Cebu, Philippines

I wanted to share with you where I grew up in Cebu, Philippines. We’re in the Central Region. We’re known for our sweet mangoes and delicious lechon! I had a wonderful childhood. My parents were very conservative, I mean very strict. I was dropped off and picked up everyday unless for some circumstance, I had to commute but someone was still with me during my commute.  It was like clock work. My father was in the military and we lived on the Air Base for a long time. When you wake up in the morning, hearing the helicopter/airplanes pass by our house was common. Breakfast was always big at our house, from rice,corned beef and scrambled eggs to fried pork/chicken and dried fish and fresh fruits like bananas and papayas.

We always celebrate with food! especially “Lechon” (roasted pig) cooked in our backyard, years ago when I was younger. My mom had a lechon business and I would always remember how we would help deliver those orders for fiestas and other occasions. Those were great memories.

When I was in high school, our lunch and snacks during recess were like a full meal, my classmates and I had rice and pork/fried chicken, ngohiong (a kind of spring roll/deep fried battered rice paper with all kinds of good stuff like jicama, ground pork etc.), and barbecue on a stick.

Over a year ago, I went back to the Philippines after 8 years in the United States, my husband came with me for the first time, we were very excited. The heat hadn’t changed, it was very hot but the food and the beach was a treat! My husband said “I don’t want to go back to the US, can we just stay here?”. I’m glad he loved it. Seeing my friends and family was great! My mom and dad prepared scrumptious food that I missed so much.

We went to visit my parent’s home town in Negros Oriental.

  • Sand Bar, Negros Oriental
  • Bais City, Negros Oriental
  • Dumaguete City
  • Cebu

2 weeks went by so fast and too soon it was time go to home, heading back was the toughest part, saying good bye to everyone is always difficult.  However, we had a wonderful time!