Decisions, Decisions....

Hello everyone! Welcome to New Guinea Biscuit!

 (Ok, this was the only vaguely relevant picture that came up when I google image searched the title!)

This is a blog we're setting up as a family to chronicle our imminent move to Papua New Guinea!

We've been talking about this for 3 months. Probably longer, actually. I first went to PNG as a med student. I was in the PNG highlands for a month in 2006. Despite the dire warnings I received from everybody, I loved PNG, and have been desperate to get back ever since. Dan's never been, but was also keen to go. We originally thought the only way to do this would be to go as volunteers. We did the numbers, and after we bought a house in early 2007, we quickly realised there was no way we could go away for a year with no income and keep the house.

When we first heard about Dan's job opportunity we were excited! I have to admit, originally I was only keen to hear about it if we would be living in the highlands. I didn't want anything to do with Port Moresby, especially after all the horror stories we hear in the news. It recently ranked around 137th out of 140 in the world's most livable cities. In terms of safety, when I was up in the highlands there was certainly a lot of tribal warfare going on, but it didn't involve outsiders. I was also assured that the local community was so thankful to have a medical facility that they wouldn't mess with the people who worked there. Whether that was entirely true or not I'm not sure, but anyway I never ever felt unsafe. OK, apart from the so-called-roads which are not exactly in good condition! The other 2 students and I had a somewhat idyllic time there.... Working in the hospital, walking to the river for picnics, hiking over mountains to even more remote villages, eating amazing fresh local produce every day, managing without round the clock power, no tv, no internet, no phones, meeting friendly people, baking our own bread, amazing views over the valley every day.... ahhhh, I still get a bit dreamy just remembering it.


The whole idea still seemed like a pipe dream for ages. Then a few months ago we heard a bit more about the opportunity, and Dan submitted his resume to human resources. Then we heard nothing....... for months, nothing........ Then in the last few weeks it has gone very very fast! Suddenly meetings have been organised, passports applied for (Biscuit's!), work visas processed. We also found out we would definitely be living in Port Moresby. As it started to become morereal, we started doing a LOT more research. Obviously we found a stack of articles decrying the very high crime rate. Take this opening paragraph from a travel website:

"I LOVE Papua New Guinea. Sure, its capital is infamously crime-cursed, but it should be known that a large, inviting nation lurks beyond Port Moresby’s lawless boundaries. One in which grins – not guns – greet the intrepid explorer. 

But the gun at my head was real enough. The steel of the barrel pressed urgently against my right temple. It was one of four weapons aimed at our group which included my wife and our driver. Other than that it was a cheery sunny Saturday afternoon. The hoodlums (or “rascals” as they are quaintly referred to here) were rather polite. “I’m sorry, sir,” one apologised as an afterthought. “I forgot your watch.” 

Brilliant. Anyway, we'd read all of this sort of stuff, and listened to the opinions of people when they acted as though we were completely and utterly insane to consider going, especially with a baby!

And all of a sudden our brilliant idea became completely terrifying. What were we thinking? This was only ever an idea we'd thought of when we didn't have kids. We'd never ever forgive ourselves if anything were to happen to Niamh. Of course bad things can happen anywhere and at any time, but would this decision increase our chances of something going wrong?

Probably by late last week we were leaning towards no. Just not worth the risk. Maybe we should apply somewhere safer? Singapore sounds nice...

Then we started talking to some people. Like the bloke Dan will be working under, a few people who've lived in Moresby recently, some people who've had kids over there, some people who live there now. So far absolutely everyone has said to go for it - everyone who's actually got some experience with the place anyway. We also found a few websites which have provided a lot of practical information from people who live there. Obviously there are risks involved, and I'm not trying to minimise those. But at this point in time we feel as though the majority of the risks are manageable. We both deal with risks in our jobs every day, and I think we can become comfortable with the idea.

The company Dan's going to be seconded to are by their own admission "paranoid about security". We are not allowed to own or drive a vehicle. We will have to have a driver. In many public places we will be escorted by the driver. You do not go out at night on foot. There are certain "no go" zones around town. We're going to be finding out more about the specific company policy that we'll have to comply with over the next week or so. Dan will be required to take anti-malarials. We're not sure yet if Niamh and I will have to. We have to have full medicals pre and post travel. Niamh will have to get quite a few extra jab-jabs, poor baby!

But there are going to be a stack of positives!

Firstly, Dan's job is a big change for him, but it will be fantastic experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity. For me, there are a heap of opportunities to work, and all of them would be amazing! The medicine you see in a developing country is entirely different from what you see in Australia, and I love this sort of stuff. The only sticking point will be whether or not we can find suitable child care arrangements so that I can work part time.

The lifestyle is apparently quite nice once you get used to it. The proposed accommodation looks absolutely amazing. Something like this (it's been built but this was the plan picture)


The unemployment rate in Moresby is very very high. It sounds like the "done thing" to hire someone to help around the house. In fact from what I gather, you're seen as not supporting the local economy if you don't employ anyone. Apparently it's not very expensive at all to hire someone to come and help out. Having said that, I'm a bit on the fence with this one. I'm just not a fan of the "old colonial" thing with servants etc... but honestly, I need all the domestic help I can get! This may be my once in a lifetime chance at having a clean and tidy house on most days. Hmmm, I'll let you know how that one goes!

The salary and benefits package is also pretty sweet. I can see why, after having read over the contract tonight, some people go expat and then never go back. Although this didn't factor into our original considerations, we hadn't realised exactly how good it would be.

Last, and certainly not least, the chance for some adventure. I'm hoping we can escape on weekends and holidays, go diving off the coast, trekking in the highlands. I also think, even if we hate it, at least at the end of it we can say we lived life to the fullest. We're not believers in any kind of afterlife. We both think this life is what you get. So, it makes sense to us that you have to take these opportunites as they arise and grab hold of them. These years (days, minutes) are all we've got, and we want to maximise the potential. Of course, it works both ways, and we don't want to prematurely end this one precious life that we have, but after a lot of thinking and lengthy discussion, we agree that all those crappy motivational slogans have a grain of truth.You know, ones like "carpe diem!" "feel the fear, do it anyway" "better to have tried and failed than never tried at all" etc etc.

So, in summary. Yes, unless something major derails us

We are moving to Papua New Guinea!

Just typing that out is terrifying.Even after all the talking, thinking and agonising that we've done over the past few weeks, it is still so frightening. And exciting!! Of course, Niamh is our highest priority, and we will do absolutely everything we can to make sure that this is a wonderful experience for our whole family, and that we all return home safe and sound at the end of it.

At this stage, the contract is for 1 year, with the possibility of extending. Dan will probably start in early July, but Biscuit and I will join him in August after my current contract runs out.

We would love it if you would subscribe to the blog, so that it notifies you when we update it. We hope that you will comment here or email us often - we are going to miss all of our wonderful friends and family so so much! I will certainly try to come home often. Also, there should be a couch available in Pt Moresby if anyone wants to come for a holiday...

Looking forward to going on this adventure with you!

xoxox
Erin

PS Dan's doing a blog too, but his is going to be less personal and more for work people. I'll link to it so you can read it if you want.