In Mt Hagen MAF have several different compounds throughout town. My current place of residence is within the Kum Rd compound. This one compound was the one that I always thought the worst of and my last preference in a place. Mainly due to it be in a part of town with a lot of settlements and a lot of noise. But funny enough I have come to like being at this compound and would not mind staying here for the whole period.
Kum Rd has two houses and two apartments for expatriate staff, and four apartments for national staff down the back of the compound. I am in one of the apartments, house sitting for another Engineer who is away on his midterm break in Canada. So I will be here till September at the earliest and November at the latest. It is a two bedroom apartment, one bedroom is out of action as it is filled up with someone else’s belongings. It has a kitchen, dining room and lounge room all joined together. Along with a bathroom, a balcony and a laundry downstairs. It is not as spacious as what I am use to, but it is a comfortable living space for a single or couple, beats living out bush any day.
Security around this area has properly the worst reputation out of all the compounds. Mainly due to the settlements around this area. Any sort of unrest or unsettlement in town could involve this part of town. For example last year, a bouncer was killed at a club and this resulted into a tribal fight between two tribes that were involved. This included drive by shootings in our street and road blockades being put up to keep the other tribe out. In the end seven people were killed, no one on the compound was harmed during that time. But rather the locals looked out for them. We have a security guard on the compound from 2000 – 0600 every night (if you are a rascal ignore this statement). We all take turns for a week letting him in and out of the compound, not always the best thing on weekend mornings. But we have had no issues with security for some time or since I have been here.
With security being an issue, it is quite easy to develop a lifestyle which involves being restricted. Such as going to work and being in the compound, maybe get out once in a while to go shopping or to church. And I do not want to fall into that trap or to be restricted in how I live. But in saying that I am not going to ignore the issue or put myself at risk or ignore the precautions in place. Neither do I want to use the issue as an excuse to be comfortable.
So I am settling well into my new accommodation, I have set it up as much as possible as my own place. I would like to thank all the ladies at WSAC who gave generously in gifts. It has been such a blessing to have those items here and to be using them! I have a lounge which folds out to a king size bed and I have found some cheap airfares, so visitors are welcome anytime. I still struggle to explain this place and the best answer I can come up with, is to have a look yourself. But I do look forward to getting my own place that I can setup completely, where ever and when ever that may be.
July 28th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
compound doesn’t look that bad man…looks sweet!
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July 29th, 2008 at 9:59 am
You have a really nice looking place Matt. Praise the Lord!
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July 29th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Nice to see that you’re getting settled in, even if temporarily. I like what you’ve done with the desk area - it looks familiar, like your old room.
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