The general musings of self proclaimed “IT Rockstar”, Strategist, Eco-Warrior, Husband and Father of 3. Was residing in the sphincter of the universe (Asshole was taken by Invercargill)… Dunedin. Where on a warm summers day, it was still cold enough to pucker that sucker. Happily married to my reality checker, she of www.hotstrongcoffee.com and very proud jungle gym for the 3X’s… X1,X2,X3 – my kids. We are having an experience of a lifetime, moving from Dunedin and becoming expats in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Keep checking often as I recount our trials and tribulations as we live in “The Land of the Unexpected”
I previously blogged at facticious.wordpress.com but that was before I realised that even I couldn’t spell facisious factituos fatituios factitious facticious… phew.
Love reading about your PNG experiences. We are also consoderign a move there with a young family so would you mind if I emailed you with some specific questions concerning life in POM?
Kind regards, Jose
Hi Aaron
I’m in the same position as the previous poster…I’m looking at an opportunity in POM and would need to move my young family over. Please email if you are keen to answer a few questions.
Cheers
GS
Hi Aaron
Good blog, keep up the good work, as a fellow kiwi I enjoy reading it. I fly over on Tuesday 27th March for a couple of months, if the job works out ill bring the wife and kids over for a while. Hopefully you can give the low down on certain aspects of Port Moresby when I get there? Anyway ill keep in touch
Cheers
Joe
Hi Joe, I’ll flick you an email in the next couple of days with my contact details. Feel free to give me a call when you get in – hope the blog has been helpful
cheers
Aaron
I am the Content Editor for BlogExpat and truly enjoy your blog. We have a series of
expat interviews and I was hoping you would be interested. It would entail questions
about being an expat, a few pictures, and it would link back to your blog.
If you are interested, just let me know and I will send the questionnaire. In any
case, keep up the great work.
Erin Porter
http://interviews.blogexpat.com/
@BlogExpat
I am in the same boat and will be moving to POM in May with wife and kids. Would love to hook up and talk some more about your experiences.
cheers,
AJ
Hello Aaron,
Love the blog. I have been following the last few weeks. Mainly because I am moving to Goroka to take up a job offer. I won’t be starting till July, but I was hoping if you would be OK with me asking some questions about the move.
I currently live in Geelong, Australia.
Regards
Yaz
Hello,
I am a French expatriate settled in Dunedin.
I am currently writing my Master thesis focusing on expatriation and career development within current and former New Zealand expatriates. I will be delighted if you could fulfill my survey at your discretion. Needless to say that all this information remains anonymous and confidential and only aim for academic purpose.
Thank in advance for any actions you take.
http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s.asp?sid=gmkcbwaqr610nj399772
Noémie
Hi there,
Just finished your survey for you, hope it assists
Hopefully Dunedin is putting on some sunshine for you,
regards
Aaron
Hi There I am a fellow Dunedinite (been based in Auckland for a year now- don’t hold it against me)
Currently looking at a role in Port Moresby, have a Partner and a 1 year.
Your blog has been awesome expecially the pricing section- thanks.
Wondering if I could ask you a few questions on your experience there? Specifically around the safety for my Partner and our Son?
Adam
Hey Adam,
Don’t hold the Dunedin > Auckland against you, I did Gore > Auckland 24 years ago then back down to Dunners 7 years ago.
. Fire me an email with all your questions highflyingkiwi AT gmail DOT com.
Honestly, the whole security thing, it really depends on where you live, and even to an extent what your lob is, and of course how long you have been here. Old timers I think get hit because they have grown lax, might be a bit of payback etc – but newbies, as long as you play by the rules, you will feel safer than some parts of South Auckland
Flick me an email anyway
Cheers
Aaron
Hey Aaron,
I have been following a little of what you are doing over there as I will be moving in to Port Moresby in January.
I wanted to ask a couple of wquestions if that is ok.
1. I am an IT guy in Australian Government and will be the moving parenter. Is there much IT work going in Port Moresby?
2. I saw your info on Internet plans for 3G. I will be staying in a compound right near the Yacht club and wondered if it would be better/cheaper to get a fixed adsl line to the house instead of 3g?
3. I did see recently that a fibre link was connected to Port Moresby. The news story did mention that internet prices should start to drop in price and increase in quality. Have you noticed any changes?
Thanks and I’m sure I will most likely see you guys Running around the yacht club!?
Hi Justin,
What sort of IT work do you do? Maybe you should flick me your CV and I’ll take a look and maybe flick it round a few people. For the right type of IT person, there is work – but you have to be doing the sort of stuff that isn’t able to be done by nationals. email is: highflyingkiwi AT gmail D0T com
Fixed ADSL is more expensive, and actually less reliable… PNG has some of the most expensive internet access in the world!! As for living near the Yacht club – there are lots of compounds near the Yachty
it would be hit/miss as to what has wired internet or not. There are other internet services aside from Digicel, http://www.hitron.com.pg uses the digital antenna for your TV, others use WiMax… You’ll figure it out pretty good once you get here 
The fibre to Moresby has been here for years, it is slowly dying. Bearing in mind that Telikom have a monopoly on the Tiare gateway, and unless NICTA (the regulators) do something about it, then prices won’t come down in the next 12 months
There is a new fibre at Madang that Digicel connect to, it pops out at Guam. Telikom have been trying to use this, but as per a meeting I had today – are making a right mess of it – yesterday, they basically knocked out all internet to the country pissing about with it.
Send me your CV – always up for a beer on a friday night at the Yachty
cheers
Aaron
Very helpful blog you have. I’ll be travelling to PNG in 2 days for a short business trip and I’ve been reading a lot of awful stuff about crime in Port Moresby etc. Curious to read about the internet situation over there based on your articles. Cheers!
Hi Aaron,
What would the chances be, me coming there and searching for a job compared to here? And also in terms of money, Would you know if accommodation is usually provided?
Hi Sean, very remote I’m afraid. You need to get sponsored to be here, and coming here “looking” for work will be very expensive. I’d suggest you should try JDA Wokman as a recruitment agent, or seek.com.au. Accommodation is always provided, if it isn’t – then you don’t want that job
Hey Aaron, been following your blog its been great, I am moving over to POM in a couple of months to work, I have been reading lists of vaccinations to get and the doctors here in Canada don’t really have an idea, what’s the common vaccinations that most people would require there in POM
Hi Sean,
My wife has all the knowledge on that, from memory it was just Hepatitis shots. And I got a booster for Tetanus as I hadn’t had one in a while. We haven’t done TB as it is pretty much treatable and our travel doctor didn’t think it was worth it – and cholera is apparently a 6 month job so haven’t had that either.
More or less – we really haven’t had too much in the way of vaccinations, and really – it’s the stuff you would commonly get if you were going overseas.
hope that helps
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Sorry Im only getting back to you now…thanks very much for the info, Im looking forward to hitting PNG…..
thanks