By Catherine
Frerichs, Visiting Professor of Writing
Divine
Word University
On my immediate left, I’m standing by a traditional,
white, European statue of the Virgin Mary. On my far left are the upper ridges
of the Adelberts. Out over the lower ridges of the Adelberts and across the
Vitiaz Strait, I can see the peak of Mt. Konigoi, the dormant volcano on Karkar Island, just
above a collar of clouds. On my far right lies the Madang Harbour. I recognize
islands from the Saturday morning kayaking I do with my friends: Pig, Little
Pig, Long, and a finger of Krangket.
I am enjoying this spacious view from Halopa
Station, to which six other expatriate friends and I hiked with our guide,
Theodore Baworo of Theo’s Guide & Wantok Tours, and Arnold Sapurie, his
assistant. Theo, originally from Milne Bay, is a 2010 graduate of Divine Word
University’s Tourism Management and Hospitality program. He has devoted himself
to developing PNG village tourism programs (http://pngvillagetravel.blogspot.com)
of the type we were experiencing, as well as providing free tourism
awareness and education to the potential rural tourism destinations as a
tourism consultant.