Mother's Day - PNG style Well I assume that in Australia and possibly New Zealand it's Mothers' Day which has been adopted here. It started yesterday for me when Samson, one of the gardeners was hanging around the house. He gave me a lovely orchid plant last week when he saw those that I'd bought on the way back from Brahman. He couldn't wait to wish me a happy Mothers' Day - a day early but they don't work on Sundays so it was very sweet of him. Then today at...

Our colleague Fiona, a real live Threatre Director *of reknown agreed to come with us to Good Shepherd School where she ran a session for an hour and a half with a groupd of Grade 9 students. Initially we were told that the group was 23 in total, three of which were girls. However, I counted at one time 31 students, five were girls. After a warm up session they split into three groups and had to discuss an old story that they could tell and one member told it. Al...

Cultural bits and bobs! Age is respected, very much so! The Nationals in the office call me various forms of mother in Tok Ples [vernacular, their individual tribal language]. At first I thought that they were teasing me but we had a chat one day and to one man told me that I remind him of the woman leader in his village clan! Ken is often called Mr Kenneth and me Mrs Kenneth especially by the staff here. PNGs believe that old people have learnt so much when the...

Sunday last 3 May Had one of those good days that you'll remember always. Went to Chapel and took some photos, will add later. The lady sitting next to me commented, in beautiful English that she would love to have her photo taken. I offered and she asked if I could take it when she is looking after her stall in the market so I agreed.Monday had to go to market so took camera and she wasn't there! Oh well another time. In the afternoon had been invited by a lad...

5 May 2009 Some text to bring you up to date and to go with the boat pictures. . Last week was nicely busy with a trip to St Michael's School [just a few pictures to add to the BLOG!] Excellent Inservice session attended by all the teachers, the Headteacher also came [now is that why all the staff came?] and we also invited the new school chaplain as community working is very important here. Because telling your "story"[explaining your individual bac...