I’m from Bougainville but I haven’t seen my island for over 20 years.
I was at Bove, Central Bougainville, when a pastor came and took me in as his daughter in 1994.
He had to leave during the crisis and refusing to leave me behind, he sought my dad’s consent.
My dad, who was a primary school teacher, gave his approval so we left Bougainville in 1996 and came to Port Moresby.
After a month there, we spent another month in Lae, Morobe Province, before going up to the Highlands.
My adopted dad is from Jiwaka and Boana in Morobe Province.
My adopted parents wanted to enroll me in school but his big brothers said no, we will give her to one of our brothers.
I was 18 by then so I got married.
I spent 10 years in Jiwaka then came to Boana, and I’ve been here since – a total of 26 years away from home.
I think about Bove but my in-laws are against the idea of me visiting home. They would say: “Nogut yu go na go olgeta.” (You might go and never return.)
But they take good care of me. Sometimes they pick me up and take me to Lae to buy my supplies.
It’s a good life here at Boana Station. Our only issue is with the road conditions, which make it difficult to transport our vegetables to sell at the market in Lae.
Vehicles never pass through certain villages because of the bad state of roads so locals will have to walk a great distance to reach the Station, where they can access PMVs.
The PMV cost is K20 per person, while market bags are charged K5 each.
Life is ok. I am happy with my four children.