Stress of modern life.

Few years ago when I was still working in Johor Corporation, I was posted to a country where I could never before imagine I will be living and working - Papua New Guinea. Yes, I was there in a very remote place call Aitape (wish I paid better attention to Cikgu Janggut - in geography class) accessible only 4 hours by small aircraft from Port Moresby, the capital. I was there long enough to witness the two terms of the PNG Prime Ministers.

For a young manager then, of course I felt devoid of modern entertainment and social outlets like you can find nowadays in KL. There were only four of us from Malaysia and I was their senior (myself, 2 Malay guys, and a Chinese guy - Mazlan, Raja and Wong Tee Tee) and the rest of the people were Papuans and 2 Pinoys. First few days were very stressful where every chore from cooking to cleaning was DIY. You don’t get to call home with your handphone and our wheels were all in 4WD through rough jungle route. I have to maintain business operation as well as menial jobs.

At nights, small crabs crawled under the bed and everywhere, oh they can climb coconut trees too. I struggled to learn Pidgin English so I can communicate with the locals. After a while, my surroundings were gradually getting familiar and pleasant. Hold on there, I swear there was no romance like all those romantic novels that you read, ok! Looking back, I will always miss the pacific ocean that I can see from the balcony, the lake at the back of my bedroom, the fresh barramundi, and all friends that I made out there.

Today I am here lamenting on those good old days in Papua and complaining the traffic in KL, the meteoric rise of cigarette, petrol, Astro and the datelines I have to catch (my own as I am in business), the boring rerun movies of HBO and Star Movies, the slow speed of internet, well, the list endless and goes on and on.

So Marina (an ex-classmate from MRSM Kuantan), we all feel the stress no matter where and what, but somehow someday when we look back, those were the good old days.

Signing off for tonight, I love you all.