Welcome to paradise

Papua New Guinea's Lihir Island may be one of the most beautiful and unique places I have been so far in my life. Flying in over the island (and the surrounding islands) gives the impression that you are landing in some other world, a bit like that scene in Jurassic Park when they first arrive at Isla Sorna. This is my second visit and I am still amazed when the plane banks suddenly and lands onto the runway that starts at the edge of a cliff!

The friendly locals wave as we drive from the airport in the bus and the sun is producing a spectacular sunset as it goes down over the island's landscape. If I let my imagination wander I can almost believe that I have arrived on a tropical island for a holiday.

Breaking me out of my dream is the Accommodation Camp looming in the distance and the thought of staying in an air-conditioned box and eating mess food for 3 days. Its then that I remember I am not on the Island for a holiday but to conduct training in our new intranet system. Damn it! My beacon of hope is the Lihir Island Sports and Social Club - the perveyor of good food and good beer.

This trip was more comfortable than the last, not withstanding the change in accommodation style, I felt more at home. People recognised me; I recognised other people, particular PNG nationals.

The training that we were conducting was very well received. It took me back to my days at Sydney Ports when I undertook weeks of training in SalesLogix and at Gove when I trained people in technical writing and Alcan Source.

I think there is a ‘teaching gene’ in me that is dying to get out. I believe comes from Mum’s side of the family, although there are a lot of teachers in the Johnson Clan. I was at home in a classroom showing our employees this new system. I felt comfortable demonstrating and showing other people how to operate things and was comfortable at the front of a classroom.

For some of you this is not a shocking concept and you’re probably thinking – well of course you’re comfortable being in front of people, you sing, you dance, you act, what’s the difference. There’s a big difference. In teaching, I am imparting knowledge. There is a connection between the teacher and the student that is not the same as the performer and their audience.

This part of my job may be my saving grace. Everything else at work is not going particularly well at the moment (If you want to know more I’ll tell you in another forum – don’t want to write it on the blog). But this may save me.

We’ll see…..