My plane landed in Clark for the layover before I got to Davao, my hometown. I peeked outside the window and it hit me - “Naa na ko sa ‘Pinas!” I couldn’t keep myself from sniffling my tears. I cried quietly to keep from bothering my fellow passengers in that long economy flight. My tears came from the relief from the fear that I won’t be able to fly back home in a long, long time.  A little bit more and I will be home. 

After two quiet hours (never mind the cramped legroom on the plane 😅), I finally stepped off the plane and felt the warmth of Bisaya air hit my face. Joy rushed all over me. I told myself, Lipaya sa BisDak, uy (BisDak as in Bisayang Dako, loosely translates to homegrowns)! After seemingly countless days abroad, the airport smelled the same, yet everything felt slightly different — home, my eyes checking how much I can recognize and how much has changed.  Gimingaw gyud ko diri, ba! I told myself. 

Returning as a Bisdak balikbayan can never count as an ordinary flight but a journey of unpacking memories, a re-encounter of identity, and another chance at rediscovery.  As we were driving home from the airport through my hometown streets, I noticed new shops, rebuilt and (still) unfinished roads, and the same karenderya we frequented back then. 

The first meal after arriving? Rice and Hinalang! Familiar flavors that immediately transported me back, yet each bite reminded me: I had changed, but the taste of home still hasn’t changed. It still warms my stomach and my soul. For many balikbayans from Visayas and Mindanao (VisMin), this tension between familiarity and distance is universal.

I spent the rest of the day listening to the stories of my family, comparing what it’s like to live abroad vis-a-vis being here in this warm coop, and feeling the vibe of my hometown. Even small things — the laughter of children in the street, the vendors calling out their wares — felt like chapters in a story I fondly miss and so glad to relive again.

I realized that being a balikbayan in VisMIn is more than just a physical experience, truly, it is a return to identity, culture, and countless memories. And though my journey has just begun, I know every step across the quaint and humble towns in Visayas and Mindanao  will uncover more stories to tell — stories I hope to share here in this Balikbayan travelogue for Bisdak readers.

If you’re a Bisdak balikbayan, what’s the first thing you notice when returning home? Reply to this email — I’d love to hear your story. And if you know another balikbayan from Visayas or Mindanao, share this with them.