Home… Home sweet home. Migrants across the globe have this in mind when they go back to their town, city or country of origin. As an adult, you have spread your wings and flew so far that there will come at one point that you will go back for many reasons. This blog post lists the 10 advantages of going back to your country of origin.
- You have a chance to be with your aging parents.
As a middle-aged adult yourself, spending precious time with your aging parents is worth it. Bringing the whole family with you brings joy to their hearts and the beloved house is noisy once more.
Furthermore, having conversations may start disagreements once in a while but that is just the beauty of it. At long last, the issue will be settled and both of you can breathe.
One early morning, when my parents were both in bed, I lied down between them. I told them that the bed became small. My mother told me, “No. You became bigger.” After a few minutes, I was in dreamland. There is something about their bed that makes me sleep fast.
- Catch-ups with relatives will always be interesting.
There is always that one family member who will tell you “Oh, you gained weight. You’re fat.” As a mature adult, you just shake it off. If you didn’t know better, you will have an absolutely fantastic comeback that you want to say but you don’t.
Fascinating relatives are exciting to be with because you don’t know what to expect. Seeing your kinsfolk makes you realize that time flies so fast. You don’t feel like you are getting old. The obvious proof is the niece or nephew you know as a baby is already studying in primary school.
Talkfests become amusing when topics go to childhood memories, raising children and health issues.
Related blog post: Cravings, Emotions and Filipino Food
You have the chance to reconnect with friends who are still the same as the good old days.
True friends will make time to see you no matter how busy they are when you go back to visit. Recalling the past brings laughter and giggles. You make fun of the annoying experiences you went through together and the challenges of being a parent. You talk about growing old pains and inevitable consequences of your choices when you were young especially with FOOD!
Discussions will come to an end because of limited time but the warm hugs and quick kisses are just one way of saying, see you next time.
- You appreciate more the neighborhood where you grew up.
You show to your children your schools, the church where you attended mass, the fast-food chain where you had your first date with their father and so on.
Also, the city landscape had changed through the years but it makes me smile when some of the buildings’ architectural designs were preserved. Sometimes, I don’t recall anymore the building before the new structure was established.
Just enjoy the sights and sounds while you are still there.
- Family photos will sometimes help you remember what happened a long time ago.
My mother showed a lot of family pictures to my sons. They saw how adorable I was and how young their grandparents looked back then.
It was overwhelming for me to take a photo of fading photographs just to have a digital copy. I took with me some of the original photos so I can organize them in an album. The day when I can finally have the time is still a mystery.
There were some pictures which I don’t recall the occasion or why I was there in the first place. I asked the people who were in the photo and they also don’t remember why we were together. Are we gradually forgetting the past?
You can eat the food that sparks childhood memories or the delicacy only your country of origin can offer.
Food is life. I made a list of what I want to eat before going back to the Philippines. When we arrived, the first thing my sons desperately wanted to devour was Jollibee Chickenjoy. Every Filipino child wants to eat at Jollibee.
We went house-hopping to most of our relatives. They were excellent cooks! Diet goals evaporated into thin air.
As usual, I gained weight because I ate three times the nourishment by body needed for lunch or dinner.
Some of the food I ticked on my list were: Ube ice cream, Balut ( not for the faint of heart), Strawberry Taho, Ube Jam from the Good Shepherd Convent and Goldilocks Polvoron.
Balut or Fertilized Duck Egg
- You appreciate more what you have been through all this time.
When I saw the old cathedral where I used to pray, I remembered the joy, the sadness, the anger, the surprises I told God in my prayers.
Looking back with fresh eyes and new perspectives, all the events that happened in my life made me understand it was all for the best. There is a reason behind it. It was difficult and exhausting during that time but I evolved to something better. I have answered prayers. You just have to have FAITH.
- It exposes your children to the environment and cultural values you grew up in.
My sons are growing up in Australia. They are exposed to the Australian environment and culture. Going back to your roots helps your children learn more who you are not only as their parent but as a person who blossomed in a setting with a different set of values.
They are more enlightened about why you act and think that way. They will understand more the reasons behind the values you are instilling in them. For example, it is important to get only the food that you can finish because a lot of people in the world are starving. I cringe when food is wasted.
You can travel to the tourist attractions your country of origin is famous for.
Saving money for holidays takes discipline. I want the day when money will no longer be an issue when I want to explore places overseas. Moreover, when you go on holiday, it is your best time ever! We went to Hundred Islands, Pangasinan, Philippines this year. The view is beautiful and panoramic.
We went on a road trip with my parents and did some island-hopping. I told my parents “No one is in a hurry. We can rest and walk at your own pace.” They were able to reach the view deck at Governor’s Island. You have to endure more than 100 steps to reach that area if you are not physically fit.
Also, we had a river cruise with seafood lunch at Bolinao, Pangasinan. It was so quiet and calming. So worth it!
- The homesickness in your chest is finally cured for a while.
There are moments when there is that longing feeling inside you that bothers you a lot. The only cure for that is to finally go home and visit your country of origin. It will give you new insights into what you missed.
Airports for me are both a blissful place and a sorrowful place. The anticipation of finally seeing your country once again gets you all pumped up! You are no longer homesick. Every cell of your body is screaming “Yes, I am so back!” when the airplane touched down.
However, when you have to go back to your new home, it is such a sad feeling of leaving your loved ones behind once more. Just have a brave smiling face that everything will be all right. Keep communication lines open. Keep in touch. Tight hugs and kisses here and there. What is important is you spent time together as a family and enjoyed while it lasted.
Every departure is not goodbye. It is just a farewell. WE will be back.
International travel has drastically changed during the first quarter of 2020 because of a new virus, Covid-19. Going back to your country of origin will never be the same. I believe there will be new protocols that will be set in the future. There are lessons being learned as the whole world tries to cope with this new challenge.
My dear reader, wherever you are, may you have good health and peace in a time when travel became a whole new level of dilemma. It will get better. We just have to learn what we suppose to learn. The future is bright. I still have faith in humanity.
