Sue Mills

PNG age two. From age 3 and 4 visiting tours of local highland villages with dad, the District Medical Officer, & sister and mum. I began to learn a language that took kinship with trees as a given.. I remember only two words: peck-peck and puk-puk (poo & crocodile). I remember my long blond hair causing hilarity & curiosity - their hair handy for decorating with a flower, feathers.. stayed where put... slid right out of mine. Big coastal town, Port Moresby when I was 6? Pidgin seemed brutal, offensive and I would not speak it. I know it was a trading language. Lived in NZ, PNG, Thailand & Malaysia as a child. Seemed odd we would study maps of Australia at school. Return Oz to hear ignorant adults speak of bush kanackers. Fin school 17, see if I can make a living out of drawing. ..yes but at 32 start market business with partner; at 42 I see I need super, enter world of admin. An interesting and varied job at ANU; I like the academics, I like what they do and I'm not secretly helping a business do awful things somewhere in the name of profit- what is not to like?