Category: Echoes and Experiences

Heels clicking through tiled floors, boisterous laughter echoing through halls. To others, it may seem like they have everything under control.

Sa bawat lasa, nabubuhay ang alaala.

May mga alaalang kailanman ay hindi naisusulat— hindi sa papel, hindi sa larawan—kundi natatagpuan sa bawat hapagkainan. Sa bawat putaheng inihahain, may mga istoryang tahimik na naipapasa, henerasyon kada henerasyon. Sa mata ng ilan, ang pagkain ay simpleng pantawid-gutom. Ngunit para sa iba, ito ay isang buhay na gunita ng pamilya, kutura, at pinagmulan.

“Sintunado man, basta’t masaya.”

These four words sum up exactly what it feels like to be in a Filipino karaoke session. For us, karaoke is more than just singing. It is an activity shared among family, friends, and sometimes even strangers. While the rest of the world approaches the microphone with perfection in mind, Filipinos sing their hearts out in gatherings without a care in the world, despite being out of tune. This shows that for us, skill comes second to emotion.

There are so many reasons to fly abroad and work in foreign countries; it seems so common nowadays. I’ve heard many stories about it. 

In the dim hours before dawn, the basureros, or garbage collectors, move through the dark streets already hard at work. They can be seen pushing carts or carrying sacks filled with many different items, walking the streets. Or in other cases, they are the ones riding the truck that goes around the neighborhood to collect trash from houses. Doing a lot of heavy work without proper gear, and mostly in long sleeves, shorts, and a pair of slippers.