Stories from the road #3
It was 9pm on a Friday night. I was sending the final revisions for the deck that I was working on while retouching my make-up. Ready for another night out in the city! The perfect way to end the stressful work-week.
I met with some of my friends in Nokal, one of our favorite hang-out spots in Poblacion. I enjoy Friday nights like this, sipping a cold beer while laughing with my friends. The energy around us was just starting to build as people from different parts of the city flocked to Poblacion to drink as well.
I didn’t come from the city. I came from quieter part of Cavite, a few hours away from Makati. However, I spent more time in this place in the last 5 years than in my hometown. The city has seen me grow from a wide-eyed fresh graduate trying to make it big in the advertising world, to an overworked and seemingly lost public relations manager in her mid-twenties.
This city has seen me during my first wins in the advertising field. It has seen me during my breakdowns and my frustrations; has witnessed me make friends and fail at dating; has watched me at my best and worst of times.
Do I hate this place? Sometimes. The traffic gets really bad especially on rainy days, rush hours and worst of all, holidays. If you’re not careful, a sneaky thief might steal your wallet or your phone. Food, liquor and rent prices are all expensive. It’s hard to find a ride home most of the time especially if you’re travelling from the city back to your hometown.
But despite that, I’ve also considered this city as my second home. I loved staring at the city lights especially when I’m in one of my favorite bars in Makati. I enjoyed crazy nights with my friends; dancing, laughing, crying over work, cursing boys who broke our hearts, getting drunk and talking, always talking, about our hopes, dreams, frustrations, and fears.
I enjoyed walking around, watching people from all walks of life just trying to survive and make a living - just like me. I loved the quirky cafes where I escape to read, the hole-in-the-wall restaurants where I tried to find love and failed, eating my favorite Pad Thai after a very stressful night in the office, drinking milkshakes at 3am, getting so drunk that I puked on the streets and wonder how I got home.
These moments - these are the reasons why this city will always have a special place in my heart.
I found solace here while I was trying to find myself. And for that, I will forever be grateful.
Makati City, Philippines | 2019















