Nogut Wik

I was g-chatting with a friend the other morning and she asked me to rate my life here in Papua New Guinea 1-10, 10 being the best and I promptly replied, "11!!!"  I really do enjoy it here.  I have already told you over and over how wonderful, helpful, and friendly everyone is.  This week, by any standard, was bad.  With every success I had, there was a fail, sometimes epic, that followed closely behind.  With everything that happened I still would sat "11!!!" in a heart beat.  This "Nogut Wik" - no good week - has been a true testament to the fact that having good people around you makes all the difference.


MONDAY
I drove myself to school.  In my own car which I purchased in a foreign country.  On the "opposite" side of the road.  Without following anyone.  Without getting lost.  SUCCESS! 

I had to stay late at school for a parent meeting about a trip to Rabaul we'll be taking (I'll tell you more later, but we will be FLYING with students - sans parents - to a volcano there!!!).  At nearly 7:00 p.m. I walked out to my car, so very ready to be home and cooking dinner, to find my car wouldn't even turn over.  The battery was completely dead.  FAIL!  My first thought was I had been me and left my lights on, but this was not the case (SUCCESS!).  My lovely CRV has been driven 3 times since it has been purchased - from the dealership to the school by Henry, the school driver, from school to the compound last Friday, and then back to school on Monday.  It had already decided to act up.  I obviously wouldn't be driving myself home, so I begged a ride of Sally, the Deputy Principal...AGAIN!  Back to being dependant on others!  FAIL!


TUESDAY
I drove my car home to my lovely little house on stilts.  I braved round-a-bouts with dodging and weaving work trucks piled high with men.  I backed my green CRV into my short, but steep driveway that turns at the very end.  I carefully wedged my car in between the metal stilts bracing my home in the air - all from the right side of the car (not to say that it is the correct side!).  SUCCESS!

I have been filing paperwork for reimbursement for shipping goods to PNG, the medical checks I needed to get here, passport fees, document fees, etc.  I have also been filing the paperwork with the IEA, the organization overseeing private schools in PNG, to let them know I have arrived, I exist, and I would like to be paid in accordance.  I have been calling the bank I am using here for two weeks, every other day to see if my account has been activated.  I have either not heard back or I have gotten a pleasant, "No..."  I called again on Tuesday because I was being asked by administration for my account numbers so they can do their part of the work.  I called three times on Tuesday, to be passed around to everyone and used all my phone card minutes available.  Dead phone.  Still no account.  FAIL!


WEDNESDAY
I picked up my home in preparation for my new house-meri, Natalia.  Aaron, the Deputy Principal's son came to retrieve the keys to my home to leave at his house with his house-meri to give to Natalia.  I explained Natalia had already arrived and I had given them directly to her.  He relayed this message to his father after running home.  I went over the detailed list of things I wanted cleaned, washed, and ironed and told her if she knew of anyone who needed the empty boxes, should could take them.  SUCCESS!

I arrive at school and promptly start working in my classroom.  Rachelle, a grade 5 teacher, comes in frazzled, announcing that Andrew is at home waiting for me to arrive and bring him the keys to my house, so he can pass them along to his house-meri who will then send them on to Natalia.  I had to ring Andrew and let him know I had informed Aaron that it had been handled.  Aaron and I apparently had a miscommunication.  My boss was late to work and it was my fault.  FAIL!

I had a fabulous day at school, managed to accomplish all tasks on my to-do list - with the exception of the banking situation.  I retrieved my new spare set of keys from Serah; she'd been house sitting while I was delayed in arrival.  I attended an epically long level meeting with the two grade 5 teachers and the other grade 6 teacher.  I was spent and ready to go home, shower, crawl into some pjs, and crash.  SUCCESS!

I arrived home at about 6:30 p.m.  I slipped my deadbolt key into the lock, jiggled it until clicked in, spun it round, and pulled the gate open.  I attempted to jam my sliding door key into the lock and was not so successful.  I tried for about fifteen minutes with luck.  I headed around to the side door, which is just a dead bolt, to find that the lock had been broken and just spins round and round without latching or unlatching a thing.  I tried my main door again and then headed sheepishly over to Sally's to sadly ask for help.  She, after giving me a look, tromped over to my place and had the same luck as me.  Getting the working set of keys back from Natalia was not really option due to where she lives - an area the guards didn't even want to drive to at night.  The guards were called to attempt to get in.  The Deputy of PMIS (the high school at the foot of the compound, showed up to help and move the process a long.  The "grand master keys", as the guards were calling them, did not work.  The head of housing for the IEA was called and he came over with the official grand master key.  It did not work.  There are no locksmiths here, just security companies.  They apparently do not work at night.  FAIL!

I was bouncing between standing outside my home while everyone worked on the locks, to Sally's house, to Carolyn's house.  I got a call from Sally, on Carolyn's phone because mine was dead to add to this mess, saying I needed to get to my house immediately because the guards, in the perseverance to gain entry to my home for me, sounded like they were trying to break in.  I arrived at the foot of my driveway to find them perched on the hood of my CRV banging on the floor of my home (which is above them as my house is on stilts) trying to break through the safety latch on the trap door in my bedroom.  I had to explain that I didn't want to sleep in a home with a broken trap door that they entire neighborhood knew about at that point and that I didn't want a dented vehicle.  They scrambled off my car, apologizing, but reassuring me they couldn't break it anyway.  FAIL!

At this point it's nearing nine o'clock and night.  It was time to throw in the towel.  We would reach my house-meri in the morning, have her bring the keys round, and deal with getting a new set, and my locks fixed then.  I got clothes for the next day of work, something to sleep in, and even fresh knickers (ones she'd just purchased and not worn) from one teacher, a bed to sleep in and a shower to use from another, and dinner from a third.  FAIL!

At least I know I am completely, 100% safe and secure in my home as a single, young female in a struggling third world country.  SUCCESS!


THURSDAY
I arrived at work in Rachelle's clothing and shoes, ate a lunch provided by Jon, and Andrew retrieved my working keys for me from Natalia.  My keys were sent to be dealt with through the IEA and a the security company was to be sent out to fix my back lock and replace the rest with just one WORKING master key.  I would have new keys by 5:00 p.m.  SUCCESS!

The keys were taken to the wrong office.  No new locks or keys for me.  FAIL!

My planning meeting lasted only an hour with Greg, the other grade 6 teacher.  We planned the math and are ready to roll with spelling for next week.  I made it home by 5:00 p.m. with the working set of keys and was able to get into my house, shower, and put on my own clothing.  SUCCESS!

I went looking around my spotless home, through my closets full of ironed clothing, and my shelves of newly sorted shoes.  Something was missing.  I couldn't place the boxes of school supplies from my office.  I had told Natalia she could take the empty boxes and toss them or keep them if she needed them.  She had misunderstood and taken both the empty and the full boxes.  I knew it was just a misunderstanding because there were better things to take from my home than poly folders - a kindle, two ipods, a laptop.  The majority of my teaching resources were now missing.  FAIL!

Andy showed up and asked me to go to dinner at The Pheonix, a Chinese place down the road.  Food and a drink to wash away the week.  SUCCESS!


FRIDAY
I arrived to school today in my own vehicle which is running like a champ, wearing my own clothing from inside out, and carrying a lunch I packed for myself.  Already three successes that were not had earlier in the week - an excellent way to begin a day, if I do say so myself.  I also got hold of Natalia and sorted the boxes issue out.  It is only noon and I did just hand my house keys back over to a driver to have them sent to the security company/locksmith.  I may have spoken too soon.

Still no bank account activation though....

Side Note:  While writing this post, I found myself reading it silently in some sort of Australian/British accent.  I apparently think with an accent now.  How long until I pick it up in my speech?