Pinoys help keep Greenland in business

Marinel Garciano dislikes winter, and that’s tough when it lasts nine months in Ilulissat, Greenland. But she has no regrets about leaving the Philippines to give her children opportunities.

- 

Her family is among the roughly 1,200 Filipinos living on the vast Arctic island of 57,000 inhabitants, the largest foreign diaspora in the Danish autonomous territory.

"We're just looking for a greener pasture," smiled the 38-year-old, her eyes stealing a glance outside the window.

But behind the glass there was no greenery - just the pristine white of a blizzard enveloping the streets of Ilulissat, north of the Arctic Circle, in the icy month of April.

'Teleported'

Marinel was taking a break at the Nuka cafe where her husband works, flashing a contagious smile despite being tired from work, her long dark hair falling down her back.

In 2012, Owie Garciano left the lush landscapes of the Visayas and headed to Greenland for a job as a cook.

Marinel and their three children joined him in 2021, amid a tourism boom in the town known for its icebergs.