A Taste of Filipino cuisine, hospitality, and music in the Principality of Andorra

ANDORRA

Text by Filipinobaritone

Across Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Africa, it is impossible not to have a single Filipino inhabitant. Currently, there are 193 member countries of the United Nations, among them is the Principality of Andorra, atop the Pyrénées, landlocked between France and Spain. It is one of the few microstates in the world along with the Principality of Monaco, San Marino, The Vatican City, and Liechtenstein.

The Principality of Andorra is one of the oldest countries in Europe; a rich country with one of the lowest taxes, lowest crime rates and highest life-expectancies in the world. It has a population of around 77,355 of which an estimated 1,000 are Filipinos. Among the Filipinos living and thriving in this beautiful Principality are Filipino restaurant owner Dina Adajar Sandoval, Geriatric Nurse Connie Cris Tagupa, Pianist/Organist and soon-to-be Priest, Jerrick Banzuela.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, these Filipinos extended their help to the community and shared the warm hospitality that Filipinos are known for. First is Dhina Adajar Sandoval, 43 years old, manager and owner of the Filipino restaurant FIESTA MANILA at Parròquia d’Encamp. She moved from Barcelona to the Principality of Andorra 10 years ago because her husband worked in a hotel in Andorra during the winter season. In 2016, they opened FIESTA MANILA because they observed that most cuisines served in this area are either Portuguese or Andorran.

At first, they encountered so many challenges as they were the first to introduce Filipino food in Andorra. There are other Asian restaurants in the Principality thus, the competition is quite steep. What separates them from the competition is the way they treat their customers with their warm smiles and making them experience the Filipino culture, treating them like their own family.

The restaurant is also a fusion of traditional Filipino food like sisig, crispy pata, pancit, lumpia as well as Japanese, Thai, Korean and local Andorran/ Catalan food. Not only do they promote Filipino food but also a glimpse of the

I personally believe that Filipinos are born empaths. We have this natural gift of caring for other people; showering them with love, patience , and warmth, treating them as our own family.”

CONNIE CRIS TAGUPA

NURSE

CONNIE TAGUPA WITH OTHER ANDORRAN FRONTLINE WORKERS country with posters of Philippine tourist spots hung on the walls paired with nice, warm smiles as Filipino cuisine. During the height of the pandemic, amid the financial stress that many business establishments encountered, they reached out and helped many frontline workers including nurses, policemen, firemen, and the elderly by sending them food. She also sent assistance to those who were severely affected by the pandemic in her hometown in Bauan, Batangas as well as in her husband’s town in Laguna.

“Seeing the smiles of our customers when they are satisfied with the quality of food and the service that we give them, fill our hearts with joy. At the end of the day, financial gain is only one aspect of having this restaurant… what’s more important is letting them experience part of our warm Filipino culture and satisfying their gastronomic needs.” Dhina Adajar Sandoval

Connie Cris Tagupa, 32 , is a geriatric nurse and part-time ambulance medical staff. She is from Misamis Oriental in the Philippines and moved in the Principality of Andorra in 2018. Before moving to Europe, she was a part-time lecturer at St.Theresa International College of Nursing and Public Health and worked at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand where she also obtained her Master’s Degree. It was tough when she moved in Andorra as she had to adapt to a new environment as well as learn the Catalan language which is totally different from her native tongue. Since Catalan is the official language in Andorra, it took her sometime to learn the language as well as the other languages spoken in the principality namely, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

Language is very important but securing documents legally as well as validation of professional credentials are more challenging. Luckily, she was able to secure all the necessary documents and now works as a geriatric nurse. At the height of the pandemic, she worked extra hard as a frontline worker and helped as an ambulatory medical staff. She would like to help other Filipinos in Andorra, Catalunya and Spain who are also medical professionals to secure their documents by sharing what she had gone through.

Jerrick Rodriguez Banzuela, 34 years old, organist and soon to be a priest, is a familiar face in the Filipino community in the Principality of Andorra. He visited the principality several times before deciding to stay in 2015. From his humble beginnings as a theologian in Bicol, he was able to find his true calling and continued his studies at the Facultat de Teologia de Catalunya and the Diocese of La Seu d’Urgell Seminary. As a musician, he is the organist/pianist at the Iglesia de Sant Julià de Llòria and also played the piano in other Catholic churches in the principality. Moving from Barcelona to Andorra was quite difficult and challenging for him as he had to adapt to a new environment and learn Catalan thoroughly. For him, his mission is quite challenging, yet it is very clear; to uplift the spirit of the congregation through good music.

Music is a universal language; thus, it breaks down the language barrier and it heals our internal struggles and spiritual hunger. His musical training in the Philippines as well as the innate musical gift of Filipinos are some of the things that he is very thankful to share with the community. “Everybody longs for a better life…finding ways to improve their current situation. If we cannot help people financially, we should find ways to uplift their spirit. Music has the power to uplift their spirits and boost their morale.” Jerrick Rodriguez Banzuela.

GERMANY

Freshly Brewed Kape de Filipina

Text by Gemelee Hirang Domnik Photos by Patricia Villaseñor

To paraphrase T.S. Eliot, coffee lovers everywhere can measure out their lives with coffee spoons: a strong cup in the morning; a creamy cappuccino during an afternoon break; and a special flavored brew to pass the changing of the seasons. Patricia Villaseñor is no stranger to these delights. From her days attending university in Manila to working on her master’s thesis in Berlin, coffee has been one of her constant comforts. But despite the vibrant coffee culture in Berlin, she longed for a taste of the Philippines. She could have had her pick among beans grown from almost anywhere, yet Philippine coffee remained elusive. “I never saw Philippine coffee, not even in Filipino restaurants. So that was a bit frustrating for me,” she shared.

This frustration planted the seeds of an idea: why not introduce Philippine coffee to Germany? But first, Patricia needed to test this idea. “The plan to bring Philippine coffee to Europe was only really solidified when I brought back some different bags of Philippine coffee to Berlin and made a couple of my non-Filipino friends try it. And their reactions were always, ‘I didn’t know the Philippines produced coffee! This is really good!’” Motivated by these reactions, Patricia founded Kape de Filipina, an online store which sells coffee sourced from small-holder Filipino farmers.

Patricia’s road to entrepreneurship was fortuitous yet organic. Born and raised in Manila, she moved to Berlin in 2018 to pursue postgraduate studies and explore new possibilities.

Her initial plan was to transition from consumer goods to the technology industry. “Plus, the challenge of moving to a non-predominantly English-speaking country thrilled me!” she said. While she did not consciously choose the entrepreneurial path, “it just came naturally, having seen my dad and my grandfather who are both entrepreneurs as I was growing up,” she explained.

This innate entrepreneurial spirit inspired her to establish Kape de Filipina. Undeterred by the raging pandemic, she went back to Manila in February of this year to meet with potential suppliers. Nor did the notorious German bureaucracy daunt her. “I called the Bürgeramt and Finanzamt quite often and reached out to entrepreneurs in Berlin to make sure I was doing things right and legally,” she said. The Filipino community was also there to support her. “I spoke with a couple of Filipino-owned cafés in Europe to get some tips and learn from them. And they have been extremely supportive,” she said. “Now, I’m in touch with the embassy to have more opportunities for exposure. Hopefully, the plans push through. I’m extremely grateful to the Filipino

community for all the help and support they’ve extended me,” she added. Fueled by her passion, Patricia was able to launch Kape de Filipina last 1st September.

Kape de Filipina’s carefully curated coffee selection highlights the uniqueness of Philippine coffee. Currently it offers Arabica, a popular and widely consumed coffee type, and Barako. Patricia chose to carry Barako to differentiate the Philippines from other coffee producers and to elevate the perception of Philippine coffee. “Barako was definitely part of the plan,” she explained. “It’s so uniquely Filipino – the taste is so unique, but people don’t know anything about it. In fact, Liberica (Barako) is seen as an inferior coffee bean to Arabica,” she added.

And it seems that Patricia’s efforts to champion Barako are bearing fruit. Kape de Filipina’s best sellers are Barako and Mt. Apo Single Origin Arabica. “I love that people are learning more about coffee beyond Arabica,” said Patricia. “And I get really kilig whenever I receive feedback from non-Pinoys like: ‘I wish Instagram had a smell share function.

This is the best coffee in town!’ ‘We love your coffee. It’s on another level.’ ‘Beautiful aroma, delicious coffee, and incredible packaging. Friends in Germany, get yours now!’” Filipinos in Germany were likewise enthusiastic about Kape de Filipina.

“Filipinos have also reached out to me to thank me for taking them a bit closer to home through coffee,” she said. “I will never forget how I ran a ‘free shipping’ promotion a couple of weeks ago. And a couple of customers ordered from me without using the promo code, so they paid for shipping. I reached out to say I’d refund them, but they declined the offer and said they’re willing to pay more to support the business. This wasn’t just one time, so you can imagine how thankful I am for the overwhelming support of people I haven’t even personally met!” she shared.

Patricia also shared how this experience changed her, by unveiling her braver, grittier and more creative side. “I do everything on my own – I am my own supply chain, my own marketing/advertising, my own operations, my own website maintenance, my own finance. But I’m only able to do that because I’m really passionate about this. I’m determined to make Kape de Filipina successful,” she shared. For now, she is focused on growing and maintaining her customer base. “Eventually, I want to bring in more variants from different provinces – there are so many and their flavours are all so different. Hopefully one day, I could grow enough to have my own Pinoy café,” she mused.

Patricia shared two pieces of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. First, know and understand your purpose. For Patricia, her ultimate goal is to make the Philippines also known for its “great coffee, great farmers, and great landscapes that allow us to grow good quality coffee. So when I encounter difficulties or when things don’t go my way, my purpose keeps pushing me forward.”

Second, ask questions and go for it. “Don’t be ashamed to reach out to people and ask questions. That’s the only way to learn because things will be confusing for sure, and the entrepreneurial path is not linear,” she said. “Network, ask questions, and keep going!”

Visit Kape de Filipina at https://kapedefilipina.eu/, on Pinterest @kapedefilipina , Instagram @kapedefilipina and Facebook.