The Filipinos Overseas and the Balikbayan Box

Balikbayan is a Filipino word which literally means going back (balik)  to the country (bayan). It refers to Filipinos who coming back home to the Philippines to visit their loved ones after a long stay in a foreign land. Balikbayan mostly refer to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) , the Filipinos working abroad, those who migrated to another country due to marriage, and those who migrated to different parts of the world and live there permanently because of work and career. These people, including me, believe that we live a better life than those we left back home in the Philippines and we all wanted to make our loved ones in the Philippines experience what we are also experiencing living abroad, especially to own things which we also own, like dresses, shoes (most especially rubber shoes), bags (the designer bags), perfumes (the special ones) and many others and to let them taste what we are eating abroad, mostly canned goods and sweets, especially chocolates and special cookies. The offshoot of this feeling of the Filipinos wanting their loved ones experience what they are experience living abroad is the Balikbayan Box.

A Balikbayan Box are big cardboard box sent by Filipinos workers and living abroad to their loved ones in the Philippines and contains as many items as the box can contain, like personal items (perfume, shoes, bags, sunglasses, make-ups and all other designer items), canned goods (corned beef, sausages, meatloafs especially Spam), food items (chocolates, cookies, candies), toys (Lego, etc), toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste and sometimes even beautiful and thick tissues), household/kitchen accessories (pots and pans, kitchen tissues) , electronic items (mobiles, cameras and computers), clothing (the branded ones). Mostly the weight is unlimited until the box is already quite full or until it can be closed.

The last 2 balibayan Boxes I sent to the Philippines from Bremen, Germany before my 2013 vacation to the Philippines. I needed to send them so I will have a gift for everybody when I arrive. 

Although it is quite expensive, mostly it takes 500 euros to fill one (1)  box which will cost me around 85 euros per box  to send to the Philippines, I am still very happy to send at least 2 to 3 boxes per year to my son and siblings in the Philippines. It makes me feel good that my family can also eat all my favorite foods in Germany.

Below are the photos of some of the contents of my last 2 Balibayan Boxes.

To open a Balikbayan Box is a wonderful feeling. My first time to open a box filled with imported chocolates, perfumes and designer shoes was maybe 20 years ago, the first time, my younger sister who works as a Physical Therapist in America sent us a box. Opening a Balikbayan Box is like opening a gift much like when you receive a gift during special occassions, like Christmas and birthdays. It is much more special because some of the contents of the balikbayan Box are items which are hard to find in the Philippines or too expensive to buy in the Philippines.

My 2 Balikbayan boxes being transported starting from Germany to my home country, the Philippines. It takes 2.5 months before they reached my loved ones back home, but for everybody it is all worth the wait.

  

Street and Traditional Filipino Foods Night Market - The Philippines

Picture below shows a street vendor cooking rice rolls with different fillings, like cheese sticks, sauteed assorted vegetables, sauteed ground meat (chicken, beef and pork) 

Assorted kinds of Filipino dishes sold starting at 5:00 o'clock in the afternoon until about 9:00 in the evening or until the last customers have eaten or bough what they want. Starting at 5:00 in the afternoon in the Philippines is the time  when most employees are going out of their work and go home and in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philipppines, this is the right place to be  to enjoy different kinds of Filipino traditional foods and street foods. This is a good place to eat afternoon snacks or buy cooked food for  bringing  home for dinner for a cheap price.

Here is one of the biggest makeshift food stores selling traditional Filipino foods, like Adobo, Sinigang (meat and seafoods), Ginataan (seafood, vegetables), Mechado, Menudo, and many more. So many choices to make and all I can say is that, they cooked them all very good and hygienic. 

Once you make a choice, the foods are packed in plastic containers. Price varies depending on the ingredients, but all foods are sold in cheap prices, ranging from 30 pesos for a vegetable dish and up to 50 pesos for meat dish. All priced reasonably. 

You can not ask for more!!!!! All I can say is that, there is really like home. This is something I cant experience everyday in Germany where I presently live. 

Absent Blogger - Travels from 2012 to 2013

It has been  so long since I write new articles. I have been absent for almost 2 years. From 2012 to 2013, I have been travelling a lot to visit more countries and I stayed longer - 6 months  in my home country, the Philippines to be able to enjoy my vacation  with my son and my siblings (my oldest sister and 3 younger brothers) after more than 3 years of living in Germany and also enjoy the sunny weather during the summer months.

I was also very fortunate to visit my family for the first time in the U.S.A. particularly, Houston, San Antonio and Sugarland, Texas and my dream vacation place which is India, particularly the States of Tamil Nadu (Chennai) and around Kerala. I was able to visit, too three (3) countries in Europe near Germany : Denmark (Copenhagen), The Netherlands (Amsterdam) and Sweden (Malmö).

My last 2 years, particularly 2012 and 2013, were good years for me. I was able to meet my mother, my son and all my siblings (3 sisters and 4 brothers), and some cousins  in the U.S.A and the Philippines and also in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

My trip to South of India, was a different one, I was able to meet there some good friends and was able to indulged in my passion for food and by learning a bit  about Indian culture, particularly about their cuisine, I was  able to learn how to cook some of their foods which were taught to me by simple housewives and not from a cooking school.

During those trips, I made a lot of photos and I want now to share them to you thru my blog. I hope you join me as I reminisce all my happy moments in these trips.

In Amsterdam, I am lining up for freshly baked bread.

My first cousin in Amsterdam, cooking Filipino food for midnight dinner while waiting for 2013 New Year.

Copenhagen canal while waiting for the boat for our Amsterdam Canal Tour.

Gebhardt Refried Beans, great find!!!!

My mom and my 3 siblings in Houston for Chinese Dinner with my 2 nephews

Fresh produce from the sea, in Alappuzha (Allepey) , Kerala, India. Given free by fishermen to town people after big fishes and seafoods are already sold

Some will be made into seafood curry and some will be dried under the sun

One of the funniest things I made in Amsterdam, go to a studio , wear traditional Dutch costume with my first cousin whom I have not seen for almost 20 years.

Food from the South of India called Sambar, one of their best vegetarian foods. 

Weekend Market in Versailles, France

I could say I am so lucky, I was able to visit one of France weekend markets and taste some of their products. I am sharing now that very nice experience through my photos. I hope that you will enjoy them.

Haribo - Germany's World of Sweet

Haribo is a German brand ; a German confectionary company which has been producing gummy candies since 1922. It was founded  by  Hans Riegel Sr. in 1920 . The company's headquarters are in Bonn, in the Federal State of  North Rhine-Westphalen, Germany. Haribo is actually an  acronym for HAns RIegel, BOnn. Almost all of Haribo's products are my favorites and I never get tired of eating them. I always have a reserve at home. I am on diet, but I still can eat Haribo in moderation, just looking at their flavors, shapes and sizes makes me happy. I am dying to go home, Haribo is my son's favorite, too. This was actually one of the sweets I craved for when I was pregnant with him. Soon I am home and will be enjoying Haribo . It will really be a "home sweet home".

This Haribo Berries is my "soul" sister's favorite.

This Haribo "Sour Mangoes" I just discovered in a Gas station and have not tasted it yet. I want to eat it with my son.

Leberkäse /Leberkaese - German Food

Leberkäse is a traditional German food made from mixed ground meats baked into a loaf. Essentially, Leberkäse is the German version of meatloaf, featuring traditionally German ingredients. The basic ingredients of Bavarian Leberkäse or liver meatloaf are stripped beef, fatty pork, lard, water and salt.It is important to note that there’s no liver in Bavarian Leberkäse, although as a rule liver is present in examples made outside of Bavaria. Leberkäse is baked in a rectangular form with a rosé color  and with a dark crust.

 Leberkäse is also served in Austria and Switzerland. Although I am living now in Germany for about 5 years, believe it or not, it was  actually in Austria where I first tasted Leberkäse in one occassion  where I was forced  to attend a Gluhwein party one very cold winter night , where Semmel filled with a thick slice of freshly made Leberkäse and mustard sauce and Gluhwein were served to the guests. I devored it at once. I never thought it is tasting so good. Now it becomes a staple food in my home in Germany.

Food Travels

I am a Filipina residing in Germany, but  last week I ate bananas imported from Colombia and yesterday I was able to buy mangoes from Brazil.

People travel.... our food travels , too. South American fruits are here to stay with me in Germany. We are all imported from other countries.

Here I am eating German ice cream and my mango from Brazil

My cap says " I <3 (love) the Philippines, that is the map of the Philippines shown on my cap. "Ich habe heimweh"  (I am homesick). Right now, home is where my heart is.