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Week Beginning 03.08.09
We started off the week by going to one of our smallest schools. When we first visited the school had 45 Grade 9 students in two classes and 7 teachers. Now it has 19 students in one class and … 7 teachers. The provincial office has instructed all schools to suspend any students whose parents have not paid their school fees. If this school follows those instructions, they'd be precisely 1 student left in school …. with 7 teachers. Poor student could be overwhelmed if by some chance all 7 teachers turned up on any one day.
Whilst talking with the deputy in the staffroom, she suddenly stamped her foot, shooing away a rat - which fortunately neither of us saw but nevertheless was a little disconcerting. It was to be our lucky week, for we also had to remove a cockroach from the shower.
Finished the day with a gin sling (one part lemon, 2 parts gin, 3 parts soda, ice & sugar)
On Tuesday we visited one of our bigger schools with about 1100 grade 9-12 students. It wasn't our day for visiting, but because of the launch of the 10 year plan (2006-2015), all schools would be closed the following day - which was one of our scheduled visits for this school.
Finished the day with a gin sling
So the big day finally arrived (4 years late) - the launch. You'll see the photos on the blog of the procession arriving at the provincial offices, led by a flag bearer on horseback - looking as if the cavalry had arrived, except for being followed by many gravity-laden bare breasted ladies in traditional costume.
We intended to stay in the background - and more importantly, in the shade - but as we were 'official' guests we were led to the seating in front of the podium - completely exposed to the sun - which had decided to come out fully especially for this auspicious occasion. Otherwise the weather had been wet, cloudy and even cold at times in the previous 10 days. White men and meris being paraded through the crowd and given the 'best' seats is embarrassing and also unavoidable - the more fuss you make about not wanting to be treated differently to the indigenous population, the more attention is drawn to you. Its what everyone expects, so you just have to go with it. Alison and Jacqui had their umbrellas with them (expecting rain rather than sunshine) so looked very ladylike and colonial sitting with their parasols.
On stage were all the dignitaries including the minister for education, the education secretary, the provincial governor, two MPs and other officials from the provincial office.
Every speaker insists on welcoming each and every one of the guests on stage - name, title, place of origin, which deodorant is favoured and perhaps an anecdote regarding each guest. Consequently all speeches are made at least 15 minutes longer by each introduction - each one of which also gets applause from the audience.
So we sat there from 10.00 in the morning until 2.00 in the afternoon with only infinitesimal relief in the form of a school choir singing a song or the bare-breasted ladies being fluted in by the men with sticks through their noses and about 10 minutes where it clouded over.
Time then for a buffet lunch (provided by the provincial office) at the Kundiawa hotel - see photo of Peter (one of the guitarists who came round for a jam) carving large pig. What is amazing at these occasions is how the locals manage to get so much of every dish on a single plate without the pile collapsing. Not only that, most manage to eat it all - bellies being much bigger than eyes. For those who don't eat it all, a 'plastic' is normally carried to act as a doggy bag - not that the dog gets to see any of it.
Our lot, contrastingly, take polite amounts of selected foods and take convenient bites which they manage to keep within their mouths.
Next its off to a presentation by a group of English teachers with VSO managing to muscle in too by showing off the resources created with and for teachers. The education secretary took great interest in this and felt it to be a model for other provinces.
This was followed by …guess what …. food! And lots of it. By now its 5.30 p.m. and the evening dinner at the Mount Wilhelm Hotel is due to start at 7.00 p.m. So its home for a quick shower- oh no, no water, a cool splattering of moisturiserand a change of clothes.
The evening affair was hosted by the governor of the province with plentiful food and Hardy's wine. More speeches before, during and after the meal - and yes with everyone doing full recognitions of each others' presence. Then at 10.00 p.m. the most bizarre activity for a formal event - the minister challenged members of the audience to come up with the best joke with a 100 kina reward offered. It's at times like these where you realise that one nation's idea of jokes is very different from your own. It was a little bit like a year 6 class assembly. Need we say more! Alison was desperate to join in particularly after she'd drunk a few glasses of wine thinking the red balloon or the 'couldn't get the lid off' or 'kipper tie' or 'old people's home need of an iron to get the creases out' jokes would go down well but Mike persuaded her otherwise - by sitting on her.
We vowed not to eat again for at least 72 hours! Well we lasted until 7.00 the next morning.
As everything had been scuppered by the knock-on effect of the launch, we decided that nothing was likely to happen on the Friday, so we booked a night in a hotel in Goroka (2 hour PMV ride from Kundiawa) for a bit of luxury and to stock up on cheese, tonic and world news. Alison also enjoyed the luxury of lying in a bath on 3 occasions during our 24 hour stay.
In the evening we decided we'd try a Mandarin restaurant opposite the hotel. It was dark and there were many people just hanging around the hotel and shopping area. We expected that the hotel security guard would escort us across the road (for you never go out after 6.00 p.m.) which he did, but then other security guards in the street took it upon themselves to disperse the lingerers in a very aggressive manner - wielding their truncheons and chasing them off - even though they were doing nothing to hassle us or threaten us. Again this was an embarrassing incident which did more to draw unwanted attention to the white man and give the impression of supremacy. We didn't like it and once in the restaurant didn't feel like staying - and anyway the menu and the venue were not appetising, so we ran the gauntlet again of crossing the road back to the security and comfort of the hotel.
On Saturday morning we waited for a PMV. When one arrived we started to board the vehicle but were competing with a large surging crowd - most of whom were not wanting to get on anyway. Goroka is notorious for theft and in the commotion Mike's trousers were interfered with!!! the zipped pocket that is. He immediately shouted out that someone was trying to pickpocket him and the crowd backed off. Once on the PMV we checked everything and nothing was missing. Even if the rascal had managed to get a hand into his pocket he'd only have ended up with the testicles (sorry sons) ..no…. Kundu card (ATM card) - which would have been useless. They're only interested in cash.
Finished the day with a gin sling
Our next holiday is mid-September, so we're heading off for New Ireland to a idyllic beach on the island of Nusa near Kavieng. Its supposed to be the equivalent of Fiji - white sands, turquoise sea, good snorkelling and comfortable beach bungalows. We're also hoping to visit New Britain to see Rabaul and its active Mt Tavurvur volcano which still spews out ash and smoke daily. Rabaul itself was almost entirely buried back in 1994 and is supposed to be an eerie moonlike landscape. At Christmas brother Dave bought Mike the CD/DVD of Bob Bozman recording with Rabaul musicians not long after the massive eruption.
Hope all is well with everyone.
Hope the summer is holding up and all teachers are enjoying the break. Funny for us to be working through August - a first.
Lots of love
Mike and Alison
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