outback to jungle

Musings on experiences of volunteering in Papua New Guinea with some gratuitous domestic social and public comment

Saturday, July 15, 2006

the rain started at 11 last night

and by this morning it was falling heavily. I got up at 7.10 am and made a cup of tea and took out a cup of coffee - white, two sugars - and a piece of toast - with Fruits of the Forest jam - to the compound night security guard Joseph.
Yesterday I paid my haus meri K40 for her two days work this week. I am no longer allowed to invite the guards inside so last night I turned on the TV and faced it to the window and opened the curtains so the guard could see the St George and Canterbury match on EMTV .
So what is going to happen to Keela my haus meri when her other wait man employer and I leave? Why should it concern me? There has always been work for her? If it were that easy, why would she be asking me if I might know if the next person and if he would be employing a haus meri? She is clearly anxious.
As a volunteer I am not paid ex-pat wages but I am still better off than many nationals. I have wontoks back in Australia but I chose to forsake helping them in order to come here to try to help someone else. My wontoks are self-sufficient and are not dependent on me except for sharing wontok love and affection.

1 Comments:

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