Is is safe for a single white female to live & work on PNG?

Hello Jennifer & welcome to Expat.com!

I hope that other members will help you soon.

PS: welcome to Expat.com too GITamir!
But you should start a new thread on the Papua New Guinea forum.

Thanks,
Harmonie.

Please can other SA expats living in PNG give us some feedback. Would hate to uproot to a foreign country to find it a huge disappointment !

Hi Jennifer,

I stumbled accross your post and signed up so I could post a reply. Might be a little outdated as last I lived there was 20 years ago.

Born in the Philipines grew up in PNG 79-89, currently living in Australia.

Firstly to answer your questions.

1) Safety...
You have to be wise about which areas not to visit.

Dress modestly (even by western standards modest dress is not modest dressing in PNG).

Avoid traveling at night and if you do travel keep your doors locked be alert as Carjackings do occur (This wasn't the case when I grew up there).

Accommodation. Ensure that the company you work for provides accommodation in a compound and 24 hour security, barbe wire fencing is pretty much standard for nearly all expact homes.  You will proably end up living in the same compound with the people you work with. I would ensure you had this as a minium. There were a few years where my family lived in houses not part of a compound but it was much safer then what I hear the situation is now.

2) Cost of living...
Expensive most items have to be shipped as very little is locally produced. You can buy local produce at markets and thats quite cheap.

3) Accommodation quality...
Depends on the situation. When I was growng up there Expat teachers lived the multple houses on International School grounds.

4) Shopping...
Mostly the basics, if your talking clothes shopping etc non existent as I remember it.

6) Entertainment...
Expats did not general hang out at night clubs for safety, a SWF would certainly stand out (And there were far fewer expats today. International High School had well over 85% expats when I attended its now at 25%)

If you have a social group then places like the Yatch Club, Islander hotel, Cathay club (not sure if its still open) were good places as well as a lot of barbeques and frends places.

Good place for diving(Apparently some of the best in the world) bushwalking but don't do this alone go with a tour group.

I wouldn't expect a large expact community and even fewer that are single. Upon graduation almost all my expat friends left the country.


Having said that I loved PNG grown up as a kid then a teenager. My friends were a united nations assembly as I had friends from all parts of the world USA, Australia, Middle East, Africa, Europe.

Hopefuly this helps.

-Dex

Thank you for the feedback Dex, very informative & much appreciated

I'm here on a short term contract (ex Cpt) it's quite a closed community you would need to network to find social group, probably not to dfifferent to what you are used to in Jhb.  Lifestyle is unique. What town are you considering as they do vary quite a lot.

Hi Warren,

Welcome to Expat.com!

Thank you for your contribution.

The original message is a few months old, so my opinion might be moot, but I'll provide it anyway.

I am a while female (older) living and working in Port Moresby alone. Because I work for a national company, I actually shied away from making expat connections when I was first here. Now, however, I've become as comfortable chatting with friends at the Yacht Club as I have shopping in the local markets and chatting with my national friends about town.

I agree with dexterp's opinion about safety, but chose not to go with the "compound" choice. I lived in a 6-unit complex the first year I was here and was the only expat there. I now live in Town, (a small business district in Port Moresby) and have a flat in a building where, again, I am the only expat. I feel comfortable getting out an about in town, but also take typical precautions. I have to admit, however, that I take those same precautions when I am in Houston, back in the USA.

I find the cost of living here extremely high, particularly the housing. But then, I am comparing it to the rural area of Texas that I come from where everything is available, accessible, and costs less. The accommodation quality is much lower than is typical from my home area, but over time (I've lived here 2 years and am not on a rotation) I've learned to be comfortable in my surroundings.

Anyway, just thought I would toss in my 2 cents. Good luck with your decision!

I worked in PNG for 6 years and noticed that Caucasians female were vulnerable for gang-rape especially traveling in the rural areas; e.g. if you are involved in humanitarian mission.

Hi Jennifer,

I might be a bit late to the party here, but I am currently living in Lae. I have several single white female friends living up here alone, and while I am married, I travel around Lae and outside town on my own quite a lot. I always ask my hubs' compay's security manager before I head off out of town. The grapevine works very well up here, and if there's trouble brewing, we tend to hear about it. I always lock my door and windows, carry my mobile phone and plan my route. as for cost of living? Housing is included in our contract, so we don't have to worry about that. Utilities are expensive.. phones, electricity, the Internet are all much more expensive than home (Melbourne, Australia. However, food and entertainment are cheap, cheap, cheap!! We got out for dinner much more often than we would at home. We go to the Yacht Club, the Golf Club and the various asian restaurants at least one a week.

There are no-go zones in Lae, and while I shop at the main market regularly, I always go with a friend, or my mari (house girl) or my husband.

Like most places, 95% of people you meet are friendly and helpful and want you to love their counrty. The other 5% want to rob you. My strategy has been to be respectful and friendly and get my face 'known' around town. It's done me ok so far!

In short - No! a single white female is the prime target for the gangs that cruise the streets in their cars looking for easy targets. I have lived in Joburg - it is a breeze compared to Port Moresby - whatever the money they are offering you, it is not worth it.

Yes it is.

Hello All,

@ williams999 & BELA28 : Just to inform you that this is quite an old thread ( nearly 3years! ) , but thanks a lot for your share.   

Hope this will help other members with the same questions

Regards

Kenjee

BELA28 wrote:

Yes it is.

Could you please elaborate as to why you think it is safe for single white females to live and work in PNG.

Thanks,
Harmonie.

Jennifer May Hill 20 July 2011 18:54:34 Hi

Am considering a job in PNG:-

Is it safe for a single white female? 85 % safe -security is everywhere
Cost of living? extre,ely cheap
Accommodation quality? yest quality homes available
Shopping? good amd cheap
Entertainment? cheap hotesl

Please advise by return email-sebastine(at)spsnpng.com

Kind Regards
sebatsine Sigl
Port Moresby
Papua New Guinea

Good morning.

Yes, it it safe here in PNG. every company you work we have professional security services and you would be okay.
Wages and salaray packages depend on your experience and qualification.

You can email me on the email:sebastine.sigl(at)aecom.com.

For more inofrmation reply.

Regards,
Seabastine Sigl
Port Moresby
Papua New Guinea

Good morning you have a wondeful message.

You have a blessed day at work in Port Moresby.

Regards,
Sebastine Sigl
PNG