DAYLIGHT ROBBERY! 5th September 2009 The dry season has arrived well and truly.The nights are very cold as the sky is clear and the daytime heat is exhausting.Sometimes though, there is a lovely breeze, which makes life bearable.The water tanks are emptying all around us and we have been advised to put a lock on ours, as otherwise the neighbourhood will empty it in no time.The children love it though.In the mornings we quite often hear the little boy next doo...

AWOL 22nd August 2009 There is a rumour going around that the PNG Prime Minister is dead, which is causing much chatter amongst the teachers this morning.However, I have a sneaking suspicion this is a rumour, but as we have no radio or TV, we have no means of checking until we get our hands on a newspaper.If he is and there's an election, chaos could reign! Back to the Launch of the Education Plan.A teacher at our school was asked to produce a banner for t...

DINNER WITH THE GOVERNOR 7th August 2009 Well, the Education Plan Launch eventually went ahead, with much pomp, ceremony and the inevitable day off school.We sat in the blazing sun for four hours listening to interminable speeches - boy, do Simbu people love to pontificate!We couldn't go to sleep, as we were on the front row facing the stage, so there was much mopping of brows and flapping of programmes.There were many, many dignitaries and protocol demanded th...

CHAOS REIGNS 31st July 2009 The launching of the Simbu Education Plan (three years out of date already!) was due to take place on 12th June and we were invited and of course, were really looking forward to hours and hours of deadly speeches - NOT!!This was postponed, as the Provincial Education Department didn't get their act together and invited dignitaries so late in the day that no-one could come, but nevertheless, schools had the day off.So, it was re-arran...

NOGAT! 12th July 2009 There was a lot of it on our holiday! At breakfast in the hotel, one, sad, square of white toast was put before us, with some sort of grease on it.We looked at it, then at each other.We enquired if we could have some jam or marmalade please - NOGAT! On leaving the hotel to climb a volcano, we asked if they could sell us a bottle of water - NOGAT! On returning to the hotel, with our eyes, ears and mouths full of volcanic ash and our swea...