What is it like living with all this violence around me?

The news stories recently might suggest that PNG is a very violent
place. Guess what? The news stories are correct. PNG is a violent place.
Everyday the media reports on violent crimes such as : rape, robberies,
payback, killings and tribal fighting. The newspapers talk about ethnic
clashes, compensation payouts and more killings.
People from the rural areas migrate to places such as Moresby and Lae,
hoping to find fame and fortune. Most never find work, most end up
struggling to survive. And still the hoards continue to come. They leave
their villages where food and care is plentiful – and move to the towns
- where there is very little work, lots of crime and a heap of other
social related problems.
People end up gambling and drinking, many abuse marijuana, with nothing
much to do other than to hang around, without an education or a job,
most resort to more “entrepreneurial” means to live from day to day. Not
sure where these social problems will all lead for the people of PNG –
in the short term – I do not see things getting any better. There exists
an attitude amongst the people… as things around them slowly
deteriorate – they sit and wait. They sit and wait for someone to come
along and fix everything. Sorry, no such luck! I believe the answers and
solutions will come for the PNG people when they start to take
responsibility.
And what is it really like living amongst it all?
Most days are fantastic. Despite the problems, the people of PNG
continue to smile and laugh and care. There is human interaction. People
lookout for each other, there is always a bed and a meal… somewhere.
Always someone to talk to. The externals continue to deteriorate – they
are in a shocking state… by western standards. On the inside, the
people of PNG are healthy and functional. But for how long will the
people of PNG continue to laugh and smile and care before the condition
of externals just becomes too much to bare. How long before the minds of
these beautiful people start to crack? Change is in the air. Change.
Yes… change.
Some days are filled with absolute frustration. Power outages, PMV's,
management issues, absenteeism, and more. Things breaking down and never
getting fixed. The state of the roads, potholes, the apathy and anger
towards it all. The anti-social and drunken louts that seem to magically
appear around pay day. The pick-pockets and other crimes of opportunity.
And of course there are always… the loud preachers, churches and
attitude that more god and bible are needed.
Despite the occasional frustration, most days are filled with a sense of
adventure and flow. PNG is the Land of the Unexpected – so there are
never boring moments – just the occasional quiet moments, and these are
very welcomed. For it is during these quiet times that I find peace and
meaning to it all. There is no escaping the here and now – I tried for
many years and it just didn't work. Always the here and now – nothing
much else really.