Sprinting to the finish line!

The last few weeks of an assignment are always frantic. It's when the Partner Organisation realise you're about to leave and they have just remembered the list of things they wanted you to do.

At the end of June we ran a week of training with NARI staff and staff from sister organisations in agricultural research. It went well.

I am still working on my training materials. I have a new activity called "How do you feel?" where participants have to match emotions with scenarios. Hopefully they will learn that not all people feel the same way in positive and negative situations and will be more empathetic.

Feedback from one participant was that my slide presentation needed pictures. I'd gone for plain and simple. I've added a couple of pictures including from the children's book "Amelia Bedelia". It's a story about poor communication and is perfect for the Leadership presentation.

Then we attended the PNG Food and Nutrition Conference in the first few days of July. I chatted with so many people I had corresponded with over the last 10 months but had never met. It was fun. I'd only ever been to teacher conferences before. Our colleague Mark from the office next to ours gave a presentation.  Mark has been a great friend to us over our 12 months at NARI.

The catering was well organised - a major feat when there are 100s of participants and a 'flexible' timetable

One speaker talked about 'Prehistoric water channels'. A listener asked if it was known how old they are. The speaker replied that they'd been there since at least the early 1950s!

This week we had a second big week of training with NARI staff and other agriculture partners. We're "in the groove" now we're finished!

This group are passionately discussing what 'real leadership' looks like.

All the materials needed to run my two training courses are packaged up and ready for whomever from HR or elsewhere wants to run them!

I've been thinking about what I'll miss (and what I won't!) with our return now just 10 days away. 


I'll miss Friday night at the HBS mess where we relax and ease into the weekend .

I'll miss the Lae Main Market - I love it, Steve does not!

I'll miss the many friends we've made at work and many from outside work that we have made - fellow volunteers and others from various communities in Lae.

I will miss the beautiful forest that surrounds us and the view across the Markham valley to the mountains beyond, but I will not miss the layers of razor wire and electrified fencing that is deemed necessary to keep us safe.

One regret will be all that we haven't seen and done. Security concerns and restrictions mean we haven't been to the Highlands, or seen much other than 'resorts' outside Lae. 

Behind the fence are WWII Japanese tunnels, part of an array of interesting historical sites, pointed out to us by friends as we drove around Lae, that we just were not able to get to.  

Now to the packing up.  I'll have a full suitcase of souvenirs and half an overnight bag of clothes.  So much of what I have been wearing is not worth bringing home - the washing machine the hausmeris use is brutal!  My paintings and other art is coming home but my art materials are being distributed among our colleagues' children who enjoy drawing.  

Next post will be when we are safely home.  Jenny 

 

Finally - a holiday

 

It has taken a bit of organising but we have had a few days away from Lae.  

I made what I thought were very convincing arguments on our travel permit application but even travelling through Mount Hagen without stopping from airport to lodge in the morning, when drunken raskols would still be asleep, was considered a risk too great, so we were denied permission for Rondon Ridge.  I won't be seeing the Highlands this time around and my jumper will go unworn until we land back in Melbourne in 5 weeks time.

So the consolation was a few days in New Ireland which is really nothing to complain about and no jumper needed.

The beach at Nusalik village

Outrigger canoe - Nusalik

We stayed at Nusa Island Retreat on Little Nusa Island - Nusalik in the local language.  The lodge was started by and for Australian surfers and was open only in the surfing season originally but is now open all year around.  It was very relaxing with excellent food and helpful hosts.  Highly recommended! 

The Nusalik women have a small craft market and I bought something from everyone - earrings and bangles.  I have googled 'can I bring shells into Australia ?" and I should be ok.

Our verandah, over the water

Purchases from the Nusalik craft stalls

We did a walk on Big Nusa.  The Japanese had invaded New Ireland during WWII and had artillery, shelters and tunnels there.  We met an Australian of Cantonese heritage who was born in Kavieng.  The story he had of his parents' survival during the war years was quite amazing.  They had gone back  to  Kavieng after the war and John was born there and grew up there, as had his mother, though this was his first return as an adult.  He was going to spend time researching the family history in the archives that survived in the Kavieng library.  He'd already discovered his birth record was gone but had been excited to meet people who remembered his family and the shop they had in the town..

Beach on Big Nusa

Japanese artillery

Walking on the beach - Big Nusa

Our 'hut'

Here is a satellite picture from GoogleEarth showing where all these places I'm writing about are.  There are lots of sandy islands fringed in coral reefs and topped with coconut palms - they look idyllic for a couple of hours relaxation and snorkelling but I don't think I'd want to be stranded on one. for too long.  We went for a forest walk in the hills south of Kavieng just off a road that crosses the island from one side to the other.  We'd hoped to visit Kaut Harbour on the south side but the road was too boggy even for the 4WD Hilux we were in.  The forest was dense and the birding was tricky but Steve was happy.  We emerged from the forest muddy, wet, scratched and bitten!

Northern end of New Ireland

Forest birding

Fungus

My treat was snorkelling at Ral Island.  The reef circles this tiny island and the fish were gorgeous - fluorescent colours and so diverse.  Some were tiny and some were quite large.  No sharks luckily.  I did feel slightly vulnerable out there on my own though I think our boat driver was possibly watching from his spot under the trees.

Ral Island

Something that intrigued me in the 'activities' corner of the bar, among the musical instruments was this military bugle that, given its similarity to the one our family treasures, I reckon dates from WWI.  The lodge owner didn't know it's history - he'd bought it as part of a job lot of instruments from a Bluegrass group that was disbanding!

WWI Bugle

On our final morning in New Ireland we stopped at the Kavieng market.  Lots of wonderful looking fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood on offer.  Also crafts, jewellery and meriblauses which I can never resist.  So two New Ireland style baskets and more earrings and bangles have joined the pile of things to bring home to be given as presents to people who have read my blog (hands up now if you're interested!).     

New Ireland baskets

Kavieng Market - lots of seafood

Our last 5 weeks here will be quite busy with training days organised not just with NARI Staff but also the other agricultural institutions and commodity boards.  Should be fun as I train the HR staff to take over as the 'soft skills' trainers.

Hopefully I'll do one more post before we head home.  Jenny

NARS Innovation Show & trying to have a holiday

 

Agricultural production and research matters are spread over 14 quasi governmental agencies and at least four Ministries but those involved are making an effort to work more closely together.  This is happening with the revamped PNG Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Steve's project) and last week's National Agricultural Research Systems Innovation Show that was held here at NARI in Lae also got all the agencies together.

It was a colourful and busy event though the speeches went on far too long!  We were lucky with the weather too - other than Tuesday it was a very wet week.  There were pavilions set up for all the exhibitors and there were food and craft stalls as well. 

There was a special welcome to the dignitaries from the Mud Men, a cultural phenomenon from Goroka in the highlands, and entertainment from an East Sepik province group who danced, sang and played.  The chief Mud Man insisted on the selfie - I assure you it wasn't my idea!

A speech from the Director General of NARI

Equipment was being demonstrated 

We are down to our last 10 weeks and I would like to see a bit more of this country before we leave.  It isn't easy! 

Though some might think the life of a volunteer is one long holiday that isn't so.  We're working a 5 day week 7:30 am to 4:45 pm and though the work is not arduous - and often it's quite good fun - it's a heavy time commitment and I get tired.  So Steve and I need a holiday. 

Australian Volunteers are determined to keep us safe, and we have endless on-line forms to fill in if we want to go anywhere other than work or Lae town for the shopping or the occasional meal out.  Getting permission to travel outside Lae requires a lot of planning and research.  WE would really, really like to go to the Highlands - Steve travelled there in 2014, I have not been.  Rondon Lodge were we'd like to go to isn't in the 'reconsider your need to travel' area but is just an 'exercise a high degree of caution' area, as is Lae.  We've put in a leave request.  It will go from AVI Port Moresby to AVI Melbourne and then to DFAT for approval (definitely 'with conditions'!) or not.  Steve isn't holding out much hope; I'm being more optimistic.  I brought a jumper with me, I'd like a chance to wear it!    

We have some chance of getting to the yellow bits

The Admiralty Islands Football Association team are back training on the NARI paddock in front of our office.  They're known more commonly as the Manus Boys.  The new season starts in a fortnight.  

I have been experimenting with pastel - a very messy business!  This drawing is a representation of the Highlands Highway - our route to work each day.  I have drawn what we see - the Bubia PS children in their blue shirts and the Christ the King school children in orange and green; the stalls selling food, betel nut and other wares; the trucks, buses, taxis and cars.  That's us in the white car heading for work with Daniel, our usual NARI Driver.

I have finished my watercolour study of  Joy, assets officer here at NARI.  She and I are both happy with the likeness and she has taken it home to frame and put on her wall.

Joy & me

One of the things about coming home is I need to decide which of my treasures to bring home with me.  There are some that could be problematic - those with shells and feathers - and there is the perennial issue of what will I do with them once I get home.  I have a shops-worth of Tanzanian crafts and curios already.  I tell myself they can be gifts for family and friends but I can never bear to part with them!  Currently they're all laid out in the spare room awaiting a ruthless cull (Yeah, right!)

I'm always interested to know who looks at my blog, let me know it was you, Jenny

A fortnight on the road

 The last fortnight has been really hectic!

We had a week in Port Moresby delivering training at the Southern Regional Centre at Laloki and then a week at the Islands Regional Centre at Keravat on East New Britain.

Australian Volunteers requires us to stay somewhere considered 'safe' and that often means we can have a long drive between where we stay and where we work.  In Port Moresby that was a drive of 20 minutes when traffic was running well or an hour if the road was busy.  The unpredictable road conditions meant we also didn't know when our driver was likely to arrive.

We were able to use the conference room at Laloki and it worked well.  The lists of participants we had from HR were reasonably accurate so our preparations were suitable.  The sandwiches provided for lunch, made by wives of the technical staff, were delicious.

The participants were all NARI staff from the research station at Laloki and from the Chemistry Laboratory and the National Agricultural Insect Collection in Port Moresby.  The training we have been running is NARI's first foray in to "In house training".

Steve has prepared workshops on "Scientific Writing" and "Spreadsheet Basics".  Mine are "Soft Skills - Communication, Team Work, Problem Solving and Time Management" and "Leadership and Supervisory Skills".  Steve is an expert in his topics; for me it is what I have distilled from 40+ years in schools and 2 months scouring the internet!

The workshops are a mixture of lectures, group work, discussion and exercises.  I also have activities involving playing cards (Team work) and paperclips (Time management).  The activities that caused the most amusement were two communication activities.  The first involved miming a small message for example "I was walking on the road and stepped in a puddle" in the same way Chinese whispers happens.  The message is NEVER delivered correctly!  Back to Back drawing involves describing a diagram for someone to reproduce where they cannot see it and cannot ask questions.  It certainly sorts out who knows right from left!

Making a Mind Map about what "Leadership" looks like 

Participants were encouraged to help each other

The group photo at the end of the day is de rigueur.

Another activity - Back to Back Drawing

Exercise about what a good poster looks like

A very complex Mind Map

This was reminiscent of Tanzania - children with home made toys.

Then we flew to East New Britain.  We had a day being tourists before getting down to work (see previous post.)

Again we were staying quite a way from the research station - an hour's drive across the top of East New Britain from Kokopo to Keravat.  The drive was quite beautiful though the road was often terrible!  There were views at different times across to the volcanoes, over to the coast on the west and down the island.  It is certainly a stunningly beautiful place.  

A beautiful place

We started on the first day without our NARI co-presenter.  His Sunday flight from Port Moresby had been cancelled and his Monday morning replacement delayed.  So we started without him.  I was prepared for 6 NARI participants and maybe a few from the Cocoa Board.  I had an extra few booklets just in case.  In the end we had to make 20 more booklets.  I had a group of 31.  I suspect many had come for Boney's course on Statistical Analysis, Data Management and Experimental Design, and as it was being delayed until the Tuesday they thought they might as well give my course a go!  It went very well.  There was so much more energy with such a big group than the 12 I had run it for at Laloki.  Luckily I had enough coloured paperclips for the Time Management - Prioritising activity.

Frantic photocopying when 31 participants trooped in

More Mind Mapping

A finished poster

Steve and the Scientific Writing group

Another Class Photo

We were showered with gifts

This little bloke is a Tolai totem.  The Tolai is one of 5 ethnic groups in ENB.  We may not be able to bring him home - certainly feathers are a no-no with AQIS and there may also be issues with what ever his tutu is made from. 

As is usual, a lot didn't go according to plan.  Lunch did not appear when expected - the Guest House was overwhelmed by the number of people who turned up, many of them from the Cocoa Board.  Lists of names we'd been given were not even close to accurate.  We'd already decided not to take prepared certificates with us to present to participants.  They will get them later when Mail Merge has worked its magic.  The organisation of the week was able to give real life examples of failures in communication and time management and the importance of problem solving and adaptability.

We were given so many gifts to bring back to Lae!  The betel nut, lime and mustard we left for the hotel staff but we brought all the bilums, fabric and Tolai curios back with us, and some very interesting fruit, but most importantly wonderful memories, firm friendships and a real sense of satisfaction that what we were doing was worthwhile.  As always the Feedback sheets showed participants appreciated what was delivered and found it worth while.  The one criticism, apart from the usual "this needs to do for much longer time" and "We need more of this", was my failure to mention that the skills and talents we have are gifts from God.  PNG is a deeply Christian nation.  I admire the writer for her courage in mentioning this.

On the last day we had a tour of the research station.  We saw their Black Soldier Fly larvae breeding program and the Galip Nut research and processing facility.  

Wilma showing us Galip Nut products

Jacob has devised this contraption to test which leaves attract Galip Weevils

Balsa has become an important cash crop in East New Britain and we saw many plantation and quite a lot of trucks taking logs to the (Chinese owned) processing plants.  Most of the product ends up in China.

Many also trucks on the road

 We feel we've had a successful fortnight with the NARI staff and hope the program will continue with NARI staff doing the facilitating.  We have spotted a few likely candidates.  All the training materials will remain with NARI HR Department.

We still hope we will get to the NARI Regional Centres in the highlands - Aiyura and Tambul - but that will depend on AVI and DFAT approval.

Back to work tomorrow - I have an official report to write on the last 2 weeks - and we have the Agricultural Innovation Show at NARI on Tuesday which could be my next blog post.

Jenny