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WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE GREENLAND
WHERE did I park again?
(Ed’s Note: Greenland is suddenly one everyone’s lips, occupying discussions in big and small forums, its fate suddenly thrust onto the world stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Can a superpower, especially one like the United States that claims it’s the prime bastion of democracy and rule of law, simply take over a place like Greenland, even alienating its own allies? Whatever it is about Greenland that tempts the hegemons, the real wealth of the place will always be its people—their history, heritage, way of life. To the daughter of two OFWs who once upon a time lived in Greenland, the memories will always be a treasure).
Text & Photos by Trixzy Leigh C. Bonotan
W
HEN I was younger and still studying the world map, my eyes would often fall on a vast white continent—which I later learned was actually the world’s largest island—named Greenland. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would one day visit, let alone live there. Before that chapter began, we were living in Dubai, but the journey from the oven to the freezer is a whole other story.
KAFFEMIK staples
SEPTEMBER 2013 TO the fjord we go (taken June 15, 2013)
ZERO visibility
Continued on A2
ONE summer in Greenland
a clever marketing tactic by the Norse explorer Erik the Red, who dubbed the icy territory “Greenland” in hopes of enticing settlers to join his new colony. BABU in summer LET me just plop down.
“Is that a place in Cainta?” or “Is that a subdivision?” Those were the most common questions I heard whenever I spoke about Greenland upon returning home 12 years ago. The name itself is famously deceptive; unlike Iceland, Greenland isn’t truly “green.” The only foliage you might encounter are
low bushes, grass, and wildflowers during the brief summertime. In the native Kalaallisut (Greenlandic) tongue, the island is called Kalaallit Nunaat, or “Land of the People.” Situated between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, it sits roughly 6,000 miles from the Philippines. Its name was actually
ARCTIC sunset
Arriving in the Land of Icebergs and Fjords
REACHING this remote destination today typically requires flying to Denmark first. From Copenhagen, travelers can catch a flight directly to the capital, Nuuk, or take a route through Kangerlussuaq, depending on the schedule. I can still picture us: a group that had grown up in the tropics
and spent time in the desert, suddenly bundled in heavy layers and thick snow boots. Since there were no direct flights from Copenhagen to Nuuk at the time, we had a stopover in Kangerlussuaq. As the hub for most international transport in Greenland, it’s a small town where you can find Duty-Free shops and souvenir stalls—the perfect place to pick up your first Greenlandic keychains while adjusting to the crisp, Arctic air. We arrived during the winter season, when the mountains were blanketed with snow, and the air was nipping your cheeks and nose.
And surprisingly, no igloo in sight. (I let my imagination run wild before our flight — hey, I was a kid!)
A literal taste of the Arctic
ONCE we’d settled ourselves in our new lives, the most immediate “culture shock” happened at the dining table. Growing up, I was used to garlic rice, salty dried fish, bagoong, and our tropical fruits. In Greenland, though, the menu is a tad bit different from what we’re used to — reflecting the fact that people had to do their utmost to have food on their tables. Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 59.1670 n JAPAN 0.3735 n UK 79.8932 n HK 7.5891 n CHINA 8.4922 n SINGAPORE 46.2026 n AUSTRALIA 40.4702 n EU 69.5626 n KOREA 0.0404 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.7829 Source: BSP (January 23, 2026)