Times, they are a-changin'
After my first couple of trips to PNG, a few people asked whether or not people rode motorbikes (like in SE Asia). After chuckling, with the slightest hint of condescension, I said no, it’s too dangerous. Besides the roads being of poor quality, the threat of being attacked or ‘bike-jacked’ would be too great.
However, in the past 10 months since arriving in Port Moresby, there has been a change. Little by little I am seeing more and more motorbikes on the roads. At first, it was the odd police motorbike. Then on one occasion, a group of expat guys arrived at the coffee shop I was at on their road-registered trail bikes. It struck me as odd, but figured that they must have felt there was safety in numbers.
And now I see at least two to three motorbikes everyday on the roads around Port Moresby. There’s the Dad that I see each morning taking his child to school on a bike near Boroko (wearing a bicycle helmet and thongs – I’m not even going there). There’s the middle-aged expat I saw yesterday riding some kind of cruiser that was nicely polished up. Not to mention the random nationals that I see around the place riding their bikes around town, too.
There really seems to be a change of atmosphere going on in POM, and the emergence of motorcyclists is just one of a number of minor observations that I’ve been making around town. I'm also seeing more and more expats walking freely on the streets. I’m not sure if this change is due to the recent Pacific Games, or what it is. However, it’s certainly refreshing to see more people (including expats) feeling much more comfortable and secure in what is generally considered an unpredictable environment.
Showing posts with label PNG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PNG. Show all posts
Wednesday, 5 August 2015
Monday, 20 April 2015
What a difference a few weeks make.....
So, where were we?
I think last post I was talking about living at the Holiday Inn. Well, we've just moved out to a 2br villa out near the airport and are very happy. The sweetener was that we didn't have to pay a bond - awesome.
The downside is that we now have to pay for internet, electricity and gym fees (just like everyone else, really). And the commute to and from work/school is a bit further. However, where we are living is like a little village. We have a private courtyard, there's space for Matt and I to run, the kids can go exploring or bike riding. We've got a little IGA within the grounds, nice cafes and restaurants too. Matt commented to me yesterday that it feels more like a 'home'.
My biggest love of our new place is that we have an oven! Yes, an oven! At the Holiday Inn we only had a tiny microwave/convection oven/grill thingy that didn't perform any of those functions particularly well, and couldn't fit any cookware in it either.
Tonight, the kids are excited that we can make homemade pizzas because we can now fit them in the oven! Woot Woot! I even have a great paleo pizza base recipe that Matt loves, and allows him to eat 'pizza' with us.
It's the little things that make a big difference up here.
The most important and exciting news is that Mum is arriving today! I'm so excited to show her where we live. I'm heading off shortly to pick her up from the airport. Yay!
I will post some pics of our new surroundings soon.
Til next time....
I think last post I was talking about living at the Holiday Inn. Well, we've just moved out to a 2br villa out near the airport and are very happy. The sweetener was that we didn't have to pay a bond - awesome.
The downside is that we now have to pay for internet, electricity and gym fees (just like everyone else, really). And the commute to and from work/school is a bit further. However, where we are living is like a little village. We have a private courtyard, there's space for Matt and I to run, the kids can go exploring or bike riding. We've got a little IGA within the grounds, nice cafes and restaurants too. Matt commented to me yesterday that it feels more like a 'home'.
My biggest love of our new place is that we have an oven! Yes, an oven! At the Holiday Inn we only had a tiny microwave/convection oven/grill thingy that didn't perform any of those functions particularly well, and couldn't fit any cookware in it either.
Tonight, the kids are excited that we can make homemade pizzas because we can now fit them in the oven! Woot Woot! I even have a great paleo pizza base recipe that Matt loves, and allows him to eat 'pizza' with us.
It's the little things that make a big difference up here.
The most important and exciting news is that Mum is arriving today! I'm so excited to show her where we live. I'm heading off shortly to pick her up from the airport. Yay!
I will post some pics of our new surroundings soon.
Til next time....
Wednesday, 1 April 2015
We've hit the half-way point....
Today marks exactly 6 months since we arrived, and 6 months
until we come home.
It feels like we’ve been here for a lifetime, and I mean
that in a good way. While some of my family may not agree, this has been an
amazing 6 months, and something that I never thought would ever be a
possibility.
Whether we come home or not in 183 days remains to be seen.
There have already been discussions about the likelihood of a
contract extension being offered. I’d love to stay a bit longer. I have
suggested to some that the inclusion of school fees in any continuing contract
would certainly sweeten the deal. However, our final decision will lie with the
family as a whole.
Breanna has put in a request that our next overseas move
should be to Fiji or Vanuatu – I like her thinking!
Whatever we decide, I have absolutely no regrets about
embarking on this adventure to the ‘land of the unexpected’, or as I like to
call it ‘ the land of the WTF’
Til next time…….xx
Sunday, 22 March 2015
Sunday Serenity
Sorry for my rant the other day. I was feeling frustrated and torn and just needed to vent.
While our apartment might be tiny, it's still better than how many PNG nationals live. Plus, I can't put a price on the convenience of living so close to school and work. My colleagues that live in town are constantly complaining about the commute to Waigani. The traffic in Port Moresby is really bad. Between the terrible condition of the roads, dodge cars, generally poor driving skills, and lots of congestion, driving anywhere is often frustrating a slow.
As I'm sitting here by the pool, in resort style surroundings, I think that this place isn't all that bad. It's modern, clean and secure, with all the facilities that we need. Our apartment might not be spacious on the inside, but it meets most of our requirements, and it's a damn sight better accommodation than many of my colleagues have in the settlement areas.
In good news, my Mum is coming to visit next month. Yay! I can't wait to show her around. Matt is heading to Manila with some friends, so Mum will play 'house-husband' for a few days while I'm a work.
I'm going to try to climb back aboard the blogging wagon and post more regularly.
To finish, this is my view today
Til next time......
While our apartment might be tiny, it's still better than how many PNG nationals live. Plus, I can't put a price on the convenience of living so close to school and work. My colleagues that live in town are constantly complaining about the commute to Waigani. The traffic in Port Moresby is really bad. Between the terrible condition of the roads, dodge cars, generally poor driving skills, and lots of congestion, driving anywhere is often frustrating a slow.
As I'm sitting here by the pool, in resort style surroundings, I think that this place isn't all that bad. It's modern, clean and secure, with all the facilities that we need. Our apartment might not be spacious on the inside, but it meets most of our requirements, and it's a damn sight better accommodation than many of my colleagues have in the settlement areas.
In good news, my Mum is coming to visit next month. Yay! I can't wait to show her around. Matt is heading to Manila with some friends, so Mum will play 'house-husband' for a few days while I'm a work.
I'm going to try to climb back aboard the blogging wagon and post more regularly.
To finish, this is my view today
Til next time......
Monday, 17 November 2014
Counting down 'til Christmas
Flights are booked and we're coming home for Christmas - WooHoo!
There was a bit of conjecture initially as to whether I could fly home without losing my tax-free status. However, I've now confirmed that I will still meet the 91-day foreign engagement obligations, so I can go!
We've been here now for 6 and a half weeks, and it feels normal to be here. Matt flew back to Australia last weekend and said it felt weird. He couldn't believe how good the service was at hotels, restaurants and shops - he's obviously become too accustomed to the crappy service provided in PNG - ha ha.
We got hit up for our first 'scam' on Saturday, but it was admittedly my own fault. When I picked Matt up from the airport on Sat, I parked in a spot that I didn't really think was a car park, but it was shady and there were no signs to say I couldn't park there. When we returned to the car, two of the security guards hit us up to say we couldn't park there and had to pay a 50 Kina fine. They also told me if I didn't pay then and there that they would report me to the governing body and that I'd have to pay 'big money'. While I wasn't bothered by their threat, I put them on the spot by asking them for a receipt (they obviously couldn't give me one because they were scamming me). However, because we had the kids in the car and I had actually done the wrong thing, I just paid the money. If I hadn't done the wrong thing, I would have argued the point, but it wasn't worth it. The big lesson in this was don't make yourself a target.
To finish up, here are a few more pics of life in Moresby:
Til next time........
There was a bit of conjecture initially as to whether I could fly home without losing my tax-free status. However, I've now confirmed that I will still meet the 91-day foreign engagement obligations, so I can go!
We've been here now for 6 and a half weeks, and it feels normal to be here. Matt flew back to Australia last weekend and said it felt weird. He couldn't believe how good the service was at hotels, restaurants and shops - he's obviously become too accustomed to the crappy service provided in PNG - ha ha.
We got hit up for our first 'scam' on Saturday, but it was admittedly my own fault. When I picked Matt up from the airport on Sat, I parked in a spot that I didn't really think was a car park, but it was shady and there were no signs to say I couldn't park there. When we returned to the car, two of the security guards hit us up to say we couldn't park there and had to pay a 50 Kina fine. They also told me if I didn't pay then and there that they would report me to the governing body and that I'd have to pay 'big money'. While I wasn't bothered by their threat, I put them on the spot by asking them for a receipt (they obviously couldn't give me one because they were scamming me). However, because we had the kids in the car and I had actually done the wrong thing, I just paid the money. If I hadn't done the wrong thing, I would have argued the point, but it wasn't worth it. The big lesson in this was don't make yourself a target.
To finish up, here are a few more pics of life in Moresby:
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| Miss Bree at 'March Girls' black beach |
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| iPad Style? I don't think so... |
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| Mobile phones have been instrumental in treating childbirth complications and death. See, mobiles aren't all bad |
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| My gorgeous monkeys |
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| Distance education for my Lachie Bear |
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| Best. Waffles. Ever! |
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| Matt & Bree at the Nature Park |
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| The REAL reason I love it here |
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| Hanging with our new 'besties' at the Yacht Club |
Monday, 3 November 2014
Some days you just need to vent.....
While it’s been good to write about all the interesting and fun(ny) stuff, sometimes you just need to vent to get the crappy feelings out. The last 24 hrs have left me feeling deflated and crap.
Yesterday, we went out to a ‘resort’ (I use that term loosely) for a BBQ picnic in a convoy. While it was nice to escape the city, we felt like we were stuck there because we couldn’t leave to come home on our own. We had to wait for other’s to leave with us for security. We were going to go for a swim at the beach, but after finding broken glass and empty food tins, we decided against it. PNG has a real issue with rubbish. There is no infrastructure to cater for household and other waste, so the sides of the road are just lined with garbage. Sometimes they’ll set fire to it, but the sheer amount we saw on the way to the resort was deflating. There seems to be no sense of responsibility or pride in their lands. I have always said that PNG could be so beautiful, but it’s not. It’s such a shame.
I’ve always found it amusing that the national’s like to stare at us ‘whities’, particularly the kids. But yesterday it just got to me. Yes, we’re white, get over it! It also started getting to me that being white meant that market sellers like to (a) eagerly harass you to buy their stuff; and (b) then double or triple the price of their wares. While I like to support the market sellers, it gets to me that I’m seen as a meal ticket.
Having said that, I now have a greater appreciation of what indigenous or new Australian’s must feel in a predominantly ‘white’ society.
Matt is also feeling a bit down. Especially after having to be reliant on the convoy yesterday, he’s feeling isolated and stuck. To his credit, he really has been trying by stepping out of his comfort zone and putting himself in more social situations. But being stuck in a compound, usually without a car, is getting to him.
Last night and this morning I’ve been suffering from my first tummy bug. Together with my first tropical head cold, and the power going on and off several times (making all the appliances ‘ding’) made for a crappy night’s sleep. Having no accrued sick leave yet, meant that I had to drag myself to work this morning. I knew I needed some Sudafed, but found that they don’t stock the ‘good stuff’ here (pseudoephedrine), only the crappy replacement one that doesn’t work (phenylephrine).
The silver lining of my little cloud is that I now, really REALLY truly appreciate and love Canberra and Australia. While I did have some sense of appreciation, being here has really made it clear how wonderful and lucky our life at home is.
Thankfully, tomorrow is another day.
Til next time……
Yesterday, we went out to a ‘resort’ (I use that term loosely) for a BBQ picnic in a convoy. While it was nice to escape the city, we felt like we were stuck there because we couldn’t leave to come home on our own. We had to wait for other’s to leave with us for security. We were going to go for a swim at the beach, but after finding broken glass and empty food tins, we decided against it. PNG has a real issue with rubbish. There is no infrastructure to cater for household and other waste, so the sides of the road are just lined with garbage. Sometimes they’ll set fire to it, but the sheer amount we saw on the way to the resort was deflating. There seems to be no sense of responsibility or pride in their lands. I have always said that PNG could be so beautiful, but it’s not. It’s such a shame.
I’ve always found it amusing that the national’s like to stare at us ‘whities’, particularly the kids. But yesterday it just got to me. Yes, we’re white, get over it! It also started getting to me that being white meant that market sellers like to (a) eagerly harass you to buy their stuff; and (b) then double or triple the price of their wares. While I like to support the market sellers, it gets to me that I’m seen as a meal ticket.
Having said that, I now have a greater appreciation of what indigenous or new Australian’s must feel in a predominantly ‘white’ society.
Matt is also feeling a bit down. Especially after having to be reliant on the convoy yesterday, he’s feeling isolated and stuck. To his credit, he really has been trying by stepping out of his comfort zone and putting himself in more social situations. But being stuck in a compound, usually without a car, is getting to him.
Last night and this morning I’ve been suffering from my first tummy bug. Together with my first tropical head cold, and the power going on and off several times (making all the appliances ‘ding’) made for a crappy night’s sleep. Having no accrued sick leave yet, meant that I had to drag myself to work this morning. I knew I needed some Sudafed, but found that they don’t stock the ‘good stuff’ here (pseudoephedrine), only the crappy replacement one that doesn’t work (phenylephrine).
The silver lining of my little cloud is that I now, really REALLY truly appreciate and love Canberra and Australia. While I did have some sense of appreciation, being here has really made it clear how wonderful and lucky our life at home is.
Thankfully, tomorrow is another day.
Til next time……
Wednesday, 29 October 2014
It's been 4 whole weeks!
Can you believe it? We’ve now been living and functioning in
a foreign country for 4 entire weeks, and in the world’s 3rd least liveable
city, no less!
What’s it been like? Well, it’s been exciting, terrifying, awesome, interesting, entertaining, humbling, exhausting, stressful, frustrating and amazing all at once.
There are things that I love, things that drive me nuts, and things that make me shake my head a laugh.
I also need to stop making naïve assumptions based on my Australian/First World experience. For example, I made a comment to an Aussie expat about how woeful PNG driving standards are and wondered out loud how some people were able to get their driver’s licence. He shook his head and laughed at my assumption that everyone would have a licence.
On the serious side, we’ve been advised that security incidents and robberies tend to increase here in the lead up to Christmas, so to be extra vigilant. The Port Moresby Nature Park that we visited a couple of weekends ago was held up with makeshift guns on Sunday afternoon, and two people were shot. There was also an armed robbery near the Australian High Commission compound in Town. Having said that, I am still yet to hear any gunshots myself. One of my other colleagues said she hears them from her compound almost every night. There have also been reports of a few riots and political uprisings around the provinces, namely Lae, Mt Hagen and Oro. However, there hasn’t appeared to be any of those in Port Moresby since we’ve been here (touch-wood).
To finish off, we had an awesome weekend last weekend. Saturday was a jam packed day. In the morning we set off to the Ela Beach Markets to check out what they had and to watch a ‘sing-sing’. Afterwards we went and did the grocery shopping then headed to the International Food Day at Bree’s school. Many families brought food from their homelands to share, and it was amazing. It was a great experience to be at an international school, eating homemade international cuisine, surrounded by people from all corners of the globe. After our busy Sat, Sunday was a nice leisurely day, just hanging out and swimming at the pool. Our whole weekend reminded me that these experiences are the reason I took the job and brought the family with me.
I was going to post some more pics, but I'll be here all day waiting for them to upload. I'll try again later.
Finally, is anyone reading this blog? If so, please leave a comment so I know who you are.
Till next time....
What’s it been like? Well, it’s been exciting, terrifying, awesome, interesting, entertaining, humbling, exhausting, stressful, frustrating and amazing all at once.
There are things that I love, things that drive me nuts, and things that make me shake my head a laugh.
I also need to stop making naïve assumptions based on my Australian/First World experience. For example, I made a comment to an Aussie expat about how woeful PNG driving standards are and wondered out loud how some people were able to get their driver’s licence. He shook his head and laughed at my assumption that everyone would have a licence.
On the serious side, we’ve been advised that security incidents and robberies tend to increase here in the lead up to Christmas, so to be extra vigilant. The Port Moresby Nature Park that we visited a couple of weekends ago was held up with makeshift guns on Sunday afternoon, and two people were shot. There was also an armed robbery near the Australian High Commission compound in Town. Having said that, I am still yet to hear any gunshots myself. One of my other colleagues said she hears them from her compound almost every night. There have also been reports of a few riots and political uprisings around the provinces, namely Lae, Mt Hagen and Oro. However, there hasn’t appeared to be any of those in Port Moresby since we’ve been here (touch-wood).
To finish off, we had an awesome weekend last weekend. Saturday was a jam packed day. In the morning we set off to the Ela Beach Markets to check out what they had and to watch a ‘sing-sing’. Afterwards we went and did the grocery shopping then headed to the International Food Day at Bree’s school. Many families brought food from their homelands to share, and it was amazing. It was a great experience to be at an international school, eating homemade international cuisine, surrounded by people from all corners of the globe. After our busy Sat, Sunday was a nice leisurely day, just hanging out and swimming at the pool. Our whole weekend reminded me that these experiences are the reason I took the job and brought the family with me.
I was going to post some more pics, but I'll be here all day waiting for them to upload. I'll try again later.
Finally, is anyone reading this blog? If so, please leave a comment so I know who you are.
Till next time....
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| Gorgeous dancers from Bougainville |
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| My boys enjoying the international food |
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| International Food Day |
Saturday, 18 October 2014
Finally, some pics to share...
Today has been a fabulous day. The sun was shining, and we had a great family day together. Things are really starting to feel normal, and today was the first day that I didn't wake up feeling nauseous - it was such a relief.
So, as promised, here are some pics that I took today.
First up, here are some pics that I took from our balcony, this morning:
Til next time........
So, as promised, here are some pics that I took today.
First up, here are some pics that I took from our balcony, this morning:
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| The grey roofed building is the other side of the complex. In between is the pool. In the bottom left, you can see the craft markets set up |
On the 3rd Sat of each month, there are craft markets in our compound:
We were really surprised to spot this awesome car out the front of our apartment building this morning. Given that car-jackings are a real threat, I would be pretty nervous driving this baby around town...
Our new favourite coffee shop is called Duffy's. Its just down the road from Bree's school. From the front, it doesn't look like much. However, once you pass through the security gates, it's like a little piece of civilised heaven (and their coffee is the best in town).
They also make awesome crepes
Grocery shopping is always an adventure - you never know what random stuff you'll find. Today we found scented tealights from IKEA - can't get those in Canberra (yet).
And while groceries are expensive, they're not as expensive as we had anticipated - except for fresh milk. That stuff is ridiculously expensive compared to home. Most people (and us) just buy UHT milk (K4.95 for Devondale - about $2.30). However, once our coffee machine arrives, we've decided to treat ourselves to fresh milk once a week. You can see the milk below is K23.95 - that's about AUD$11.00 - for 2 litres!
Friday, 17 October 2014
Another week down......
....and things are starting to feel 'normal'. I'm beginning to feel more at ease and settled here.
Last post I talked about my hideous driver's licence photo. Well, Matt had his done, and while it's not as bad as mine, it was still pretty terrible. I don't know why, but they made both of us tuck our chins in, and the results were not attractive - LOL!
On Sunday, Bree & Lachie were hit with a tummy bug and were really unwell. Lachie was sick again on Tuesday, and they've both been a bit washed out from it. Then Matt came down with something similar last night. I'm still trying to work out how a grown man can moan and complain more than his kids did when they were sick together!
On Wednesday, we visited Duffy's, which is supposed to be the best coffee shop in town. I have to say we were pretty impressed. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but once you pass through the gates, it's like a little oasis. Coffee was good and strong. It's more expensive than anywhere else for coffee, but it was worth it. We're planning to go again on the weekend, and hopefully it will be our replacement café for our usual Saturday family cuppa.
I finally got to open a local bank account on Tuesday, but it will be another fortnight before I get my card. Until then, we're still having to pay a fortune in overseas transaction fees using our Australian Cards.
Tomorrow we're planning on going to the Holiday Inn craft markets. I'm hoping to get myself a good sized billum to use as a cross-body handbag.
I promise to upload some pics soon.
Til next time.......
Last post I talked about my hideous driver's licence photo. Well, Matt had his done, and while it's not as bad as mine, it was still pretty terrible. I don't know why, but they made both of us tuck our chins in, and the results were not attractive - LOL!
On Sunday, Bree & Lachie were hit with a tummy bug and were really unwell. Lachie was sick again on Tuesday, and they've both been a bit washed out from it. Then Matt came down with something similar last night. I'm still trying to work out how a grown man can moan and complain more than his kids did when they were sick together!
On Wednesday, we visited Duffy's, which is supposed to be the best coffee shop in town. I have to say we were pretty impressed. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but once you pass through the gates, it's like a little oasis. Coffee was good and strong. It's more expensive than anywhere else for coffee, but it was worth it. We're planning to go again on the weekend, and hopefully it will be our replacement café for our usual Saturday family cuppa.
I finally got to open a local bank account on Tuesday, but it will be another fortnight before I get my card. Until then, we're still having to pay a fortune in overseas transaction fees using our Australian Cards.
Tomorrow we're planning on going to the Holiday Inn craft markets. I'm hoping to get myself a good sized billum to use as a cross-body handbag.
I promise to upload some pics soon.
Til next time.......
Thursday, 9 October 2014
First week recap
We've survived our first week in Port Moresby - yay!
To say I've been on an emotional roller coaster is the understatement of the year. However, the nagging doubts are slowly fading and life is getting easier.
Bree is so happy with her school that she thanked me for bringing her PNG. That has eased my concerns quite a lot. Matt & Lachie are developing a good routine with Lachie's distance education program. We should receive a parcel in the next week or so with work and reading books for him to use. Having said that, Lachie's missing his best buddy from home. Hopefully we can schedule a Skype call for them in the next couple of days.
On Tuesday I finally got my PNG driver's licence. OMG, it took over two hours and the photo is absolutely hideous. The photographer kept telling me to put my chin down, which made my double chin squish out, and because of that I had to almost look upwards, so my eyes look deranged. The best way to describe it is I looked like the alien guy from Men in Black that wore the people's skin.
We've also been making use if the wonders of iMessage. It's enabling us to text home without the international charges - sweet!
To say I've been on an emotional roller coaster is the understatement of the year. However, the nagging doubts are slowly fading and life is getting easier.
Bree is so happy with her school that she thanked me for bringing her PNG. That has eased my concerns quite a lot. Matt & Lachie are developing a good routine with Lachie's distance education program. We should receive a parcel in the next week or so with work and reading books for him to use. Having said that, Lachie's missing his best buddy from home. Hopefully we can schedule a Skype call for them in the next couple of days.
On Tuesday I finally got my PNG driver's licence. OMG, it took over two hours and the photo is absolutely hideous. The photographer kept telling me to put my chin down, which made my double chin squish out, and because of that I had to almost look upwards, so my eyes look deranged. The best way to describe it is I looked like the alien guy from Men in Black that wore the people's skin.
We've also been making use if the wonders of iMessage. It's enabling us to text home without the international charges - sweet!
Friday, 3 October 2014
So it's been nearly a month......
Oops. I've well and truly fallen off the blogging bandwagon. My excuse is that the past month has been crazy, which it has.
The biggest news is that we're in Port Moresby (finally).
It felt like such a mammoth effort to get here, and after 3 days in-country, we're starting to feel some level of normality. To say we were feeling the effects of culture shock would be the understatement of the year. I was terrified that we'd made the wrong decision. Both Bree and Matt were freaking out and my protective mothering instincts were in overdrive. Adding to the stress was that our accommodation was pretty average, and my favourite uncle died on the day we arrived.
It really has been a hard week emotionally for all of us.
ON the good side, we've moved into much more suitable accommodation at the Holiday Inn in their brand new apartment building. They also provide free WiFi - sweet! I also got the keys to my car today and have managed to not only drive it, but successfully navigate my way around. We also took Bree to see her new school. The Principal was so lovely and welcoming, and the students all seemed to like her. The girls in Bree's new class all flocked to say high. They were so excited to have a new girl in their class, and a few of them know her friend from her Aussie school who lived in PNG previously.
We're still a little nervous, but the anxiety levels are dropping as time passes on.
Til next time.......
The biggest news is that we're in Port Moresby (finally).
It felt like such a mammoth effort to get here, and after 3 days in-country, we're starting to feel some level of normality. To say we were feeling the effects of culture shock would be the understatement of the year. I was terrified that we'd made the wrong decision. Both Bree and Matt were freaking out and my protective mothering instincts were in overdrive. Adding to the stress was that our accommodation was pretty average, and my favourite uncle died on the day we arrived.
It really has been a hard week emotionally for all of us.
ON the good side, we've moved into much more suitable accommodation at the Holiday Inn in their brand new apartment building. They also provide free WiFi - sweet! I also got the keys to my car today and have managed to not only drive it, but successfully navigate my way around. We also took Bree to see her new school. The Principal was so lovely and welcoming, and the students all seemed to like her. The girls in Bree's new class all flocked to say high. They were so excited to have a new girl in their class, and a few of them know her friend from her Aussie school who lived in PNG previously.
We're still a little nervous, but the anxiety levels are dropping as time passes on.
Til next time.......
Friday, 29 August 2014
Day 19: My Favourite Movie
Sorry I didn't blog yesterday. I did remember, however I wasn't feeling too well so I took a day off from blogging.
Today's topic is my favourite movie. That's easy: The Sound of Music. I love love love the Sound of Music. IT is my all time favourite. Some other faves are:
Today's topic is my favourite movie. That's easy: The Sound of Music. I love love love the Sound of Music. IT is my all time favourite. Some other faves are:
- The Wedding Singer
- Reality Bites
- The Blues Brothers
In PNG news, The highschool Bree was enrolled to attend next year will allow us to defer her enrolment rather than withdraw. We're so relieved. Today I had me employment medical, had two removal companies come to give quotes and mailed off Lachie's distance education application.
I've also started looking at rental accommodation in Port Moresby. I think we'll probably look at staying in serviced apartments initially until our container arrives, then move into our own place.
If everything goes to plan (visas etc) I'll be leaving Australia to start our adventure in 3 weeks, with Matt and the kids joining me at the end of term 3.
Things are getting exciting (and busy) So, til next time.....
Monday, 25 August 2014
Day 16: Thoughts on education (and other stuff)
Lets get the blog challenge bit done quickly so I can get to more interesting news.
My thoughts on formalised education is that I think it's vital. I don't agree with the 'un-schooling' movement that is gaining momentum, particularly in the US.
However, I can completely understand the need for different methods of delivering education. When we move to PNG, my eldest will attend international school, while my youngest will do distance education. This is because they are two completely different kids who suit two different environments. Bree thrives on social interaction with peers, and is looking forward to the opportunity to go to international school. Lachie, who is 6 years younger, if a very reserved and quiet kid and will both suit and benefit the one-on-one learning experience at home. Having said that, his education wont be a free-for-all, but will actually have the curriculumbe set out by the education department back here.
OK, so that bit's done. Now to the exciting stuff - I signed and returned my employment contract for Papua New Guinea today, woohoo. It's official. We're going!
Today was spent either working or on the phone to prospective property managers, removalists, vaccination clinics etc trying to get things in motion. And yet a small part of me feels like it's not really happening. It's quite odd.
I'm also in the process of trying to sell some furniture to reduce our storage needs, as well as trying to sell our car, Matt's motorbike and our onsite caravan at the coast. (If anyone's interested, give me a call).
Tomorrow, the kids school is having a half day teachers strike. Normally that would be annoying, but it gives me a day at home to organise more stuff. I have a prospective property manager coming over in the morning, followed by a removalist company coming to provide a quote at around lunchtime. Then a lady is coming over to purchase Lachie's loft bed from us at later in the afternoon.
We've obviously got a stack of stuff to do before we leave, and my mind is spinning with anticipation, fear and excitement.
Til next time....
My thoughts on formalised education is that I think it's vital. I don't agree with the 'un-schooling' movement that is gaining momentum, particularly in the US.
However, I can completely understand the need for different methods of delivering education. When we move to PNG, my eldest will attend international school, while my youngest will do distance education. This is because they are two completely different kids who suit two different environments. Bree thrives on social interaction with peers, and is looking forward to the opportunity to go to international school. Lachie, who is 6 years younger, if a very reserved and quiet kid and will both suit and benefit the one-on-one learning experience at home. Having said that, his education wont be a free-for-all, but will actually have the curriculumbe set out by the education department back here.
OK, so that bit's done. Now to the exciting stuff - I signed and returned my employment contract for Papua New Guinea today, woohoo. It's official. We're going!
Today was spent either working or on the phone to prospective property managers, removalists, vaccination clinics etc trying to get things in motion. And yet a small part of me feels like it's not really happening. It's quite odd.
I'm also in the process of trying to sell some furniture to reduce our storage needs, as well as trying to sell our car, Matt's motorbike and our onsite caravan at the coast. (If anyone's interested, give me a call).
Tomorrow, the kids school is having a half day teachers strike. Normally that would be annoying, but it gives me a day at home to organise more stuff. I have a prospective property manager coming over in the morning, followed by a removalist company coming to provide a quote at around lunchtime. Then a lady is coming over to purchase Lachie's loft bed from us at later in the afternoon.
We've obviously got a stack of stuff to do before we leave, and my mind is spinning with anticipation, fear and excitement.
Til next time....
Sunday, 24 August 2014
Day 15: Where will I be in 5 years?
Ooh, I like today's blog challenge topic. This is a good one, especially as my career has taken such a different direction in just the last couple of months.
Before my recent change of events, I would have envisaged myself probably plodding along the path of life. However, with the decision to move overseas now been made, a whole new world of opportunity has opened up. So who knows what the future holds?
In 5yrs time, Lachie will be in his second last year of primary school, and Bree will be in her final year of highschool and preparing for university.
Matt and I will be in our 40's and will hopefully have travelled far and wide. Maybe after being a 'kept-man' during our deployment to PNG, Matt will score himself a lucrative employment contract that will allow me to be the stay-at-home parent in a tropical location ;)
Speaking of PNG, my contract is signed and ready to be scanned and emailed through tomorrow! This is going to be HUGE!
Til next time......
Before my recent change of events, I would have envisaged myself probably plodding along the path of life. However, with the decision to move overseas now been made, a whole new world of opportunity has opened up. So who knows what the future holds?
In 5yrs time, Lachie will be in his second last year of primary school, and Bree will be in her final year of highschool and preparing for university.
Matt and I will be in our 40's and will hopefully have travelled far and wide. Maybe after being a 'kept-man' during our deployment to PNG, Matt will score himself a lucrative employment contract that will allow me to be the stay-at-home parent in a tropical location ;)
Speaking of PNG, my contract is signed and ready to be scanned and emailed through tomorrow! This is going to be HUGE!
Til next time......
Friday, 22 August 2014
Day 13: What's in my Fridge + The contract is (finally) in!
Just in case I didn't mention it earlier, I've never been any good at keeping a diary ;)
But the most important thing is: I'M BACK!
Before we delve into the not-so-interesting contents of my fridge, I thought I'd give a recap on what's been happening in our world.
I fell off the blogging wagon on Wednesday, as Bree performed in her first ever Wakakirri on Wednesday night. For those of you wondering, Wakakirri is very similar to the old Rock Eisteddfod's that we used to do, but it's also open to primary schools. Anyway, Bree was so excited, and she had a ball. Her school's performance was awesome. We were so proud.
I finally got my employment contract for PNG yesterday, and I start my new role in 4 weeks. So much to do and so little time! We are so excited about our adventure.
So, back onto today's blog challenge. What's in my fridge? Hmm, does anyone really care? I'm pretty sure no one does, so I'm just going to say food - fresh food, left-over food, the usual condiments and a few drinkable items (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
So there you go. I'm back on board the blogging wagon and I hope you've all enjoyed the posts so fat, and continue to enjoy the upcoming posts about our adventures in Papua New Guinea.
Til next time........
But the most important thing is: I'M BACK!
Before we delve into the not-so-interesting contents of my fridge, I thought I'd give a recap on what's been happening in our world.
I fell off the blogging wagon on Wednesday, as Bree performed in her first ever Wakakirri on Wednesday night. For those of you wondering, Wakakirri is very similar to the old Rock Eisteddfod's that we used to do, but it's also open to primary schools. Anyway, Bree was so excited, and she had a ball. Her school's performance was awesome. We were so proud.
I finally got my employment contract for PNG yesterday, and I start my new role in 4 weeks. So much to do and so little time! We are so excited about our adventure.
So, back onto today's blog challenge. What's in my fridge? Hmm, does anyone really care? I'm pretty sure no one does, so I'm just going to say food - fresh food, left-over food, the usual condiments and a few drinkable items (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
So there you go. I'm back on board the blogging wagon and I hope you've all enjoyed the posts so fat, and continue to enjoy the upcoming posts about our adventures in Papua New Guinea.
Til next time........
Monday, 18 August 2014
Day 11: My 10 favourite foods
Food, glorious food! Sometimes I love it a little too much. Today's challenge is my 10 favourite foods, so lets get started.
- Cheese. Any kind of cheese, hard, soft, melted and gooey. I love it all!
- Cheesecake :)
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Bree's San Choi Bow
- Spanakopita (Greek cheese, spinach and filo pie)
- Home made macaroni cheese
- Dark chocolate with almonds
- Buttered popcorn flavoured Jelly Belly jellybeans
- Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon
- Peanut butter Lindt balls
That's the challenge done. Now onto PNG progress.
Still no sign of my contract, but I'm assured that it's coming. I keep going from feelings of excitement about our adventure, to intense self doubt wondering what the hell I've gotten myself into.
I'm also still undecided about schooling options for Bree. If the school fees were included as part of my work package, it would probably be a much easier decision. However, as we have to pay for them ourselves, we need to weigh up the different international school's academic records, education fees and Bree's safety and comfort. Although the international schools come under the same umbrella organisation, the fees range from around $6,500 for the cheaper schools to around $20,000 for the dearer school (per year, AUD). The Australian High Commission staff send their children to the dearer school, but I'm not really sure why. I will be talking to one of the guys on the ground up there later this week to discuss where other staff on my particular aid program send their children. Once I'm 'in country' I'll be able to visit the schools to make my final decision.
In terms of Lachie's education, we're looking at distance education via the NSW Department of Education Distance Education program. Lachie is far more reserved that Bree, so is much more suited to being at home with Matt having one-on-one tuition. Whereas Bree is very social and needs that interaction with peers.
Still, with no contract in my hands, and nothing 'set in stone' I'm going a little stir crazy because I can't organise or plan ANYTHING. Those that know me know that I like to organise and plan everything in advance, so I'm trying to maintain my sanity by researching schools, social groups, sports, activities, rental properties, future holidays, car prices and anything else I can think of to look into.
Anyway, I'd better sign off until tomorrow's post.
Till next time....
Sunday, 17 August 2014
Day 10: The best trip of my life
We've now been on two family cruises, and I would have to say that they were the best trips I've ever taken. No cooking, cleaning or worrying about what to eat, it really was awesome. Both trips were to the South Pacific. I'd love to go on another cruise, but maybe to a different destination - maybe South East Asia, the Barrier Reef or an around Australia cruise would be amazing (albeit costly).
In other news, Bree & I went shopping today so I could buy some new work clothes for my (probable) new job in PNG (best excuse ever!). I say 'probable' as I am still yet to see my contract. After our shopping adventure, we all went over to Kingston to Max Brenner for an afternoon chocolaty treat. Given the cold and miserable weather today, the hot chocolates were perfect.
Til next time......
Friday, 15 August 2014
Day 8: 5 Current Goals
Before I get to today's challenge, I got word today that I could be in PNG as early as mid September. That's 4 weeks away!! Having said that, I think it's an optimistic target. Visa processing is notoriously slow, and there's so much to organise in such a short space of time. And, given that I am yet to see my employment contract....wow, my head is spinning with stuff to organise.
Anyway, today's blog challenge is 5 Current Goals. Is it sad that I don't think I have 5 goals? Hmm, lets see what I can pull from the top of my head:
Anyway, today's blog challenge is 5 Current Goals. Is it sad that I don't think I have 5 goals? Hmm, lets see what I can pull from the top of my head:
- Raise healthy, well adjusted kids
- Retire before I'm 55
- Become a property investor
- Survive moving to a foreign country
- Survive living in one of 'least liveable cities in the world'
Til next time....
Friday, 8 August 2014
Did I mention I can't keep a diary?
So, back in February, I thought I'd start a 30 day blog challenge.
Well, you can see how well that went - ha ha ha ha!
Since then, I've been offered a job opportunity in Papua New Guinea, so I thought that my blog would be a great way for friends and family to keep up to date with our adventures - especially those who are Facebook shy (I'm looking at you, Mum!)
Now, before you start telling me how crazy and irresponsible I am to take the family to PNG, take a deep breath and CALM DOWN! I have already been to Port Moresby for work twice before. I'm under no illusions that it's some kind of tropical paradise - it's not. It could be, but it's not, and that's OK. Yes there are risks involved, but its about being sensible and taking precautions to minimise those risks.
Having said all of that, there are some parts of PNG that are absolutely stunning, with amazing natural beauty. We hope to visit as many places we can, and share our adventures with everyone on this blog.
So, to get me into the habit of blogging, lets try to kickstart the 30 day blogging challenge!
Well, you can see how well that went - ha ha ha ha!
Since then, I've been offered a job opportunity in Papua New Guinea, so I thought that my blog would be a great way for friends and family to keep up to date with our adventures - especially those who are Facebook shy (I'm looking at you, Mum!)
Now, before you start telling me how crazy and irresponsible I am to take the family to PNG, take a deep breath and CALM DOWN! I have already been to Port Moresby for work twice before. I'm under no illusions that it's some kind of tropical paradise - it's not. It could be, but it's not, and that's OK. Yes there are risks involved, but its about being sensible and taking precautions to minimise those risks.
Having said all of that, there are some parts of PNG that are absolutely stunning, with amazing natural beauty. We hope to visit as many places we can, and share our adventures with everyone on this blog.
So, to get me into the habit of blogging, lets try to kickstart the 30 day blogging challenge!
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