Mindanao green

I have now gathered about enough information and stories to write my first blog post from the Philippines.

But it is not that easy. The news about my arrival is everywhere in the media and on the websites, before even joining our duty station in Mindanao, in the south of the country. Everything I will say or do will be scrutinised and commented on. So how can I possibly keep writing about silly events and anecdotes without triggering some political uproar?

Talking about the weather is always a safe option. It is now the "cold" season in Manila (20 to 25 degrees) and the "dry" season as well (it rains only once a day). When it rains, there are rivers forming immediately in the streets and it is hard to move around - or just live if you are a homeless. At first sight, the Philippines count among the richest of the richest (who don't bother to drive in the traffic or in the flooded streets - there are helipads everywhere in the city centre for them to visit their friend, attend a meeting or go to a shopping mall) and they also count millions of the poorer among the poorer, who are also not in the traffic - can't afford it. Oooups that’s not really about the weather, is it?

With my colleague S, we also started describing my imaginary husband – or shall we say fiancé, to give a chance to the most motivated ones? You know, the husband you talk about when asked by random people if you are married. I imagine he should come from a country that is not part of a coalition currently invading anyone else, where there are different ethnic groups and religions so his background could remain vague, and that has in general acceptable standards of human rights. Or a country that nobody has heard of would do. Canada seemed to fit well (in the first category), but reading the newspapers in the plane we discovered that they own mines in this country – and mines are highly conflictual topic. So our first conversation about my imaginary fiancé concluded temporarily that my beloved one is originating from Tierra de Fuego and is a researcher on sea turtles, based in the Galapagos. I hope this is exotic and innocent enough to avoid any retaliation on the account of his affiliations. I am also wondering how our relation will develop during my stay in Mindanao.

We have now reached our duty station and oh God, it is beautiful and green –from the plane. At a closer distance, green is also displayed everywhere but this is because we are closely monitored by all kinds of security and armed forces. Oooups, let’s move back to the weather.

Today I went to the market with my new colleagues. That was fun and colourful. Apart from when they bought live ducks that looked very scared. But then they said they will give them to an orphanage for the eggs. Still, I will watch what comes up on the dinner table. I then had a session with the contingent’s cooks. I am very optimistic about the creation of a fusion cuisine among all of us. The cooks were very happy to hear that my Beirut spices are on their way. The less good news is that apparently parsley doesn’t grow here. But lemongrass does, so: fusion, fusion!