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Students from the UTS Primary Education course tested their skills by venturing to the south pacific islands of Samoa for an international prac trip. The students taught in Falefitu, Vaivase & Tanugamanono Primary Schools under the direction of local teachers and tertiary supervisors. UTS conduct an optional international prac trip to Samoa, China or Thailand yearly as part of the professional experience subjects in 2nd or 3rd year.The following is collection of student comments, photos and interviews about the experience in Samoa:

The Samoa experience - student comments

Emily

Teaching was a challenge but it was also a fantastic experience.  The school I was at was nothing like I have experienced in Australia.  They had a curriculum but it was only vaguely followed …
(More: for full interview on the Teaching Experience)

Katie

We had the most amazing experience in Samoa, the people, the scenery and the schools were all so different to what we were used to and provided such a rich learning environment. I feel we have learned to really appreciate another culture by seeing it firstly through tourist's eyes, then as we became part of the teaching community we could embrace its uniqueness and were more in tune with the fa'Samoa - Samoan way, mostly related to respecting elders, important people, including teachers. … (More: read about Katie’s trip and finding her long lost family)

Kieran

Samoa is the most amazing country I've ever been to. The people are so friendly and welcoming, the scenery is amazing and the whole experience is one I will never forget. Ive taken away so much from it - not just what I have learnt about teaching but a whole new outlook on life.

Sally

The Samoa practicum was the most amazing cultural experience of my life. It was incredible to see that an entire school and local community could be so welcoming and generous to guests from overseas. The classes in the school were large and often had over 45 students but each of them were always eager to learn and went to a lot of effort to ensure we were welcomed into the classroom as teachers.

Anna

The Samoa trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life - learning about the culture, meeting the locals, seeing beautiful beaches and tropical rainforests - but the thing that has stuck with me the most is the great opportunity we had to work in the primary schools.  The schools are completely different to what we're used to at home, yet we felt connected with them straight away.  Watching the Samoan kids' beautiful faces light up as we taught them and played with them will stay with me forever.  I would definitely recommend an experience like this to anyone studying to be a teacher.

Hanna

One day we were walking back to our hotel and we waved to this little boy on the other side of the road, his sister was they’re holding his hand.  She called out to us and asked us if we would like to have “a walk around her village”.  To say it was beautiful was an understatement.  I can’t get over the friendliness, trust and innocence of the Samoan people.  At school it was exactly the same  - each day during “interval”, the students would come up to us and give us their food to eat, and would just want to have a little conversation with the little English that they did know or even just stare.

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Interview with Emily – the Teaching experience in Samoa

1. Why did you decide to go on the overseas prac trip to Samoa?

It was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.  I love travelling and think that the best travel plans are the ones where you work or live in a place.  That way you avoid the tourist roads and when you get off the beaten track you are guided by friends and locals not tour guides.  I am also a distant relative of Robert Louis Stevenson who loved, lived and died I Samoa.  I read a lot before I left and it sounded like a wonderful country.

2. What was the experience like?

It was remarkable.  The culture and lifestyle is so different.  Everything seems a little more relaxed.  Was that just because I was on holiday?  I don’t think so.  The Samoan people are warm and friendly.  The will stop for a chat in the street and when some of them learnt we were teachers they opened up their homes to us and invited us over for food and Valima. 

Teaching was a challenge but it was also a fantastic experience.  The school I was at was nothing like I have experienced in Australia.  They had a curriculum but it was only vaguely followed.  The students learn by rote and just repeat what ever is said to them.

3. What was it like teaching students with very little English, did you employ any new techniques?

Language was a barrier and I used a lot of art, drama and music in my lessons. Teaching the students songs and showing them the actions was a great way to introduce new vocabulary.  The Samoans are great singers and I’ve never heard “Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree’ sung with such passion and gusto.

4. Besides language what were the major challenges?

Although my lessons were all very creative I found it difficult to get the students to express themselves.  I think they are so used to being told the answer, learning the answer and then asking the question.  In my past pracs I have used creative thought and imagination as a springboard for so many of my lessons and links with other content. Aussie kids seem to eat it up with a spoon and respond well producing great work and ideas.  The Samoans took a bit of persuading but once they realised that it was up to them to contribute ideas and inspiration they loved the lessons.

5. How did you grow as a teacher through this experience, would you recommend the trip to other students?

How did I grow…. We I grew to love Samoa.  I grew to understand that I could have lessons that are complete failures and still laugh and still want to teach.  I have also further appreciated my peers.  Two heads are better than one and several heads made this prac much more enjoyable and contributed to the positive time I had.  When you are stuck for ideas and don’t want to hear the kookaburra song one more time they can help you develop new ideas.  They support you when the sky is falling and offer you a ladder when you fall out of the tree. 

6. How many students were part of your trip, and did you form greater friendships?

In total there were 21 UTS students on this trip.  Because I went one week early with two friends we did form a great friendship.  They are fun, empowering wonderful people who made my trip such a charm.  But all the students who went were great.  I got to know people whom I had never met.  I grew closer to friends that I already had.  When you rely on people to be your family and friends for a month you cant help but become close.   We’ll always have Samoa.  

7. What tourism things did you enjoy in Samoa outside of teaching?

Samoa is not a large island so we had plenty of opportunities to explore.  We discovered a place called Virgin Cove with is like Eden.  No electricity, fales on the beach, beautiful food and lovely staff.  It was like every postcard and I never wanted to leave.  Samoa also has beautiful natural attraction.  Magnificent waterfalls with clear cool water to swim in, fertile lava fields that sprout trees and flowers, tiny islands that you can walk around in a couple of hours then go for a snorkel to cool down.  The beaches and the waters edge in Samoa is aqua blue and the green that covers the islands is lush and rich. 

We were there during the Teuila  festival so we went to Miss Tutti Fruity and Miss Samoa.  Both were beauty pageants but Miss Tutti Fruity came with a twist and was by far the best show in town.  We also watched an incredible fire twirling competition and were invited to so many umus that I still crave the taro and coconut cream that is Palasami. 

Samoa is a truly wonderful place and my prac was one of the best experiences I have had not only as a teacher but also as a citizen of the world.   

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Katie finds her long lost family

Michelle, Emily and myself Katie arrived in Samoa a week earlier than the rest of the uni group. Not only did we get to experience the biggest festival of the Samoan year- the Teuila Festival but we also had time to discover my extended family! That's right, it was quite unexpected, although I did know my great-grandfather was born in Apia and was half German, half Samoan and his last name Thomson. I asked a few people about the name and if they knew any relatives, after the first week the three of us were partying at a fale (traditional Samoan house) after the "Miss Teuila Pageant" when a guy named Jason said he might be able to help me with my search. I proceeded to tell him that my great-grandfather, George Thomson was from Apia that he had come to Australia in 1912 and his older brother Herman had stayed in Apia. He looked at me shocked and said "WOW! If what you are saying is true..you are my cousin!"

 The party continued and the next night there was a phone call from Jason who was sitting up at the family home at a reunion. He had just told them all about meeting me and he said "They know exactly who you are and there will be a car around to pick you up shortly". Next thing we knew the three of us were whisked away to a house just outside of Apia where there was a party being held. We were all nervous and did not have a clue about what to expect. As the door opened people were coming up to see us and organising chairs and drinks, the questions were flying as everyone wanted to know the connection. As I explained their faces changed from curious to excited to joyous. They pulled out photos and asked if I knew whom they were of, I told them that were my great grandfather as they were the same photos my pop had at his house! It was really all too much to take in as they told me I had so much to learn now that I had found my family. These were all Herman's descendants.

They were introducing me to all the kids as 'Aunty' and apparently everyone else at the party were my new cousins, aunts and uncles. The most interesting and helpful of my newfound cousins was Francis (also know as Su'a, the chiefly title he holds in our family and in the village) who was a wealth of information about the family in Samoa and about the Thomsen family around the world. He has the responsibility of maintaining the family tree/genealogy lines- written, verbal and via the Thomsen website. It was amazing to meet people who knew so much about their family and knew exactly how I fitted into the scheme of it. In fact we were actually sitting in the house my great grandfather was born and grew up in! Francis said only I could ask my friends Michelle and Emily if they wanted to go inside to eat because this was my house and he could not 'go above my head'. WOW!!

For the next three weeks, along with teaching, I had the privilege of getting to know my Samoan family. They went out of their way and insisted we meet as much as the family as possible. We drove around the island on many occasions visiting family and seeing the sights. A highlight would have to be the extraordinary party the family held for me and 22 of my university mates at Francis' house. A lot of the extended family came, including 80 year old uncle Lome who had cooked the umu (traditional oven made with hot coals, used to cook pig, taro etc) all day long on the other side of the island and then had it transported up to us. There was an abundance of traditional food including palusami(coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves-yum), taro, sashimi, mussels, sushi, breadfruit even coconuts to drink. Being a Samoan party there was plenty to go around twice over including the free flowing Valima, the local beer. Francis even organised a fantastic DJ to play for us all night, quietening for 15 mins during village prayer time.

A speech was given by great uncle Eddie who said they were all so happy to have met us and felt blessed to have our uni group express such an interest in Samoa, its culture and the education of its children. (There was also a mention of their prayers being answered as the 'missing link' had made contact from Australia- but let's be modest:)) It was a truly magical if not, surreal experience that I am so glad I could share with such wonderful people.

I did not know I was missing part of my family until I went to Samoa but now I feel more complete. Not only did I feel the love and warmth of the Samoans, I believe it becomes a part of you. The 22 of us who travelled to Samoa left feeling that we were family too.

Katie