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Showing posts from November 30, 2025

A Day of Exhaustion and Quiet Purpose

Today was one of those days that leaves you physically drained, yet deeply fulfilled in a way that words can barely capture. We had a retreat with ACOM PHQ at TNK—a place of quiet beauty, owned by the sisters of the Anglican Church of Melanesia. The setting itself felt like a gentle invitation to pause, reflect, and realign. Even though the retreat came on short notice, it carried a clear purpose: to review ACOM’s workplace conduct. What could have been just another formal discussion turned into something more meaningful. There was a sense of sincerity in the conversations, and by the end of it, the outcome felt both successful and necessary. Looking back, the past few weeks have been full. We hosted visitors from New Zealand—members of ACOM’s management board—which added another layer of responsibility and expectation. I had submitted a report from my division and quietly assumed that would be enough, that perhaps my role in that space was minimal. But today reminded me that sometimes...

ACOM’s End-Year Christmas Party: A Beautiful Island Celebration

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Yesterday was ACOM’s end-year Christmas party, and what a joyful island celebration it was. The day was filled with fun, food, laughter, and the kind of togetherness that reminds you why our culture is so special. Staff, families, and friends all gathered in true island spirit. Children were running around on the sand, swimming in the ocean, and enjoying every moment. Their laughter carried through the sea breeze, adding to the happiness of the day. The venue was Amazing Grace, located about 1KM from Corona Market toward the seaside on East Guadalcanal. The place truly lived up to its name. The ocean view, peaceful atmosphere, and natural beauty made the whole event even more meaningful. Everyone felt at home and fully enjoyed the space. It was also an eye-opening experience. There is a powerful story behind Amazing Grace itself—one that speaks of humble beginnings, determination, and faith. If you’re curious, you can follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram on below links. https...

An Evening Walk From All Saints to Mt Austin Heights

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Yesterday, I decided to take an evening walk from the office at All Saints back home to Mt Austin Heights . I left around 5:40 PM and didn’t reach home until 8:15 PM — a long walk, but such a wonderful one. I genuinely enjoyed the whole journey. By the time I went to bed, my body felt lighter, my sleep came easily, and for once, I woke up without any back pain or body aches. It made me realise how much my body actually needs this kind of movement. Despite the distance, I think this is something I should do more often after work. The walk itself wasn’t boring at all. Honiara evenings always come with a bit of unexpected colour. Yesterday, I came across two vehicles packed with people shouting and celebrating loudly. In Honiara, scenes like that usually mean one of two things — either a football team has won, or a cultural marriage celebration is taking place, where the bride is brought from her family to the groom’s side. I couldn’t tell which one it was yesterday, but it definitely...

A Small Achievement Worth Smiling About

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I wouldn’t really call it a graduation day —more like a certificate-giving day. Weird, right? But anyway, it all started around 3:45 pm while I was staring at my office screen. Suddenly, my phone rang loudly, shocking me out of my thoughts. Wondering who it might be, I answered. “Hello?” “Ivory! Bae you no come?” one of my classmates from the contract management course said. “Eh? Come where? What happen?” “Mifala everyone lo here now. Today graduation day blo umi!” “Really?” I asked, still confused. “Yeah, everyone lo here nao.” Without even thinking twice, I just said, “Ok, me come distaem.” I grabbed a cab and headed straight to the venue. Opening the door slowly, I walked in and saw many familiar and new faces. Some were already eating, others still lining up for food. I was welcomed in and joined the line like nothing happened. After settling down, I ended up having a nice chat with the SINU Dean and the SIIP representatives . Soon after, the Dean handed me my Certificate in Cont...

Reflection

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These past three weeks at ACOM , stepping in as the new Project Manager for the John Coleridge Patteson University (JCPU), have honestly felt like a bit of a witch hunt . Everything is new, everyone is watching, and the project itself is bigger than anything I’ve managed before. It has been challenging, but also eye-opening. As overwhelming as it looked at first, spending time going through the documents helped me understand the project’s true shape. Today I managed to finish Draft 1 of my Annual Work Plan , which will guide me as I prepare a more detailed Annual Implementation Plan for 2026 .   To make sense of everything, I have broken the JCPU work into four main clusters:   1. Core JCPU Institutional Set-Up Governance and legal establishment Academic accreditation   2. Infrastructure & Campus Development Kosu master plan execution Health infrastructure MSSC senior secondary school   3. Sustainability & Business Development Agribusiness & far...