You Know You are a PNG Missionary When...

There are several things that were so strange to me when I first arrived, but now, after eight weeks in Papua New Guinea, they seem totally normal. So here you have it:


You know you're a PNG missionary when...


1. Driving on the left side of the road is normal. (Well, actually, it’s whichever side has less potholes, which isn’t always easy to determine!)

2. The driver sitting on the right side of the vehicle is normal. (I was reading a book the other night, and when I read that the guy got into the car to drive to town, I pictured him getting in on the right side!)

3. You have Tok Pisin worship songs floating through your mind at all hours of the day and night.

4. You get excited when you see fried cooking bananas on the table at morning tea.

5. You now drink tea (and enjoy it!) even though six weeks ago you could hardly stand it.

6. Around 8 pm you start thinking that it’s getting late and going to bed sounds fantastic.

7. Wearing a skirt all the time is normal, including when you go hiking and build your haus kuk.

8. Your English spelling is very confused—is it center or centre, labor or labour, organize or organise?

9. Going into town is a big deal. Really, really big. (This may wear off, especially once I’m done with POC, but for now, it’s nice to get off POC property!)

9a. You enjoy cramming all 30+ people into the Hino and bouncing up and down the road because it means you’re going to town.

10. You break a string on your guitar and lead worship with it anyway, and then get super excited when someone goes to town and finds two complete sets of strings! (And I found a tuner in town the other day...jackpot!)

11. You jot down notes for this blog post at 10 pm by the light of your Kindle so you don’t disturb your roommates! J