So, after 60 days, 30 books, 55 alcohol free days (if I'm meant to have one AFD a week then I've saved up a years worth), 55 make-up free days (and you thought I couldn't go without my red lippy), I'm home.
In typical PNG fashion the plane from Mt Hagen to Port Morseby was over an hour late and had been downgraded to a Dash 8......with propellers!! I had dinner in Port Morseby with friends of Judy's so it was a nice farewell to PNG.
It's been an interesting and worthwhile experience and I've met some wonderful people and made some new friends. PNG has a lot to do and I hope that they can get their act together because its a beautiful country.
My photos have finally been uploaded so you can now see where I've been and what I've been doing!!! Click on the link www.flickr.com/photos/karyns
Sunday 5 August 2007
Thursday 26 July 2007
A few photos
Today I have come to Kudjip, about 20 mins from the college, to stay with an American couple. Karen and Ray are here for 2 years volunteering at the Nazerene Church Hospital. They have satellite broadband which is why I've been able to upload some photos at last!!!
Typical home
Mt Hagen
Samuel (librarian) and I
Library
Sameul and I in the Library (I'm wearing a merri blouse which Lero, who works in the office, gave me)
College Grounds
Roadside Market
Mt Hagen
Typical home
Mt Hagen
Samuel (librarian) and I
Library
Sameul and I in the Library (I'm wearing a merri blouse which Lero, who works in the office, gave me)
College Grounds
Roadside Market
Mt Hagen
Tuesday 24 July 2007
It's nearly over!!
Standing outside the Mt Hagen market,wearing my Merri blouse and carrying my PNG umbrella to keep the sun off my face!!
This week we’ve had trouble with the phones, both mobile and landline so I’ve been totally out of range and unable to email. I’m in town today so I’m able to use the internet café.
Only another week and I’ll be on my way home. Not before time I might add…....as a consequence of only having only one TV channel I’ve inadvertently become addicted to McLeod’s Daughters!!
Last Friday I sat in on a meeting between the College Board and the Office of Higher Education. The college has introduced teacher training to its curriculum this year and are now seeking accreditation. It was very interesting and fortuitously the work Samuel and I are doing in the library ties in very nicely with the prerequisites the college needs to fulfill to attain their goal things like continuous improvement, quality management, documented policies, etc.etc. (sound familiar Bayside Library?)
PNG would have virtually no schools teachers or nurses if it weren’t for the missionaries and church schools. This is a fact the government readily understands and higher education facilities are developed by forming partnerships between the government and the church schools.
Election # 4
The saga continues looks like they’ll now finish counting by the end of this week and announce the final results on July 30. Along the way fights have broken out when seats have been declared and when the final results are announced we can expect some more. Last week in town there was a huge funeral procession, 100s of people painted yellow and piled onto the back of trucks to attend the funeral of a tribal leader who had been killed during the election hoo haa.
Tuesday 17 July 2007
Election and other news
Voting has finished and counting has commenced. It will be another week or so before the final outcomes are known. The army is guarding the counting centres and police have been brought in from other provinces to assist (local police are sent to other areas to help circumvent bribery and wantok*). This week there have been several arrests of people trying to steal ballot boxes and a couple of people have been killed, lots of guns and rifles have been confiscated. Some candidates and their supporters tried to stop the electoral commission from taking the ballot boxes to the counting centre but that has now been sorted.
In Hagen last Friday police recovered two stolen ballot boxes and an AK47 and an SLR (both rifles I believe) at a roadblock……..it’s all fun and games at election time!!
The next round of tribal fighting may break out when the results are announced in a week or so. I may be sent off to stay in the hotel once again, behind the barbed wire and the guard dogs.
I only have two weeks of my assignment to complete and the time has passed quickly. I feel that I’ve achieved quite a lot in the library. I’ve also spent a lot of time on my own and consequently I’ve read a lot of books, (22 at last count). I’ve also read the past 6 months of the weekend Australian cover to cover and I’m now so overwhelmed with different perspectives on current events that I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to express a strong opinion one way or the other on a political subject ever again. I hear many of you laughing as I say this!!!!
Thanks to those who have posted a comment back to me, it’s been great to get your responses. (If you want to leave a comment: At the end of this posting you will see the word comment. Click on this and it will take you to a box where you can type in a reply).
* Wantok – one who speaks the same language, one who is of the same tribe, friend or neighbour.
In Hagen last Friday police recovered two stolen ballot boxes and an AK47 and an SLR (both rifles I believe) at a roadblock……..it’s all fun and games at election time!!
The next round of tribal fighting may break out when the results are announced in a week or so. I may be sent off to stay in the hotel once again, behind the barbed wire and the guard dogs.
I only have two weeks of my assignment to complete and the time has passed quickly. I feel that I’ve achieved quite a lot in the library. I’ve also spent a lot of time on my own and consequently I’ve read a lot of books, (22 at last count). I’ve also read the past 6 months of the weekend Australian cover to cover and I’m now so overwhelmed with different perspectives on current events that I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to express a strong opinion one way or the other on a political subject ever again. I hear many of you laughing as I say this!!!!
Thanks to those who have posted a comment back to me, it’s been great to get your responses. (If you want to leave a comment: At the end of this posting you will see the word comment. Click on this and it will take you to a box where you can type in a reply).
* Wantok – one who speaks the same language, one who is of the same tribe, friend or neighbour.
Thursday 5 July 2007
Work
I suppose I should update you on how my work is going in the library at the college.
Samuel has picked up Dewey very quickly and seems to like organising things which I think will help him to be a good librarian. We are working on a collection management plan and we are going to start weeding the collection. I think 12 dictionaries in the reference section is slightly over doing it and the computer section has books on Lotus 123, wordstar and word perfect...does anyone remember what these were about?
We have made signs and we are working on a guide to the library brochure to help students and teachers find things.
We are also working on the access database to add subject headings to the records and investigating the best options for a library management system.
So, all in all, its going very well and everyone here seems to be happy with the work we are doing.
Samuel has picked up Dewey very quickly and seems to like organising things which I think will help him to be a good librarian. We are working on a collection management plan and we are going to start weeding the collection. I think 12 dictionaries in the reference section is slightly over doing it and the computer section has books on Lotus 123, wordstar and word perfect...does anyone remember what these were about?
We have made signs and we are working on a guide to the library brochure to help students and teachers find things.
We are also working on the access database to add subject headings to the records and investigating the best options for a library management system.
So, all in all, its going very well and everyone here seems to be happy with the work we are doing.
Elections # 2
The polling begins tomorrow and today I have been moved to a hotel/resort in Hagen. This is just in case there is any tribal problems during and straight after the polling. So I'm staying here till Tuesday when hopefully everything will quieten down...that is until they announce the results and then there might be more fighting!!
We passed several truck loads of soldiers on the way into town today, they were heading for the polling stations in the province to guard the election booths.
Last week there were big election rallies here in Hagen. Its a very big deal for the tribes and they come to town dressed up in tribal costumes, feathers, painted faces etc. etc. Unfortunately I couldn't get close enough to take photos.
P.S. After 28 Alcohol free days I have had a glass of wine today. Yay!!!!!
We passed several truck loads of soldiers on the way into town today, they were heading for the polling stations in the province to guard the election booths.
Last week there were big election rallies here in Hagen. Its a very big deal for the tribes and they come to town dressed up in tribal costumes, feathers, painted faces etc. etc. Unfortunately I couldn't get close enough to take photos.
P.S. After 28 Alcohol free days I have had a glass of wine today. Yay!!!!!
Monday 2 July 2007
Update # 3
Travels
Last week I went on a trip to visit another college in Banz which is about an hours drive. The roads are not well maintained so it ended up being a very bumpy and slow ride.
Along the way I saw some beautiful countryside, roadside markets and pigs. The countryside is very green and lush and the recent rains have helped to make it even more so.
Pigs
Pigs are very popular here and the economy runs on them. They trade them use them as dowries and eat them for major celebrations. The pigs run free so you can see them along the road snuffling in the grass and mud. They apparently wander home when its dinner time.
Rain
Last week everyone was getting a bit worried that it hadn’t rained for four weeks and then we had a downpour, and when it rains, it rains cats and dogs (so to speak). Everyone is happy now and has been out planting to take advantage of it.
When plastic bags run amok
Litter is a huge problem in the town and along the road. All along the roadside rubbish, including vehicles has been dumped. The city is even worse where pink and white plastic bags blow around and get caught up everywhere. They hang from posts and shrubs making the most bizarre floral display!
Last week I went on a trip to visit another college in Banz which is about an hours drive. The roads are not well maintained so it ended up being a very bumpy and slow ride.
Along the way I saw some beautiful countryside, roadside markets and pigs. The countryside is very green and lush and the recent rains have helped to make it even more so.
Pigs
Pigs are very popular here and the economy runs on them. They trade them use them as dowries and eat them for major celebrations. The pigs run free so you can see them along the road snuffling in the grass and mud. They apparently wander home when its dinner time.
Rain
Last week everyone was getting a bit worried that it hadn’t rained for four weeks and then we had a downpour, and when it rains, it rains cats and dogs (so to speak). Everyone is happy now and has been out planting to take advantage of it.
When plastic bags run amok
Litter is a huge problem in the town and along the road. All along the roadside rubbish, including vehicles has been dumped. The city is even worse where pink and white plastic bags blow around and get caught up everywhere. They hang from posts and shrubs making the most bizarre floral display!
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