Mi Tru PNG Meri

Today I was about to head off to work when a van pulled up in my driveway. It was the Discovery group looking to see if my roommate was planning on going to Kainantu with them. She was still asleep because they forgot to tell her in advance about it, but she got dressed quickly and they invited me to go with them. So I was called the office and told them I wouldn’t be in today.

Kainantu is only about 15 minutes away by car. It’s a much bigger town than any I’ve spent time in yet, except Port Moresby. We were being given a tour by a man named David, who is in charge of the Discovery students and very welcoming and knowledgeable. We went to the cultural center where we got to see all kinds of cool stuff, including where they sort out and process and eventually make rugs and blankets our of wool, and nationals hand-making pottery. We bought gifts and artifacts for our friends and families. (You’ll just have to wait and see, Mom, Dad, Brian, and Grandma).

We spent some time in second hand shops and various stores and then headed over to the market. It’s much much bigger than the market we have here in Ukarumpa. I bought my very own meriblouse (a type of shirt that is commonly worn by women here). Now I am a true PNG woman.

We got back in the early afternoon and had lunch. It was about 1 o’clock by the time I walked back into my house. I could have gone to work for the afternoon, since lunch is from 12-1, but I decided it was far too beautiful of a day to be stuck inside. I went on a long walk instead. I was gone a bit over two hours. I found a shady spot under a tree where I sat and finished a sketch I started last night about partway through. I wandered around parts of the center I haven’t spent much time on yet. It was wonderfully relaxing, but I hadn’t brought any water with me and it was hot, so I went back home to keep from getting dehydrated or overheated. The best part was probably as I was walking the familiar path up the steep hill to the paddocks, a national woman was hanging up her laundry to dry. She called “Appenoon” (good afternoon) which I returned smiling. She called out to me and complimented my meriblouse. It’s official, I’m now a true PNG woman.

The rest of my afternoon consisted of uploading pictures and finishing the book I was reading. It’s now about 5:25 p.m. and I just might take another walk before dinner. It’s back to work tomorrow, but Monday is a holiday, so we get the day off!