Kids went back to school after term break on Thursday last week. But life is never dull here in POM (Port Moresby) and yesterday saw Police stand themselves down from active duty. At the end of the day it’s a political issue. Mt Hagen police came down from the Highlands (for the political impasse), and then attacked local police here in POM. You can read about it here, on one of my new favourite PNG blogs.
Photo courtesy of Papua New Guinea Post-Courier
As the freeway, which I drive down everyday to and from school is still at a standstill, due to major roadworks (like it collapsing), there are people swarming around the cars when they are stopped. Many are just trying to sell things: cigarettes, buai (betelnut), peanuts, newspapers etc. But it ups the risk of crime, and apparently yesterday there were 9 unconfirmed reports of people getting broken into while stopped on the freeway. Remember, lock you doors people, first rule of driving in PNG. So anyway, we just decided to let the kids stay home and have after another day off.
Sometimes I do wonder what the hell we’re doing here. While my kids are at the best school possible, an elite international one, I still found it substandard to the level of schooling they were receiving back home in their little private catholic school … confirmed by the fact that my average middle of the road children are testing here as advanced and above average. On the plus side though, the curriculum here is much broader. And my children love having a much larger focus on music, and computer science, not to mention French. They love their French lessons.
I still love being here. It’s our family adventure. And we’ve meet some wonderful people, both expats like us, and local PNG people. And we’ve already had some amazing experience, visiting villages, attending Bride Price ceremony, locals markets … I guess it’s just been one of those days 
Oh, and mum and dad, I know you don’t venture onto facebook, so you may not have seen that as a precaution I drive round with a can of pepper spray next to my steering wheel. Oh, and I also have a walkie talkie linked to both a local security company, and Aaron’s work.
