One thing you quickly learn living in the Falkland Islands is that Facebook is an integral part of everyday life. This came as a bit of a surprise to me, as before leaving the UK I was on the verge of not using it, as only few people I knew were posting regularly. It’s very different here!

What makes Facebook particularly useful, is the use of groups as a way to communicate what’s going on. There are Facebook groups for everything.

The Falkland Islands Community Board – effectively a noticeboard for: events, the cinema schedule, plane arrivals and departures – both FIGAS and international, various public service announcements, asking questions, seeking advice, reuniting lost dogs, cats and poultry with their owners…

Falkland Islands Community Board – yes, this is a different board; no, I don’t know what the reason for two boards is; yes, almost everything is posted on both boards – but not everything, so you need to belong to both

FI Election – periodically in use for general elections and by-elections

FI Bring and Buy (or chebay) and Falklands Buy and Sell- where anything surplus to requirements is advertised for sale. A fine source of kitchenware; clothes; shoes; books; house plants; car parts; cameras etc. etc. Last weekend I finally managed to buy a full length mirror, a picture frame and a lampshade – a purple patch of finding things I wanted and being in time to buy them, something I don’t often achieve.

FI Car Sales – the place to go to buy and sell your car.

And there are lots of special interest group pages, whatever your interest, including:

• FI Museum and National Trust
• FI Yacht Club
• FI Gardening
• Wild Falklands – stunning images of wildlife
• and lots and lots of sports and clubs

To be honest it’s hard to think of something that doesn’t have a group or a Facebook page – I wonder if Mark Zukerberg ever imagined it being used like this by a whole community when he set it up. It also makes me wonder if other Islands or small communities use Facebook in the same way, or is it a uniquely Falklands thing?