It's early days of course, but our friends and colleagues Down Under have just set a level of December diplo-enjoyment so high it's hard to imagine any other foreign service or mission around the world matching them over the rest of the holiday season. First, newspapers today reported that the Aussies have thrown their bush hat into the ring of strangest consular requests -- including a shout out to the Philippines.
Official PHL position: hey, if this is your version of renewing an OEC online to save time on your trip back, good on you mate.
The Kiwis immediately follow suit, as well they should.
Official PHL position: suitcase pick-up and deliveries allowed only if we can also padala some dried mango, polvoron and maybe some boy bawang
Then later in day, our Consulate in Sydney sends out to the world its e-Christmas card, eliminating the need for me to compile any Twelve Days of Foreign Service Post greetings this year because, really, once you receive a picture of some diplomats' "Exorcist"-backward heads attached to kangaroo and koala bodies watching Santa and Rudolph play cricket on a beach, you pretty much know game over.
although our Embassy in Wellington could still photoshop people's heads onto the cast of "The Hobbit", fingers crossed
