That sure sounds appealing, right?
My family was in Cebu this week. Weeeeooo!
They braved the 24+ hours of travel to Cebu so they could reconnect with my siblings’ biological family, visit the orphanage we’re working at, and experience our new normal here.
{I just realized most of you probably don’t know anything about my family. I grew up as the oldest of three girls, and then a few years ago my parents adopted three siblings from an orphanage called CSC. Now I am the oldest of six – four girls, two boys – and Bjork and I now work here, at the same orphanage that my siblings lived at for several years before being adopted. But we usually call it the shelter instead of the orphanage. Got all that?}
The visiting crew was Mom, Dad, and my brothers. Guess what? It was such a cool time. If I had to use a few words more descriptive than cool, which I am forcing myself to do because I am not in 8th grade anymore, I would use the words powerful, adventurous, and, um, ok, cool.
So starting with powerful.
We had the privilege of visiting the community where my three siblings lived before they came to live at the shelter.
I won’t go into all the details of everyone and everything, but I will tell you that it was probably the most meaningful experience I have had here in the Philippines. It was both personally challenging and magically surreal to step into this part of their world.
I’ll say it again: a huge privilege.
We also had a little adventure in going to the beach for a few days.
Because you can’t come all the way to the Philippines and not want to see this.
But if you asked my brothers and my parents what they liked the most about the whole trip, I’m positive they would all say the same thing: just playing with the kids at the shelter.
For my brothers, this place is like a second home.
Do you like my hand in this picture? And my hair? I’m giving you a double whammy of bad photography just so you can see this little girl’s smile.
Even Dad got into the playtime.
And kids took full advantage of that. It’s like Where’s Waldo or something.
We had a few nice dinners on the patio (deck? what’s the difference?), complete with barking dogs and lurking geckos. As it should be.
And my brothers. ate. BALUT. 18 days old. As it should NOT be.
Does anyone out there know balut? Google it, now. It’s spelled B-A-L-U-T. And if you have ever eaten balut, please leave me a comment and tell me you’re not for real.
I’m seriously ready to sleep for a week. Why are fun things so exhausting? And why do I love sleep so much??
XOXO to my awesome family. Love you all!
Pinterest
What a special time it must have been to have family visit and your story is all that more meaningful to know that your family has such roots there where you are living and working. Thanks for sharing!
I loved seeing a million pictures of your family!
Between the glowing smiles, the breath taking beaches, and all of the fun, you really captured this memorable weekend well! Thank you for sharing!
Wow. You have two Filipino step-brothers. Had no idea, but it certainly explains the connection you have to this place and the work that you do.
I’m very impressed with you both!
(You still do ‘merican food in your blog too much, though! :[email protected])
Since they’re adopted, they’re actually just brothers, not step brothers. They are definitely a big reason why we are so connected here. Sorry you don’t like the American food! I’m sure you’re looking forward to finally moving here and make some Filipino food for your own blog.
I have a silly story about balut — I lived on Luzon near Cavite when I was 12 and we holidayed up at Bagio over Christmas. I heard the “balut guy” calling BALOOOOT on the road and thought it would be funny to mimic him. Yeah. Then he started up the stairs to come find the person who must want to buy some balut. I hid under the bed!!
Love these stories and love your heart! Thank you for sharing!
You and your family are truly amazing and inspiring people. What a wonderful story.
Your family is soo awesome! Looks like you had a ton of fun.
And I totally know balut. Fertilized duck eggs, right? They have them here in Vietnam too, but under a different name. Soo did NOT try them.
Hi Lindsay-
I just LOVE your blog! It is my all-time favorite, EVER! I don’t generally find much use in following blogs in general, but since I found yours, I SO look forward to getting an email with new posts. I really missed it the week you were on vacation. LOL
I like the recipes, but what I really love is seeing your life in the Philippines, and your passion for the children in your care. Your blog is a fun, informative and just plain uplifting to read.
Looking forward to more!
Very Sincerely Yours,
Paula
(in Oakland, CA, USA)
Wow Paula. That’s so sweet. Thank you for brightening my day!
Awww. I love it. Seriously tugged at my heart to see the path of your brothers – where they started, to where they are now. And now I love your family too! What blessings you all have in each other! Thanks for sharing this with us!
And oh my gosh. Balut. I just Googled it. EEWW. I didn’t remember it, but now I do. How could I ever have forgotten!
Your subconscious mind is blocking the memory. 🙂
You have an amazing family. I can imagine the visit to the community where your brothers grew up was heartwarming as well as heartbreaking in some ways -no wonder you have such a connection to the shelter and the country.
Love your food photos, but these are cool ~ rather touching, inspiring, engaging and soulful! Thanks for sharing your story and your family pics! Balut ~ interesting how different cultures treat “food”. On the farm we made sure to break our eggs into a bowl apart from the ingredients to which they were being added to insure that no “little baluts” were added unexpectedly:) A habit that I still practice today, even though commercial eggs have little chance of providing such a surprise. Cheers!
Wow smiles everywhere…looks awesome!
LOVED this! You and Bjork are gems and it’s obvious that you get some of that goodness from your folks. You can see their love and kindness in their eyes and the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.
what beautiful fun family photos…thanks for sharing a glimpse into your family visit 🙂
Hey there,
I’ve been poking around your blog for a while now loving all the recipes you’ve posted. I am half Filipino (and live in the Midwest) so when you said you were in the Philippines that really intrigued me. I’ve never been there so it’s neat to see how you are living (and cooking) there. But today’s post really struck me. My sister and her husband adopted 3 children from Cebu just 2 years ago. Seeing the pictures from the children’s shelter really hit home. Thank you for all you are doing there.
Wow, that’s amazing! They weren’t from the Children’s Shelter of Cebu, were they?? Thanks for the comment! 🙂
I just spoke with my sister and Yes! they were at CSC. They brought them home in Feb 2011, two boys and a girl. I bet your siblings knew them.
Definitely!! That’s so cool. Feel free to email me if you ever want to talk more … [email protected] 🙂
Awww this really made me miss the Philippines so much! I hope your family enjoyed their visit. My husband and I are looking into visiting my home country this year, though I told him he has to eat “balut” for sure! He’s not very excited about that! lol
I don’t think there’s anything anyone could say to me (or Bjork) to get us to eat it. We are too scared! Good luck getting your husband on board with it! 🙂
I only ate one balut when I was little. After I saw the chick in it, I never, ever, ever wanted to be around it. And I often correct non-Filipinos about balut. It is an acquired taste that many choose not to acquire! (like dinuguan, which I actually like.)
We hope to visit Cebu in the next couple of years. I haven’t been to PI in 20 years! My children have never been and their Dad’s a big fan of eskrima (stick fighting). His mentor is in his 90s and lives in Cebu, Cacoy Canete.
I really appreciate your blog and get excited every time you post about PI. It’s just often enough to keep me from being too homesick.
I love that your brothers seem to truly embrace the memory of their time in the shelter. We have some friends in our church that recently took a trip with their adopted son back to Ethiopia to visit his childhood home. Seems like such a rich experience for the boys and family.
Thanks for sharing these photos, Lindsay! I’m so glad that your family came for a visit. What a neat experience for all of you!!!
Hi Lindsay! It’s my first time to vist your blog. Just Googled some recipe, and now I’m here in your blog. I loooove your site, and all the recipes and photos are GREAT!
I’m from the Philippines, and I’ve eaten balut when I was a kid. Eating the chick was gross, but the liquid/”soup” (aka “sabaw”) in it tasted actually good. 🙂
Ahhh! You crazy balut eater!! 🙂 When my brothers had it, kids were chanting, “drink the mucus, drink the mucus!” and it was just too much for me! Thanks for the comment… always fun to hear from people who live here in the Philippines!
Eating Blair (<—that's Apple's autocorrect for "balut." I love it.) was, at first, an ad of machismo. Something to prove myself at 2am with Red Horse and new friends. But these days it's a late night staple. 16 or 18 days. Okay ra kung way asin, basta naay suka. 🙂
I’ve eaten balut numerous times although not the chick. What I like better is penoy. Have you tried it? I hope you do before you leave our country.
You should try what’s called here in Manila as “balut sa puti”. It’s very young so the yolk is large (it’s the best part after the soup–NOT AT ALL like mucus e.g. okra–which is the best duck soup ever) and the chick is hardly there (definitely no feathers). Penoy is the unfertilized duck egg version so it’s just like a hard boiled chicken egg.
Landed here looking for a pancit recipe… ended up reading more entries.
You have such a wonderful family and you made me cry 😀
The world needs more people like you!
thank you Betchay! XO
I’m pouring through these now that I realize you wrote about the Philippines. And yes, I’ve eaten Balut 😉
haha!
No you haven’t! Paula! You CRAZY.
a little bit 😉 lol and I wouldn’t say it was the worse thing I ate while their either! eeek!
WOW seeing this brought back so many memories.
I am also from Cebu, I grew up there and left for the states when I was 12.
I miss my home! Haven’t been back since 1996…and would love to go back.
I used to live in Pardo!
Thank you for all that you do and to your family!!!
And i have never eaten a balut and i dont want to hahaha!
What a fun comment Loida! Love hearing from people with connections back to the Philippines – especially Cebu! 🙂
I just stumbled upon your blog via Pinterest, via your recipe for yellow curry cauliflower & lentils! I love your blog!!! So heartwarming! I travelled to Cebu in 2005 with classmates, as a Graduate Student Nurse Anesthetist on a mission trip from Northwest Florida. We provided anesthesia during pediatric surgeries (cleft lips, etc) and GYN surgeries. It was am amazing time!! It was such a beautiful place with the most genuine people! You are inspiring me (now that I have been a CRNA for 8 yrs) to seek out more volunteer/mission work! Great work that you two doing over there! So proud of you! Thank you!
Fun! Thanks for the sweet comment Amy! We are back home now but we hope to go back soon!