Mijts Blog

Each Saturday we go to the market. I keep all our small change in a market purse and we buy lots of fresh produce for just a few kina ( a kina is around 40cents AUD). Pineapple, bananas, kau kau (like a sweet potato), tomatoes, mango and whatever else that we like and is available – you never know what you might find! We definitely don’t buy tobacco nor buai (betel nut) and it’s accompanying bag of lime – but we do enjoy lots of other local fare!

The markets are on a dirt patch with some make-shift shade and lots of umbrellas. The ground is washed away in places and you have to watch your step – but they are colourful with lots of character.

The women bring their produce from the village (usually in the back of a truck) each morning and sit all day to earn just a few kina – every day except Sunday.

There are always plenty of peanuts

The tobacco is neatly displayed (and lighters too!)

The bilums are colourful – I have a few- but I don’t carry mine around my forehead!
Note baby sleeping in the black laplap tied to the pole!

Sometimes there is even a bit of jewellery available.

These baskets are specific to the local Tolai people and are commonly seen being carried by men (often with their food inside!)

It is always fun at the market – and I enjoy this weekly visit!

Our market experience is about to change as this week a new purpose built market site will open – across the road from the current markets.

This is Kayline, the 20 month old daughter of our House Mary, Stephanie. Stephanie does all the house work, washing, ironing etc and little Kayline loves to help. I arrived home the other day and Stephanie was upstairs working and Kayline was cleaning the concrete under the house. She is only a tiny tot but wasn’t doing a bad job of wielding that broom – and in her big brother’s flip-flops!

When I arrived at the school on Monday (about 10 to 8 for an 8am start), the Library was still locked. As I approached I had 4 beaming faces to greet me – all sitting nicely on the steps. I just had to drop my bags and take a photo before I went to find a key.

I have 6 little ones three times a week and they are always so pleased to see me and they are so keen to learn! The older girls whom I also teach are just as keen – makes my volunteer work at the school such a pleasure. This is how I survive living with no shops other than trade stores, only second hand clothes to buy, no hairdresser etc etc!!!

Golf is my ‘new’ sport obsession.

After playing hockey for almost 45 years I had to give it up just over a year ago due to knee problems. When I learned that we would be living close to a golf course in PNG, I bought a set of clubs, had a few lessons in Brisbane (only time for 4 lessons – not enough!) and ‘took up golf’! Whilst I am not very good at it, I really enjoy the game and have improved. A par is rare and the two birdies that I have managed brought great joy – but difficult to repeat! I also enjoy playing with friends when I am back in Brisbane (had to buy another set of clubs for that!)

We have two golf courses here – one right by our house (our house is half the yellow house, second from the corner and behind the big mango tree – taken from the 7th fairway!) I usually play there with another lady on Wednesdays. The other course is about a one hour drive away and we often go there on a Sunday. Nick has a hit then too – although he would much rather go diving.

I played with Anne this morning and it was so humid that I was just soaked with perspiration the whole time – when first here, I struggled with the heat and humidity but cope better these days.

Our caddies are young children who live in shacks by the golf course – they caddy 9 holes for K5 (about$2 AUD) and a soft drink.

We also have a flag boy (who is more often a girl!) who runs ahead at each hole to place a stick ( with a plastic bag on it – or a tree branch with leaves) on the green.

Our caddies puddle through the water and mud to find our balls.

On this day we ‘lost’ our caddies – only to find them all up a tree eating guava.

The locals treat the golf course as a place to relax in the shade, have a bite to eat etc – even on the approach to the green. We just call out and they wave and watch the ball!

This photo shows the view from the course (not taken today – the volcano is very quiet at the moment!).

Hope you have enjoyed my little golf story – requested by Stephen!

This week I have decided to also start contributing to our blog – just to post what I have been doing to fill in MY time in Kokopo.
On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I went to a local Secondary school where I am doing volunteer work – teaching 5 classes a week of Year 10 remedial English. Resources are scarce but I found some abridged copies of ‘Born Free’ in the storeroom so we are working with that. The girls are really enjoying the book and the classes – especially as I was able to take in some photos that I took whilst I was on my African safari last year. They were quite amazed and fascinated when I showed these two in particular – generated a lot of discusson!

On the three days that I am at the school I also teach a small group of 4 and 5 year olds (mostly children and grandchildren of teachers) for about one and a half hours each day. These little ones are VERY cute, speak next to no English and I have very little Tok Pisin – makes for interesting sessions. They can now say ‘My name is…’; ‘Good Morning Maria’; ‘I can run.’;’I can hop.’; ‘I can skip.’ and sentences like that. Glad there are no photos of me demonstrating these actions (as I do!)

I usually play golf on wednesday but the lady I play with was out of PNG on holidays so instead, I got out my box of paper scraps and made some cards.Thought I might share them with you.