Bio:
My name is Kelsey Smith, I'm 22 and I'm about to start my next adventure in life, as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tonga.
I just graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelors of Arts in Education, majoring in Child Development & Elementary Education, and minoring in Special Education & Early Childhood Special Education.
I've grown up a military brat, so I've moved all over the world, and have met some really neat people and seen equally amazing things.
A little bit about the Peace Corps:
It takes about a year or so to get through the application process, and as with anything worth doing, it comes with a lot of paperwork! (I mean a lot! I'm still doing paperwork....).
It's a 27 month commitment, where the first three months or so are spent on training and learning the ways of the culture. It sounds like most trainees spend their training time with a host family, and generally move to their own place for the duration of their service.
The goal of the Peace Corps is to provide service to the people in the country of assignment, as well as promote a positive view of American culture.
Common Questions I've been asked in the past 6 months (pretty much everybody I talk to...)
Why Peace Corps?
I have moved around a lot, and it's kind of in my blood. I've been thinking about Peace Corps, or teaching abroad since high school, and this is the perfect time to go for it. It's about a year long application process, so I've been in it to win it for awhile.
Where are you going?
Tonga (no not Conga or Congo....). The Kingdom of Tonga is located in the South Pacific, and is the last monarchy left in the South Pacific. It is composed of 169 islands and is found about 2/3rd's of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. The population of Tonga is about 106,440 ( and from what I hear the whole Kingdom is set to island time).
What language do they speak?
They speak Tongan, however the official languages of the Kingdom are English and Tongan. So both are spoken, just Tongan is the dominant language. Tongan is an Austronesian language of the Polynesian branch. Other familiar languages apart of the Polynesian branch are Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, and many others.
What will you be doing?
I will be teaching english as a foreign language to primary students. So translated into American grades, grade 3-6. However the students must test into certain grade levels, so I will be working to build their english skills to help them prepare for the test. I will also have community side projects that meet the needs of the whole community. I get to choose and create my side projects, with guidance and approval from the community.
Is there running water and electricity?
Bibliography:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tn.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongan_language
http://seatofmyskirt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/pacificmap.gif
Disclaimer: All this information, are just facts and ideas that I have researched or read about through websites, books, and current and past Peace Corps Volunteers etc. So I really won't know for sure where I'll be living, or how and what I will be teaching until I arrive. This is basically an overview of what I know, and I will happily update you on any new information (which I'm sure there will be an abundance of, these next few months).
I just graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelors of Arts in Education, majoring in Child Development & Elementary Education, and minoring in Special Education & Early Childhood Special Education.
I've grown up a military brat, so I've moved all over the world, and have met some really neat people and seen equally amazing things.
A little bit about the Peace Corps:
It takes about a year or so to get through the application process, and as with anything worth doing, it comes with a lot of paperwork! (I mean a lot! I'm still doing paperwork....).
It's a 27 month commitment, where the first three months or so are spent on training and learning the ways of the culture. It sounds like most trainees spend their training time with a host family, and generally move to their own place for the duration of their service.
The goal of the Peace Corps is to provide service to the people in the country of assignment, as well as promote a positive view of American culture.
Common Questions I've been asked in the past 6 months (pretty much everybody I talk to...)
Why Peace Corps?
I have moved around a lot, and it's kind of in my blood. I've been thinking about Peace Corps, or teaching abroad since high school, and this is the perfect time to go for it. It's about a year long application process, so I've been in it to win it for awhile.
Where are you going?
Tonga (no not Conga or Congo....). The Kingdom of Tonga is located in the South Pacific, and is the last monarchy left in the South Pacific. It is composed of 169 islands and is found about 2/3rd's of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. The population of Tonga is about 106,440 ( and from what I hear the whole Kingdom is set to island time).
What language do they speak?
They speak Tongan, however the official languages of the Kingdom are English and Tongan. So both are spoken, just Tongan is the dominant language. Tongan is an Austronesian language of the Polynesian branch. Other familiar languages apart of the Polynesian branch are Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, and many others.
What will you be doing?
I will be teaching english as a foreign language to primary students. So translated into American grades, grade 3-6. However the students must test into certain grade levels, so I will be working to build their english skills to help them prepare for the test. I will also have community side projects that meet the needs of the whole community. I get to choose and create my side projects, with guidance and approval from the community.
Is there running water and electricity?
First world problems right! It sounds like in the bigger cities like Nuku'Alofa, and Vava'u, and even the surrounding villages there will be running water and electricity. However, on the smaller more remote islands there may not be running water or electricity. It is accessible every so often when I can venture into a bigger town or city. From what I hear, the Peace Corps will provide a satellite phone for emergencies (so I won't be completely shut off from the outside world, the important part anyway).
What about your boyfriend and family?
Luckily I have an amazing boyfriend and family who have supported me through the whole application and staging processes (getting ready to leave). I will have access to the internet the whole time or just some of the time (again basically whenever I can get into a larger city) based on where I am placed. I hope to continue to blog and share what I learn with family and friends, or anyone who has an interest. I'm also hoping that I'll be able to find a strong enough connection to Skype, but that we will have to see about that when I reach Tonga. However, snail mail is the way to go I hear, so I will be sending and hopefully receiving mail as my main form of communication. So feel free to send me a letter once I get an address, and I will happily reply (Who doesn't love mail?!).
Bibliography:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tn.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongan_language
http://seatofmyskirt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/pacificmap.gif
Disclaimer: All this information, are just facts and ideas that I have researched or read about through websites, books, and current and past Peace Corps Volunteers etc. So I really won't know for sure where I'll be living, or how and what I will be teaching until I arrive. This is basically an overview of what I know, and I will happily update you on any new information (which I'm sure there will be an abundance of, these next few months).
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