Sunday and the “words of God” are floating in the air much like the pigeons on big squares in Europe. I’m in my office trying to put together an update again that makes sense.
What I want to get across is that although PNG has stolen my heart I’m not rushing into a decision. True enough PNG has saved me. The work, the kickboxing, the people, other volunteers and sometimes travelling around PNG made me a happy person again. When I came to PNG I thought that happiness was merely a shroud pulled over ones eyes. Something that was not real. Now I know again that happiness is the absence of heavy philosophical thinking about the meaning of life, and the presence of a blissful state of being in harmony with my surroundings.
BUT… still PNG has to offer me a good deal as a developmental physiotherapist. By the looks of it I can get a three-year contract with the government of PNG and work in Mt Hagen Hospital as before. I would get a ticket back home once during this period. House, insurance, medical evacuation, repatriation, etc. would of course be arranged as well (yes Dad, I’m a good son of my father).
If I after this period decide to extend again I would like to be able to educate myself further and maybe have a higher position in the hospital. The further studies would be something general like a masters of physiotherapy, so that if going back to the Netherlands I could still do something in the field of evidence based physiotherapy.
So yes, if PNG does not want to indulge me before the second week of April and accept my contract under these conditions I’ll return back home.

Let’s presume for the sake of argument that I do get to stay in PNG. I’m well aware of things I’m going to miss out on.
I’m thinking of:
- Friends and family
- Good health system
- Further education/specialisation within the field of physiotherapy
- Pension plans, insurances and the likes
- A good school system for the kids I haven’t got yet
- The beer in cafe Jos
You have to be aware of the fact that I’m a person with great personal strength, energy and enthusiasm when I’m in a situation that my heart desires. I can be in PNG or in the Netherlands it does not really matter. What matters is that I have to be where I feel happy. Not following up on this opportunity would give me lifelong doubt of whether or not I could have stayed in PNG. People around me know what happens to me when I’m not in the right place.

Now that is sorted out, I want to give to you the latest “wereldnieuws” from VSO Netherlands (sorry, it’s in Dutch) and maybe you’ll find someone familiar. Look at wereldnieuws for this.