as a volunteer I come

with a sense of adventure as well as a willingness and desire and hope to do some good. I went away for a break to rekindle my ideals and after seeing the emptiness of the streets and yards which are metaphors for the inanity and emptiness of the lives of the people in Australia and probably the west generally, may the manmeri of PNG be spared developing the way of the western world. But having come here as a volunteer, having renounced for a short time only admittedly the indulgent lifestyle of the west, having accepted a position working at national's level wages, it is galling to understand the mentality behind applying for a volunteer. Sure the experience is worth every bit of forsaking cappucino and KFC and MacDonalds and Big Brother uncut and morning TV giggling blondes and shock jock talk back and PM Howard and the fat bloke who thinks slimming down will make him a leader. So I say it is galling from the aspect of why is a volunteer needed here rather than Dafur when clearly the University has a stack of money to spend on a rort at a resort in Madang? Why can it not afford to buy in labour at international contract rates and free up the volunteers to work in places like Dafur which have a much more urgent need? I am glad I am here but I do not reconcile the justice of the matter and this is "mein Kampf".