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Monday, July 31, 2006
Missing Davao terribly
By Miguel Antonio Lizada
Kuya's Chair
WHEN I go home some time this October, I will have spent seven months in Manila. This for me is pretty long already. I left Davao last April for summer school to complete my minor in Filipino Literature.
When summer school ended, I decided to stay until the start of the regular semester. My reason? Apart from finishing my school org obligations, I wanted to explore Manila. You see, usually I arrive here in Manila one or two days before the start of classes; and then I leave immediately the day after my last final exam. I wanted to experience Manila without thinking about papers, exams, homework (and dorm curfews). It was a good experience but in the end, I still miss Davao.
What exactly do I miss in Davao? I will start of course with my family: Mr. Papa's Table, Miss Belly Dancer, Mr. Orange and Mr Basketball Dude. I miss Saturday masses and dinner with the family. I miss hopping over stores to buy not-so-original DVDs and then watching them over popcorn and chips. I miss the corny Chinese movies Mr. Papa's Table obliges us to watch. I miss breakfasts in either McDo or Marco Polo.
By missing the family, I also mean missing the Castillos. Even though I have a handful of cousins now here at the dorm (each one making their mommies and daddies proud, I assure you dear titas and titos), I still miss the clan in general. I miss the Sunday lunches and the boisterous laughter that go with them.
I miss the "tsismis". I miss the conversations on the simple yet fun things in life. Most of all, I miss the people that matter to me the most, the people who make me truly understand the meaning of family.
I miss durian. I miss passing by Magsaysay Park and inhaling the stinky durian smell penetrating the windows of our car.
I miss the light traffic of Davao. I miss the idea of being able to go from one end of the city to the other in less than twenty minutes. I miss the taxis in Davao. I miss the 25-peso flag rate and the 1 peso per kilometer fare (here in Manila its 2.50/kilometer). I miss getting the exact change down to the last centavo.
I miss the clean water. I miss the fact that I do not get a lot of dung in my nose at the end of the day due to air pollution.
I miss Paradise Island, Pearl Farm and the fact that it only takes some good minutes to get to an excellent beach. I miss Eden nature Park, the cooling breeze and the breathtaking view. I miss Royale House and the best fried chicken ever.
I miss the Ateneo de Davao High School. I also miss Saturday masses at the Ateneo de Davao Jacinto campus and meeting old classmates while being there.
There are so many things more that I miss in Davao. And I guess what I realize is that after "exploring" in Manila- its nightlife, its culture, environment and everything -- Davao is still my home. It is where my family is, where the places and things I love are.
And nothing, no Embassy, no Ponticellos, no Puerto Galera can ever replace that.
I return to Davao City on October with that conviction. For now, my thesis demands attention.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (July 31, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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