Talking to Schools in PNG

I am tour guiding in the far north again, and have a spare day before the ship sails. Summer seems to have ended here (though the Sun won't set for another ten days yet), and it has been bucketing snow all morning.

Recently I was in Papua New Guinea again, making more measurements of how the tectonic plates are moving.

I stayed about 4 or 5 days in each location I visited, and while the instruments were running I usually visited the local school, to explain the work. In PNG everybody knows about earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis from personal experience, and I think it's important to explain how these things are related, and why geologists think their country is so exciting and interesting.

As well as talking about my work, the teachers and students had lots of other science questions for me! World Environment Day had just happened, so we talked a lot about climate change, sea-level, pollution and sustainability. As PNG develops, it's important that the people and future leaders are well informed on these topics.

Here are some images of the trip:

The pupils of Amboin Primary School and their teacher, beside my GPS antenna. Amboin is a small village in the Sepik River region, very hot and humid.

Talking to about 300 pupils at the United Primary School in Mt Hagen. Mt Hagen is PNG's third largest city in the Highlands region, about 1700 m above sea-level, and has a very comfortable climate for me.

St Xavier's High School is on Kairuru Islands, near the town of Wewak on the north coast of PNG.

Explaining plate tectonics at St Xavier's High School. The rocks in the school grounds are 'pillow lavas', which formed at volcanoes on the bottom of the sea. This is how much of the Earth's crust is formed, but not many people have the chance to see it so easily as these students!

Bam is a small island off the north coast of PNG. It is the top of a volcano, sticking out from the sea. The island is about 3 km wide, and has one village. Here are some students of the primary school, with the island's leader, Greg Kibai.

Comments

[Global Explorer]

I think it is so great that you are educating others while you travel. The locales look beautiful, and I envy you for being there, but my guess is that you will remember teaching these children much more clearly than you do the places you saw.

[Jordi Roca Viladrich]

Hi Dan!!!! I wrote a e-mail but how I didn't get a reply I try here...

I'm Jordi, from Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain), just stayed a few days in Hannah's house, in Paekakariki. She told me about your amazing life and I was so jelous!!! That's why I wanted to write you quickly...

Going to see around the south island and I'd want to get some information about Antarctica in Christchurch, also go to Antarctica Center. Planing to go to Ushuaia in this trip and try to get the austral continent from there... I mean, now traveling around the world but wanna go to Antarctica the last, always it has been my dream. And I'd like to go like you, not in a tourist trip, trying to work or something. I tried a lot from Spain but I know that is a place close for the scientists and the army. I'm not anything of that... and thinking to be lucky finding a Russian ship that bring me there if I can work in? Or getting a job in the tourist cruises going there? Hannah told me you use to work with them? I don't know... I guess you are very busy but if you can get any time to answer me, trying to give me some advice,some helping companies or organizations, the best that I could do to go there, your opinion, etc... I would appreciate it very much!

I know that what I want will be very difficult... but always thinking that the dreams can become true! By the way, lovely Blog site that you are writing! I added to mine and I will take a look often!!!

Glad to write you,

Jordi

[boom trucks]

I think it is great that although that are unable to afford many things that they are still great parents and put their children through schooling. Knowledge is Power and the more you know the better off you will be in the future

[Passports for Children]

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