International Volunteers Day

 

The last two weeks have been busy!  Our longer than expected trip to West New Britain meant that planning for International Volunteers Day was rushed.  Invitations were supposed to have been issued before we left but that didn't happen.  There is so much stuff around protocol and the right way of doing things that I just don't get! In the end invitees only had 3 days notice!  Luckily all the other Australian Volunteers in Lae knew the event was happening and had planned to attend with representatives from their partner organisations.  Representatives from the Consulate-General Lae for the Australian High Commission had been pre-warned too so were present.  Each section at NARI HQ and the NARI Research Centre across the road sent representatives so we had a lovely crowd of around 40 and two hours to fill before lunch.  

We started right on time with a prayer.  The most senior NARI officer around at the time - the strategic advisor - welcomed everyone.  I spoke about the volunteer experience.  All the volunteers and their partners had the chance to speak, and the C-G's rep spoke too.  That was half the program! 

It's not a celebration without balloons and bunting and we had both.  The bunting was hand made.  Each participant at the event had to write something in praise of volunteering on a little coloured paper flag and they were attached to crepe paper streamers.  It did look festive!

Steve ran a 20 question multiple choice quiz.  The questions were about the Australian Volunteer Program over its 60+ year history, the special Australia - Papua New Guinea relationship and Rugby League.  Tables of 5-6 people had to come up with answers by consensus.  They were very competitive!  The winning table had 16 correct answers.  The lowest was 12 correct answers so everyone passed!

The last activity was cooperative poster making activity, again on the positives of volunteering, not just the AV program but in all spheres of life.  Groups worked hard and earned their lunch.  The buffet provided by the NARI Western Region Guest House was the best I've had in PNG!

AusVols and C-G Lae

All up it was a great event - well worth all the effort and stress that went into it.

This last week at work I have been preparing staff training materials on "soft skills" - time management, communication, problem solving & co - while Steve works on training materials for the vocational skills the scientists need.  We are both learning a lot ourselves.  Next year (next month!) it will be full steam ahead with training days hopefully all up and down the country!

Saturdays we always do the weekly shop at one of the supermarkets in town.  Mostly they have all we need though for the last two months no Saladas, no Ryvitas and no Cruskits.  They are Steve's lunch staples and he has had to manage with cream crackers which evidently just don't cut it!  Sometimes a little gem appears.  Today it was fresh mushrooms, excellent as this afternoon Steve is making pizzas for expected visitors tonight.  We'd had a discussion on potential toppings.  I still think the choice of Brussels sprouts (Arusha 2019) was inspired.

A bonus today was a Christmas market at Eriku near the supermarket for small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs to sell their wares.  It's my favourite kind of shopping.  My purchases today were (clockwise) a fan from Bougainville, a bilum from West Sepik, a small handbag from Morobe and a bilum from Manus Island.  My collection of bilums is growing.  Not sure yet how I will smuggle it all home.

Next Saturday we fly to Port Moresby then on to Brisbane on Sunday for our two week holiday on the Sunshine Coast. 

Jenny