My Family Sent Me a Package
By Raine38
@Raine38 (12387)
United States
December 12, 2020 1:54pm CST
I have shared on more than one occasion that my family (parents and siblings, with the exception of one brother who is currently working in Australia) live in the Philippines. Last year, they sent me a package of all my favorite foods and snacks that they can fit in a box. This year, I was not expecting any because of the pandemic. They are in lock down, and the international shipping charges are so expensive. Bear in mind that the Philippine peso to US dollar exchange is 50 to 1.
So I am very surprised, touched and feel so loved to see that our courier delivered a package from DHL. It is from my family and it has all my favorite stuff. And from the looks of it, they sent it express because my mom included her homecooked dish, that way it will not go bad. Laing (shredded or whole taro leaves with meat or seafood cooked in thick coconut milk spiced with labuyo chili, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, ginger, and shrimp paste), fish crackers (not the Goldfish crackers kind), polvoron, banana chips, tuyo, danggit, Lucky Me Pancit Canton, canton and bihon noodles, chichacorn, Lala chocolate, pili brittles, my favorite 3-in1 coffee, and some more that I have not taken out of the bottom of the box.
To some, these are just small things. But for me, these are very special, hard to find, even in Asian stores. I can see the care in the way they wrapped the items. A mother is indeed always going to be a mother, scared to even entertain the thought that her child is might go hungry.
21 people like this
23 responses
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 Dec 20
wow, i did not know you could airfreight cooked food. how many days does it take? how do they pack it so it doesn't spill. i mean laing? that's coconut milk. by the way, are you bicolano?
3 people like this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
13 Dec 20
They packed in a plastic container, taped it, bubble wrapped it, then taped it again with packing paper. They sent this last Tuesday/Wednesday, and it's now Saturday here.
I am not Bicolano, I am from Manila but we have relatives who married someone from there.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 Dec 20
@Raine38 that was really fast. does your husband eat some of those goodies?
2 people like this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
13 Dec 20
@hereandthere he does, except for dried fish (tuyo and danggit). He does not want to even try it, and he always request for me to cook it outside whenever I want to make some for myself.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
12 Dec 20
This is family giving and love a treasure
3 people like this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
12 Dec 20
This is one of the many reasons why I miss my family. I may be the eldest child, but each one of us gets to be treated special and like the baby. We all contribute to whatever the family needs, be it monetary or in kind. My husband's family is not as close-knit, but I have a good relationship with them all. As a matter of fact I am even closer to his other relatives (aunt, uncles, cousins) instead of his immediate family member. Either way, family and friends are a blessing, especially if everyone gets along and there is love.
2 people like this
@Mga_715 (89)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
12 Dec 20
So happy for you, I know how hard it is to be away from family. How thoughtful of your family to give you all your favorites. It only shows how they love and appreciate you and for sure, they think of you alot in this time. No matter how big or small, what is more important is their effort to make you smile and that's their way of taking good care of you no matter the distance.
4 people like this
@oahuwriter (26773)
• United States
13 Dec 20
Leave it to Mom to make a perfect Christmas for you. Enjoy!
3 people like this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
13 Dec 20
@oahuwriter Yes, that's the plan. And my husband too, as a matter of fact he has already finished 2 packs of the snacks that they sent us. But we should be good well after New Year's.
3 people like this
@oahuwriter (26773)
• United States
13 Dec 20
@Raine38
They are always the best. 
So you're going to enjoy your favorite foods now!
So you're going to enjoy your favorite foods now!2 people like this
@rsa101 (40952)
• Philippines
16 Dec 20
@Raine38 I understand even us in here could not easily move from one place to another because of the pandemic. For responsible like us we do not want to unintentionally spread the virus to our love ones or we are the ones that will be infected harming ourselves in the way. So to be safe we will all stay where we are and not allow the virus to take advantage of us moving around.
1 person likes this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
16 Dec 20
@rsa101 same here, and if we absolutely need to make a grocery run, we try to adhere to the CDC guidelines. But it is disheartening that when we go out, we still find those who total throw caution away and basically do all the things that they shouldn’t be doing.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208801)
• United States
13 Dec 20
That is really sweet...enjoy and don't forget to give mom a big kiss on zoom.
3 people like this
@allen0187 (59708)
• Philippines
13 Dec 20
Enjoy the love package from your family!
3 people like this
@pitsipeahie (5758)
•
13 Dec 20
That's how a mother loves their children. Enjoy all your goodies.
Enjoy all your goodies.3 people like this
@florelway (23339)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
15 Dec 20
Wow your family back home loves you so much.
2 people like this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
20 Dec 20
@florelway I agree! I don't have a kid yet, and I have a younger brother who lives and works in Australia now. The rest of my siblings are in the Philippines. Despite all these distances, we make sure to continue this tradition.
1 person likes this
@florelway (23339)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
20 Dec 20
@Raine38 that's one tradition that we should be proud of and must be passed on through generation.
1 person likes this
@brokenbee (11937)
• Philippines
13 Dec 20
Oh wow! That's a nice surprise... Those really are very special stuff. I remember my aunt who would ask us to buy dried fish and polvoron when other relatives would go back to the US. We don't ship packages to the US because it is too expensive.
2 people like this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
13 Dec 20
@hereandthere the smell does not cling to our furniture because I always turn on the hood vent of our stove on high when I cook, and I open the kitchen windows. To be on the safe side, I also burn scented candles. But as a favor for my husband, I cook it outside on our grill with a burner. We also do not live in an apartment complex or condo, we have our own yard so we are not close to the neighbors.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45628)
• Philippines
13 Dec 20
but i heard that the smell clings to everything (sofa, curtains, etc) or that the neighbors will complain
2 people like this
@brokenbee (11937)
• Philippines
13 Dec 20
@hereandthere hihi yes I heard that too. I don't know what my aunt does so that the neighbors won't complain if they fry the dried fish...
2 people like this
@Raine38 (12387)
• United States
14 Dec 20
Indeed! And I know what you mean - last year I sent them a balikbayan box of goodies. This year, my courier is not doing any pick-ups because of COVID. And since I live 4 hours away from their main office, it is not just very practical to drive all the way there just to get a box, drive back home, fill it up, and then drive back there again to ship the box. However, I have been saving some of it, and I just gave them some cash gifts. But I did not expect that they will be sending me a care package.
2 people like this
@yoalldudes (35030)
• Philippines
14 Dec 20
Those are Pinoy favorites. Mine too. You know how hard I try hard cooking the perfect crab with taro in coconut milk 
.
I am glad you are happy. Your mother is thoughtful.
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I am glad you are happy. Your mother is thoughtful.2 people like this
