Madang life – enjoying the time here

“Sexy Island Beats” at Pils’ Rapa

According to the Lonely Planet this is what you can expect when going to a club in PNG. I am not sure how to understand this definition, but the easy-going Raggaetton-sounds are having an instant good mood effect. And with other students together the atmosphere is fun and relaxed, even when Fabienne and I are the only ‘wait-meris’ (white girls) in the club. Most other Expats would never set a foot in this location, or only in a big group. But to be introduced as “dispela em lecturer bilong mi” (this is my lecturer) gives instant respect and when we try out our Pidgin most people react with a big smile.

And you might have guessed it: these people can dance!!! Every Latino-chica will have a hard time to compete with the cool and subtly sexy movements of PNGs! It was so much fun to dance with the guys, trying to be a good dancing counterpart and I seriously felt my legs the next morning. Even girls we didn't know were asking us to join their dancing circle and were keen to teach us their smooth moves, to the laugh of everybody.

By the way, estimating age is almost impossible here. Or would you have thought that these two students, Gaius and Steven, are 22 and 25 years old??? Same applies to the girls.

When we were in the Club's own Mini Bus back towards the Uni Campus around 4 AM, Gaius took off his Polo and untied a huge Crocodile-Dundee-Style Machete, which he had carried across the back the entire evening under his shirt. So much to the security situation and my ability to judge on it - strange feeling.

But back to Music: the songs in Pidgin lack a bit of complexity and romantic flair: “Ailan meri, mi laikim lukim yu gen, mi lovim yu, plis kam bek long mi…” (Island girl, I want to see you again, I love you, please come back to me - tüdeldidüüüü…) If you want to get a feeling for the sound: “Leabana” from the Solomon Islands is one of the greatest hits here. Check it out Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agSGjDIIhuk

For the ones that would like to get a PNG party started:

One of the biggest stars here is Scharzy. Take a look at the comments in youth language… too cool! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0wWRe2WiNY

One of my best-liked songs: Meri Morobe in finest Pidgin: "mi mekim wanim samting, mi bin tokim yu, mi actim Papua…". Don’t know, it has something: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho9Eh8F4J1w

And I almost forgot: all-famous Justin Wellington. I really like his style. 'Fire' was a huge smash-hit here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbRulVLPKgM

This is the music we hear on weekends all day and night from the settlement next to the Uni Campus. Might be the reason why I start to like the music quite a lot. Noken wari, I am aware, that there is a profound re-adjustment necessary for serious music when I am back.

Arne, think this is partially your task…

Kulao drink on Saturday’s market visit

One of the highlights of Saturday mornings is the market visit with the obligatory Kulao (green Coconut). For 50 Toia (15 cent) it’s available in different sizes and the market ladies cut it open on request right away. It’s the perfect drink for this time of the day: isotonic, tasty and sooo good, even if there is still a slight hangover to recover from… (just in case this should ever happen) ;-)

Please check out our traditional meri blouses and my bilum (string bag) carried around the neck - this is seriously a fully acceptable fine Saturday City dress and all market women are giving us compliments for this. Maybe there is as well a fashion-adjustment necessary?!

Coronation Drive Madang – the scenic side of town
This is a wonderful road leading a Madang the Coast from the area of the divine word towards the city centre. One of the most scenic drives, at night certainly not to be recommended for security reasons– but at sunset quite a view!

But as well from the Uni one can enjoy the one or the other nice sunset:

DRAIV ISI !!!
My favourite sign is on the door of Honor's neighbours, where our Fittness sessions take place.

"pikinini" means child - the rest is understandable.

Farewell dinners, coffees etc.

Franziska left to visit Giri, her PhD thesis village for the next 6 weeks before she returns to Germany. Before I'm back in Heidelberg she will be again flying to PNG until end of May. I will miss her a lot and am looking forward to see her again in Heidelberg!!

We've had such a great time, wantok!!! With luxury problems, Kago from Germany, disease analysis, banana sak-sak cooking courses and all the nice discussions about Methods with Theories. em namba wan stret ya!

I wonder if we might ever have a time parallel again in PNG - would be fab!

As well most of the students are one after the other leaving the campus to return home it's the time of farewell meetings, taking the last photos etc.

Adel and Jenny are from Vanuatu and have been studing a management course for Hospital Management since February and are looking forward to return soon. Back at home they are nurses and have family with Kids. Quite a commitment to be away for almost a year. They were really nice and we always had a good laugh together! Interesting was a discussion we had on arranged marriages. Although they sad that they would not support this, they would just point out to their kids which of their cross-cousins might be a good candidate as wife and a PNG highlands girl would not be preferred. Ah- no arrangements then.... ;-)

Lynne returns to Rabaul, Bridgette to Bogainville...

Proudly presented: THE PLAN

My last two weeks in PNG have started - countdown! 4 months here are over.

I can’t believe the time ran so fast! Following the Melanesian culture I know would have to make a lengthy review of my time here, acknowledge all the important people that have enabled my stay to be so fantastic etc. Maybe I’ll do this on my very last days. Now I feel much more excited to look at my plan for the next months. For several reasons I decided that I will use the time out of Europe more extensively and not to come back before mid March. More precisely March 17th.

With a short stay in Brisbane and Sydney to get a taste of the pleasures of western civilization again I will hop via Singapore, Manila and Guam to the Federated States of Micronesia. I have accepted a voluntary work assignment on Pohnpei Island for December and January. I will be working with the Micronesian Seminar, a NGO which is concerned with preserving traditional culture and raising awareness for the importance and the uniqueness of the several cultural groups in Micronesia. Most probably I will be assisting with the creation of education material about the cultural traditions in and around Pohnpei, combining this with my work previously done around anthropology under colonialism, especially the German colonialism in the area. Did you know that both PNG and Micronesia were a German colony (“Deutsche Suedsee”) until 1914?

I will live and work in Kolonia, the capital town of Pohnpei, whether with a family or in the housing area of the Jesuit Church community will be clarified upon my arrival. It is a great opportunity for me to get to know Micronesia as a country and its people living there. No doubt it’s one of the most beautiful and paradise-like places on earth.

After my time there the motto is: Minna no Nihongo!!
I will fly to Japan, where I will be attending a Japanese language school in Tokyo and live with a family there for six weeks. Probably after over half a year in the Pacific region I’ll find it easier than ever to adjust to Japanese lifestyle, but we’ll see.
With a brief stopover in Seoul on my way back I’ll be concluding my big trip and will land in Frankfurt on March 17th.

Rabaul and New Ireland: PART II: Palms, Beaches and a new addiction

Kabaira Beach
In the beautiful Kabaira Beach Hideaway the nice task for the morning was: sleeping out long. Then we snorkeled the reef right in front of the house, sat in the shadow and planned the next days. Steven, the guy who owns the place is married to a Tolai girl and they have two super-sweet kids who ran across the grounds. The people in these islands have often really blond hair, which looks fascinating on the black skin.




























After lunch we took an open-plane PMV to Kokopo. It was fun travelling the country, we talked a lot of Pidgin and most people where surprised about that. Funnily I was asked twice if Fabienne is my daughter (“em pikinini bilong yu?” – WHAT???). Well, more easily no guy could get both of us against him.

Arriving in Kokopo we walked to the Hotel of our choice. But the suite for 570K was a bit above our budget. The manager on duty was really great and organized for us a room at the budget option in town for 130K, run under the same management as the first hotel. We had a great meal with fresh seafood, crabs and mussels at the glamorous hotel restaurant and got a transfer to the admittingly run-down Taklam lodge. But the room was clean and reasonably safe. And views from Kokopo Beach towards Rabaul are also quite nice:















We got from Ron, who was with us in Jayapura last month, the number of Ken Fitzgerald, who runs a plantation in the south of New Ireland. We contacted him and he was more than happy to have us staying with him and his family at the plantation the next night. So much to PNG planning efficiency…

Travelling over to New Ireland

On Friday at 2 PM we took the banana boat to the coast of New Ireland. It was a two hour trip through rough sea and our skipper Alan was quite an original – standing at the back and gearing the boat through the waves.



























The boats go over in groups of two or three, with up to ten passengers on board, running with a single out boarder engine. We arrived with hurting bottoms on another dream beach, waiting for another hour for the truck to Namatanai, the next town nearby. The drive was great through the middle of the jungle, the athmosphere is much more relaxed than in Madang or the highlands. When we arrived in Namatanai there was already waiting a white landcruiser with Ken’s son Tau and a plantation manager to pick us up. After another 30 minutes drive we arrived on the Belik plantation and were welcomed warmly by the Fitzgerald family with their four kids between 11 and 17. Maddy, Ken’s wife from PNG’s central province had cooked a delicious meal and later we played cards with the kids and Kayla, an Australian girl my age who works as private teacher on the plantation. We slept in Victoria and Melissen’s room, a real western-style teeanager place. And I have to think hard to remember when I had two unicorns to watch my sleep…



















Belik Plantation

The next morning we saw the beautiful spot: with a coffee in the hand I enjoyed the view into the sea with the beautiful reef shore.































The morning was spent with taking a walk over the plantation and a swim on the beach next to the farm house. Ron arrived around midday and we had freshly baked scones for lunch to gear up for out walk to the waterfalls on the plantation ground.















It was an adventurous walk through jungle and along a small creek. The waterfall is a wonderful spot like in a painting, perfectly shaped. We had a swim in the refreshingly cool water, enjoyed the great place just for us.
















































Instead of going home directly we went for a swim at Rubio, a surfer’s beach and agreed to get some lessons from Shawn the next day.

































Back at the plantation a big dinner was organized and I felt a bit like part of a giant family. We sat and talked over several glass of whitewine with Kayla, Ron and the Fitzgeralds until 2 AM in the morning.

Surfing at Rubio

Naturally the next morning was a bit slow, but after coffee we made our way to Rubio Beach and I had my first surf lesson – with immediate severe addiction!!! Guys, this is my dream hobby!!!
I was surprised how divers, great and easy it was. Okay, the conditions were perfect: medium sized waves breaking at the same spot on the reef. Shawn showed us how to stand on the board, how to catch a wave and how to get the rip curl back to the line up point again. It was fantastic! After two trials going with the wave just laying on the board, I already stood up for a couple of seconds on the next wave. We tried hours over hours, I felt like a real surfer, sitting on the board at the line-up point, observing the water waiting for a good wave to ride. I managed to stand a wave, but at some stage it’s a power question. Your arms are constantly paddling, your abs are needed to keep the balance, the back is in tension to sit on the board. It is soo much fun – can’t believe I waited 28 years for this. Around 4PM we came out of the water. Completely sunburned and scattered. Arms, legs, back and abs felt like jelly and everybody had cuts from the reef on the feet. But I was absolutely happy and satisfied. What an experience! But it will take a lot of practice… I think it’s time to clear up the shed in Mallorca for my new longboard and the wetsuit for the summer season 2010.
































Hiking, kayaking, dving – and now surfing. Looks as if I’m lost for the serious world. Yeeeha!

On Monday morning we vistited Kayla and the Kids in the plantation school building. Interesting to see how she teaches in this environment the four kids from grade 6 to 12. We had prepared to information for the kids on our ways of living and tought them some phrases in German, French, Spanish and Italian.

Kavieng

In the afternoon we went with Ron together to Kavieng 170km along a stunning road right next to the sea parallel to countless sandy dream beaches, oil palm plantations, beautiful creeks and small village compounds. Very enjoyable trip.
Ron’s house is in renovation but with its position directly on the beach with a huge veranda overlooking the Kavieng bay a real dream place.
Sitting there, enjoying a drink we decided that we would like to stay a bit longer. So a friend of Ron sorted out our bookings and for a small administration fee we secured another two days in paradise.














After inspecting Kavieng town and shopping at the market we went for the afternoon to Nusa Island, where a surfers lodge is located. Unfortunately there was not enough wind for surfing, the waves were too short, and we did not dare to try on some of the outer, sharp reefs. So that we spent the time with swimming and snorkeling. Life is too hard.




















Coming back, Ron had sent some of his staff to catch some crayfish and we had a yummy dinner…
What a trip. Is it possible to have everyday something even more spectacular than the day before?! Amazing!