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The launching of the Simbu Education Plan (three years out of date already!)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-arranged for Friday 31st July.Plans still hadn't been finalised by the beginning of this week and on Tuesday it was postponed again til next Wednesday, but none of the schools were told and next week they have exams.But that's not all.It was National Remembrance Day on Thursday 23rd July, but our high school decided not to take it on the Thursday but rather have it on Friday 24th July, so they could have a long week-end.Yesterday, we undertook a pre arranged visited to a school.Hey ho, they decided to have their Remembrance Day holiday this Friday 31st and had shortened their day in order to send the students and teachers home early, so our day's work was disrupted again, though amazingly, the teachers all stayed behind for our workshop, which we thought was pretty special.We did a role play about student discipline and it went down a storm.Watch out for our names in the Oscar nominations - it's got to happen soon!

The first day of the Head teachers' Conference went well.All schools were represented and they all arrived on time, which was a minor miracle.Some head teachers brought their deputies and one even came with his Chair of Governors.The second day didn't start so well.At the allotted time, the Provincial Education Advisor (our boss) arrived (uninvited) accompanied by a school uniform salesman and asked if we could start the conference by giving him the first slot!He seemed totally unaware that the day had been organised to a tight schedule, but what could we say?It threw the whole schedule out, but we managed to cobble it together, flew by the seat of our pants and managed to get most things done.The feedback from the heads requested that as well as two days in future conferences, we do more days and night sessions too!!They're very keen and work remarkably hard, but talk about a pound of flesh!

That's still not the end of the chaos.Trying to find out when the term ends is a nightmare, as the education calendar contradicts itself, so we're not entirely sure when we break up for Christmas, but then neither is anyone else! I've not yet heard of them changing the date of Christmas, but, believe me, anything could happen!

Some very sad news.I have been feeding two dogs and they guard our house for us, which is very handy.One of them, a tan and white collie type dog is pregnant and the other one, Bula, (see photo), hasn't been around for ages.When I enquired of his owner (our head teacher) he said he couldn't find her either and another of his dogs had gone missing too.He said it happens quite often, apparently they get kidnapped by raskals and eaten!!They must have been pretty desperate, as there was no flesh on the poor dog, as she'd recently had puppies, and was looking particularly thin and gaunt.

We also have goats tethered near out back garden on occasions and whilst we were on holiday, they ate our newly planted orange tree and had a go at our aloe vera plant, which is quite prickly, but I think that will survive.In addition, our next door neighbour's piglet is getting fattened up nicely and he's a friendly thing.When I go out to dispose of compostable rubbish, he snorts and grunts until I go over and tickle behind his ears, whereupon he flops down onto his side with a great crash and grunts with pleasure.

Some other nasty goings on at the moment too around Kundiawa.A head teacher told us of a rumour that two HIV Aids victims belonging to tribe A died recently, but before they did, they disclosed the fact that they had infected some members of tribe B.So, members of tribe B have threatened to rape the young girls of tribe A as a pay back.We sincerely hope this is just an empty threat.Being a young person growing up here must be pretty terrifying, as many of them still believe in sorcery.Some of the students live with relatives in the town rather than go back to their villages, as they have a real fear that the sanguma (sorcerer) might get them.It is hard to square this primitive fear in a country which professes to hold strong Christian beliefs, but I think sorcery is particularly rife in Simbu and possibly less so in other parts of PNG.

Our work keeps us pretty busy at the moment, with a lot of difficult travelling and very long days, but we are beginning to see the odd result here and there, which makes the effort worthwhile.Some of the remoter schools give us such a warm welcome, as they rarely see anyone else.One such head teacher greeted John, me and Phil (who's as skinny as a rake) with the words, 'Well, you all look fat'.As you can imagine, I was not well pleased at this remark, but later realised that this meant that we all looked well and he wasn't referring to our girth!We take our hats off to these remote schools when we realise what a struggle they have with little money (they often have to close before the term ends because they have run out of money), no technology and very few resources. The school we visited this week even ran out of paper at the end of last term, they can't afford to give the staff tea and coffee nor pay their travelling expenses for them to attend courses.It's really pretty dire in some parts.I have to say as well, that some of these head teachers couldn't manage their own pocket money, never mind a school budget!!We're trying hard to rectify this situation as best we can, with a variable amount of success.

The weather is strange, very wet and quite cool, which suits me fine.Things are looking up in Kundiawa.We now have an 'airport lounge' which serves revolting coffee but you can sit and watch the planes land under shelter.In addition, we can now sometimes get apples (imported from Australia) and the latest addition is grapes.So things are looking up, though still no cheese or chocolate.John went out this morning to get a new gas cylinder.He asked if there was any shopping to get and I told him I fancied some sea bass for dinner, but, being a contrary beast, he replied that he'd prefer halibut.The reality is a baked potato!One of the other volunteers said cod had been found in amongst the meat in the butchery!Apparently it went off before it reached the pan!!Fish (other than tinned) is definitely off the menu as far as we're concerned, as not only does it have to travel a long way to get to us, but the refrigeration is so dodgy that I wouldn't risk it under any circumstances, so that sea bass will have to wait until our return to civilisation.

Hope all is well with everyone and swine 'flu is burning itself out.We've had a few reports of cases here but only in the coastal regions, hopefully it won't venture into the Highlands.

Continue to enjoy your summer - hope it's proving to be a good one.

Love from me and the 'Bearded One'