Caged in a Headset

I like that one local commercial that tackles about how technology had bridge communication but somehow blocks real and face to face encounter which is the purest way to connect with anyone. How about tagging, liking and bringing a news or conversation personally to someone? This will seem to be pushing a little effort as what is perceived to be the now "conventional way" is how we do it with the aid of technology. 

This is something that I can connect as well to my daily life as a commuter. Be it in Manila or Singapore, I noticed that many people are always on their headsets while walking, riding the bus or taking the MRT. I guess people uses music/movies/series to help them get through their destination by playing around with time specially if travel takes long journey or it relaxes them...giving them better vibes and energy for the day ahead. Whatever their reason, I see nothing wrong with it, after all it is non of my business : )

As for me, I never like the idea of putting the headset from the moment I step out of the door of the house. I feel like every time that I am outside I should communicate with the outside world. I love hearing the sounds created by the winds when blowing some fallen leaves on the ground. The sounds of the birds is pure music to my ears and ALL movements that I am seeing while walking is a great visual for my eyes. Love smiling at the baby next to me in the MRT or Bus ride, some random chit chat with a fellow passengers is nice as well. This things and more is part of my daily routine which I would not trade for headsets as I value so much the connection with nature and people around me when I am on the go. I feel like the world is way too huge to be caged in a headset.

However, when the outside world becomes very crowded, I would then lock my door and turn into my headset so I could explode in beats and pick the bits and pieces of my shattered soul.

The Irony of Sitio Kaunlaran (Prosperity)

On the way attending a wedding more than a year ago, I noticed a place that is very familiar with me. A part of me that I tried to deny for a certain period of time until it had surfaced into my very face once more. 

Yes, it was that Sitio...where I had been and promised myself not to be anywhere near anymore, ever again. A motivation that pushes myself to the limits to always strive the best way I can.

Before the car totally passed by the area, I had the courage to took a picture of the path way of the place called Sitio Kaunlaran. I wasn't sure then what I would do with the picture, not until I decided to blog about. It was still the same place almost 18 years since we left that place. And I know for sure that what's inside the area remains to be almost the same as it was since there was a time that I passed by as well in the area when I was jogging and reach that place. I told a running buddy to come to the direction where I am going...then I told a story.

And it goes something like this...

Sitio Kaunlaran (Prosperity) is actually an irony of what it is all about. It is a land where hundreds of families tried to build a dream home in a land not their own. A Squatter's haven that is. I was a young boy on a 4th grade when we moved to this place. My mom would always tell us someday soon that place would gonna look better. Different  from its current state then. Most of the houses were made of coco lumber. NO electricity, no water supply and the roads are not cemented which can be so muddy as it can be during rainy seasons...and yes flooding too was a reality in our area. Being from the civilized Makati, this was horrible but somehow we had lived with it as we need to vacate the city for some reasons. 

I have so much memories about that place. I was a kid when I arrived, I admired my dad on how good he is in building our own house. He was able to build as well other houses including some of those of our relatives. I was amazed on how pieces of woods can form a house and a home. How a carpenter be so perfect in building houses but not a home. I spent my adolescent years in this place. I had my first crush with the young pretty girl from Mindoro...Bunining. We had great neighbors, and my family soon enough was able to build relationships with them. If there is one thing I can vividly recall from this place is that people who are at the bottom are the most sincere and genuine creatures. It was a very peaceful place at first but soon enough there were news of murderers and their victims. It was infiltrated by people who had brought dilemma to the society.

Just like any other land being squatted, there is always as well threat from demolitions, good thing it never come near us. To say that this place is occupied by the poorest of the poor could be an exaggeration as there are professionals as well living in the area. Some are employed like our soldier and policeman neighbors and is able to have enough food 3 times a day.As for us? It was not always the story. There were days that we do not have enough resources and life was at its hardest during those period.  

Honestly speaking, I didn't know how we were able to survive that challenge. We never had television for more than four years. Our light at night would be an improvised lamp which would last only at a limited time so best to do homework at school until there is a natural light. There was even a point wherein our house become very weak and as it battles through storms, we would be struggling to keep it standing. But, of all this...me and my sisters never complained. Perhaps in those trying times we had to make sure that we taught ourselves the value of staying positive that someday soon things would change and a new beginning will unfold. 

True enough...we had managed to get out of Sitio alive. I can still clearly remember the last of the day that I was there. I was looking at our house. I was looking at the house of our neighbors...I was looking as far as my eyes can see. I know, I will surely miss the place but definitely I had this strong conviction that never again I will go back there.  

I would say that Sitio Kaunlaran was a teacher of that young boy. He was stuffed of so many important realizations from the place that once had embraced him and his family when they needed a home to comfort them. It was not the most pleasing one, but its beauty lies beyond what the superficial world could offer. In the looks of the shabby houses...Sitio offers you to come in and just like a very hospitable host it will offer the most of what it can provide you which should keep one thirsty to reach for one's supreme potential. THE GIFT of DREAMING and MAKING IT HAPPEN.

Truth is, I left Sitio Kaunlaran some 18 years ago. But it had never left me.

The Door @ Block 605, Bedok

I took this photo a few days before I moved out of the house. My first home in Singapore. The witness how little by little I adjustmed myself on living alone... far from home. 

When I was in college I had thought of going into a dorm so I could experience independent living but it was not practical then because of my family's financial standing. I had to choose the nearest university in our city which I never regret by now.

When I started working then, I had always thought as well of getting my own place so I can stand on my own but being the bread winner of my family I do not have the extra resources for that. So, it goes without saying that for the past 29 years of my life, I had been and always been with my family. I never experienced independent living though I grew up making decisions on my own.

I had never been on my own so people around me, when they heard the news that I am flying to Singapore for a job had constantly reminded me to always take care of myself because family and friends has been very accustomed in reminding me things that I should. Such a baby!

Going to Singapore, is more of an adventure for me. All of a sudden I just have myself to take care of me. For the longest time, I wasn't washing my clothes, not even my underware...I don't know to cook but pasta and some simple stuffs. These, among all other things that I ususally ask other people to do in behalf of me is now something I can say that I have ownership with.

I could say that I adjusted well on that aspect, but the most humbling experience I could say is living with people who are strangers to me and to share the space of the bedroom with two other folks. For the longest time I had not shared a room and I am used to have my bedroom as my personal space when I am at home. (That is until I got married ofcourse)

Since the home rental price in Singapore is very high, I had to look for the best option on how to minimize my cost. Even so, roomsharing had cost me also twice the starting salary I got from my first employer in Manila.

True enough, it has been a challenge since you don't have so much of the privacy when you are doing a room sharing. Sometimes at the middle of the night, you'll woke up since roomates are still talking and it will disturb the poor me who's bed is position in the middle of two other roomates. Eversince I started working, my room as well has been my saving grace from a very tiring day and I usually enjoy the peace of being alone in that place until I had released my stress. Not anymore...However this is something I learned to accept and deal with knowing that sooner I will moved out and find my own place, an own room for that matter.

The door of that house has welcomed numerous people. Infact, during my stay in that house I cannot count with my available fingers in my hand how many had move in and moved out of that unit. Each and everyone has his own story. But in the end can be summarized into one thing. That dream of working here in Singapore.

There is a interesting range of age.  Some are in their early twenties, but one of my room mate is already a senior citizen who after being bored during his visit here in the country decided to take a part time job and later on landed a job. Some housemates had already obtained permanent residency and some had just been barely a week when I arrived. Some are already loosing hope as the social visa is already about to expire but had not found work yet. Some have stayed already here in like two to three years. Different profiles, different stories...I learned so much from this guys.

Now that I had decided to leave already and started to pack my things, I told myself that my bed had served its purpose to me. Now, it is going to wait for its new master. It will ever be ready for a new adventure. But first, the new "visitor" will have to pass through the same door I get into in...