Meet Up with Balikbayan Relatives from Canada

It's a great pleasure meeting our maternal first cousin Ate Espie Bollozos - Villafuerte together with her hubby Kuya Pastor and their two lovely and charming daughters Vanessa and Nerissa who came all the way from Ontario, Canada to spend a month's vacation in the Philippines. We're delighted to arrange an impromptu meet up with them and by happy chance to bond with Oging ( a young aspiring lawyer who is the son of our maternal first cousin Ely) whom we have never met in person. 

First, we brought them to Abe Restaurant Trinoma that serves traditional Filipino food mostly of Capampangan origin, and gourmet dishes. Soon after, Humbert and daughter Tin who jointly celebrated their birthdays treated everyone to a sumptuous gastronomic experience of lunch at Choi Palace Seafood Restaurant in Eastwood. We thought the food venues could provide the ideal setting for balikbayans who wish to dine comfortably and have a good time bonding together at the same time evoking nostalgia for home-cooked Filipino and authentic Chinese cuisine. 

It was some kind of a mini gathering of relatives.We spoke about many things. Of course, we talked about our respective families - went through family histories, bloodline and family tree, issues, disputes and in the process learning much about them and vice versa. We also discussed cultural differences, what it's like growing up and living in Canada and what it's like in our homeland.

Sure thing, we were given the opportunity to build connections and establish meaningful relationships with them .We had lots of acquainting,catching up with each other's lives and likewise having emotionally riveting conversations. 

We all had a jolly good fun!