Things I'll miss about PNG

Right now, I am contemplating on cutting my contract short for a year to explore other career options in the Philippines. I thought I would stop being a nomad for a while and try to spend more time with my family especially my mother. And while I ruminate on this, I was thinking if I would eventually miss anything about Papua New Guinea.

There is so much to hate about the country and enough reason to call it quits. The annoying power blackouts, the road condition, the lawlessness and corruption. In fact the list doesn’t seem to end. With all these realities you’d think that there isn’t anything I’d miss about this country but believe it or not there is quite a handful. So here goes.

1. The climate - Unlike in the Philippines where you’d be sweating like a pig by the time the sun is up, or in Japan where summers are unforgiving, here in Lae it is otherwise. Although temperatures could rise to as much as 32^oC or even higher during the day, the humidity is low, only in the 60’s and 70’s which makes it pleasant even on a hot sunny day.

2. Doing my wash – Washing clothes is a chore I do not normally enjoy especially here in PNG where my laundry room turns into an oven by midday due to poor ventilation. However when the sun is always up and the humidity is low, it saves me a lot of effort since my clothes are dry in no time! Ironing however is another story.

3. Quality grocery goods from Down Under – most grocery goods sold in PNG are imported from Australia, from toilet paper to breakfast cereals, name it. And I am certainly going to miss Kellogg’s Special cereals, Vaalia low fat yoghurt, Meadowlea canola spread, and Heinz cheese flavoured baked beans!

4. Cheap and fresh seafood – Remember that trip I made with my mum to Kavieng in New Ireland Province in April? That seafood buffet at the Kavieng Hotel was simply overwhelming.

5. Dirt cheap veggies and fruits – Goodbye to all those big, plump and juicy papayas!

6. My favourite shows on Channel 7 Australia – Due to its distance from the city, we only get five cable channels here at the station and rather than watching reruns on BBC and Discovery Channel, I opt to watch Channel 7 Australia. In fact I watch it everyday that I have gotten more familiar with the goings on in Australia than in PNG!

7. My adopted cat, Mexie who took the place of Kiddie, another adopted cat who mysteriously disappeared early this year. Mexie has this funny way of turning up from out of nowhere and grabbing my leg whenever I am out hanging my wash on the clothesline. He is much gentler than Kiddie but could one day be responsible for the extinction of house lizards.

8. The constant fights and riots at the nearby market, or just about anywhere. – I am not a war freak in fact I am scared of these riots myself because they turn out to be deadly. But I just find it very amusing that in PNG whenever a crowd assembles, there is a 90% likelihood that a scuffle would erupt any time. And whenever there is one, you expect people to run away, don’t you? However it’s the other way around. People obviously need entertainment around here.

9. Hmmm…. And I thought I could come up with a longer list.