Derek “Tele” Marshall is the volunteer I stayed with during my visit to Savaii. Tele is his Samoan name. Derek is finishing his Peace Corps stay at the end of this August. He has a good command of Samoan as he moves among the villagers. He is staying with a family who adore him and whom he also adores. He is a humble, quiet person.
One of Derek’s projects was to completely construct and furnish a lab consisting of 25
used computers from New Zealand in his village’s high school. He along with principle raised over $7,000 from local villages by holding tausalas (dances where you pay). This is a remarkable task on a large scale requiring tremendous skill in local customs.
He is the model of a volunteer I would like to be. He deserves more than I can write on this blog.
Derek "Tele" with his Samoan "brother" who was born during his stay.
Computer Lab Derek helped create.
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