til now. I hope to continue my projects and start new ones in my second year of service.
Pullout Groups
In the primary school’s library room, I teach pullout groups, English classes with selected at-risk students (students who need extra assistance with English) from each grade level.
I have three pullout groups in total, divided like this: year 3 & 4, year 5 & 6, year 7 & 8. I teach each twice a week. Throughout the school week, I teach two pullout groups per day, with one in the morning and one after lunch. Lessons in pullout groups are about phonics (e.g., letter names and sounds, consonant-vowel-consonant, blends, etc.) and simple conversational English (e.g., how to introduce yourself, students doing a conversation about what they did today, questions, etc.).
Direct Classroom Co-Teaching
Primary schools in Samoa have grade levels from year 1-8, totaling eight grade levels. The staff at my primary school includes four active teachers (including the principal, who also teaches) and teacher aides. Each teacher teaches two grade levels and has one teacher aide. Teacher shortage is super common throughout Samoa.
Being short-staffed, during the second quarter of this year, I co-taught English with teachers and teacher aides for an hour a day, three days a week (and sometimes more than three). I mainly co-taught the combined class of year 7 and year 8. Topics covered in the English class for year 7 and year 8 included sentence structure, parts of speech, punctuation, essay writing, and more. I have also co-taught other subjects, depending on what the teachers request help with.
Library Infrastructure Development
While in the library room, I also develop and improve access to English learning/teaching materials and resources. I would reach out to local organizations and non-profits for school supplies, equipment, and books for library/classroom use and discuss potential collaboration opportunities regarding youth programming and leadership at school.
I am reorganizing the library structure, including a library timetable/schedule, developing a book borrowing system for students, and leading an after-school reading program in the library. The Year 7 and Year 8 students help me with tidying the room, rearranging furniture, and putting books back on shelves.
After-School Reading Program
At the beginning of the school year (2026), a significant number of students expressed their interest in reading books from the library. I have students check out and read books after school. Some students would want to read to me for words they struggle pronouncing/understanding.
Once students have checked their books out, some would stay in the library to hang out while others leave. This is where I would facilitate a group read-along with the students who stayed or who are interested in reading as a group. The group would range from three to five students. I would pick out an easier English book for the students to read and understand the text. The students would take turns on reading each page since each page is about a sentence or two long. The books we read are not that long.
Digital Literacy
I teach a digital literacy class with the year 7 and 8 students twice a week, where they are learning how to use iPads (the school received the cart of iPads prior to me starting service) and apply them to their subjects. I just started this class this quarter (last week of July 2026), and so far it is going pretty well. I started off lessons about the parts of the device (e.g., buttons, home screen, lock screen, app, typing) and typing practice.
In the future, I hope the school will use the iPads for presenting, writing (essay writing, research), and reading assignments, and for them to be used by the local staff for their classes and meetings.
Professional Development (PD)
Teacher workshops (PD) are workshops hosted and presented by school staff members (usually principals) for other school staff members to learn concepts and skills relating to their jobs as teachers (e.g., lesson planning, teaching a certain subject/topic, activities/materials to use for your lessons, soft skills, etc.). As PCVs, we can collaborate with staff member(s) to create, prepare, and present a workshop, sharing skills and resources relating to teaching.
In August 2026, I co-planned and co-trained a teacher workshop (known as PDs) with my principal and the year 7/8 teacher. This specific PD was a cluster PD where teachers, principals, and teacher aides from every primary school in the district attended. There were seven primary schools present, making it around forty to fifty people in attendance.
For this PD, each primary school had to present a subject. There are seven subjects taught in primary schools in Samoa. The workshop I co-planned and co-trained was on math, with the topic being patterns and algebra. I created our physical presentation (Google Slides). I discussed with my school staff what content should be on the presentation, the presentation information structure, and section/slide assignments–who will speak on what slides.
2. Why did you decide to join the Peace Corps and serve in Samoa?
What pulled me to the Peace Corps was how the work is more oriented to service and community building. At the time, I was not looking forward to working a traditional 9-to-5 job, nor did I want to go straight into grad school because of how burnt out I was by graduation. I craved something completely different from the two post-grad options. After discussing with a few current Peace Corps volunteers and returned Peace Corps volunteers about their experiences and stories during undergrad, I did some web browsing on the Peace Corps website to see what volunteer positions and countries were available.
When I found out about the volunteer position in Samoa, I immediately applied for it. Being Samoan, it was a chance for me to learn my culture by living and working in Samoa. I got to see and experience the lifestyle, conditions, and the place my parents grew up—a big reason why I chose Samoa specifically. I feel closer to my parents and family who were raised here. I also get to connect with my family who live in Samoa. Prior to starting Peace Corps Samoa, I did not know any of my family living in Samoa, so it was my first time meeting them once I arrived. I found out I have family all over the country! The idea of learning, living, and working in Samoa excited me.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. What is your housing like in Samoa?
Living with a Host Family
As of right now, the standard housing situation for Peace Corps Volunteers in Samoa has been only through host families for the safety of PCVs and assistance with cultural integration at site. In the house, PCVs have their own room that includes a bed with a bedframe, bedsheets, and pillows, a table, a chair, curtains on windows, lights installed, and a fire alarm installed. Some PCVs are given their own bathroom, depending on the site and house assigned to you.
A common theme with families in Samoa is noise and big families. Noise can be from doing chores (e.g., yard work, cooking because it may be done outside), people talking and laughing, animals (dogs, cats, pigs, horses, cows), and kids, especially kids. The average family would have at least eight children, and some of the children decide to live overseas in New Zealand or Australia when they get older. You won’t be able to. to see the whole family together most of the time; I have yet to meet all of my host siblings.
My Housing In Savai’i, Samoa
Samoa has two main islands: Upolu, which has the capital, Apia. The other island is Savai’i, known as the big island. I am based in a small, rural village that is inland toward the mountains, on the north side of Savai’i, which is a two-hour bus ride from Salelologa. Salelologa is the main city of Savai’i (like Apia on Upolu), where the market, wharf, banks, main grocery stores, and supply shops are.
I live in a host family of seven people, who are five ladies, an infant, and a gentleman with plenty of dogs. The house is pretty quiet compared to other houses. You only hear yard work (e.g., cutting the grass) and animals (dogs and pigs) at my house. Besides the infant, the youngest is soon to graduate from high school, while the rest of the people in my host family are in their 20s and up.
4. What moments or interactions stand out during your service?
Having Lunch with Families at Site
It is normal for families in Samoa to have to’ona’i (toh-oh-nah-ee, a big feast/gathering for lunch after morning church service every Sunday). Sundays in Samoa are focused on God, Church, and quality time with family. Almost every Sunday, I am invited to to’ona’i by a family at site. Spending time with the families allows me to create and build relationships with students and their families and learn a little more about the culture. Each family has also helped me integrate at site. They know what events are happening at site. They are willing to teach fa’a Samoa/culture, like siva Samoa. I get to practice my Samoan.
Walking Around The Village
Another way I integrate is by taking walks around the village whenever I can. People see you, they call you over, and you get to practice Samoan. It lets people know you are here for them and that you are alright. I learn more about what goes on and more about people at my site. It is refreshing to see what life outside of the classroom may look like for my students and teachers. It is nice to walk after staying inside or focusing on work for a certain period of time.
Volleyball at Site
I played volleyball growing up, from middle school to high school, and now play it leisurely. Volleyball is pretty popular in Samoa. My site has volleyball every Saturday afternoon. Everyone shows up for this. I got to meet more people at site, ranging from kids, young adults, parents, and the elderly. This was a way for me to decompress and to get out of the house at site. It’s my favorite way to integrate at site.
Visitors from Abroad
During Site-Based Training (SBT), my primary school had visitors from New Zealand. The visitors were students, teachers, staff, and parents from Bruce McLaren Intermediate School. This day was filled with performances from both my primary school and our visitors, a traditional exchange of gifts, a feast, and conversations. I also met the families of the students this day, and it was the start of building relationships with people at my site. I got to meet so many parents who I am now close with.
New Years Day
I did not think there would be a lot of Siva Samoa (Samoan dancing), and it happened at the moment you’d least expect it.
My site celebrates New Year’s Day with everyone in the village altogether in the women’s committee building. There were a lot of dances performed by the youth groups of each church. I did not prepare anything nor practice with any church or anyone, but I got dressed and went outside with the rest of the village and danced a taualuga.
Yeah, dancing is not my strong suit. The taualuga is a freestyle dance, so I just went for it with moves I learned from watching other people do Siva Samoa, not really caring if I looked weird dancing and just enjoying celebrating New Year’s at site with everyone.
Overall, I felt honored to be included in the New Year’s celebration. The more I did Siva Samoa, whether that was in a group or individually, the more comfortable I felt doing it in front of people for a big event.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What has surprised you most about living or working in Samoa?
Not Eating Rice
Back in the U.S., rice, along with pasta and bread, was included in almost every meal I ate. Now, I eat it every once in a while. Instead, it would be breadfruit (ulu), boiled banana (fa’i), taro (talo), ta’amu (tah-ah-moo, bigger version of taro), potato (pateta), and/or yams (ufi). These options would usually have coconut cream with it—tastes delicious! These are more accessible than rice.
My host family has a lot of fruits and vegetables growing around their house, so it does not cost us anything to get them. I love rice, pasta, and bread, but I have no complaints about the change. I just did not realize it sooner and how much of a difference my body feels. I do not feel as bloated or tired.
Time Is Not Really of the Essence
Samoa is a day ahead of the U.S., yet time is slow. I had noticed this during PST, where we could have lessons and programs in the morning, and it would feel like we just went through the whole day since we got most of the agenda items covered by morning. But it is only 1 pm; we still have another half of the day to go.
Flexibility is another surprise. In America, it is the norm to set and expect to meet deadlines for tasks. In Samoa, if I did not end up teaching or doing all ofthe activities for the lesson, it was alright to push back another day or to take as much time/days as needed for it.
Special Guest Treatment
I understood being treated like a guest for the first few weeks at site was expected, but I am still being treated as such, and it’s been a year since I’ve been in service. This comes from everyone at site–host family, locals, students, teachers, elderly, and village chiefs. PCVs in Samoa are overall respected amongst locals for the work and service that we do since we live the actual life of a local while doing our work– unlike the other volunteer organizations in Samoa, we live in rural areas and experience the life and realities of many people here.
The whole special guest treatment is how locals were brought up—always being attentive, checking on you, not letting you pick up after yourself, doing chores for you even.
Being Watched
Everywhere I go, and everything I do feels like I am being watched, whether it is going to the bathroom, eating, doing work on my laptop, or texting someone. I also get a lot of attention on my personal devices—the most asked questions being, “What iPhone is this? How much does it cost?” I did not think something as normal as a phone would gain this much attention. I did not think people would be curious about it. It is not a bad thing, though it does happen often, so beware.
6. What challenges have you faced in your Education work, and how did you respond?
Not Knowing Where to Start
Despite the program being around for a while, there is little to no structure and lack of resources and support with teaching, lesson planning, and library. We were kind of expected to just come in knowing what exactly to do and/or to figure it all out on our own. Some PCVs do not come from education teaching backgrounds so we did not know where to start with lessons at the beginning. We also did not know how to start projects at our sites.
To address this, I used teaching English textbooks given to me by my principal (can also be found at the big office shops in Samoa) to see what I could tailor my lessons towards and what activities would seem interesting to the students. I like to make my lessons as visual, interactive, and collaborative as possible. This entails adding images/pictures as part of the materials for the lesson, having students move, assigning gestures to vocabulary we are learning, group work activities, games, and so much more.
Counterparts for Projects and Lack of Community Interest
If you are interested in doing a secondary project, it is a requirement for PCVs to start secondary projects with a counterpart. A counterpart is anyone at site you work on a secondary project with, whether that is in your village or workplace (not all coworkers are from your site). Secondary projects are need-based community work that is outside of PCV’s primary, main project and responsibilities. Examples of secondary projects are youth development programs (e.g., GLOW/Girls Lead Our World, after-school programs), gardens, skills workshops (not relating to primary projects), creating a computer lab, teaching (for non-ed PCVs), water supply.
Finding a counterpart is a challenge because of the language barrier and the lack of community interest. Even if it is a community need, it is still difficult to have community members interested in the project—this could be because there are no resources, insufficient funds, and/or no incentives.
In addition, community members expect PCVs to know how to do it and even for PCVs to do it themselves. Not a lot of people speak and understand English, so it is also hard to communicate ideas with community members. Some may not have the time to do it because they work, have families to take care of, and/or are super involved with their churches and village committees. For secondary projects, you are on your own for finding a counterpart. This can be the counterpart you have for the primary project, depending on your project idea and their availability, which in most cases is limited.
For the secondary project I proposed, I went to my principal for help when it came to counterparts since not a lot ofpeople at site are available to do a secondary project. As a result, one of the teachers is my counterpart. My secondary project is in the very early stages of planning, but I am grateful to have a counterpart and excited to work with them. If site supervisors did not work out, I would have gone to village meetings/lunches with families requesting counterparts and more insight on community needs-based project ideas. My secondary project idea came from my school.
Language Barrier
The students do not really understand what you are teaching them unless you speak the local language during your lesson. This also applies to any time you are talking to students, teachers, and locals at site. I have grasped a good chunk of Samoan; however, I have a long way to go with language learning. If there is a point where the students do not understand what I am trying to say, regardless of the language used, I would model the activity or whatever is in the lesson. This could be drawing it on the blackboard or acting it out.
Lack of Communication and Structure
I am not really in the loop with what is happening in the workplace and/or at site. I never know when the upcoming staff meetings or village events are. There is no structure to anything—I’m talking about the workplace, events, church, bus schedules, weather, everything here. It all is pretty unpredictable, so heads up. If I do find out, it is usually the day of and/or too late to do anything for it besides show up.
At first, it was frustrating. But over time, I grew more patient and have gotten used to the lack of communication and structure and the whole “going with the flow” thing. I would ask my principal and teachers about anything happening soon or if they needed something weekly, like at the start of the week. If there was something coming up soon, I would ask as many questions as possible, so I have a better understanding of what to do right away. I would also tell them if I needed materials for teaching or the library, or needed help with something.
Advice and Support
7. What advice would you give to future Education volunteers in Samoa?
Come Prepared
This is for the ones who are not from an education/teaching background. PCVs need to be able to create their own lessons, but a challenge we faced was not knowing where to start. I would start researching and creating some sort of document with an outline of units and lessons with resources before coming to Samoa. You can put something like “English lessons for early ESL students” or “Early Phonics lessons” in the search engine to start it off. Phonics is where most PCVs start out, but I would still research more about topics in phonics since it is broad.
There is a lot on the web–lessons, worksheets, activities, YouTube videos of lessons/content. If you know anyone who is an elementary school teacher or an ELL/ESL teacher, I would recommend going to them for help. They have a lot of resources you can take. Going to the public library would not hurt either, to see if they have textbooks you can learn from and take.
Use What You Already Have
I had a lot of thin books, but I did not know how to organize them while making it easy to take out and put back. I did not have any sort of bins to put them in, but I did have unused cardboard boxes. I painted them black and put the thin books in there. My principal would also give me shelves teachers were not using so I could store more books.
As mentioned, I used the teaching textbooks my principal gave me and what I found in the library to create lesson plans and activities. This also gave me an idea of how to narrow down the topic I was teaching. The textbooks and resources at site may be outdated, but it was something for me to use–it was better than nothing. Also, ask the teachers for lessons. They know the topics of what to teach their students and know how to teach them. They are willing to help you throughout service with anything.
Whatever It Is, Do It
It can be intimidating to say something at first, given you are new, especially when people are expecting you to know how to do it or for you to do it by yourself. Whether it is asking teachers for help with lessons, telling the students to clean up the room, doing the morning prayer for school, going to a village event by yourself, needing project resources, proposing a new project idea, do it.
Whether you are scared or not, do it. This will move you forward with your work and your experience regardless of whether you get the desired answer/outcome or not. People are most likely willing to do it and help you. If I had not done it, I do not think I would have known the opportunities it comes with. I do notthink I would be here with the work I have done and the person I am today without doing it, even though I was scared.I also just feel a lot better that I did it versus when I did not do it; I regret not doing it.
Stay Connected with Your Cohort
I don’t know what I would do if I were not in touch with my cohort regularly. For the education sector, my cohort shares resources we find online or from site. We share our experiences at school, from teaching our pull-out groups to interactions with people at site. Maintaining these connections throughout service has reminded me I am not the only one who does not have all the answers. We are all just taking it day by day to figure it out.
I live in a remote village, so it is inevitable to feel isolated. Despite making local friends, you are still seen and treated as a PCV/special guest. PCVs in your cohort are the ones who can relate to your PC experience the most. They understand what you are going through, whether it is the positives or the negatives about work, village life, daily routines, weekends, church, and meetings.
At least for my cohort, we would have lunch in town with Savai’i PCVs every month and a big gathering of the cohort quarterly or whenever the office has something going on—try to go to every formal event the Peace Corps is involved in; you will be notified by the PC Samoa/Host Country Office Staff about upcoming events.
8. How did Peace Corps training prepare you for service?
The training by PC Samoa has been helpful in introducing us to cultural day-to-day life. An example is the staff members teaching us how to catch a bus/bus etiquette in Samoa, which has been useful since we are not allowed to drive and taxis are expensive. There is really no set bus schedule in Samoa–rely on ferry times, but even then, there is no set time, date, or locations the buses go by other than the ferry schedule–sometimes the bus arrives early and sometimes late. Buses are wooden buses painted in super bright and vibrant colors with about 13 rows of wooden seats. If there are no seats available on the bus, people would move to stand (e.g., a gentleman would stand to offer his seat to an elderly person or lady) or even sit on someone’s lap (e.g., this is usually a kid sitting on their mom’s lap or someone sitting on the lap of someone they know).
Practical Tips and Language Learning
9. What would you tell future volunteers to pack—or leave behind?
What To Pack
- Travel: quality reusable water bottle that is easy to carry; reusable travel-sized toiletry bottles; travel backpacks (e.g., Osprey, Cotopaxi, etc.); sport sling bag
- Tech: a portable charger; plug adapters for your personal devices (especially for laptop); wired earphones; e-reader;
- Hygiene/Beauty (hard to find): menstrual products (Samoa only has pads available); favorite cosmetic products; 5-blade razors; pocket-sized hand sanitizers; SPF
- Clothes: long flowy skirts; all-white church outfits; work-appropriate flowy maxi dresses; dress-up tops; sweaters (1-2 max.; gets windy sometimes); rain jacket/poncho/windbreaker; durable sandals; polarized sunglasses; hats
- Work Supplies (hard to find): markers; crayons; color pencils; art supplies; stationery; planner; coloring book; anything relating to a hobby(ies) of yours;
- Food: electrolyte powder (e.g., Liquid IV); spices/seasonings (not many here); favorite snacks;
- Room (hard to find): twin-size bed sheet set; towels (expensive in Samoa); blanket (for the windy nights)
What To Leave Behind
- Clothes: socks; closed-toed shoes (unless they’re for hiking/yard work/running/environment work, bring them); jeans; denim clothing;
- Misc: expensive technology, personal belongings and valuables you would NOT want to lose, expensive items that will draw attention
10. How has language learning been for you in Samoa?
I did not start learning Samoan until I arrived in Samoa, at the start of PST. There are not many resources online to learn Samoan, so I could not really learn prior to arrival.
What has helped me learn the language is talking to the students at school, since they are more willing to talk and help you through it, and they are not as shy. Also, talking to community members. At my site, not many people speak English and have no choice but to speak Samoan, leaving me with no choice but to speak in Samoan. Whether it is meeting community members at church, for lunch, or volleyball, I take advantage of learning by speaking with them. They understand PCVs are still learning, and they respect you for trying.
PC Samoa offers language textbooks and dictionaries for PCVs/PCTs. I used it during PST and probation, really, and just stopped using it once I started talking to the kids. I would also read the Samoan books at my school library since they have pictures in all of them.
Social Identity
11. How has your personal identity shaped your service experience?
Samoa is a Christian country. Their faith is integrated into the culture and their daily lives. Every Sunday is dedicated to church. In respect for the Lord’s Day (Sunday), most shops are closed, public transportation is not available, and most people are off work, focusing on God and family. Most denominations in Samoa have a morning and evening service on Sundays. After the morning service, families will have a big feast for lunch at their homes to rest and spend quality time with each other.
I grew up Catholic, and I was pretty involved at my local parish during my childhood. Dedicating my Sundays to church often and going to church multiple times a week is something I am used to. Being in Samoa and placed in a village where there is a Catholic Church made me more grounded in my faith. It brought a sense of familiarity and community. Going to Mass reminded me of my life before the Peace Corps.
My site has three active Christian denominations: Catholic; Christian Congregational Church of Samoa/London Missionary Society; Mormon. Every Sunday I visit a different church, visiting each church about once or twice a month. I also have to’ona’i with a different family every Sunday. Attending churches lets me connect with my students & their families and stay in the loop with village life, since the churches are the main hosts for local gatherings, from volleyball to celebrations.
Church members from all three churches are often leaders in their churches, the village chief council, women’s committee, and school committee, so showing up helped me build trusted relationships naturally. Overall, my religion has eased my experience with integration at site.
12. Did your identity lead to specific challenges or situations?
It is inevitable to receive unwanted attention from men, as it is uncomfortable. I am blessed to have not been in a situation where I was actually in danger. Ignoring them and going about my day usually works, which I know is not ideal. Even pretending you do not understand them or you do not see or hear them works too.
Most people on my staff are not around my age. They also have been teaching for at least 10+ years in primary education. I found it harder to connect with them at first because I entered as a twenty-something-year-old recent college graduate with no actual teaching experience or educational background. Making time to go to things that are happening in the village (e.g., church, volleyball, committee meetings, lunches on Sundays, staying after school, bingo) is what helped bridge the gap. Also, working with them on projects (e.g., collaborating on a workshop, co-teaching) is what drew me closer to the staff. Taking every opportunity to work and be with them has helped.
13. What advice do you have for volunteers who share your identity?
Stay true to yourself (especially for PCVs who are Samoan but not from Samoa). As important as it is to integrate at site, learning and experiencing the culture, it should not be done at the expense of losing and hurting yourself. This experience should help you change and grow into a better version of yourself; it should transform you.
However, culture (especially to satisfy people) should not be a reason to change something about you, especially if you feel unsafe or just know that it is not you/of your character. Set boundaries. Do things that enable you to be you, like continuing your hobbies, talking to loved ones from home, staying in touch with your cohort. Remember to also take care of yourselves, not just physically but mentally too.
Final Thoughts
14. What final advice would you share with future volunteers?
Setting Boundaries
While adapting to local culture is important, it should never come at the expense of personal safety. In Samoa, joking around and flirtation (common for locals to get physical/handsy) are often treated as harmless fun, but if a situation feels unsafe or overwhelming, prioritize yourself and your well-being. Culture is not an excuse for unacceptable behavior, so always set healthy boundaries. It is okay to set boundaries.
Be Present as Much as Possible
Show your face as much as you can. Of course, this is done at your own convenience. This can be either having lunch/dinner with family, going to church, walking around the village after school hours/weekends, and being involved with village events and meetings. Showing your face in these spaces is appreciated by people in your village. They are happy to see you and that you are doing fine.
Explore Your Host Country (And Nearby Countries If Possible)
You are only in your host country for two years, and that flies by fast! Though service is important, your time in your host country should not be limited to being remembered for the work you did (though it is worth acknowledging). You deserve to have time where you can enjoy the country outside of site/work, not worrying about work. It most likely ishard to get to your host country from the U.S., so explore as much as possible while you are there. Exploring my host country made me love and appreciate the country and its beauty more.
Being Patient
Living in a village means truly immersing yourself in Fa’a Sāmoa (The Samoan way of life). Because it shapes every aspect of daily life, the transition requires patience. Feeling confused or challenged along the way is a completely valid part of adapting to a new culture. Growth usually happens outside your comfort zone.
For education, seeing progress in your students will take time. I did not see any improvement until later in the third quarter of the year, when they started to feel more comfortable speaking to me in English, asking me to go to the bathroom or for permission to use white-out. Remember, give yourself grace. It takes time to really get in the groove of things, and everyone is on their own timeline with their projects and integration at site. It is going to be a different experience for everyone.
Do Not Compare Yourself
To add on, no PCV will have the same experience as another PCV. Peace Corps Samoa has been around since the 60s, the very beginning of Peace Corps. Every village has probably heard of, or most likely had, a PCV before you. Every PCV in Samoa encounters interactions throughout service relating to the previous PCV at their sites and sometimes would be compared to them. A lot of this happens during the first six months after swearing in. It is easy to start comparing ourselves to the previous PCVs with all the amazing things they have done that we hear from locals. Do not compare yourself. It is easier said than done. Most likely, the PCV before you was compared to. You just started out. As I said before, everyone is on their own timing, and no one is going to have the same experiences.
Breaks Are Important
Our work is service to people at our site, and that does take a lot of energy. We are not just restricted to work at school/workplace or when you’re “on the clock.” We do not just work Monday through Friday–our weekends are workdays too. We are PCVs 24/7, no matter what we are doing or where we are at. We start working the minute we step outside of the house or even out of the rooms. It is okay if you decide not to show up to work that day or to not show up for church or whatever event your village has going on. It is okay to take a break. PCV work is hard work. Overworking yourself will do more harm than make progress. You can not pour from an empty cup. We are human beings. We can only do so much at a time, and that is okay.
Are you thinking about joining the Peace Corps? If you’re curious about service and ready for something new, apply today. Like Leonora, you can live abroad, work with communities, and grow in ways you didn’t expect. Apply to the Peace Corps and take the next step.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Samoa Government.
