While working with Panango over the past 3 years and living on Karkar Island for two summers, I conducted independent research on the dynamics of rapid development and the preservation of cultural tradition in Papua New Guinea. Through interviews, conversations, and simple experiences like watching power lines bring television to my host family for the first time, I learned about the intricacies of Karkar Islander's beliefs and hopes for the future, dealing with issues from sorcery to cell phones. The culmination of this exploration has been, through an Angel grant and Artists grant, a collection of poetry, short stories, interviews, and creative non-fiction, integrating the narratives of villagers on Karkar Island with my own experiences, in order to explore the process of modernization and to record their rich history, culture, and perspectives. In more in depth research, I've begun to investigate how the clash of Western time perspectives and "Papua New Guinea Time" affects the country's development. Download the book in pdf form here
I began setting the ground work for thesis research last summer. I am examining the intersection of governance, culture, and HIV/AIDS initiatives. While I expected to make significant headway with my research, I found teaching took much more time than expected, so I actually had difficulty balancing the two. But I was able to set up contacts and familiarize myself with the country, the region, the culture, and Pidgin, all of which will contribute immensely to my longer-term research plan.
The overall Panango experience was amazing. No really, never before have I so quickly and easily fallen in love with a culture and its language and its people. Leaving society for some time was also a very refreshing break from high-paced, technology-filled life at Stanford. I expected living without water and electricity to be extremely difficult to adapt to; it was not at all. You quickly get used to showering outside, to cooking food with fire, to eating dinner with the light of lanterns... It all comes out to be quite comfortable actually. Plus, it’s fun: playing soccer with your students after school, snorkeling in the coral reef right off your beach, going to the market to buy vegetables and fish. It's all a fun experience.
I was able to use the Panango experience in Papua New Guinea to satisfy my mandatory internship requirement for the Human Biology major and my concentration in Biological and Cultural Aspects of Community Health. Since the duration of the trip was nearly two and a half months, I far exceeded the 120 minimum hours required and for that reason was able to complete 4 units, the maximum amount allowed towards this. Fortunately for me, I not only was able to have a remarkable experience of living a disparate life than I am accustomed to and participating in an activity as meaningful as teaching, but was given academic credit towards my major for it as well. Despite all of the benefits of going for the Human Biology major, the greatest benefit received was the friendships and life changing experiences that have contributed to my understanding of myself. The academics of the trip only went so far for me, but the journey itself has had a longer lasting impression than I had anticipated.
Program Director Heather Heistand blogged throughout her Panango teaching experience on Karkar during summer 2010. Read it all here: Notes from the Field