Air Niugini-where the unexpected is expected!

The Madang Air Niugini Airport is a samll, but busy place. The planes taxi right up to the one-room building where check-in is located in one corner and baggage claim the other. Wooden benches that remind me of an old southern church are arranged in the middle of the room. Directly behind them is the "Kiosk and Gift Shop" where you can top up your mobile phone, drink a cold Coca-Cola and feast on as many flour balls as you desire. My ears continue to ring from the powerful sounds of the plane engine. It's 10:10 and the 8:30 flight to Port Morseby just departed. I now sit alone on the hard, wodden bench waiting for my 9:20 plane coming from Wewak to arrive. I will fly to Mt. Hagan and make the connection to Lae. The flight schedule is written in blue marker on a dry erase board behind the check-in counter....not that it helps!

While waiting for the Moresby passengers to board, I sat next to a handsome man from Fiji. He was travelling home after a year abroad a yacht working as a chef. He is among 13 other crew members from all over the world. It's an American yacht that holds 15 passengers in addition to the 14 member crew. The yacht will be headed for China and eventually back to South Africa. The chef said the American owners typically decline the food prepared by the villages they visit. They usually eat fresh fish caught at sea and food flown in from the States or Australia.

Our conversation was facinating. Before joining the crew, he worked in Fiji with a ngo creating awareness on sexual orientation. He identifies himself as a gay man who is advocating for the rights of the gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual communities of the Pacific. We had an interesting conversation on this topic which lead into gender equality and violence against these vulnerable groups including those with disabilities. He mentioned he wanted to continue his studies in psychology to counsel persons in these vulnerable groups. He was very refreshing!

Still no sign of the plane from Wewak. Reportedly the pilot is out sick and they are waiting on another plane. So typical Air Niugini! While waiting I met a man from Australia who is here starting a gold mining buisness. Our ideals did not allign. He arrogantly stated that he found a way to motivate the people of this rural village where he will be exploiting their land. He is promising them all big screen TVs so they can watch football (that's soccer in the US..haha!)! As our conversation continued, I told him about my work as a volunteer here in PNG targeting children with disabilities. The arrogance in his voice wasn't as prodominant as it was during the talk of gold and widescreens! "The gold digger" as I like to call him, mentioned that the people in the village did state that their children were unable to go to school and that the nearest teacher was a 9 hour hike up and down mountains. I took advantage of the situation and spoke about my project in Zambia developing community schools and helping communities with income generating activities to pay a teacher's salary. The "gold digger" was intrigued by the project and his focused changed from football and broadband access to the education of vulnerable children. Without trying to be too leading I suggested that since the community identified the education of their children as a major concern, he may consider offering to build schools and pay teacher salaries verses bringing big screen TVs powered by generators into bush material houses. It just amazes me how completely out of touch some people are with the realities of poverty. Does he really think television and soccer will bring happiness to this village? Hopefully our conservation will weigh heavy in his mind and lead to positive changes in a village in rural PNG.

The great thing about airports are the conversations you have with people from everywhere coming and going anywhere! My flight has been cancelled and redirected. I will now fly to Port Moresby at 4:00 and then to Lae tomorrow. The only advantage of the constant cancellations of Air Niugini flights is that they put you up in posh hotels! So, I now have the opportunity to see the capital again and possibly stay in the 5 Star hotel I stayed in when I first arrived in PNG. That means I get a seafood buffet dinner, white robe and slippers, and a television! I guess TV does bring happiness!!!