wagarland
Introduction
I'm originally from the United States (Virginia) and left for Lae, Papua New Guinea to work at the university. I met an Aussie bloke there and followed him to Balikpapan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo. I opened my own education business in Indonesia. Enjoying it very much! :)
I joined expat.com on 05 May 2011.
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wagarlandposted on the thread Moving to Balikpapan in three weeks
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wagarlandcreated the thread Moving to Balikpapan in three weeks forum on the Indonesia forum
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wagarlandposted on the thread working in PNG
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wagarlandposted on the thread PInoys Life in PNG
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wagarlandposted on the thread working in PNG
Pictures by wagarland
Expat experience
Followed my partner, but then opened up my own education business.
It was certainly an adventure! Life was unpredictable as little things would change your plans completely. I liked the simplicity of it - no shopping except for basics, 3 grocery stores, 1 stand alone restaurant. It taught me to appreciate just sitting and talking with friends or having sour cream when it was in stock! It slowed me down and was a welcome life lesson. I really enjoyed giving a lollypop to a kid and their face lighting up. I liked learning about the different tribes and different customs. And the country was amazingly beautiful.
Lae could be a violent place. I had to be careful traveling at night or alone. Random riots broke out and the city would get shut down. People in the city took any opportunity to steal, so always lived behind rape gates, bars, razor wire, etc. I found that basic western logic had no place in PNG and getting very simple things done could be really frustrating. And the weather. It was either so hot you thought you would die or pour down rain straight for two weeks and you'd be covered in mud.
