The Bare Necessities

When I returned from furlough a few weeks ago, I noticed that there were a few things missing from my house (or that I had missed during furlough) that I considered necessary or life (or just to save my sanity!) here in Papua New Guinea (PNG). I wrote a similar blog post way back when I first arrived in PNG in 2014 (you can read it here), but that post was based more on village living than being in Ukarumpa, which is where I live now (and have lived for most of the last four years).

·       Mortein roach spray—for all your nasty-critter-killing needs! This was probably the first thing I noticed my house was lacking, so I immediately ran to the store and bought a can. The spray is useful so you don't actually have to get very close, because sometimes they like to fly up in your face. (Oh, that's never happened to you? I guess they just love me!) I have to say, though, that I have been pleasantly surprised to have not needed it thus far.

Need a banana? I think I can spare a couple.

·       Banana recipes—because everyone has a banana patch (grove?) in their backyard, and those puppies do not grow one by one. Oh no, no, no. A rope of bananas has anywhere between 50 and 100 bananas on it, and usually they all ripen at once. So unless you are an absolute banana eating fiend (which I am not) you’re going to need some (probably several) good recipes to use up those bananas. I don’t have a lot of recipes…okay, I have two, banana bread and banana smoothies, but I avoid bananas like the plague! Another option is to “phone a friend” 😊and see if they are planning a party that they need to bake 42 loaves of banana bread for. You can also buy a hand of bananas (like what you'd buy at the grocery store) at the market for about 30¢...just in case you run out!

·       Gum boots (aka rubber boots)—oh my goodness, I missed these things when I was on furlough! I seriously love my gum boots! I have a thing about wet feet, which is unfortunate, since I live in the tropics and it is always raining and always muddy. I brought a pair with me when I first arrived, but they eventually dried out and cracked; then when I went to Australia almost two years ago, I bought a new pair because I wear them all the time. Running down to the market in the early morning, out to the clothesline, over to the neighbours’…granted, they're not much of a fashion statement, especially with a skirt, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to keep her feet dry!  

·        A sense of humour—because life happens, whether you are in the US, PNG, or Siberia. Like when you get the singles’ van stuck in the mud and someone has to come pull you out; or when you completely wipe out in the mud in front of everyone; or when you try a new recipe that your sister made (and was fabulous!) and it is a complete flop and totally inedible (500 grams of chicken…so sad) when you try to make it.