In 1995, I was in Grade 8 at St. Mary’s High School in Bougainville when my aunt handed me a plane ticket.

“You’re going to Port Moresby,” she said.

I hadn’t even known my brother had sent for me. I wasn’t sure whether to feel happy or sad. I was leaving behind everything I knew—my home, my family, my friends. I almost missed my flight that day, and when I got to the airport all the passenger seat on the plane was taken. My aunt insisted repeatdly to the ground staff that I must take the flight out to Port Moresby that day. Thankfully, the pilot allowed me to board and I got to sit at the jump seat in the cockpit. It was my first time to get on a plane & I was privillaged enough to sit inside the cockpit with the pilot & co-pilot and witness how they operated the plane. Before I had time to process everything, I landed at Jackson’s Airport.

Port Moresby was another world. I had come from a place torn by crisis, where survival was the priority. Suddenly, I was in a city where everything was bigger, faster, louder. I still remember stepping off the plane, looking up at the towering buildings, and feeling a mix of awe and disbelief. These were the things I had only seen on TV. And now, they were real.

Originally, I was only meant to stay for the holidays. But because of the crisis back home, my brother and his wife decided:

“She’s not going back. Let’s find a school for her here.”

That’s how I ended up at Laloki High School in Central Province. I was new, but I wasn’t shy—I talked to everyone, made friends quickly. By the end of my first month, I had already found a second home in my classmates. On weekends, I’d follow them to Brown River or their villages. I was young and full of curiosity.

But then, in Grade 10, I got appendicitis. It disrupted my schooling, and I didn’t make it to National High School. That was the first time I felt like my path had truly shifted.

My brother sat me down. “What do you want to do now?”

I didn’t know. I just said, “Wherever you decide to send me.”

He suggested accounting. I had no objections. That’s how I found myself at the Commercial Training Centre (CTC) in Boroko, learning the basics of accounting.

After that, I started working as a cashier at Boroko Foodworld. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a start. I began as a packer, then worked my way up to the cashier desk. I stayed there for a year until a former colleague called me:

“My boss needs someone. I told her about you.”

I sent in my papers, got called for an interview, and just like that, I had my first office job. It was a small accounting firm, but to me, it felt huge. I looked around at the office, desks, the computers, the paperwork, and thought, Wow. I work in an office now.

For four years, I learned and grew in that role. Then, in 2005, I asked for leave to attend a church conference in Lae. That’s when everything changed.

Before I even left, I was notified indirectly that I was going to be fired after returning back from Lae.

I had a choice—to fight for my job or to walk away.

“If the Lord is testing me, then I’m going to go to Lae,” I told myself.

I confided in a friend from Milne Bay about my decision to resign. She was shocked.

“Are you crazy? This is Port Moresby. Jobs are hard to find. Be grateful you have one.”

But something in my heart told me otherwise.

“I don’t agree with what you’re saying,” I told her. “I agree with my heart.”

I submitted my resignation and left for Lae.

While I was at the conference, I spoke words of affirmation: The Lord will provide. A job will find me here.

And somehow, that’s exactly what happened.

One day, a hostel mate casually mentioned that her boss was looking for someone to hire. Another friend, who knew I had just resigned, immediately stepped in.

“She just left her job,” she said. “I have her CV on my laptop. Let’s send it in.”

I didn’t even know they had done it.

The day I returned to Port Moresby, I got a call.

“Can you come in for an interview?”

By the end of that week, I had a new job.

I stayed there for eight years. Then, in 2014, I moved to Gadens Lawyers, now Dentons PNG. I started as a receptionist. Three years later, I was promoted to Human Resources. And while working in HR, I put myself through school.

In 2018, I began my HR studies at PNG HRI. In 2019, I enrolled in professional studies for a Bachelor in Business and Human Resource Management at UPNG. I worked full-time while studying and finally graduated in 2022.

Life will throw challenges your way—financial struggles, school fees, setbacks—but there’s always a way forward. If you need money, start small. Sell ice blocks. Set up a market stall. Learn to invest little by little.

Many young graduates today refuse to take “small” jobs. But experience is everything. Whether you’re a cashier, security guard, or bartender, take pride in your work. Every job teaches you something. For instance, in my case, I went from an accounts payable receivable background to working at the reception. Some of my friends discouraged me saying “You left your good accounts job to come work as a receptionist” but I was always grateful that I had a job. If you focus only on what you don’t have, you’ll miss the opportunities right in front of you. Gratitude attracts growth.

When I was promoted to Human Resources, people still doubted me questioning how I got promoted from receptionist to human resources. If I had listened to everyone who had something negative to say about me, I wouldn’t have become the person that I am today. You have to trust God and follow your heart.

Money was never my main focus—experience was. When you dedicate yourself to learning, the opportunities will come.

At the end of the day, success isn’t just about where you work or how much you earn. It’s about who you become along the way.

And through it all, I’ve learned that faith, resilience, and a little courage can take you further than you ever imagined.   Through out my career journey, one of my greatest lessons learnt is to “Always see the Good in every situation”