When the first positive COVID-19 case in the Philippines was announced, I have an inkling that Metro Manila borders will be closed. The daily surge of cases day after day just made it even stronger. During the lockdown, I was stuck alone in Manila for 84 days. It started out as liberating having to live alone away from the family. Then, it got melancholy and thought-provoking. On the bright side, sunsets were always interesting from our balcony's view.
What the pandemic has taught me so far
March 12, 2020 -- President Duterte announced that effective on March 15, 2020, he'll put Luzon under community quarantine. Commercial flights will be prohibited.
My father and I were work-based in Manila. When he heard the news, he immediately booked a ticket online for the day after. I asked about his work, he said he'll figure it out after booking. He'll call his superiors after buying a plane ticket. He was about to buy one for me too, but I declined. Why?
- I still had work.
- I thought panic flying back home to Cebu was risky. I could be asymptomatic. I don't want to risk my family back home so I figured it's best to just stay put until this will be over.
Fast forward to the month of May, I regretted both decisions.
In times of uncertainties, be with your family if you can
First, our company stopped its operations because all non-essential businesses were forced to close. I was on a no-work-no-pay basis for 2 months. Good thing I got emergency funds. By the way, an important personal finance tip: save up 3x-6x of your monthly expenses for emergencies.
When living alone lost its appeal, I went home in June as soon as the general community quarantine protocols were implemented. With or without a job, I decided to fly home. Good thing, I still have a job.
Please vote
Second, I was too naive to think our national government had their wits that they'll be able to control the pandemic with concrete plans in just 2 months. Instead, terrible news surfaces day by day. We can't help but feel helpless and powerless. But let this be a reminder to us all that the power can be shifted to us during elections. So please vote.
For the younger ones in their 20s such as myself, we know better. Let's take advantage of the information age and educate ourselves on who to vote. Don't treat voting as an inconvenience. I get it, sometimes we feel hopeless. Thinking the trash candidates will win again. What's the point in voting anyway? There is strength in numbers. Every vote counts. Know who your parents are gonna vote for. Don't let them make uneducated decisions because, in the end, we're going to suffer as a nation. We need a fresh breed of leaders. A purge to the system.
With that said, I hope "casting educated votes in the elections" will be part of everyone's post-pandemic list.
Anyway, enough of politics. I feel my blood pressure rising.
Let's talk about the things we're most excited to do after we get rid of these lame fashion era of face masks and face shields. I'm not saying don't wear them haha! Please wear them, they're not for fashion only.
My Post-Pandemic List
#1 Visit my grandparents in my birthtown
I treat Cebu as my "home" now, but Tacloban, Leyte is my "roots". I understand Waray. I can also speak in Waray but please give me 1 to 2 days to acclimatize first before I can speak fluently with the proper accent. Similarly, when I come home to Cebu, the Waray accent stays for like a week 😂
My favorite part of Tacloban is my grandparents. I'm so lucky to have my lolo (grandfather) and lola (grandmother) to be still alive right now -- they're in their 70's. Sometimes, I dream about their funeral or me getting the news of their demise, I always wake up crying.
I remember my lolo: he's always asking me to lose some weight but then he cooks me my favorite pancit and shakoy. He waits for me to taste the food he cooked so he could see my reaction. It's always delicious, so I never had to pretend. Then, he tells me to eat more 😆 When we talk on the phone, his greeting would always be, "Hi Ken-Ken (my nickname in Tacloban). Ano't imo sura yana?" [What's your meal today?]
After this pandemic, I have to visit them. I want to speak Waray again. I want to take them to the beach (coz my lolo loves fishing) and the mall (coz my lola loves shopping). And they have to meet their great-granddaughter -- my niece, the newest bundle of joy to the family. Can't wait.
#2 Group Meet-Ups
I'm looking forward to Hive meet-ups either here in Cebu or even in the capital, Manila. It'll be exciting to see the faces behind the thoughts that I read. To be able to talk and get to know the Hive bloggers more.
I also want to do this with the freelancing group that I enrolled in. I can't wait to share our struggles, and listen to other people's small wins, and the big wins too like earning more than 100k per month. It is possible! That's what I want to hear in person for empowerment.
The same is true also for my PruLife UK team. I have yet to tell the story of how I reluctantly became a financial advisor. It took a while for me to accept it, and it wouldn't have happened if not for my team's support. I want to see the faces behind the zoom meetings and the chat messages.
#3 The Feast
For a while in college, I felt like going to the church was a boring routine. It felt dry. I listen to the homily; sometimes I sleep through it if the priest is boring. I go home and I don't remember the reflections. It's like I'm attending the mass merely for attendance. I'm still a believer but it felt meaningless and disengaging.
So, I tried attending The Feast in 2019. It's a prayer gathering where anyone could attend and worship the Lord together. At first, I felt squeamish. Granted that the room gets dark, I still felt awkward and culture-shocked when I saw people beside and around me singing their hearts out, closing their eyes, and raising their hands. I don't want to be a part of a cult. Haha! But eventually, I commend the bravery of those people for being openly vulnerable.
In The Feast, the missing part was found. The Sunday sessions start with a regular Catholic mass. But it doesn't end there. The Feast leaders talk -- not mainly about scriptures and the Bible. No. They humanize it so that anyone listening could relate. There's a crowd of 200, but the connection you get feels like one-on-one.
I will never forget one Sunday mass session when the priest was talking about how Christian communities should welcome everyone into the fold, especially the LGBTQ+ family. That The Feast accepts them, as much as how Jesus Christ accepts them. I felt goosebumps all over because I have never heard a priest say that outright before. I may not be part of the LGBTQ+ family, but I am up for universal love and acceptance.
The leaders also share the stage to Feast servers to share their personal stories and how they overcome the difficulties. When I walk out of the hall, I feel abundant every time. No wonder it's called The Feast.
After this pandemic, I can't wait for people to gather around in The Feast and greet each other like we're old buddies. I can't wait to listen to talks and stories from different walks of life. I can't wait to sing and celebrate spiritually.
Disclaimer: Please don't paint a picture of me as a religious gal. LOL. In the lyrics of Tori Kelly's song "Unbreakable Smile",
You'll find me at church, but that don't mean I can't cause trouble
#4 Travel || Food trips
Need I say more? 😔
This year, I only had Mt. Pinatubo in my planner because I planned less travel in 2020. I already went to Pinatubo (you can read that travel experience here) but the appeal of the place always differs on who you're with. My trip with a different set of friends was supposed to be this November.
Well, I kinda achieved less travel because of strict quarantine protocols. But after the pandemic, I can't wait to climb mountains -- I'm eyeing Mt. Apo or Mt. Ulap. I also want to chill by the beach -- I'm eyeing Coron, Palawan, or Bali, Indonesia. I want to immerse myself in other cultures like South Korea or Japan again, maybe in Tokyo next time.
As for the food trips, I miss eating at Tisa, Labangon especially their famous siomai sa Tisa (steamed chinese dimsum dumpling) and halo-halo. I miss eating tuslob buwa with puso and ngohiong. Tuslob buwa is a famous Cebuano street food wherein a mixture of pig brain and condiments (e.g. soy sauce, oil, onion, garlic) is fried in a wok, creating bubbles (buwa in bisaya). While the mixture is bubbling, you can dip (tuslob in bisaya) your hanging rice (puso) into the wok. Then, you eat it fingerstyle 😎 Ngohiong, on the other hand, is a type of lumpia famous in Cebu. Apart from street style, I also miss mall restaurants. Sigh.
Soon.
#5 Go to the bar
There's a general misconception about introverts that we are home buddies. We don't like to be among the crowd.
Not really. I mean, not all the time. We just need some alone time to recharge.
Whenever my work colleagues invite me to go to the bar, I seldom say No. I look forward to dancing to loud music with my friends. I'm not into drinking. In fact, I still don't understand why people say they need to drink alcohol to let loose. For me, I just need loud music to let loose. I'm not talking about the loud repetitive beats of the modern EDM that teenagers love now. I like the 90's and 2000s music, and a bit of 80s music. I like songs with lyrics. Yo, give me some lines to sing! 😆
#6 Volunteer
When the year 2020 started, I promised myself that I won't travel as much. I still want this year to be adventurous, but more on the inside. More on self-growth.
I looked into charity foundations that I could volunteer at the start of the year. I thought of volunteering at PAWS since I love dogs so much. I also heard of Anawim from The Feast Sunday sessions. It's a home for the poor and the abandoned elderly located in Rizal province. It was founded by the same founder of The Feast, Brother Bo Sanchez. Every time we give our love offerings (a fancy word for tithes or donations), one of the beneficiaries is Anawim. Their vision is:
By the year 2020, we want to have ten (10) Anawim branches in different parts of the country, serving the poorest of the poor: abandoned elderly, orphans, street children, handicapped, drug dependents, unwed mothers, prostitutes, etc.
Source: Kerygma Family
It's sad that I am not able to do it this year. But once the pandemic is over, this will be one of my bucket list.
Closing Notes
Those are the stuff that I can think of at the top of my head. I'm sure there are more, but I'll add them as I go.
I want to be optimistic but I also lean towards practicality. I want the vaccine to be ready as soon as possible. Possibly before Christmas, so 2020 would have one redeeming month, at least. But I can't help but be cynical. I think this would last until the 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2021. I hope not. Sooner than later.
But right now, let's hold on to our post-pandemic list. Let's look forward to the moment we can hold hands again. Where we can laugh without masks and face shields. Where we can hug one another. When the world can reconnect once again.
✨END ✨
This is my entry to @hiveph's "Your Post Pandemic List" contest
