Two Weeks Down...

I landed in Papua New Guinea two weeks ago yesterday.  I feel as though it was ages ago already.  I am in full swing in my classroom.  Displays are up. I am diving into planning with the Level 4 team.  I have volunteered for events and committees.  I am on the Independence Day committee; I signed up so I could work with more of the PNG staff and faculty.  Get to know them better.  I am reassessing ability levels, calling parents, sharing the wonderful literacy program that is CAFE and the Daily 5, and the list goes on. 

I am settling in easily at home (despite the hectic week last week was).  I love my home (I will upload pictures tomorrow.).  My flat screen TV, DVD player, and the stereo system I picked out the other day - that the school paid for - are nicer than what I have left in boxes back at Mom and Dad's.  I get up at 6:00 a.m. during the week, shower, dress, eat (I actually make something for breakfast!), and head off to school by 7:00.  It feels lovely to be a self-sufficient adult again! 

My weekend was packed full - shopping Saturday morning, an impromptu BBQ Saturday afternoon, a get together for a birthday, a night out at a club, an early morning trek home, a waste of life on Sunday morning, and dinner out Sunday night.  I apparently have hit the ground running.  A few of the people who I went to dinner with were going over places they wanted to take me that they had yet to frequent or a favorite spot that I must eat at or an adventure I must try.  My answers were resoundingly the same, "Oh, the food there was great.  I went last week for dinner" or "I have plans to go next week with so and so; you should come."  This made me very happy to know I have really jumped right in - and surprised some of them as I really have only been here a couple of weeks.  I really have done a lot.  I feel like I've been here longer than that. 

This week I will be watching my first rugby game as an "official" fan.  There has been much debate over which league and which team I should/shall follow.  Tidman, the guy covering my class before I arrived, insists it be Queensland, while Suzanne, my boss, ensures me I will no longer have a job if I choose that route.  Greg, the other 6K teacher feels that I should follow based on my first entry into Australia, which was through Brisbane.  This would make me a Queensland supporter...we'll see.

This weekend I am headed to the market organized by the PNG staff here at TEMIS.  They hire the local vendors, organize a culture performance of some sort, and run the market once a month.  It provides them with leadership opportunities for their resumes and a some extra money in their paychecks.  The school makes very little profit off of it; it's main purpose is to provide opportunity for the local staff.

There is a huge UN Concert at POMIS, the high school at the bottom of the compound where I live.  It is cultural dances, music performances, and food from all over PNG and the world.  I understand there will be knife throwers, a group of very fit, scantally clad men doing some sort of dance that none of the women here could describe (but they had no problem describing the men!), and a few bands.  It's supposed to be a really interesting event.  Everyone from school goes.  They've raised the price to 25K ($10) to keep the riff-raff out.  The PNG girl who lives across the street from me assures it's very safe.  They've increased security and they will have real guns this year and they have also hired five guard dogs for added protection.  Oh the wonders of living in Port Moresby.

I have no plans for Sunday...probably planning for school (we have access to the school whenever we want which is nice, but it does mean people go in a lot on the weekends).