Position, Lae

Hi Kappern, welcome on Expat-blog!

Lae is a dangerous place with corrupt police. No laws are enforced. i have lived here 2 months and found my long term expat colleages have been shot, stabbed and robbed. Lae is getting worse by the day. Only one thing keeps expats here and that's money. To find work after your arrival would prove very difficult and pay is very poor, unless you come with a job and work visa, life in Lae or POM will be tough. Rent is ridiculously expensive. i low standard 2 bed  appartment will cost around 2000 to 5000 kina. the highest rent iv'e every seen anywhere.
The community life is a gang life. It is run by the Rascals gang as well as POM. You have to avoid the place unless you could be a victim of the crossfire. It's like the wild west here, no kidding. i have decided that although i have a very good paying job with house and car etc... I'm still locking in my prison cell at the end of the day. I also value my life too much to risk staying. My stay will be brief. Good luck and hope this was insightful

hi,
thats quite horrible. i dnt think i can survive like that:)

So sorry Eggface is having such a difficult time. I, on the other hand, love it here.

I am an older woman (51) from the US and have been living in Port Moresby for a year and a half. I drive, walk, shop, eat out, and work comfortably here. I do not live as an expat here (my neighbours are all nationals) but do exercise caution about when and where I go, particularly after dark. I do this in Houston as well, by the way.

I've never been shot, stabbed, or robbed, never been accosted, and only occasionally am I even uncomfortable. I have been to a play, a musical, sing-sings, the Saturday Arts and Crafts Market, a rugby match, a Christmas celebration on the beach (with nationals), and a crab boil by the pool overlooking the city (with expants); I sometimes head to the Yacht Club on Friday nights when I yearn to mingle with the expat community. I eat well, live well, and expect to be here another 3 years.

I work for a nationally owned company, am working on my PhD (Technical Communication), and make a decent income. My husband came for a visit after working for several years in Nigeria and decided this was so much better, safer, and enjoyable, so he took a job and decided to stay here a year as well. He works on a long rotation in Kutubu, so we don't get to spend that much time together, and he will retire when his contract ends in December and go home while I stay on here, living alone like I did before.

All I am trying to say is that it is possible to live here and enjoy it. Much of it depends on the person, but I agree with Eggface in that it CAN be a dangerous place here. (I've heard stories too.) I guess I'm just lucky.  :-)

What a negative vision EGGFACE

I'm in Lae and going on my second year.  I'm certainly not here for the money as I work for the university.  Can it be dangerous? Yes, but so can anywhere else.  You just have to be sensible! 

We do have an expat community here with couples, families, and singles, but it's very small compared to POM.  We have the Yacht Club which is the popular place to meet other expats, although the community is small that you'll be introduced around with no problems.  If you have specific questions, please feel free to email me.

Hi Sir,
You can contact me on emails and I will feed you info you need to know.
***

I am currently living and working in Lae, PNG.

Kind regards
John

I think Eggface is personally biased in his perception of the two biggest cities in PNG. He probably got himself into a situation ordered by his own cruelty to feed the two cities to the wolves by not considering the world who can get a good stay here.
I am annoyed by the way he comments. Life is just usual in any other places in the world except that most people do not live a decent life, their outlook in public might not suit your sight that triggered you to comment negatively.

You being in the pessimism be stopped and move out to accept the truth you seem to ignore. Would be fair if an expat chips in a truth. Thanks to BeaAmaya for the truth.

Regs