Duma-GET-me indeed!
This week, I was able to go to Dumaguete and take a break from all the pollution and stress that the city was crushing me with.
Don't get me wrong—I love the city. It's been my home for as long as I can remember, and waking up to the symphony of cars, jeepneys, and the lively chaos of my siblings gearing up for school serves as my daily wake-up call. There's something oddly comforting about it, almost like my own built-in alarm system.
Plus! I find joy in navigating the city's well-worn sidewalks, effortlessly making my way to malls whenever I need something I can't find elsewhere. Walking around, I like the sound of traffic and the random voices of people on the streets. These things have shaped the way I see life. Everything moves fast here, and if you're slow, you end up behind in the busy city life. Yet, it's in this hustle and bustle, within my umwelt, that I've found the essence of life—embracing the noise, finding beauty in everyday things, and cherishing the moments that might get lost in the city's lively rhythm.
Ok back to the main point! Dumaguete!
Planning this trip with my friends turned out to be a really cool experience. I carefully sorted out where we'd go, like Pulangbato Falls, the beach house, the boulevard, and Valencia, aiming for each place to be fun and different. My main goal was for all of us, especially my boyfriend (the main reason for the trip), to enjoy the fresh air away from the city. I imagined everyone just sitting, chilling, and listening to the trees talk—a sort of shared escape into our own separate worlds.
I had all these thoughts in my head because I'm someone who likes setting and reaching goals. I'm one to create a mental picture of how I want our adventure to be. However, the trip didn't go exactly as planned. It brought some unexpected drama and uncomfortable moments, a mix of challenges that turned out to be both testing and revealing to our friendship and my relationship.
The first day in Dumaguete left me feeling a bit down. I thought everyone would support my plans, but instead, we ended up arguing a lot, and I felt like we wasted time. At that moment, my envisioned shared escape seemed a bit shaken.
Surprisingly, though, these challenges led to us talking more, especially with my boyfriend. We shared feelings and concerns that we'd kept quiet about for months. This unexpected stuff brought us closer and made our connection stronger, turning a difficult situation into something that benefited us. Looking back, I'm glad for these challenges because they made our bonds stronger, and I don't regret anything about it.
Fastforward, Dumaguete offered a mix of experiences—from the refreshing breeze to the absence of busy traffic and the unique local foods that differed from what I knew in the city. Everything here felt like the opposite of the hustle I was accustomed to. Once, while lounging on the balcony with my friends, time seemed to stretch, creating a sense of extended tranquility, even though it was just a short 30 minutes.
In Dumaguete, life took on a distinct quality—an experience that felt like we were in a fishbowl. The surroundings, whether the trees, the birds in flight, or the chickens casually strolling around, gently enclosed us. This crafted an atmosphere of intimacy, like quietly observing life through the see-through walls of a fishbowl. These subtle elements made four days feel like a laid-back month-long stay for us, to be honest.
I can't wait to be back in this paradise, as I felt and grew so much in it despite it being just for a few days. Even after arriving in Cebu, I felt like a completely different person because I left behind all the bad stuff in Cebu and found a better version of myself in Dumaguete.
Like the locals say, "Duma-get-me!," and Dumaguete really did get me in a good way.
