Weaving the web in PNG: PNG trivia

A cultural step too far?
It is of course important and good manners to appreciate and understand the cultural norms of the society in which I'm living. I try pretty hard to keep up with the PNG way of doing things and I've made a real effort to try and learn Tok Pisin so I can tok stori with the mothers at the Handicraft Group and with lots of other people I meet. Sadly there are two things that I just can't get used to - no matter how hard I try. Firstly I hate chewing betel nut (kaikai buai) just too awful (see earlier post). Secondly I can't get used to holding hands with men (sorry to all my gay friends but decades of conditioning can't be undone in a few months!). Its common to see women holding hands with women and men holding hands with men (NEVER men holding hands with women). Its just a natural thing that friends do over here. I try, I honestly do, but whenever a bloke holds my hand I get all awkward and embarassed. Pathetic really - but its something I struggle with

Outrageous theft
The water supply for the houses in the Baptist Union compound comes from the rain water that is collected off the roof of each building. It is stored in a large tank at the rear of each of building with an electric pump for each property providing the power to lift the water into showers, taps etc inside.
One of my neighbours returned from leave the other day (complete with newly adopted 3 month old baby) to discover that his water pump had been stolen! Thieves had got into the compound (so much for our so called security) unbolted the pump from its concrete base, undone the pipe connections and driven off with it!
His poor wife is now carrying buckets of water whilst coping with her new baby - men don't carry water.

Eric the driver
This week has been rather different. Robert, my driver, is away from work at a "haus krai" following the death of his brother. Its a lengthy period of mourning which follows a death - a very emotional time with extreme displays of grief (women quite literally pull their hair out). Whilst Robert is away I have taken over the role of Baptist Union driver. So instead of looking at a computer screen all day I have been driving various employees of the Baptist Union all over town. Its been great fun, certainly better than looking at a computer screen for hours at a time and I've been to parts of Hagen and surrounding districts that I would never normally get to see.

My House
Keeping up the attempt to write about everyday stuff instead of just the special or unusual aspects of life in Hagen so here's a couple pictures of where I live.