We have received updates from our interns in Papua New Guinea. We are excited to hear that they are all doing well. There personal reflections are below: Caitlin Boyd We have been hanging out at T's house in Vunakanau for the past few days, resting up between Komgi and Raluana. We leave tomorrow morning for the latter, where we're told three trust items are already ready. We'll be there for around five days and a blog post will follow, of course! In Komgi, we actually spent most of our time right outside of the village where a new cardamom dryer is being built. We trekked from there into the village for an overnight, during which we learned how to make salt. The salt water used for this process comes from a specific area, Lasul Bay. There are plans in process for sea mining in the area, so the importance of using this particular water source has definitely been noted by all of us. We were lucky enough to get to visit the bay on Tuesday. Everyone took pictures, which I am sure we'll be able to put up once back in Charlottesville with a better internet connection. I hope all is well in the states. Homesickness is definitely becoming more pronounced as time passes, but I wouldn't change anything about this trip, given the chance. Love To All- Katie Martin It has definitely been a while since we last got a blog post up but we have just been going and going nonstop. We spent the past week up in the village of Komgi learning how to make salt and doing what we could to help Rodney and the boys in building a cardamom dryer. We wound up staying for an extra day but it was nice to just have some time to relax and play some card games. When we came back down the mountain, we went down to Lasul Bay to see where the people of Komgi get the water they use for making salt. The place was beautiful. It was shocking through to learn that this is the site where a giant mineral mine would be. For the last couple of days we have been hanging out with some of T's friends who are interested in the Trust program. We even have a potential future intern! Tomorrow we head out to our second to last community, Raluana. We have yet to find out how many days we will be there or what we will be learning but I am looking forward to going into a new community. Until next time- Elspeth Missel Just back at Vunakanau for a day after spending the past week or so up at Komgi. Tomorrow we will be heading over to Raluana for five or so days to learn about three more trust items. We continue to embrace each new adventure, striving to maintain an open mind and a positive outlook each day. The more time we spend learning about this area and interacting with our gracious hosts, the more I find myself falling in love with the community here. Can't wait to update everyone in more detail when we return. Best- Shannon Augustine We are back at T's for the moment before we head out to Raluana in the morning. Komgi was a lot of fun bonding time for the group, but since we spent the majority of our time at the new cardamom dryer site instead of the village, I didn't really make the same connection that I did with the people at Alakasam. None the less, seeing the salt making process and the importance of Lasul Bay where they get their salt water from, really made each of us realize that the minding could seriously do damage to the village's livelihood. I am excited to head out tomorrow and see the new trust items. As for now, it's getting late and sleep is in order. All My Love- Rodriques Jackson It has amazed me that in such a short amount of time you could care about people so much that you become so passionate regarding situations taking place in their life. When visiting Komgi, the people there were very concerned about the possible mining that will be taking place in Lasul Bay. What frustrated me the most was the lack of information being provided to the village regarding mining. They were asking us about the process and whether it would be harmful to their village. Because they have not been educated on the topic, they could be completely blind sided by the negative affects the future mine could cause. In these communities, they use the rivers and creeks for their water supply which could have a good chance of being damaged with the introduction of a mining site. We visited Lasul Bay, where they are planning to mine, and I cannot put into words how beautiful it was. The water was crystal clear and the temperature of the water was constantly warm. This is the place where the people of Komgi get their salt, which will be one of our trust items. It made me think about our current situation in the Gulf of Mexico. If an incident like the oil spill were to happen there, all of the beauty would be ruined. On another note, this has been a great experience and I am glad for the relationships we have built. Sadly, we have only two more weeks. I will miss Papua New Guinea. I am missing my family and close friends as well and I cant wait to see them. Lewis Caskey Time in Papua New Guinea is teaching me a lot about myself. I normally think that I am a laid back person, who can adapt pretty well and "go with the flow". While I wouldn't say that has changed, I would have to add a few qualifiers. I am laid back, if I feel like I have a grasp of what is going on, and I can "go with the flow", as long as I feel prepared. Two recent happenings have stretched me to push myself in this way: our Komgi plans and our beach plans here with Theresa. Up at Komgi, we were staying outside of the actual village at the cardamom dryer construction site. After a few days there we were unsure when we were going to head out. Long story short, we ended up learning the night before we were supposed to leave that we would be leaving a day later. This resulted in a day of no planned activity at the construction site, which was a stretch for me and my need to be doing something all the time, as well as challenging my western perceptions of productivity (this wasn't the first time for that one). The second instance was a bit more comical-- I began thinking that we were going to spend a day at the beach. This soon became an evening at the beach, then overnight at the beach. Then we left for the beach and on the way I learned that it was an overnight birthday party on the beach. It wasn't until we arrived that we got the actual scenario: a birthday party, but on a boat, not the beach. Needless to say, this constantly changing information challenged my slight need for control, and my preparedness. Yet in each instance I was able to let go, and the experience ended up being wonderful, both in what we did and how I grew. However, some things I can not let go of, nor do I want to. The village of Komgi traditionally gets their salt water for making salt at Lasul Bay. This tradition is being threatened by the possible takeover of the bay by a multinational sea mining company. This operation has the potential to destroy the Komgi tradition, it could also destroy the bay for others whose livelihoods depend on it. The frustration I feel towards this corporation and the way people can come in and simply take over this bay from afar, is something that I do not want to let go of, because I think it is the key to what will keep me going and enable me to, in some way, make a difference. Though the heat and the sun are becoming less desirable, and the palm tress and coconuts less of a novelty, I still wait with bated breath to see what our next assignment at Raluana teaches me. And once again I anticipate finding an incredible, welcoming community that is worth begin pushed out of my comfort zone for. And, I know that will inspire within me the drive and the spirit to try and make a difference in the world.

• MLD's blog
• Login to post comments