HOME AWAY FROM HOME

HOME FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

I’ve finally put my money where my mouth is. For the first time, I’m using my own money and renting a studio which I will be calling “home” for the next 12 months.

Let me change the word “studio” right there….in the truest sense it is one, since when you enter, it simply is just a room where the dining room, kitchen, living room and bedroom all meet hehehe. It’s not even a room….it’s a shoebox! My real room (in Manila) to those who’ve been there, is even bigger. Shoebox! Thus today, the Cebu studio will be named SHOEBOX.

The good thing about the Shoebox is that it’s brand new. Good thing my friend T and J texted me as soon as they got word from their landlord that there are studio units available for rent, which is just a block away from where they live! Happiness!!

The Shoebox is rectangular in shape, only 14 by 11 feet…and is in an L-shaped compound, with just 2 perpendicular rows of units, totaling around 4 per row. The place is in a pretty quiet neighborhood, and there’s just a makeshift wooden hand painted sign that says “to Tigbao road” which is where it’s at. It’s not inside a village but looks relatively safe and quiet. I’d expect to hear roosters in the morning as there’s a huge field behind the compound and houses are few and far between. Rumor has it that the Lhuilliers had plans for that quiet neighborhood, buying tracts of land and wanting to put up a mall in the area, but due to land squabbles within the family (daw), it didn’t push through. The result of that is that our road is paved, thank you, with real cement (not asphalt) though once you get to the main road…it’s like patchwork…part cement and part dirt. But don’t worry, there is hope for the neighborhood as there are quite a few swanky looking developments in the horizon.

Anyway, the best part is that its just 15 minutes away from school! I have the choice of either A. driving to school or B. walking around 2 blocks to get to the corner of the main road where the school bus passes…and to answer your question, the school bus isn’t a tamaraw/hi-ace/fiera converted into a schoolbus but an honest to goodness airconditioned tourist bus for free. How convenient right?

And if I need to go to the mall, like Ayala, or to Fitness First or to the nearest grocery (which is either Robinsons grocery in Banilad Town Center aka BTC mall or the grocery in Gaisano Country Mall), or maybe just buy RCBC chicken which tastes like Rex’s chicken, or simply just eat out in Pancit Malabon, Jollibee, Tapa King, Rai Rai Ken, Yellow Cab, Dimsum Break, La Marea, etc etc everything is just one jeep ride away. How’s that for convenience!?!?! And I do know how to ride the jeep now, and say “palihug” when passing my change to the barker or driver, and “lugar lang!” to make him stop. Anything else they say I don’t understand. It’s funny how hearing someone speaking tagalog is like music to my ears. Otherwise, I’m okay in my own little bubble.

So there. Home for the next 12 months. It might not be big, but it’s my home away from home. So guys, you’re welcome to stay in the shoebox when you’re in this side of the country okay? Provided that you don’t mind being squished.=).