Global conversations
In the lead up to International Women’s Day on Friday, we are featuring the stories of women who work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as guest articles across the FCO bloggers’ network. Carole Johnson is a Team Leader in the FCO’s Global Response Centre (GRC). It operates around the clock, 365 days a year, taking calls from British Nationals in trouble overseas, from our network of more than 260 … Read more »Switching night and day – life in the Global Response Centre
The following is a guest post by Foreign Office Minister, Mark Simmonds. Over the last two weeks we’ve brought you a series of blogs from our consular staff from around the world. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about some of the work we do to support British nationals abroad, and gained some insight into what it’s like to spend Christmas away from the UK. As you probably realise after reading … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: Have a Merry and Safe Christmas, Minister Mark Simmonds…
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year in Mexico. There are lights hanging everywhere, everyone is buying Christmas presents and arranging a family reunion with a fancy dinner. Our Mexican celebrations are the fusion of indigenous and Spanish traditions, seasoned with a bit of influence from the USA. The celebration starts with our nine posadas, which represent Joseph and Mary’s arduous journey to Bethlehem. Mexicans celebrate with Piñatas … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: Piñatas and Posadas – A Mexican Christmas
The end of the year is a fun time to be in Goa. The festive season starts with the Hindu festivals of Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali, then you have the various church feasts that honour the patron saints of each village. In December, Roman Catholics celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa, whose relics lie at the historical Basilica de Bom Jesus at Old Goa. … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: An alternative Christmas in Goa
Canada is a wonderful place for the holiday season, with many exciting diversions and snow going hand in hand. Many tourists travel to the west coast, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, to enjoy world class skiing. Others savour the festival of lights at Niagara Falls, or go skating on the world’s largest outdoor ice rink on the Ottawa Canal. However, all these delights do mean serious work for our … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: A Canadian Christmas
Thanks to Joanna Lumley’s wonderful documentary about her trip to Norway – and her frantic search for the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) – Norway has become a popular destination for British tourists all year round. For people searching for beautiful fjords, midnight sun, Northern Lights or rugged mountains, Norway has a lot to offer. But it’s not a cheap country, so make sure you take enough money, and some spare … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: Christmas in the land of the midnight sun
Ibiza is very different in winter. After the hectic, chaotic heat of the summer, winter is chill-out time under the weak winter Mediterranean sun. The clubbers and party-goers have left to recharge their batteries ready for next year and the Islanders do the same. Over the last 20 years the Spanish perception of Christmas has changed slightly. The Spanish traditionally celebrated the arrival of the Magi (the three wise men) … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: Christmas in Ibiza
Christmas in South India comes in the middle of the Indian festive season. The songs of joy and sparkling decorations could be an extension of Deepavali (Diwali in the North) without the sound and fury; or perhaps it is the harbinger of another mega event – Sankranthi, the harvest festival. In the countryside, you might find mango and banana trees decorated with lights. Some houses are topped by bright paper … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: Christmas – South Indian Style!
As the weather starts to turn cold in the UK, Atlanta starts to heat up for football, family, and twinkling lights. Christmas begins to show up early in the US, with decorations appearing in November, and family get-togethers kicking off as the college football season reaches fever pitch. The holiday season officially starts on Thanksgiving, with the lighting of the great tree at Lennox Square. This is one of the … Read more »Consular Christmas blogs: Atlanta – Christmas lights in the South and the Pink Pig
Nicky Hewitt, 34, born in Melbourne, grew up in Surrey Although I was born in Melbourne, I moved to the UK when I was just 11months old so I always considered myself to be British. When I was 12 years old, I went to Victoria, Australia, with my family on our summer holiday. While we were there we planned to visit my father’s family who were based in Victoria. I … Read more »Child Abduction: Case study – Nicky Hewitt