Hello! My name is Mary Ann and I am from the Philippines. As I write this, we are sailing over the big blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
It has been more than 12 years since I first got involved with Greenpeace. Way back in 1990, I first read about Greenpeace on a register at the National Library. There was a picture of a GP inflatable confronting a whaling ship. That struck me very deeply, I thought wow these guys were really out there at the forefront! I promised myself that I will volunteer for the organization by hook or by crook. This was the time when there was no Southeast Asian office yet and I didn’t know how I could even start, much less volunteer for an organization that wasn´t in my country yet.
Seven years later by a wonderful fluke, my professor in college was very good friends with one of the campaigners. I made a dash to fill in one of two positions available for the on-the-job training with Greenpeace.
That was 1997. I have never looked back since.
Volunteering for the Greenpeace Southeast Asian office got me involved with different campaigns doing research and logistics, as well as sailing on the ships over the years. Doing environmental work with GP not only made me aware, but also gave me a chance to make a difference and exact change with the urgent issues of the day.
So here I am now. From volunteer, to deckhand and now, as the new webbie for the Defending Our Pacific Ship Tour.
It doesn´t matter that I spent the night moving like a contortionist on my plane seat to relieve cramps from sitting for so long. I was more excited being the webbie for the Pacific leg of the Esperanza tour.
Through my eyes, you will see life on-board a Greenpeace ship, a front-row seat on what goes on, the work we do on a daily basis, but most of all it will be my privilege to present to you dear followers, a most alarming and appalling issue that is worrying and threatening the Pacific island nations: the non-stop plundering of the Pacific fishing grounds by distant fishing nations.
Stay, read and watch my fellow landlubbers. Find out what goes on beyond your fair shores. What you discover may surprise you, disgust you…but one thing I can assure you, what you will see in the following weeks will move you. Just as it moved me to share with you in the coming days, Greenpeace´s efforts to protect the worlds last relatively healthy stocks of tuna.
