2025 Peace Corp Week: UH Hilo geography alumnus Chris Wung shares his current Peace Corp assignment in Tonga
In celebration of 2025 Peace Corps Week, UH Hilo alum Chris Wung shares his story about teaching (and eating!) in the Kingdom of Tonga. “My favorite Tongan food item here is the lū, which is almost identical to laulau!”
By Susan Enright.
We wrap up our series for 2025 Peace Corp Week with a story about Hilo-born and raised Christopher Wung, a geography alumnus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, currently a Peace Corps volunteer in Tonga.
Wung started his higher education journey at Seattle University and transferred to UH Hilo in the spring of 2017. He graduated in 2019 with a bachelor of arts in geography on the environmental studies track. He received his master of science in environmental education from Slippery Rock University in 2023.
“I decided to join the Peace Corps because I was inspired by several staff and faculty throughout my time at UH Hilo who all shared their own experiences with the Peace Corps,” says Wung. “I eventually decided to apply after I had been working at UH Hilo as a (housing) staff member myself. Overall, it felt really great to receive encouragement from my colleagues and friends to pursue this dream I have had for several years.”
Wung’s current Peace Corp assignment is to the major island group of Haʻapai, where he teaches English classes to all levels of primary school students.
“In my free time, I also assist with, and implement, environmental initiatives with the larger community and school I volunteer at,” he says.
Wung is in awe of the the generosity of the Tongan people.
“The act of sharing, especially food, is so ingrained within the Tongan culture, that it is purely second nature,” he says. “I feel very fortunate to have been taken care of by my neighbors and fellow community members who have shared food and invited me to join in on grand feasts.”
“As someone from Hawaiʻi, I would say that my favorite Tongan food item here is the lū, which is almost identical to laulau!” he says in an email. “Additionally, I consider myself very lucky to be able to eat food that is so similar to traditional Hawaiian food, that of which I consider a treat I could only really indulge in at restaurants, and Merrie Monarch!”
While Wung plans to stay on his Peace Corps assignment for at least the next year and a half, fulfilling his 27-month commitment in the Kingdom of Tonga, he has a good idea where this adventure will lead him.
“Post-Peace Corps service, I would like to continue my journey pursuing initiatives relating to environmental education,” he says.
Story by Susan Enright, a public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories.
Mahalo to Carolina Lam, UH Hilo director of global education, for producing this story.
