In Filipino (the official language of the Philippines), "balik" means to go back and "bayan" means town. Put the two words together and it means to go back to one's hometown.
Balikbayan - the word is also used to refer to Filipinos living or working abroad who go back to the Philippines for a vacation or for good.
Back in the Philippines, when I was working in a telecommunications company that had a group focusing on serving OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers or what we call the country's modern day heroes), it was a known fact that OFWs prefer sending money to their families in the Philippines through balikbayan friends.
Now, I've experienced the ease of having balikbayans friends courier a number of Christmas gifts from our family in the Philippines to us here in Luxembourg as a great big favor. To me, if were are if they brought warm Pinoy Christmas cheer from thrity-degree Celcius Philippines to zero-degree Celcius Luxembourg just by agreeing to become our family's messenger-cum-courier service. To my eldest son, they were Santa Clause who delivered gifts post-Christmas day.
So even if our friends returned to Luxembourg a couple of days and weeks after the Christmas holidays, Christmas was extended to the second week of January when they hand-delivered the goodies from the Philippines.
That's the magic of asking balikbayans for a "padala" favor (a shortened version of "paki" which means please and "dala" which means bring = "padala" meaning please bring). That's one of the joys Christmas brought to us this year.
To our balikbayan Pinoy family in Luxembourg, I am truly grateful for you!!!
To our family in the Phlippines, maraming salamat sa mga regalo (thank you very much for the gifts).
You are all part of my Thank You List for 2011. Cheers!
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