TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 (October 2008)
-Preface
-Western Highlands Climate
-Cultural customs/Social conventions
-Language
Chapter 2 (November 2008)
-Information on the trip
-Trip preparation
-Documents
-Travel
-Luggage
Chapter 3 (December 2008)
-Clothing & Personal Items
-Packing list
-Health/ Medical precautions
Chapter 4 (January 2009)
-The PNG Highlands & Mt.Hagen
-Construction
-Safety tips
-Team meetings
Chapter 5 (February 2009)
-The itinerary
-R&R
-Money and shopping
-Gifts and tools
Chapter 6 Chapter 6 (March 2009)
-Contact information
-Trip abroad registration
-Miscellaneous
-Conclusion
CHAPTER 1
==============
PREFACE
---------------
The “Papua New Guinea- An Introduction” that you can find on this blog is intended for you to familiarize yourself with the country that we will visit. By way of this Trip Manual I will present to you a document specifically tailored to cover the various aspects of our trip.
Please note that from time to time some details of this manual could be added, changed, or cancelled. In those circumstances I will inform you accordingly by way of a monthly email that I will routinely send to the team.
WESTERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE (WHP) CLIMATE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Likewise most part of Papua New Guinea, the WHP temperature remains fairly constant all year round. While it is somehow lower than the one experienced along the coast, the average temperature ranges a comfortable 20-25 degree Celsius-which are equivalent to 68-77 degree Fahrenheit- during the day. The nights are cooler, sometimes cold. Foggy mornings are common. I indicated here the Celsius degree because PNG adopted the metric measures. To change Celsius degree into Fahrenheit, you have to multiply the former by 1.8 and to add 32. To change Fahrenheit into Celsius you should subtract 32 from Fahrenheit and divide the figure that you obtained by 0.56. It goes without saying that the average temperature that I indicated is just an indication of what we can expect.
Like everywhere in PNG, in WHP too there are two seasons: the dry and the wet.
The dry season starts around April/May and last six months to October each year, while the wet season starts around October/ November to March/April of the following year.
Since April should be the last month of the wet season and the beginning of the dry one, we will probably get a sample of both.
Should you want to check the weather in Mount Hagen –the WHP capital and the place where we will land- you should access the following website:
http://weather.weatherbug.com/Papua-New-Guinea/Mount-Hagen-weather.html
From there you can obtain a 7-day forecast. Should you check this site you will find that there is rain or chance or rain almost daily in Mount Hagen. After all it is now the rainy season there.
CULTURAL CUSTOMS/ SOCIAL CONVENTIONS
------------------------------------------------------------------
To appreciate cultures different from ours implies interest, tolerance, politeness, and common sense. It implies as well some knowledge of principles around which those cultures evolved. PNG is an old country in terms of geology and one of the oldest in terms of documented presence of human beings. Still, it started to be explored by westerners less than 100 years ago. That in a way explains why in most parts of the country the native culture is still alive and almost intact. It explains as well why you will experience a diffused shyness among the adults when dealing with foreigners since they are not used to meeting foreigners. Their shyness is accompanied by respect for people that in their mind are superior to them. It will be up to us not to take advantage of their attitude but rather to show in turn respect for them and for their traditions. This is valid but still generic information as Papua New Guinea cannot be compared with any other country for its rich cultural diversity. More than 200 cultures, each with different Traditions, have been identified there. In some parts of the country, especially the remote, rural areas far from the towns, traditional culture is still prominent and some tribes still live in near-stone age societies. At the other extreme there are areas in PNG where village people now live modernized lives and have tenuous links with their ancestry. The vast majority of Papua New Guineans inhabit villages between these two extremes, living in traditional style houses and continuing to supply their own food through growing gardens, hunting in the forest, gathering and fishing. They continue to follow tribal practices, which include belief in spiritism while, in most of the cases, being the followers of a western religion.
In PNG the social unit is generally small and based on the concept of “extended family”. It includes grandparents, parents, children, relatives, and grandchildren. Members of the extended family basically live near one another and often form small communities in which they share food, resources, and help out in works needed to be done, like building a cabin or clearing the forest for converting an area into a cultivable land. An average nuclear family has about 5 to 6 members, an extended family can easily include fifty or more individuals.
Land ownership is communal, each tribe having its own territory and each member of the tribe having a say in the land distribution. It is quite unusual for people to leave their territory even for a short period of time. Contact with other tribes are rare, the tribal fights for the possession of bordering areas were frequent and bloody in the past.
When in a village, we have to be discreet in all circumstances, to ask if in doubt, to be accompanied by a local individual (of the same sex of yours) if we intend to walk or to explore surrounding areas.
Some PNG social conventions are the following:
-To show respect, especially to the oldest, those in authority, and the foreign visitors, is an important component of the culture. One shows respect in many different ways, including body posture and position, clothing worn, loudness and gestures.
-Shoes should be left at the door when entering in a house. You may keep your socks on if you want
-You have should bend when crossing a room where others are already seated. You should also say “too low” (“excuse me”).
-When crossing on the ground, keep your knees crossed and covered
-Never show affection in public
-Unmarried men and women are not allowed to hold hands when walking around the village
LANGUAGE
-----------------
Over 700 languages are actively spoken in Papua New Guinea. They are not similar to each other as I experienced when I asked the translation of the same words in some bordering villages. At present atop of the local languages, there are three official languages in PNG: English is considered the language of education and commerce, Tok Pisin is widely spoken everywhere, as is Hiri Motu. Hiri Motu is mostly spoken by the old generation in the Central and Gulf Provinces. You will occasionally see writing in Tok Pisin and hear people talking it. Tok Pisin is not hard to learn since it is based on English even if it has its own grammar and phrase structure. Once you have learned a few words and phrases, it is relatively easy to expand the language knowledge by practicing it. The problem is that sometimes the people in the villages pronounce the words according their local language rather then the English. In any event I suggest that you learn something and surprise and please our hosts.
To help you in that process, I write here below some useful words, which are very simple to learn and easy to remember to use during your village stay:
English Tok Pisin
Greetings:
Good morning--- Gut moning
Good afternoon--- Gut apinum
How are you?--- Yu stap gut?
I am fine--- Mi stap gut
Small talk:
My name is--- Nem bilong mi em…
What is your name?--- Wanem nem bilong yu?
I come from--- As ples bilong em..
Where are you from?--- Ples bilong yu we?
I do not understand--- Mi no klia gut
I do not know--- Mi so save
Excuse me--- Sori
I have enjoyed myself very much--- Mi hamamas tru
Thank you--- Tenkyu
Pronouns:
I--- Mi
He/she/it--- Em
We (including person spoken to)--- Yumi
We (excluding person spoken to)--- Mipela
Everybody--- Olgeta
Should you want to explore Tok Pisin and in the process to learn new words, you could check the following website: http://www.tok-pisin.com/sort-tokpisin.php There is also a “Papua New Guinea Pidgin phrasebook” edited by Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com). Please note that Pidgin is a generic term for all kind of “lingua franca” spoken in the South Pacific.
CHAPTER 2
============
INFORMATION ON THE TRIP
----------------------------------------
The trip will take place from Wednesday, April 8, not Thursday April 9 as tentatively indicated on the trip web page. The return is scheduled for Friday April 24 as previously indicated. Those who will travel together will meet at the Los Angeles, CA airport (LAX). At present (November 2008) I have already finalized the round trip from Los Angeles to Port Moresby (where we will land in PNG) with a travel agent suggested by Habitat. Trip details can be found at the Travel section of this Chapter. By the end of next month, once I will have received from my local coordinator some confirmations on the itinerary, I should be able to finalize the details of the flights inside PNG. The trip information provided at the Travel section are primarily intended for those who will travel together. Those who will travel independently should note the itinerary details and organize their travel plan in such a way to join us at a stop of the trip or at destination.
TRIP PREPARATION
----------------------------
I highly recommend that you look on the web for anything you can find on Papua New Guinea and on its East Sepik province.
Some of the websites on PNG that I found to be particularly interesting are:
http://www.state.gov/p/eap/ci/pp/ (click on “Background note”)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ppapua_New_Guinea
http://www.global.net.pg/niugini.html
The websides that I suggest you visit for generic information on
Western Highlands Province are:
http://www.igr.gov.pg/whp.html
http://www.odyssei.com/travel-tips/4409.html
There are various travel books on Papua New Guinea. The one I know and that I found well updated and detailed is Papua New Guinea published by Lonely Planet.
www.lonelyplanet.com
Finally, those of you who want to stay posted on the PNG news could check the online version of the following local newspapers:
Post-Courier at: http://www.postcourier.com.pg
The National at: http://www.thenational.com.pg/
DOCUMENTS
-------------------
To enter Papua New Guinea, we will need a valid passport, a return ticket, and a visa. The passport: Please check the expiration date of your passport and urgently obtain a new one if yours should expire before your departure. Those whose passport will expire in 2009, will have to keep in mind that, according to the PNG Immigration authorities, the visa applicant must submit a “valid passport at least six months from the time application is submitted”. In other terms, should the application be submitted in January 2009, the passport should be valid at least till July 2009. US citizens who need a passport can go to the following website: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
The Visa: our PNG “volunteer” visa process started with an application provided on our behalf from Habitat to the PNG Immigration Authority to obtain an authorization to operate in the country. To that end I recently provided Habitat PNG with the list of the trip participants. Once obtained the authorization will be communicated by the Immigration Authority to the Embassies where will apply for our visa. I will keep you posted at the time this authorization will be communicated to the Embassies. At that time you will have to download the application form at:
http://www.pngembassy.org/forms.html.
To obtain the PNG visa it would be necessary to send the following to the PNG Embassy:
-a valid passport (see above for the definition of “valid passport”)
-a filled out application form with 1 passport photo on it
-a copy of the letter that Habitat will have submitted to the Immigration Authority (I will provide you that copy)
-a self addressed envelope (certified, express mail or Federal Express)
-a money order or cashier’s check (for the visa fee amount we should contact the Embassy)
These are the contact information of the PNG Embassy in the US:
Embassy of Papua New Guinea
1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 805
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 745-3680
Fax: (202) 745-3679
Email: info [at] pngembassy.org
Speaking of visas: those of us who will land in Australia will need to have an electronic visa. It can be obtained through your travel agent at the time you buy your tickets.
TRAVEL
------------
I suggest that that you re-confirm your flight at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled departure. According to my travel agent we should be at the airport at least 2-3 hours prior to the time we should depart. This is critical because the flights are usually oversold and if you arrive late, they may not let you board even if you have a valid ticket. Should you miss your flight, you should go to the desk of the airline company who issued your ticket and request that they put you on another flight. Once you have your new arrangements made, you should go to an e-mail connection spot or at a fax machine and let the PNG Habitat National Office to know when you will arrive at destination. In Chapter 6 (Section Emergency Contacts) you will find the information you will need to contact Habitat.
The flight from the US to PNG that I chose was the best that I found in terms of duration and price. It originates in Los Angeles (LAX airport) and after a stop in Brisbane (Australia), continues to the scheduled destination of Port Moresby.
The travel itinerary from Los Angeles to Port Moresby is the following:
Flight on from at to arrival on
QF 016 Wed. April 8 LAX 11:20pm BNE 6:05am Fri. April 10 (1)
QF311 Fri. April 10 BNE 10:00am POM 1:00pm Fri. April 10
QF352 Fri April 24 POM 2:30pm BNE 5:25pm Fri. April 24 (2)
QF015 Sat. April 25 BNE 11.05am LAX 7.00am Sat. April 25 (3)
The schedule of the return trip Port Moresby- Mount Hagen is the following:
PX182 Fri. April 10 POM 3:10pm HGU 4:10pm Fri. April 10
PX181 Wed. April 22 HGU 10:15am POM 11:15am Wed. April 22
Decode: QF: Qantas Airways, LAX: Los Angeles Airport, BNE: Brisbane
POM: Port Moresby, HGU :Mount Hagen
Decode: QF: Qantas Airways, LAX: Los Angeles Airport, BNE: Brisbane
POM: Port Moresby
Notes:
(1) One day is lost when crossing the international date line.
(2) We will arrive in Brisbane on April 24, stay there overnight and depart the following day. The trip cost includes accommodation, meals and transportation in Brisbane.
(3) One day is gained back when re-crossing the international date line.
Those of you who plan to travel with the team, those who also have to fly through LAX, and those who plan to travel independently from the team, could contact the travel agency from whom I have already bought my tickets. The travel agency is World Travel Club, Inc of San Leandro, CA. Their web is: www.around-the-world.com The agent’s name at the World Travel Club with whom I am in touch is Susi. Her email address is: susi [at] around-the-world.com, her telephone : (510)667-9412, her fax : (413)895-8494. Regardless of your decision on who you travel agent will be, I would appreciate your informing me of your travel schedule. At this stage I am particularly interested to know if you plan to stay overnight in Brisbane on April 24.That is a detail that I need at your earliest convenience for making the hotel reservations in Brisbane.
My final suggestions:
-Leave a copy of the travel itinerary with your family/friends
-Make a copy of the very last page of the ticket, the one that recaps all the trip’s legs and possibly one copy of the itinerary. Keep those copies with you, separate from the originals. You would need those copies should you lose your ticket booklet.
-Keep all of your boarding passes for the entire trip. If your luggage is lost you may need to provide the airline a photocopy of all of them.
LUGGAGE
----------------
Many airlines have reduced the maximum weight and size of luggage that they carry for free. Those new rules are particularly restrictive for Air Niugini, the airline that we will utilize for the domestic flights in Papua New Guinea. On our flight from Port Moresby to any location in PNG we will be allowed only 16 kilos (35 pounds) of checked baggage and 5 kilos (11 pounds) of hand carry ones. If you are not used to those kind of limits, make sure to weight what you pack for deciding how to distribute the items between the baggage, and what possibly leave behind you.
My suggestion is to wear as much weight as you can on the airplane for keeping your bags lighter. You may, for instance, wear the heaviest shoes that you want to bring with you. There are some sites on the web that offer ideas on packing. Among them I like the following:
http://www.onebag.com/
http://www.webfoot.com/travel/tips/index.php
http://www.travelite.org/
Consider using luggage that is lightweight and “soft” (old duffel bags are the best), perhaps without wheels because it will weight less, giving you more allowance for your stuff. Besides, it should cram more easily in trucks, in small overhead compartments, and in other means of transportation we may encounter. The baggage you will carry should mainly be utilized for a change of clothing and any items you cannot do without in case your checked-through luggage do not arrive with you. (On a previous trip that I made to PNG, my luggage did not catch up with me the whole time I was there. I got it delivered the day before I left PNG!). I urge you to lock your luggage and do not put items in unlocked outside pockets. It’s better to use a combination padlock instead of those with a key. The latter are easier to be unduly opened. Those departing from the US should utilize a special combination lock that has been approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Those approved locks can be opened by the airport screeners and re-locked once the content of your luggage has been checked. Some models of these “TSA luggage locks” can be found on: http://www.safeskieslocks.com/index.html
When planning what to bring with you, and before start packing, you should visit the TSA site (www.tsa.gov/). When there, go to “For travelers” and click on “Things you should know”.
In Chapter 6 you will find the PNG address to be written on your luggage tag.
CHAPTER 3
CLOTHING AND RELATED ITEMS
------------------------------------------------
My message here is simple: please respect the local culture and bring durable, simple, lightweight, clothing that are not of a sentimental value to you. The dress in PNG is mostly casual and modest, more conservative for women than for men. It is a “man’s world”, unfortunately, and men do not have to be as conservative as women. The “rule of thumb” dress for women goes like this:
-upper part of the body: keep your shoulder covered
-lower part of the body: keep your knees covered
-on the beach: wear a one piece bathing suit.
Please keep in mind these simple rules at all times. On a previous stay in PNG I was really embarrassed when a lady who was on my team arrived at the build site wearing tank tops. The local people refused to work with us, I had to apologize, and to ask the lady to go back to her place to change her clothing.
More specifically, these are the clothes that I suggest for women: pants that are loose and cover their knees. T-shirts are acceptable. As mentioned before, tank tops are a “no, no” (but tolerated for men). Do not bring any kind of jewels. You may want to bring a shirt and a skirt (that covers your knees) for some special occasions like going to a church or attending the elaborate dedication ceremony when the keys of the house built by the team are delivered to the home owners.
A few words on the men dress. As is the case with the women, the clothing should be casual and modest. Long pants or shorts (but not very short) would be just fine. T-shirts would be acceptable for any occasions. On the other hand, long pants and long-sleeve shirts would be a plus on the occasion of special ceremonies.
Both women and men would find it easier to wear a lightweight fabric like a sarong instead of being fully clothed when walking to the shower building.
Just remember to keep your dress light. It is not just a question of baggage weight limitations. It would be uncomfortable to wear a pair of blue jeans because of the hot temperature and humidity. If you do not have light weight pants, you could consider “scrubs”, those lightweight cotton pants worn by your dental hygienists, nurses, doctors. They are looser than you may usually like, but that helps keep you cool. You can buy them at uniform stores. If you want to spend more money, there are lightweight clothing available in travel stores and on the web. In addition to the items already mentioned, everybody should wear sturdy shoes that can stand slippery soil and are practical for walking on rugged terrain (heavy work boots are not at all necessary), working gloves, a broad rimmed hat. Light rainwear is a must as encounters with rain are possible. I suggest that you bring with you a windbreaker and a rain poncho.
PACKING LIST
----------------------------------------
The Packing List that follows is based a personal experience. It is tailored to cover a typical two week Habitat overseas trip in a country like PNG. On the list some items are marked by numbers in brackets. Those numbers connect the items to some notes that can be found at the bottom of the list.
Documents and financial means
___________________________
-Passport (and a copy to keep separated from it) (1)
-Airline tickets (and a copy to keep separated from them) (1)
-A copy of your prescriptions, if any
-A copy of the itinerary (leave another copy with family/friends)
-A copy of your own packing list
-A copy of the Short Term Mission Manual
-The team biographies and pictures
-Cash (1)
-Credit Card (1) A part of your trip fee covers the cost of a very comprehensive overseas health insurance plan. This includes emergency medical treatment, air evacuation, and other emergencies. I recommend carrying a credit card as expenses are usually paid upfront and then reimbursed.
-An underclothing security pouch for carrying your valuable items (suggested).
Clothing and related items
____________________________
-Daily work clothes: T-shirts, underwear, slacks, hospital scrubs, sturdy work gloves, hat, bandana, socks, sturdy shoes.
-Evening/Sunday outfit: shirts, underwear, pants, socks, shoes, a fleece or a sweatshirt (the weather could be moderately cold in the evening hours))
-Other: “flip flops”/sandals, windbreaker/poncho, light weight jacket, folding umbrella, handkerchiefs, sun hat.
Toiletries and health care items
______________________________
-Soap (2) (3)
-Toothpaste, (2) (3) toothbrush, dental floss, toothpicks
-Shampoo (avoid floral and herbal ones. They can attract insects. Head & Shoulder is recommended) (2) (3)
-A comb
-Nail clippers, tweezers, a pocket knife (optional)
-Insect repellent, disinfecting spray (2)
-Hand sanitizer (2)
-Sun screen, (2) sun glasses
-Contact lens supply and reading glasses (if needed)
-A simple first aid kit (for its contents, please refer to last paragraph of section Medical Precaution)
-Ladies: feminine hygiene items
-Gentlemen: razors and shaving cream (2) (3). Do not bring after shave, since like floral and herbal shampoo, it could attract insects.
Personal Items
______________________________
-A lightweight sleeping bag (4)
-Guidebook, information on the country
-Family/friend addresses (e-mail, snail mail, telephone numbers)
-Journal note book, pens, pencils
-Games, cards, paper backs
-Small sewing kit and pins
-Camera, film, memory cards, and batteries (1)
-Flash light, and batteries (5)
-Alarm clock (optional)
-Picture of your place, your family and so on
-A knapsack or a bag to carry items to the building site
Sundry
_________________________________
-Laundry powder (3)
-A Medical Kit (See Medical Precaution section for details)
-Some want to bring snacks (1) (6)
-Games to play with the children (7)
-Tools (optional)
Notes:
(1) Bring some zip-lock bags to protect and keep dry cameras, valuable papers (cash, airline tickets, credit cards, passport and so on), and any other items that are valuable or perishable.
(2) Pack leaky items (toiletries and alike) in zip-lock bags and tighten their caps.
(3) You could simplify your toiletries by bringing a product that can wash everything, including your teeth, body, hair, laundry and so on. One of those products is Dr.Bronner’s soap (http://www.drbronner.com/index.html)
(4) Mattresses on the floor will be provided, so we will need a sleep bag (better than a sheet since the night could be a little cold). You will need a pillow to sleep. Consider to bring a pillow case and to stuff it with your clean clothing. You could also bring an old pillow case for the laundry.
(5) There will be kerosene lamps in the building where we will stay, otherwise it will be dark. I suggest that you bring headlamps .They comes with a strap for around your head. There is also a kind that snaps on the bill of a baseball cap. Those headlamps are a lot handier for reading, and for a walk to the latrine at night. Headlamps can be found on outdoor equipment catalogues like Campmor (http://www.campmor.com/)
(6) It would not be appropriate to bring your own food to a meal prepared by our hosts, but you could have something back at your own room. Just keep in mind bugs, heat, humidity, and weight. You will need to keep anything stored in zip- lock bags, and take care of any trash/packaging. Suggestions: nuts, seeds, protein or granola bars that are not gooey, crackers.
(7) The best games to play with the children are frisbee, jump rope, balls. Just remember: the children can use them by themselves or with you, but they must give them back to you when the play is over. Even simple gifts are not allowed.
MEDICAL PRECAUTIONS
----------------------------------------
On this subject there is something that I suggest that you do before the trip, something else for you to do when in PNG, and finally something you should do when you get back home.
Before the trip takes place, you should visit and carefully review the information noted on the following website:
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationPapuaNewGuinea.aspx
On this site you will find the basic health information for travelers to PNG. At least two months before departure you should get a medical exam, a check-up of the status of your immunizations, and receiving vaccinations if necessary.
The sooner you start contacting your doctor for discussing when it would be more appropriate to start the medical preparation, the better.
Whereas we will not be in PNG during the rainy season, mosquito-borne illness cannot be ruled out entirely. I refer here to malaria and dengue fever which are spread through insect bites. To protect yourself, you should obtain malaria pill prescription from your doctor. Please note that no preventive medicine is 100% effective for malaria, and that there is no vaccination or pills to prevent dengue fever. If you fear you may have contacted dengue, it is imperative that you do not take aspirin as this can cause severe complications.
The first line of defense against malaria and dengue is to prevent getting bitten by using mosquito repellent (at least 25-30% DEET). Just for your information, mosquitoes are more active at dusk and dawn, they can bite through clothing, and they hunt at ankle level. This means that it would be better to spray your bare ankle or your long pants at ankle level with mosquito repellent. Something else that I absolutely suggest you do, is to bring a mosquito net to protect you when sleeping. You can find them in outdoor activity catalogues. Alternatively you can go to www.campmor.com and click on the category “Insect Deterrents”. You can find information on how to protect yourself against mosquitoes by going to: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentStayHealthy.aspx
Other potential illness, even if especially present in rural areas and in any event not at an epidemic level, are typhoid fever and polio. Possible vaccinations against typhoid and poliomyelitis should be discussed with your doctor. Something else that you may want to ask is for an antibiotic and dysentery prescription.
Before your departure you should make a photocopy of your vaccination record book, and of any medical record that you may have. You should also prepare a medical kit which includes any prescription medicines that you frequently take or that your doctor recommends that you take with you. Your kit should also include at least the following items: band aids, treatment for upset stomach, Tylenol or aspirin, and antibiotic ointment. I’ll bring a first aid kit to complement the supply that you will bring along with you.
In terms of medical precautions, it is advisable to keep your hands clean. Water will not necessarily be available when needed. I therefore suggest that you bring and use a hand sanitizer product and use it often, especially prior to meals.
Also, you will always want to wear something for protecting your feet. To that end, flip-flops are recommended while walking around and taking a shower. Avoid being barefoot at all times. Parasites are common and they can enter the body through the feet. Parasites are also present in the fresh water. Avoid exposure to it. Please note that no flip-flop will be allowed at the work site. While there you will be required to wear “substantial” shoes.
To help you to stay in good health, we will drink bottled or water. Speaking of water, while there you should drink a lot of it even if you do not feel that you are particularly thirsty. Do not forget that we will be involved into manual work in a tropical area. In those conditions a massive loss of body water through perspiration is the norm. If that water is not replaced, you could run the risk of dehydrating.
A few words on food: to avoid illness, do not eat uncooked vegetables. Eat food that has been cooked and is still hot, and fruit that you have peeled yourself. Remember the rule: if it has not been cooked, or pealed, or boiled, forget it.
When you get back home, you should have a check-up. In any event, seek medical attention for any fever or flu-like symptoms occurring up to 3 months after your return home. This is a necessary precaution as, for instance, malaria symptoms are close to those of the flu and can be felt a few months after the disease has been transmitted. Be sure to tell the doctor you see your travel history.
CHAPTER 4
==================
THE PNG HIGHLANDS AND MOUNT. HAGEN
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Highlands of Papua New Guinea are divided into five separate provinces-Enga, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands, Simbu, Eastern Highlands. A map of the Western Highlands province (the one where we will stay) with an indication of the local languages spoken there-atop of the Top-Pisin and the English-can be found at:
http://www.sil.org/pacific/png/maps/WHP_Simbu_small.jpg
The Highlands is an extensive mountain area crossed by a long string of fertile valleys and spotted by plains. It provides the watershed for some of the world’s largest river systems: the Sepik, the Strickland, and the Fly rivers originate from this area. It was thought that the Highlands was uninhabited until some gold miners ventured there in the 1930’s and discovered thousands of people living stone-age style, unaware of the outside world. If you are interested in learning about the first encounter between the natives and the Westerners, you could read the book written by one of the first explorers. The book title is “Exploration into the Highland New Guinea-1930-1933”, its author is Michael J. Leahy. The book is published by the University of Alabama. Besides being the mostly densely populated and agriculturally productive region of PNG, the Highlands also have the most extensive road system in the country, as well as some of the major PNG towns. The countryside is spectacular, with lush vegetation, high valleys, towering mountains, and roaring headwaters of several rivers. The forests are mainly on the mountain slopes, while valleys and lower hills are covered by emerald green high grass. Large coffee and tea plantations dominate the most fertile valley floors. The Western Highlands province, whose capital city is Mount Hagen, and that of Enga province that borders it, are rich with mineral, mainly gold and copper. After some tentative mining explorations in the 1950’s which generated violent clash with the natives, the situation normalized in the late 1960’s. At present there are various active mines. The mines activity and a flow of tourists brought to an expansion of the former domestic Mount Hagen airport. Domestic and some international flights operate now from there. The airport (code HGU) is located in a place called Kagamuga, some 15 minutes from the center of town of Mount Hagen. Both Kagamuga and Mount Hagen are well above the sea level: 5400ft / 1650m the former, 6000f/1830m the latter. The altitude offers to the area an excellent cool climate-days average 75F/24C. The town of Mount Hagen is connected via a so-called Highway to the towns of Kundiawa and Goroka. From here the road winds down to Lae in the Morobe Province, the PNG’s second larger town after Port Moresby. The town of Madang lies further north. The town of Mount Hagen acquired the name after a nearby mountain, which in turn was named after a German administrator -Kurt von Hagen- who was killed near Bogadjim, Madang Province in 1897.
Do not expect too much from Mount Hagen. It was a patrol police station at the turn of the second World War, a sleeping little bunch of houses for a while, and an unruly town surrounded by squatter settlements today. Somebody labeled it as a “frontier town”. The road system facilitated year after year the arrival of unskilled people from other areas and provinces. In many instances those people do not have a job and their lives are precarious.
The main attraction of Mount Hagen is its market, which has a reputation of being one of the largest and more interesting in PNG. The market is particularly active on Saturdays when people arrive from distant places, sometimes wearing traditional dresses.
We will visit that market on Saturday, April 11. It will be a good introduction to the people and the culture of PNG. After the market visit we should travel directly to our village unless my coordinator, who will travel with us, should find something else interesting to be seen in Mount Hagen before hitting the road.
For your ready reference, I’ve attach a map of Mount Hagen. You can see that the market is located at the corner between Wahgi Parade Road and Kum Road. It is marked with the number 21 on the map.
Some information on Mount Hagen can be found at:
http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/png/about_destin/mounthagen.html
Next month the itinerary that will be part of the Chapter 5, will include the details of the Hotel where we will stay on our arrival in Mount Hagen, and of the one in Brisbane where we will stay when on our way back home.
MAP OF MT. HAGEN
ACCOMMODATIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our host will be the “Nega Building Community” (Nega). Nega is a local organization affiliated with Habitat for Humanity that was established by a group of individuals belonging to different villages. The purpose of Nega’s committee and staff is to select future home owners, and in coordination with Habitat, to plan, organize and supervise house constructions. Nega is located some 14 Km (9 miles) north from Mount Hagen in a village called Ruti. Ruti belongs to the Local Level Government of Kotna. Kotna, in turn, is part of a District called Dei. A satellite view of Kotna can be found at: http://www.tageo.com/index-e-pp-v-16-d-m3035196.htm?Kotna
The activity of Nega covers an area inhabited by eight different clans for a total population that is estimated to be around 2,500 individuals.
Near the Nega area there are three villages whose population is estimated to be around 6,000. Our team will stay in the village of Ruti. Some land there was assigned to Habitat for building a “model house”. That house will be the place where the females of our team will stay. The house has four bedrooms, each of which can accommodate two people.
As for the team’s males, Habitat is negotiating with the Nelga committee a place where to stay. It could be, according to my coordinator, either a traditional cabin or a permanent house. Having in mind the place where we stay, I revised the Packing List (Chapter 3) that I had prepared for the accommodation in an East Sepik village. I found that my list is still valid with the exception of a “solar shower” that I suggest you bring with you. A solar shower is a plastic bag with a flexible hose that uses sun for heating water. You can find them on any outdoor equipment catalogue.
A few words on the food that we will have when at the village. Food will be prepared by the local people using the products that they have in their fields. You can expect to eat sweet potatoes (they call them kaukau), yam, taro, cassava, rice, various kinds of beans. Most of the meat will be chicken, sometimes pork. The food will likely be bland and somewhat repetitive. Please keep in mind that they will offer us the best that they have, cooked in the best way that they can.
I will introduce in the next section of this Chapter some notions on the way we will be perceived in the village and how to deal with its inhabitants. I want to say that one way to be fully accepted by the locals and considered part of their community is to attend a Service on Sunday at one of their Churches. PNG people are very religious. Most of them are Lutherans. My suggestion is that everybody accepts the invitation of our coordinator to join her at a Church Service on Easter Sunday, April 12 in Ruti.
IN THE VILLAGE
------------------------
While there, we will be among people who for centuries have had- and sometimes occasionally have- violent confrontations with their neighboring clans and tribes for the control of the territory and its resources. As a result of this they tend to stay within their area boundaries, and are suspicious of any foreigner who approaches it. This attitude permeate so deeply into their personality, that they could be wary of us even if we will be welcomed there with an open heart and most likely with a colorful tribal welcome ceremony. We have to realize that some basic concepts that belong to the Western culture are irrelevant to them or are perceived differently by them. To help you to create a bridge of understanding between ours and their culture, I will share with you something that I learned during my previous visits to PNG. In my opinion one crucial element that differentiate our cultures is the concept of “time”. According to us, time is something concrete, fixed, and ever present. There is an awareness of time. People look at their watches and conform to the demand of time. In our “world” it is often possible to accomplish a great many tasks in a given time due to the availability of transportation, communication networks, and necessary material. Things can usually be done fast, and so they are. According to them, time is indefinite, changeable, and fluid. Often there is no need to know what time it is. Why need watches when time is bent to accommodate the need of people? To better see their point, we have to consider that in traditional cultures a task often requires the input of a large number of people, and any mistakes which are made cannot easily be undone. It is therefore necessary to go slowly and to focus on the relationship of the people doing the job, rather than the task itself. Harmony in the community is much more important than the task or the time needed to accomplish it. With them, communications and traveling over long distances are not always easy, and materials are not always nearby. Things usually cannot be done quickly so they usually are not. Another element that differentiates us from them is the way we organize ourselves when we plan a task. For us planning ahead is important, schedules are sacred, and promptness is highly valued. We focus on task, it is important not to digress or get distracted from it. For them, schedules are flexible, promptness is not so important, plans can be easily changed and absorbed, digressions are inevitable. Finally, for us the concept of privacy is well rooted in our culture. Do not expect too much privacy there; the villagers are like an extended family where everybody knows everything about everybody else. Be prepared to be stared at. In a way that is understandable since we will be the manifestation of an unusual event, and we will be strange in so many different ways to their eyes. Please do not jump to the wrong conclusions that the people there are sloppy, lazy and rude. They are not. I found them to be gentle, rather shy, and hard workers. They are just different from us and we have to accept and respect that difference.
After this long but I guess necessary introduction, these are my recommendations for our stay in the village:
-We should be always courteous, speak softly, and greet the people we meet.
-We should ask permission before taking pictures to individuals and their properties.
-We have to keep in mind that they do not like that their guests go around visiting places if not previously authorized and possibly escorted by somebody.
-Should we go places, it would be better to go with somebody else of the team rather than alone.
-If in doubt about how to behave or act, ask the Habitat representative or me.
-Dress modestly.
-Refrain from showing affection or comradeship in public.
-Report to Michelle or me any situation that makes you uncomfortable. You can inform us in private or during the evening team gathering.
-Please show appreciation for what the people we will deal with will do for us.
-Also see the "Cultural Customs/Social Conventions" Section in Chapter 1.
CONSTRUCTION
-------------------------
We will work on the construction of two houses that will replace two traditional ones built with bush material. The traditional houses are in general built on timber poles. Their sides are made of woven bamboo canes, or matting. The roofs are made of straw. These materials weather poorly in the tropical climate and the house must be re-build after a few years. Besides the short duration inconvenience, the houses are far from being healthy places to live. Poor ventilation- they in general have no windows- and a fireplace built in the center for cooking and keeping the house warm, are the reason for respiratory diseases. Diseases are also induced by the presence of insects and rodents.
The houses we will build should be on timber post, with timber framing and galvanized corrugated roof. We will use plywood for internal walls and flooring. Wood planks should constitute the houses walls. Since there will not be any electricity or running water, the houses there do not need any plumbing or wiring. Toilets and cooking places are outside.
I am told that we will work on two different houses. I am not aware of what kind we will build but I know that there are three different models that Habitat builds there. The models have different sizes. The largest is 54 sq. meters (580 sq .ft.) of living space. It is divided into four bedrooms and a living area. A smaller model is 44 sq. meters (420 sq. ft) of living space. It is divided into three bedrooms and a living room. The smallest model has two bedrooms, one living room, and its living space is 39sq.meters (300 sq. ft).
Our building activity will start with a short orientation by a construction professional who should work side by side with some skilled workers, our team, the future homeowners and other local people. Once everybody will have the basic understanding of what to do and how to do it, we will be separated into units with specific tasks. They may include mixing cement, sawing boards, smoothing down planks with a plane, hammering, digging, plastering, painting, and the like.
SAFETY
------------
Apart from some very minor incidents that were fixed by way of a band-aid, I do not recollect anything serious that happened to the teams that I led in the past. This does not mean that risks do not exist. In my opinion it means that the team members followed the instructions that they received. Those instructions can be summarized into being constantly alert in spotting and avoiding potential dangerous situations, and using sound judgment in any circumstance. More specifically, these are some safety tips based on my experience. I ask you to keep them in mind when we will be on the work site:
-We will operate in a tropical area. While working there we will loose fluids more than we are used to. To stabilize our body’s system, we will have to drink frequently, even if we will not feel being thirsty.
-Scaffoldings: before using them, ask the person in charge (the construction supervisor or the person in charge of the team) to make a stability and a weight supporting check. Use solid material for building them. When a long scaffolding is used, put a support in the middle. Do not stand on the edge unless somebody else is on the other edge. Do not move from your position unless you have first alerted the individual who is standing on the opposite side. Do not climb scaffoldings if you do not feel comfortable working on it. Descend immediately if you feel unsafe and/or uncomfortable.
-Ladders: before using a ladder, be sure it is on a solid, leveled ground, that it can support your weight including any material that you are possibly carrying, and that it is positioned in an area where it does not present an obstacle to other people or where it could be hit by somebody. Remember to move your ladder with your work. Do not make the mistake of extending your body too much out of the ladder frame.
-The building area must be kept clean from unnecessary material, tools, and from scraps. My suggestion is to spend your spare time collecting and disposing any building material that will not be utilized. Do the same with the garbage that should be collected on a separate spot from the building material. The building material that should be utilized should be piled according to size and type of material.
-Chances are that we will experience minor cuts and scratches. In those events, we should stop working, wash the cut/scratch with bottled water, and to contact the person who has the first aid kit for any needed action.
-Dressing appropriately for work will be important. Please do not arrive on the building site wearing sandals or open-toed shoes. Wear comfortable clothes, bring and use working gloves, wear a cap. Keep a bandana handy.
-Last but not least: concentrate on what you are doing. Distraction and overconfidence are responsible for most of the situations when something goes wrong.
TEAM MEETINGS
-------------------------
Our normal meeting will take place in the morning, in the evening, and at the conclusion of our mission trip. Unscheduled meetings can take place any time when needed. In the morning: there will be a time, just before starting to work, for a short reflection/devotion. Everybody will be invited to attend but it will be up to you to participate or not.
In the evening: usually the meetings will take place after the dinner. They will offer a chance to discuss our experiences, to plan our work, to make suggestions, to clear up possible problems, and in the process to get to know each other better.
Once the meetings are over, it will be time for your favorite games that you will have brought with you. A deck of regular cards is a good idea too. Needless to say, we will have time in the evening to read a book, to talk, to write and so on.
At the conclusion of our mission trip: a meeting will be held before our return home.
The purpose of this final meeting will be to discuss our experience and to collect possible ideas and suggestions. This time of “closure” will offer us a chance to put into perspective all the incredible things that happened to us, both emotionally and spiritually, as a result of the trip. On the occasion of the last meeting I’ll distribute a Global Village Evaluation Forms that each you will be requested to fill out.
CHAPTER 5
=============
ITINERARY
----------------------
The itinerary starts on Wednesday, April 8 when most of us will meet at the Los Angeles airport (LAX) for a departure at 11.20pm to Brisbane, Australia. We will arrive in Brisbane on April 10 (one day will be lost when crossing the International Date Line ).
From Brisbane we will proceed to Port Moresby, PNG where we are scheduled to arrive at 1:00pm on April 10. We will meet other teammates at the Port Moresby airport. The next step will be the departure for Mount Hagen at 3:10pm. The arrival in Mount Hagen is scheduled for 4:10pm. We will spend the night of April 10 at the Hagen Airport Motel They have a website that is: http://www.nationwidepngpages.com/Hagen%20Airport%20Motel.htm
Other Habitat teams have been there and both their team leaders and my coordinator in PNG suggested this accommodation. We will have our dinner at the Motel and the following day (Saturday, April 11) we will travel with my coordinator to our village. We will be welcomed by the Nelga Building Community- better to have your cameras ready and to be patient: these ceremonies are colorful, quite unusual, and tends to last for a long while. If not done the day before, we will have on that Saturday our orientation session. Sunday, April 12 will be Easter Sunday. We will be invited to attend a Church Service.
Going to a Church on Sunday is a good way to see everybody and to be seen. After the lunch we will visit the build site, will discuss and plan what we will do there , will visit and familiarize with the place where we will stay.
We will work from Monday, April 18 to Saturday, April 18. On a typical working day, we will have our breakfast at 7:30, will arrive at the build site by 8:30, and will work up to noon. We will have one hour interval for the lunch that will be delivered at the build site. The work will continue from 1:00 to 4:30. We will clean the site before leaving at about 5:00. Time to get clean, take a shower, and we will have our dinner around 6:30.
After the dinner we will have our team meeting, followed by free time for reading, writing and so on. Based on the build progress, we will consider a half day rest during the week for visiting places of interest.
On Sunday April 19 we will be e invited to attend a Church Service. I will discuss with my coordinator the activity for that day that most likely will include sightseeing.
Monday, April 20: build. Tuesday April 21: if needed we will do some final work at the site in the morning, and will clean the area for the House Dedication- a ceremony during which we will formally deliver the house key to the home owners. You can expect that a lot of people will be in attendance.
On Wednesday, April 22 very early in the morning we will reach the airport for a departure to Port Moresby. The departure is scheduled at 10:15am, the arrival one hour later. Some representatives of the Loloata Island resort will be at the airport to meet to and to bring us to the island. Please see the next section of this Chapter for further details on our stay in Loloata. On Friday, April 24 most of us will depart from Port Moresby to Brisbane. We are scheduled to arrive in Brisbane at 5:25pm. The place we will stay that night is Brisbane Marriott, whose website is www.brisbanemarriott.com.au
As is the case with Loloata, further details on our stay in Brisbane can be found at next section of this Chapter. On Saturday, April 25, most of us will leave Brisbane for starting the flight back home.
Please note that even if I do not expect we should deviate from this itinerary, some minor changes and adjustments will be possible, based on circumstances that I cannot anticipate, regardless how careful I can be in working out the trip details.
R&R
---------------------------------
I admit to looking forward to going back to the Loloata island resort. I was there two times in the past and I consider that place one of the most relaxing, friendly, and gorgeous I ever had a chance to be. We will reach the resort in less than one hour from the Port Moresby airport. We will proceed in a van to a dock where we will unload our luggage in a commuter boat, and head off shore to the Loloata island. We have a reservation at the resort for seven twin waterfront colonial style elevated units with a large veranda in front of them. The island and the surrounding area are a magic place for those who love scuba diving and other related aquatic activities. This is also a place to take nice pictures when strolling along the island path and narrow beach or atop of the hill that is the island’s backbone. The best times for these strolls are early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Those who would like to go sightseeing and shopping can choose to return to Port Moresby. Loloata offers a private tour of the city at reasonable prices. The tour can include a visit to the National Museum and to the Parliament.
A few words on our stay in Brisbane. Accommodation, meals and transportation are included in the trip cost, hence I consider this as part of the R&R. Thanks to the intervention of Nancy who works for Marriott in Hong Kong, we have a five “Deluxe Cityview” twin room reservation at Brisbane Marriott. Those who have been in Brisbane before should know or remember that Queen Street, where the Brisbane Marriott is located, is in the section of the city called Brisbane City Centre. The area is pedestrian friendly. There are many restaurants with outdoor seating and shops all over the place. At a walking distance there is a China Town Mall, and a city park. The Hotel is very close to the Brisbane River. This means that those who want to have an unusual view of the city can take one of the Brisbane Public Transportation System boats (they are known as “City Cats”). The boats are large and fast. They have inside and outside seating.
MONEY AND SHOPPING
----------------------------------
The PNG unit of currency is the Kina (pronounced Keenah), which is divided into 100 Toea (pronounced Toy-ah). Kina means “shell” in Pidgin, since the shell was the traditional currency before the arrival of the Westerners. Should you want to familiarize with Kina and Toea, you could check http://www.bankpng.gov.pg/ and click on “Notes & Coins” on the left of your screen. For an updated exchange rate between your national currency and the Kina, you could access: http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet
On that website you can obtain a schedule that compares various national currency amounts to the Kina equivalent and vice-versa. I suggest that, before leaving, you print an updated version of those schedules and bring them with you. It could help when checking prices expressed in Kina. The banknotes that you should bring for changing them there should be new, clean, unmarked and not torn. In the past my banknotes that weren’t like that were routinely refused at banks that I visited for changing my oney. ATM machines are not common in PNG. Money can be changed at the Port Moresby airport or at banks. The latter used to be opened from 8:45am to 3:00pm, Monday to Thursday, and until 4:00pm on Friday.
A question that sometimes some teammates ask me is how much money they should bring with them. It is difficult to answer this question since each of us has a different inclination toward shopping, and shopping could be the main reason for bringing money.
Other expenses that we could incur because they are not covered by the amount paid to Habitat are: alcoholic beverages and, in Loloata, scuba diving and related activities cost, as well as city tour offered by them. There will be as well a chance to pay an exit tax at the Port Moresby airport but sometimes that tax has already been incorporated into the airfare.
A few words on shopping. PNG is a country where prices are final and bargaining is not part of their culture. Besides the price of local products, including artifacts, are in general very reasonable, sometimes really cheap. In my opinion the best opportunity to buy something is on our way back when we will be in Port Moresby. That is for two reasons: we will no longer have the luggage weight limitations since we will no longer have to take domestic flights, and there are several excellent crafts outlets with large artifact selections from around the country. PNG is so rich of primitive art that is difficult to mention everything. You can expect to find there any sort of carved masks, storyboards, woven ritual costumes, bilum (string bags that are used to carry everything in PNG, children included ), spears, arrows, baskets and so on .When shopping, I suggest that you refrain from buying any goods made from or including animal parts, like skin, furs, hair, or feathers. I refer particularly to items made from rawhide, such as drums, shields, and so on. Such items and those that include or incorporate shells could be confiscated on your arrival in Brisbane.
GIFTS AND TOOLS
---------------------------
The gift-giving policy of Habitat for Humanity-PNG can be summarized as follows: all donations and gifts must be channeled through Habitat and not given directly to the members of the community where we will operate. The only exception to this rule is a token gift to the home owner(s) on the occasion of the “dedication ceremony” and something to play with the children. In this regard I quote here from a my coordinator writing “During house dedication saving group members, tribe and family members, and community members will contribute a love offering of K.10.00 per person”. 10 Kina is the equivalent of 4 US dollars. I suggest that we, as “temporarily adopted members” of the community that hosted us we offer our 10 Kina contribution like everybody else. Please note that this is just a suggestion.
Back to the Habitat gift-giving policy: it is based on the assumption that our gifts given to specific individuals could create a sense of dependency and even worst to create a situation where home owners of a small community become very upset because one of them received something. This concept can be summarized into this sentence: teams come and go and they can leave behind major problems for HFH without realizing it, rather assuming of having done something good. I said initially that donations and gifts can be channeled through Habitat. To that end, on the day before the dedication, we will collect any items that we want donate (clothing, tools, school supply and so on) and we will present our “team gift” to the HFH representative. Please note that this is not an invitation to bring something to donate, or leave behind something that you brought for your use. It would be perfectly fine not giving any items. Do not forget that your work, and your financial contribution are your gift to the community. All of this having been said, I suggest that, if you want, you could bring something very cheap and simple for the children we will meet there. I refer to small bottles of bubbles for blowing through a small hand held ring and/or a bunch of balloons to blown up: children absolutely love them.
Finally, I wanted to share with you a concept of “gift” alien to our culture but that is part of theirs. It goes like this. If anything is left anywhere-table, work site, outside your place, and so on- people will feel free to take since it is assumed that that item is no longer needed or wanted. The recipient of such a “gift” would not understand our claim that we did not want to give away our item, rather that we just forgot to pick it up. We would terribly embarrass those who would be requested to return the “gift”.
The tools: I know that each Affiliate welcomes tools. Once again, it would be perfectly fine if you do not bring anything, particularly in light of the weight restrictions that our luggage will be subjected. In any event, should you have room in your luggage and desire to bring something, I suggest an extra pair of work gloves, a square, some carpenter pencils , a measuring tape. Even saws are always welcome.
CHAPTER 6
==========
CONTACT INFORMATION
------------------------------------
Let me provide here some basic information for those who would wish to contact you by phone during your stay in Papua New Guinea. When dialing PNG from outside, it is necessary to dial first the international access code (so, if calling from the US, the access code would be 011), followed by 675 (which is the PNG country code, valid for any location), and then the seven digit local phone number. In Australia the country code – to be dialed after the international access code - is 61. The area code of Brisbane is 7.
Before making a call to PNG it would be better to check the current time there. This can be accomplished by accessing
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_PG.aspx
Both us, in case we want to make a call, and those in need of getting in touch with us, should know on what days we will be in the proximity of a telephone. Those who would call us also know what numbers to dial. To those ends, the information needed by all parties are:
-On April 10 and 11 we will be at the Mt. Hagen Airport Motel. Their telephone numbers there are: (675) 545-1647 or (675) 545-1302. Their fax number is: (675) 545-1618.
-On April 21 we will be back at the Mt. Hagen Airport Motel.
-On April 22-23-24 we will be at the Loloata Island resort. Their telephone number there is (675) 325-8590, their fax number is: (675) 325-8933. They have an email address that is the following: loloata@daltron.com.pg
-On April 24 we will be in Brisbane at the Marriott Hotel. Their telephone number there is (61) 7-3303-8000. Their fax number is (61) 7-3303-8088.
In case of need when in between the places mentioned, an emergency communication could be channeled through the Habitat for Humanity office in Lae with a request to contact and deliver the message to their representative at the village where we will build.
The Habitat for Humanity PNG phone number is (675) 472-1270, their fax number is
(675) 472-3513.
Finally, the people in charge for our team at the US Headquarter of Habitat for Humanity are:
-Demetria Kearse-Brown, Logistic Coordinator, telephone number 1 (229) 410-7670,
fax number 1 (229) 410-7129, email address: debrown@habitat.org
-Allyson Drinnon, Manager-Community Volunteerism, telephone number 1(229) 410-7527, fax number 1(229) 410-7072, email address: adrinnon@habitat.org
As part of the “contact information” the data that you should write on your baggage tag are:
-Your Name
-c/o Hagen Airport Motel
Highlands Hwy
Mount Hagen, West Highlands Province
Papua New Guinea
Tel: (675) 545-1647 or 545-1302
TRIP ABROAD REGISTRATION
-------------------------------------------
I suggest that those of us who are not US citizens check if their Countries have in place a registration system for those who travel abroad. Should that system exist, I invite them to register themselves. Those who are US citizens should spend a few minutes to fill out the ”Travel Registration” fields of the following US Department of State website:
https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/
One data required when making a registration is an address for possible contacts. In our instance that address is the following:
Habitat fore Humanity Papua New Guinea
P.O. Box 3804
Lae, Monrobe Province 411
Papua New Guinea
Telephone (675) 472-1270, Fax : (675) 472-3513
Please contact me should you have any questions on the trip registration.
MISCELLANEOUS:
--------------------------
I decided to add this section for sharing with you information of general interest.
I wish here to thank Doug who, by way of his questions, gave me the opportunity to
identify the topics that I am going to introduce:
Electrical adapters and converters
The following information should be useful to those who will bring electrical appliances to be used in PNG or in Australia, and those who should need to recharge their appliance batteries during our trip. PNG and Australia use the “I” style plug/socket. The “I” plug has a grounding pin and two flat prongs forming a V-shape. More information can be found at the following website: http://kropla.com/electric.htm
Please note that to plug your appliances in PNG and Australia, you would need a adapter and in some instances a converter. They are not the same thing. The adapter just makes it so that your plug can fit into their socket. The adapter would be sufficient if your appliance is able to “accept” the PNG and Australia voltage of 240. Incidentally the voltage of US and Canada is 120, that of Japan (Tokyo area) is 100. If you appliance had not been designated for such a wide range of voltage levels, then you need a converter as well. Converters and adapters can be purchased at travel stores or online. There are as well stores in the major airports that sell them.
Laundry:
During the past I led three teams to PNG. On those occasions I realized that it would be better for us to take care of our own laundry rather then having it done in the villages. The latter solution was in the past sometime frustrating since the delivery of clean and dry clothing was in general unpredictable, something was sometimes missing, and some team members complained that the clothing were not clean as expected.
When we will be in the village I will discuss where we can make our laundry.
I suggest that you bring a line for hanging your laundry to dry.
CONCLUSION
--------------------
Let me just remind you that this is OUR team, not just mine or Michelle’s. While you should expect that our leadership be the best that we can offer, we expect that you approach this experience with an open mind, an open heart, maturity and flexibility, good sense of humor and respect for everybody.
Finally: in writing this blog and organizing this trip I was driven by a true belief in this kind of mission, and by a sincere desire that you can have the best possible experience. Hopefully one of the most amazing experiences you ever had.
No comments:
Post a Comment