What it is like living up there?

samanthamjb wrote:

Hi. I am Mimi based in Sydney, an aussie but a filipino origin. My partner got a job offered to work in PNG as project manager in a building industry. Please can anyone tell me what it is like living up there? Is the weather condition same with the Philippines'? Coz I'm alright with it. And my main question is... Is there any Filipino Shop across the PNG coz I love cooking Filipino food and I want to shop a lot when I crave on these.. Cheers!

Welcome to Expat.com.
The weather is tropical like north queensland. Living there can be boring if you are not working. Safety can be a problem and it is not recommended to wander around by yourself.  No Filipino shops as such but there are many Filipinos living and working there.

Oh no... That's gonna be the downfall saddd...
What sorts of crime occurs up there? Do these people kill?

samanthamjb wrote:

Oh no... That's gonna be the downfall saddd...
What sorts of crime occurs up there? Do these people kill?

Yes they do kill. There are robberies, murders, rapes etc. They have what is called a payback system which means if I kill someone from your family, they will kill someone from my family. You also need to have a driver to take you around as it is not too safe for a newcomer to drive around. If you knock down someone and stop then you may well be beaten up for your troubles. Accommodation needs to have security guards.

If you are going to PNG then you should join a club of some kind there.

I suggest you look on the PNG forum and make contact with the pinoys that are working there.

Sounds scarrrryyy.. Thank you Mr Stumpy for the informative intel, I think I have to think about it now,

samanthamjb wrote:

Sounds scarrrryyy.. Thank you Mr Stumpy for the informative intel, I think I have to think about it now,

It can be scary and it can be exciting as well. You just need to have the facts pointed out to you and then you can make an informed choice. Why not ask your partner to find out if other employees there have their wives and family there and you can contact them. 
You will need someone to show you around the place until you get settled. I have worked on 7 different projects in PNG including 2 years in Port Moresby.
As I said previously, boredom can set in after you have been there for a while. There are social clubs in Moresby.

We are offered to stay at Airways hotel (i think that's the accommodation name) under of Lamana. Has anyone heard of these?

Hi samanthamjb,

I created a new thread with your post on the Papua New Guinea forum in order to give it more visibility.

Thanks,

Priscilla 

The airways hotel is next to the airport and is a very nice place but it is some distance from city centre. It has swimming pool etc. Google it to find out more about it.

Mimi,
There is a Filipino supermarket with a restaurant above it. I haven't been there yet, I am waiting for my wife to arrive from Phils. There is also a very strong Philippine Association here that hold functions and events regularly. Many other great restaurants as well.

Facebook link for Filipino Association
facebook.com/fapng?ref=stream

Hi Mimi,
I am also a Filipina and currently in Pom, been working here for almost three years. I work for the MD of Airways. I have stayed there for more than two years but recently moved to town as it is closer to my office. Let me know once you are here so I can drive you around and introduce to some other Filipinos. Cheers.

There is a large and vibrant Filipino community in both Port Moresby and Lae . Do not be frightened by stories shared by other expats as these are often exaggerated. It certainly is a dangerous place, compared to life in Australia but if you have lived in the Phillipines you are probably street-wise enough to take care of your self. The PNG experience can be wonderful and quite personally I wouldn't trade the life and the experiences I have had in PNG for  a life in suburbia, ever.
I am sure you will be very happy in Port Moresby and will take many positive experiences away with you when you leave .I also hope you get the chance to befriend at least one PNG person, preferably many of them, as the lesson that is learnt here is that rich or poor, black or white, Catholic or Protestant we are actually all the same and it takes all kinds of people to make  a vibrant community.

Lovely to hear something positive about living and working in PNG!  My husband and I will be moving to POM from Cairns within the next month and I am really looking forward to it. Realise it is not for everybody, but I am so hoping to meet and get to know not only other expats but also some of the locals. So if you have any tips and/or advise, please let me know.

You can cocoon yourself and become afraid of your own shadow or you can make friends with many people from all walks of life and love your PNG experience. The choice is yours and I guess it depends upon the kind of person you are .I do realise that things are not the same in PNG any more but if you are prepared to evolve with the changing times and re-invent yourself as necessary, you can be like me and many of my  friends who love PNG and particularly in Port Moresby(although certainly not where we live as we are almost the only expat family in our small town) ,you can have a wonderful social life.PNG people are extremely friendly and as long as you are careful you can make many wonderful friends.