Saturday, a day before our flight we have to wake up early to clean the apartment by throwing all the garbage and washing the bedding. I also threw my old shoes and slippers as I can’t bring them anymore even I like too. My bag is already full, I have two luggage, one backpack, one body bag, one computer bag and camera bag to my husband’s irritation because they are too many to carry and I might be in over baggage.

It took me time to get out of our apartment because of too many bags I have to carry. My husband didn’t help me until we get out our apartment building, my husband repetitively asked me how can I carry my things when we travel as he will not help me if I am expecting a help from him.

Left no choice I tried to contact Edelyn while we are in the bus going to Incheon if they are open during Saturday, unfortunately they are not.  With her help,  I am able to connect with their new employee (ate Marlene) and I think with their boss permission they are able to open their  office. I was relived and thankful to them, although at first I am thinking of leaving the bag to Edelyn or to someone in Korea that wanted it, it is better than leaving the things in the hostel. My husband agreed with my idea as it will save me paying for the box fee.

To cut the story short, after reaching our hostel we immediately went back to the airport where the hostel employee pick us up after we arrived from Icheon.  We took the subway to Hyehwa, my husband carrying the small bag and me a plastic bag with towel, toiletries bag and my personal documents. The trip took so long and it was quite tiring for me to hold the bag so it accidentally slip to my embarrassment because my things was thrown in the floor train. Ha-ha

My husband was already annoyed with me because instead of resting he is traveling with me to Hyehwa, and when we reached Hyehwa he was more agitated because there are lot of people and traffic on the cross street. When we finally reached the LBC office I was happy to see Edelyn and ate Marlene, they are very friendly and helpful. I am little embarrassed for disturbing them on their rest day, and a sign of being grateful I would like to give them chocolates but they declined. I don’t know how to pay their kindness, so I just say my sincere thank you again. Nothing new, because it is already my habit giving token to someone, I originally would like to give them souvenirs but I already sent them home so I was left no choice.  Thanks again sis Edelyn and Ate Marlene!

Well, the box should be shipped on Friday but due to unseen problems it was moved the next week, and today it should be a week already since it was shipped if the shipping was made last week.

LBC Korea branch is located at: 1F, 102-1 Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Korea.
Jumbo Box size – 73 x 52 x 73
Hotline/Contact #: 1661-5899

I am quite busy these past few days packing, boxing and throwing things that we cannot used any more like old bags, clothes that are worn out and cannot be worn. We are leaving Korea soon, our flight was already scheduled on Sunday (March 2) to Hungary but we have to leave our apartment before our flight to avoid transportation problem, as it is 2 1/2 hours away from Incheon Airport and our flight is in the morning.

Cleaning also made me busy I have to clean around the apartment because the new teacher will arrive as soon as we left, so the apartment needs to be clean as a courtesy to the new tenant. I have already scheduled my third LBC jumbo box to be picked up by Monday, but I was told that they have to pick it up on Thursday, their scheduled pick-up date in Gyeonggi-do area.

As I am scheduled to go to the Turkish Embassy today, my husband and I left the box in the hallway outside the elevator just in case the tekbe ajossi came and I am not around. We trust to leave it outside because the kids at the Hagwon below are on vacation, and the students renting a room in our floor already left so the chance of kids playing with the box is less. By calling, I stressed out that it needs to pick-up this week because we are leaving on Sunday and nobody will take care of it when we left. I just can’t leave the box sitting in the hallway, we already informed the landlord about leaving the box today in the hallway (my husband co-teacher call him as he is the one in contact), the landlord says we can leave the box but we have to be aware that he is not responsible if the box was lost or damage.

I left early in the morning to Seoul as the Turkish embassy opens at 9:30 AM, before I left my husband and I took the box in the hallway.

I went in and went out, I directly went to the subway to the bus station when I left Turkish embassy. It was perfect timing that the bus is leaving when I arrived at the bus station or else I have to wait for another bus, on the way I received a text message from tekbe ajossi that my box will be delivered between 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm, I was wondering what box is it because I didn’t order anything from gmarket and I am not expecting for tekbe aside from someone who will collect my box.

I have arrived home before 12:30 pm and I was a little bit disappointed seeing my box in the hallway, few minutes after I arrived home someone knocks at the door. It was the tekbe ajossi who delivered boxes two days ago. The boxes are from the new teacher who is moving soon when we left.

Waiting for tekbe ajossi is killing me, I am paranoid, hearing movements around the apartment or seeing delivery truck in the street thinking it is the tekbe  ajosssi’s truck. Ha-ha, I am going crazy, being worried that my box will be left alone when we left Korea in a few days. It was already two o’clock in the afternoon and didn’t hear any single knock on our door, tekbe ajossi is usually at my door steps early in the morning to collect my box, so getting worried I call at their office confirming if my box will be pick-up. Edelyn confirmed it is going to be pick-up today, but my husband kept teasing me that my box will not be collected. After a few hours and it is already 4 o’clock and there’s no sign of someone  collect my box, I sleep my disappointment and when I wake up it is already late in the afternoon and office hours is finished and my box was not pick-up. I knew, because I can’t count any more how many times I check in the hallway if my box is still there.  Ha-ha

We have to start the laundry soon so the clothes will be dry tomorrow and we can packed our bags, while waiting for my turn in the shower I started to blog my disappointment about my box not being collected on the day they told me when I received a call from an unknown number that my box will be pick-up after one hour. I am so happy hearing the good news so I immediately told my husband about it. After one hour I received a call that they are already in our hallway to pick-up my box so I went outside and see someone and greeted good evening. You know I am awarded as the most polite during my kinder years. Ha-ha, I am really so happy thinking I am stress free and nothing else to think about. Anyway, I was told that I can still use the second box the next time I want to send something home, but I informed the guy (which is probably Edelyn’s boss because she call him Sir when I update her that my box was collected) that we are leaving Korea soon and I can’t use it any more because we are not returning. Remembering what Edelyn had told me,  I’ve asked if I should pay now or tomorrow. I was told it was fine to pay now so I did.

I was very happy that my box was finally pick-up so when I return inside our apartment, I jump for joy and giggle to my husband like a child with a new toy! My husband call me crazy! Ha-ha sorry I am just really happy, and when I am happy I create a mess or I can’t think straight nor speak normal I mean I just blurted out anything in my mind without thinking!  Ha-ha

LBC Korea branch is located at: 1F, 102-1 Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Korea.
Jumbo Box size – 73 x 52 x 73
Hotline/Contact #: 1661-5899

This is a long overdue post, sending package to the Philippines is what we love to do the most. Mostly our boxes will contains chocolates, noodles, clothes either new or old and every thing that we think our family will love to received. It is my habit to send package to Philippines twice a year from the items I bought on sale in Korea. I send my boxes thru postal office or EMS, everything went well not until I sent something and went stolen, after that my next boxes arrived to my family opened and taped.  I was furious but nothing else I can do but blog my disappointment.

My mother told me to sent my package thru LBC because my cousin used LBC when she sent package to her family from abroad because the box arrived safely, as well one of our distant neighbor but what should I do there’s no LBC in Korea until recently.

[The LBC jumbo box at home]

The dilemma of moving out from Korea left me uncertain if I want to send many boxes thru postal office or went home just to make sure the souvenirs I bought from the countries we visited will reach home safely. Well, I was given a third choice when LBC Balikbayan boxes finally opened in Korea around August 2013 (if I am not mistaken), their main office is in Hyehwa-dong the little Manila of South Korea where most Filipino see each other every Sunday. So I either used EMS or call LBC hotline (1661-5899) for jumbo box.  If I used EMS I have to pay a lot because the rate is per kilo, while in LBC the rate of jumbo box is by zone. I have decided to call the LBC hotline on Thursday (Oct.10?) and a Korean woman pick-up the phone, I looked for someone who speak English just to find someone who can speak Tagalog. Haha

Well, it is going to be easier to explain my thoughts if I am going to speak to someone who can speak Tagalog, right? I also sent message to Korea Balikbayan page in Facebook. Anyway I was told that they are going to call back because the one who can speak Tagalog is not around, lunch break. I received a call while I was outside going to supermarket and was asked for my address, how many box I need and where am I sending.

Everything went well and was told the 2 jumbo boxes I have ordered will arrived in three days, I waited but nobody arrives on my doorstep within 3 days.  Ahm, I counted again maybe it is three working days which mean Saturday and Sunday should not be included,  Edelyn (the Filipina who works at LBC) is very helpful she updates me or follow up if the boxes I have ordered already arrived.

Anyway on Oct. 18, finally the tekbe ajossi knocked on our door and I got the boxes I have ordered, I was pretty excited and I started filling up one of the box with my junks (that’s what my husband call my things). I was overwhelmed with the box because it was bigger than I expected,  I literally fit inside the box I think two people sitting can fit too! When my husband see my boxes he was excited too not for anticipation of sending it but the anticipation that our apartment will be clean and free of junks.

To cut the story short I have informed Edelyn on Oct. 29 that my box is ready for pick-up and the next day tekbe ajossi came to pick it up, it was heavy and luckily the guy is a big guy and there’s elevator in our unit but of course it will not changed the fact that he needs to bring it down from the 4th floor to 1st floor. I am on hesitation if I will go down or I’ll just stay, I choose the latter he might think I don’t trust him with my box. Lol!

[The LBC jumbo box being delivered to my family]

The next day I transfer money to LBC’s account for payment, it cost ₩120,000.  LBC’s rate for jumbo boxes – ₩120,000  to Luzon and Manila, ₩140,000  to Visayas and Mindanao, with free pickup and delivery.

Well, my family received the box after two weeks. Safe and sound, nothing is stolen.  The good thing about LBC Balikbayan box you can send gadget without hidden cost or tax.  I still have one jumbo box left at home which I am going to send before we left Korea,  yeah right within less than three months I will left the country I consider second home.

If you are planning to send balikbayan boxes to Philippines you can call LBC Korea hotline 1661-5899. LBC Korea branch is located at: 1F, 102-1 Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Korea.

JUMBO BOX

• Free delivery and pick up of the box (anywhere here in Korea)
• 73 x 52 x 73 size
• Maximum weight: 100kls.
• Luzon/Manila (120,000 won) Visayas/Mindanao (140,000 won)