Growing up in Quezon City, a suburb of Metro Manila, the scent of calamansi lingered on our dining table and in our kitchen. My mum would frequently make calamansi nectar. It was a whole production. She had a huge bowl of calamansi, a sharp knife to slice each one, a strainer and a bowl for the calamansi peels after squeezing. It meant slicing each one and squeezing every piece dry. But the result was seeing the Pyrex liquid measuring cup filled with the golden juice from the calamansi. Adding white sugar, she would stir it to create a sweet calamansi concentrate. We kept this refrigerated, and we would add a few teaspoons to a glass of cold water for a refreshing drink. I would help my mum squeeze the calamansi. The delightful scent of the Philippine citrus lingered on my little fingers all day. To me, calamansi is liquid sunshine.

I love the sun. I am happiest on the beach during the summer months. I felt sad my birthday happened to be during the rainy season. I would choose a sweltering summer day over a cold winter day or rainy day, hands down, any time. It was the sunshine in Perth that lured me to study in Perth the first time in 1994. I instantly fell in love with Australia. I became instantly acquainted with the Australian accent, TimTams, and Vegemite. I could not get over how beautiful this continent is. It is abundantly blessed with so many gorgeous natural attractions, from the Pinnacles to the Gap and Margaret River.

After many years working as a food and travel writer in the Philippines, I couldn't shake my love for Australia, and I wanted to dig deeper into food. I was blessed with a full scholarship to pursue a Masters in Gastronomy, a joint program with Le Cordon Bleu and the University of Adelaide. I have worked with food in different capacities: in my mum's food business, in advertising, as a food stylist and as a writer. I wanted to further my knowledge about food. Food, for all its taken-for-grantedness, allows deeper understanding of ourselves and our social world. Adelaide was the perfect location for my graduate education. I was in close proximity to many wine regions: Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, and Adelaide Hills. Adelaide's best kept secrets are its restaurants and lovely Adelaide Central market. I immersed myself in these delicious environments. I fell deeper in love with Australia.

But life found me moving to spread my wings and I honed my craft further in Singapore and Hong Kong, eventually returning home to the Philippines for several years. Despite having travelled all over Asia, to remote destinations like Bhutan, Myanmar and Argentina, my heart still longed for Australia.

When your heart speaks, you can't ignore it. I eventually returned to Australia — this time I chose Melbourne as home. Knowing only two people in Melbourne before moving here, I was surprised by the generosity and kindness of strangers and my new neighbours.

As I contribute to Australian publications, I receive letters from Australians who resonate with what I write and I hear from fellow Filipinos telling me they can relate to my stories.

The sun shines brightly for me here. I am home. The fresh scent of calamansi, which once lingered on my little fingers, can now drip through me here in Australia.

Like liquid sunshine, I spread my joy.