I always enjoy spending time in an outback place. I'm referring to the province where I always spent my summer vacations and in weekends when I have no work in the office. Its like being a child again when I vividly recall my life there. It was so full of fun.
I always treasure the moments I spent my life there with my grandparents. They have planted fruit-bearing trees like rambutan, durian, pomelo, guavas, bananas, mangosteen, lanzones and jackfruit aside from the crops they have as a means of their livelihood like coconuts, coffee, cacao, and other rootcrops. Although, now it was already converted into banana plantation. It is income generating to due to exportation to Asian countries.
Oh, we used to climb the guava trees early in the morning. The tree was just outside the front of the house. We were like birds on top of the tree looking for something to eat. Whenever grandpa sees us, we scampered and jumped off from the tree because he was carrying a belt for us.
Way back before 1998, there was no electricity in the area. People rely on kerosene lamps for their light in the dark when night time falls. We always take dinner early at 6pm, wash dishes afterwards and listen to the horror stories over the radio. Grandpa's radio is battery operated which has at least four eveready big batteries which may be consumed for a month. At dawn at exactly 4.30 am the radio could be heard. Then during the day, when grandpa is having his work or siesta we borrow his radio and listen to Visayan dramas as we were doing tasks assigned to us each day. Everyday that's the life we have at granny's place.
We still use the "pugon" for cooking. It is like a fireplace that has a chimney. Although it is a little bit smaller than a firplace where there are two holes for the pots and a little oven on the side. We use either wood or coconut husks for cooking. A lot of people like to use this kind of tool for cooking they say that its more enjoyable to eat the food because it tastes better as you savor the its richness of the food than the ones cooked using LPG. The fact that we use the raw materials found in the area we are able to save money instead of buying a gastank that is costly nowadays.
My errand is always at the kitchen to cook the meals during lunch and the dinner. Grandma cooks our breakfast because she's the early riser unlike me who wakes up at 6.30 am. I have learned to cook because of her. She taught me how to make suman, biko and especially the puto made from cassava.
So now, you wouldn't be troubled of why I have grown so big! I was a heavy child when I was a baby. My cousins and relatives used to pinch me because I'm so cute then but now they say I have grown into a beautiful woman and they say I'm still at the age between 25-29. I still look younger at my age it really doesn't show on my face because I have no wrinkles, yet.
In the farm, we walk miles inorder to reach our destination. Motorcycles are not yet the fads those days. So we hike at least thirty minutes to reach the highway, that is, if we don't tarry and get delayed along the way. And sometimes when the soil is wet and muddy it may also cause our delays. We really need patience to be able to reach our destinations.
Life in the province, is sometimes too tough and too ardous but when you take it lightly all will be well. It is thru persevering that we can be able to reach our goals. I am at least more comfortable staying in this world since its a familiar territory.
2 comments:
Hello, prettiest.
I enjoyed reading this post. I know your story well because, like you, I also spent some time in the province.
For a while, I thought that things have changed, that the magic moments I knew of the place as a kid had gone. Now, I realize that it is me who had changed, I grew up.
It is hard to relive those magical times, but they remain true. I just wish I can have a child's eyes, to see what they see, to see the magic again.
thanks for reading my column. its always been a pleasure to hear related life experiences and treasured memories.
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