When I was first told about sending my belongings to the Philippines and using the Bilikbayan Box, I was excited and apprehensive at the same time. Excited to have some of my personal things with me at a reasonable cost, and apprehensive because I took the information found from the expats groups on Facebook as fact. There were many posts about items missing or damaged from their boxes, issues with customs, poor customer service, and the transit and delivery times. I will address the issues with information in another post through the expat groups.

My boxes were shipped from Chicago on August 5th and received at my front door on October 18th. I shipped 15 XL and received all of them in great shape; not one box was opened or tampered with. I was worried after reading the reviews, but I received great service at the Elk Grove warehouse in Chicago and again at the local Delivery Hub. I highly recommend their service and will continue to use it.

We didn’t expect our boxes until December, and this was a fantastic surprise. I shipped most of my personal belongings except my cold-weather gear and clothes. I figered it would be best if I just had them in storage back in Michigan. As I stated before, you can purchase most things here, but the quality of items from the US is much better. One thing to keep in mind is that the electrical current here is 220 V, not 110 V, so you must use a step-down converter. This is for items such as my network, Apple TV, blow dryer, Ring doorbell, kitchen appliances, and some of my tools.

As I settle into my new routine, I’m already making mental notes of what to ship back Stateside next trip. Living abroad has been a humbling experience, and I’m grateful for the chance to appreciate the little things we often take for granted. And as I always say, “Bloom where you’re planted” – I’m exactly where I’m meant to be! 🌴