The kindness of Papua New Guineans took no time at all to emerge. On my first day in Port Moresby, a new friend insisted on escorting me to numerous shops while I muddled through sorting out my SIM card and groceries. Strangers helped me navigate traffic creatively, security guards redirected me when I got lost, and schoolchildren beamed at me all across town.
When I caught COVID, my friends checked in on me constantly and insisted on coming over to help me steam bath to recover, despite the clear health risks to themselves. Drivers, colleagues and staff in shops were overwhelmingly generous in sharing their time and experiences.
They were also exceedingly patient in the face of my many questions about their customs, elections and everything else in between, as well as my attempts at speaking Pidgin. I was particularly happy to discover similarities between Papua New Guineans and myself, having grown up in Malaysia and Indonesia. A shared proclivity for foods like Pop Mie, mi goreng, Spam and corned beef, as well as similarities in the importance of family across our cultures, was a great comfort in a new place.
Being in PNG during its elections was a highlight too. While campaign rallies in the city were relatively muted compared to previous years, the enormous number of campaign posters around the city, and the many PANGU and PNC t-shirts people were sporting on the streets, made the election visible at every turn. Watching daily life adjust to election processes was also fascinating. Classes at universities and work activities around Port Moresby and indeed the country were cancelled repeatedly following delays with voting in the National Capital District, and the need for many to travel back to their villages to vote.
Camps selling betelnut, food and drinks sprang up literally overnight around counting centres, with crowds gathering daily until they were ultimately dispersed by police, following the recent violence.
