In the Countryside

After a long car ride going to the south, we (my mom, dad, older brother and I) finally arrived in Batangas City. We looked for the regional hospital where my brother was going to be admitted. Afterwards, we proceeded to a nearby mall to have dinner. We then travelled back to the hospital, and after getting lost along the way, despite of arriving there earlier, we finally found the hospital.


I also met a long-lost friend whom I haven't seen for a very long time. He's previously lived in Pampanga and has transferred here in Batangas where he is now continuing his studies.

My uncle, along with his wife and two kids finally came, and we were finally admitted to a room. After securing the room, my uncle decided that my brother and I spend a night first in their home, so he made some arrangements with the hospital so my brother can come out.

When we came to my uncle's house, I was surprised with how big it was, considering that we were in the countryside. I was used to visiting relatives in the countryside who were living simply and had simple houses. Their house was lavish and elegant, it was like I entered a house which I would only normally see in a magazine. Inside the house, elegance was even more pronounced by its interior design; very modern, with a minimalist approach. The house also had big glass windows and my aunt told us that it was really bright during the day even with all the blinds closed. I wanted to take pictures but didn't have a camera with me.

My uncle received a phone call that there was a man who was shot through and through, and my uncle was being called to the hospital. My parents were also leaving so my aunt showed us the room where we will spend the night. It's apparently the room of one of her daughters; it had a television, and my aunt turned on the airconditioning system. She also asked if I needed an internet connection and of course, I immediately said "yes please!", without any hesitation. The room was exquisite, like a hotel suite. The bathroom was also extravagant which could be seen by its fixtures and design. It was a closet and bathroom combined. My teacher once said that a bathroom should be clean enough for one to be able to lie on the floor and eat inside, and boy, this bathroom has those characteristics.

I know Batangas City is also a city but it's also part of the countryside; and it dawned upon me that if one can have all these luxuries while living in the province, why do most people opt to congest in Metro Manila? The people here are not missing out, they have cable television, a mall nearby, internet, etc., or what most people consider their 'needs'. Yet people still live in Manila despite the heavy traffic, smoke pollution, and so on.