Way back in highschool, whenever I get late for school, Papa would always get mad. While driving us (me and my siblings) to school, he would keep on lecturing and pinpointing each of our mistakes and keep on comparing them with his past we can't relate.."Amel you move so slowly!! You're like a turtle!!! It takes you 20 mins to finish your meal, 10 mins to brush your teeth, 30 mins to take your bath, 15 mins to take your uniform on.! You're like a girl!!! You're class is 7am and you wake up 6am...the heck!!! You always think time is yours for everything is already served for you- the meal on the table, the piped-in water, and transportation. You know what!? When I was at your age in our town in Samar, we would have to prepare uling the night before the morning for LPGs were not yet available, people would cook their food using coal. In the morning before going to school, you're aunts were responsible for cooking, while I and your uncles were the ones who would collect water from limited water pumps in the town. So we have to wake up early in the morning to get first in the line. We had to walk a mile to reach the school. Everything was a hassle and we had to act fast.Now?! people are so relaxed. Look at you! you are so passive cause you don't have to prepare uling anymore, say thanks to microwave ovens it just takes minutes and you have your meal! You no longer have to collect water, for water just comes in our house! And you don't need to walk to go to school, you just ride the car!!! You should be thankful on your time now, for you have lived in this generation! But if you have lived during our time and this is the kind of habits you have, you're not gonna survive! I tell you!!"
I glanced away, and spoke to myself.Wooohw! I get your point. But sorry Pa, I can't blame myself. Youre maybe right that my habits are bad and they're not satisfying you, but I'm dictated for what I am in now. I know how it was during the past and the kind of lives people had. But I am no longer in the past. I am like this for life is a lot easier. Everything is already served and what is mostly exhausted and used is my hand and fingers.
If I had to call a friend to ask for my assignment, I just have to dial the phone. I no longer have to walk a mile to get to there house. If want to be entertained, I would just click the remote and WHOALA! I have my favorite show. I get my music from my player just making clicks, don't need to wait it to be played over the radio. I get my games in PS2 and computer and play online games (Flyff, Ragnarok, Gunbound, MU, GG) with my friends. We no longer have to go under the heat of the sun just to play with each other, for we already are playing together and in an out-of-this world setup. If I want to be connected with my elementary bestfriend who migrated to another country, I would just have to email him and check out his Friendster and Facebook. There are no more hassle of writing and going to the post office and long waiting for months for his reply. If there's a group report, we no longer need to meet in school, just discuss in YM conference. If there's a research, I no longer have to go to the biggest library in the city and catch allergy from dusts for I have Google with me. If i want to get connected with my crush, I just have to text her without the timid feeling of talking with her in person.
You see things are really easy right now.
But whenever I visit my father's hometown during summer and get to have bonds with my cousins, I am able to get a real picture of the life my father had in the past. There are still things in the past that are still part of their lives today. Like in playing, if you want to play you have to congregate with your neighbors or go to the plaza and meet with your playmates there. And I tell you, the experience is really great and far better in an outdoor than just by sitting and facing the PC. You are able to relate with new people and make new acquaintances and somehow know their culture. (It's really different from acquaintances you get in Facebook). You can't text your friends to meet me at this time and place for cell phones are not yet that available in the place so you have to go to the plaza.
In terms of the collection of water, I was once ordered by my aunt to collect water from water pumps for the town has no piped-in water system yet. And it really was a hassle. So people here make early schedules when to collect water with shorter lines. Moreover, you get an instant weights for your muscles. Not bad at all, no wonder my cousins have good bicep cuts.
I have to walk or bike 2000m to get to my lola's house for there are no vehicles to take you there. So while walking with my cousins, we have so many talks along the way and we would not go instantly to our destination. We would go first to a forested area and explore the place- make a tree house and play there, then to my lola's house. So, a single trip that is made for minutes when Im in the city took me hours. But it was worth it. The laughs and bonds I had and the experience of making a tree house is so good, and is not attainable in the city for I have no gadget or game that creates a real time experience of building a real house.
When people want to have a toy, they make and create it on their own to have one. Unlike in the city you just buy it in supermarkets or get an order over the net through this e-Commerce thing. I just watched them and got amazed how creative my cousins are. They are able to make kites that easily fly out of sticks and cellophane, tops out of a scrap wood, scooter out of scrapped metal and wood, and wooden guns. They even make their own fish baits and traps and I am just envy whenever they a get a catch when we go out for fishing. Sadly, my baits were poor. :/
I am really amazed how creative and resourceful people are in this place.
When my cousin courted her crush, we had to the girl's house and give a harana.
I had so many unusual experiences everytime I get to visit my Papa's place. It's like I am able to time travel and be able to witness my father's story in reality, though there are already changes due to technological advancements brought to the place. But still, the setup is still somewhat same- the lifestyles of the people and the things they have.
Truly, there is a tradeoff between the time of today and yesterday. Today, technology has made life easier, but the values and culture of people are getting poor. In the past, technology was poor and life was hard, but the values, norms, and culture is preserved and rich.
So when is better?
I glanced away, and spoke to myself.Wooohw! I get your point. But sorry Pa, I can't blame myself. Youre maybe right that my habits are bad and they're not satisfying you, but I'm dictated for what I am in now. I know how it was during the past and the kind of lives people had. But I am no longer in the past. I am like this for life is a lot easier. Everything is already served and what is mostly exhausted and used is my hand and fingers.
If I had to call a friend to ask for my assignment, I just have to dial the phone. I no longer have to walk a mile to get to there house. If want to be entertained, I would just click the remote and WHOALA! I have my favorite show. I get my music from my player just making clicks, don't need to wait it to be played over the radio. I get my games in PS2 and computer and play online games (Flyff, Ragnarok, Gunbound, MU, GG) with my friends. We no longer have to go under the heat of the sun just to play with each other, for we already are playing together and in an out-of-this world setup. If I want to be connected with my elementary bestfriend who migrated to another country, I would just have to email him and check out his Friendster and Facebook. There are no more hassle of writing and going to the post office and long waiting for months for his reply. If there's a group report, we no longer need to meet in school, just discuss in YM conference. If there's a research, I no longer have to go to the biggest library in the city and catch allergy from dusts for I have Google with me. If i want to get connected with my crush, I just have to text her without the timid feeling of talking with her in person.
You see things are really easy right now.
But whenever I visit my father's hometown during summer and get to have bonds with my cousins, I am able to get a real picture of the life my father had in the past. There are still things in the past that are still part of their lives today. Like in playing, if you want to play you have to congregate with your neighbors or go to the plaza and meet with your playmates there. And I tell you, the experience is really great and far better in an outdoor than just by sitting and facing the PC. You are able to relate with new people and make new acquaintances and somehow know their culture. (It's really different from acquaintances you get in Facebook). You can't text your friends to meet me at this time and place for cell phones are not yet that available in the place so you have to go to the plaza.
In terms of the collection of water, I was once ordered by my aunt to collect water from water pumps for the town has no piped-in water system yet. And it really was a hassle. So people here make early schedules when to collect water with shorter lines. Moreover, you get an instant weights for your muscles. Not bad at all, no wonder my cousins have good bicep cuts.
I have to walk or bike 2000m to get to my lola's house for there are no vehicles to take you there. So while walking with my cousins, we have so many talks along the way and we would not go instantly to our destination. We would go first to a forested area and explore the place- make a tree house and play there, then to my lola's house. So, a single trip that is made for minutes when Im in the city took me hours. But it was worth it. The laughs and bonds I had and the experience of making a tree house is so good, and is not attainable in the city for I have no gadget or game that creates a real time experience of building a real house.
When people want to have a toy, they make and create it on their own to have one. Unlike in the city you just buy it in supermarkets or get an order over the net through this e-Commerce thing. I just watched them and got amazed how creative my cousins are. They are able to make kites that easily fly out of sticks and cellophane, tops out of a scrap wood, scooter out of scrapped metal and wood, and wooden guns. They even make their own fish baits and traps and I am just envy whenever they a get a catch when we go out for fishing. Sadly, my baits were poor. :/
I am really amazed how creative and resourceful people are in this place.
When my cousin courted her crush, we had to the girl's house and give a harana.
I had so many unusual experiences everytime I get to visit my Papa's place. It's like I am able to time travel and be able to witness my father's story in reality, though there are already changes due to technological advancements brought to the place. But still, the setup is still somewhat same- the lifestyles of the people and the things they have.
Truly, there is a tradeoff between the time of today and yesterday. Today, technology has made life easier, but the values and culture of people are getting poor. In the past, technology was poor and life was hard, but the values, norms, and culture is preserved and rich.
So when is better?
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