manila has a certain charm for me. i know i ran away from the pollution and the heavy traffic and the rush hour and all the pressures of the urban life but still there is a part of me that would long for a taste of manila life every now and then.
i know it is not the things i ran away from that attracts me to it. i believe what i find charming is the lack of a dull moment in manila. it seems the city is awake 24/7 and there is no fear of being stranded anywhere due to lack of transportation. living in the heart of urbanization for 5 years then suddenly making a complete turn around to live in a rural spot does indeed highlight a lot of differences.
but i guess the greatest charm manila offers me is the thought of independent living. living here in bicol places me under my parent’s roof and within their easy reach. not that i am complaining. i love having someone cook for me and do my laundry and look out for my daily needs. i know how difficult it was looking after one’s self when one is living alone. i know how difficult it could get when one is so tired from a day’s work only to return home and find out there is laundry to attend to and there is food to cook.
so i guess for now i am content where i am. manila is charming. yes she is. and every now and then i will be returning to her – experiencing the charm she offers. but for the meantime, the rural lifestyle is working hard to charm me as well.
