Things that make me smile in PNG

Colorful bilums filled with babies and fruit, Lonna learning to talk and asking me “Yu go we?” each time she sees me, Corination Drive on Sundays, children’s faces spilling out of shops with ice cream covering their faces and dripping from their elbows, Sarah at the market, the old man’s big, red smile behind the buai stand on my street, flying foxes, asaro mud men, when the electricity comes back on, Mahi and her wobbly head and big, black eyes, watching children climb coconut trees, Jolanda’s sarcasm, “Yu Tok!”, when I stumble upon a good find in the second hand shops, singsings, skype chats with Dad and Carol, beautiful flowers, telling Roselyn the story of Christiana and spak buai, view of Rai Cos from Madang mainland, smelling Egyptian Goddess oil in the card Lauren sent me, rain trees, when cheese is on sale, Marleen’s obsession with Dolly Parton, watermelons, Shantica’s voice crying out “morning Charlye,” as I walk to work each morning, children jumping from the reef into the sea at Machine Gun Point, pancakes, Albert and Anna’s picture on their fridge of Bush snorting oil, books, the mural at the Creative Self Help of the boy writing with his toes, Vannessa, SP labels on my wall, full moons, cards from Mom, meri dresses, kulau.